Contact us
Admissions Info
A cooperative preschool. A loving and supportive community.
Come Play With Us
-Dr. Becky Bailey, Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline
- Dr. Becky Bailey
Friends of Mine is the oldest, continually running cooperative preschool in the Asheville area. As a parent cooperative, Friends of Mine is owned, operated, administered, and maintained by the parents on a non-profit basis. Parents serve as educational assistants in the classroom, participate in fundraising, serve as Board members, and participate in parent/teacher meetings.
A parent cooperative forms a triangular relationship where the children, the parents, and the teacher all learn from one another.
Each family is responsible for working one day a week so, every day we have 1 teacher and 2 or 3 parent assistants in the classroom.
Who We Are...
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We believe children learn best through play. At FOM, kids learn through "hands on, minds on" activities. They participate in center time free play, morning circle routines including group songs, theater, yoga, group pretend, dance parties, art, journal time, and lots of outside play.
We believe in the precepts of Conscious Discipline. The skills and methods outlined in the book, Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline by Becky Bailey are about "loving guidance", connection, AND modeling calming down before addressing behaviors. Each family receives a copy of the book and support in learning the methods.
What We Believe...
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Hi! My name is Heather Ward. For the last twenty years I have bounced between being an artist, an educator, a business owner, and a parent to two amazing daughters. They're now 12 and 18 years old.
In the classroom I see myself as a facilitator, curator, role model, appreciator, and host. I see preschool as a time for young children to develop independence, volition, and a sense of self. I believe in a presence-based approach to educating, which lends itself to conscious discipline and draws on my knowledge of child development. I want my students to have meaningful learning. I am honored to serve this remarkable community at Friends of Mine.
Our Teacher...
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As of February 2021, we have had zero cases of COVID-19 in our immediate community. We've kept our community safe by implementing health protocols including but not limited to:
- members agreeing to a social contract
- daily temperature and symptom checks
- mask wearing at all times except when eating
- regular hand washing
- increased outside time
- indoor HEPA filter
- windows-open air circulation indoors
COVID Precautions...
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Selection of our children and families is based on our commitment to balance each class by age, gender, and cultural diversity, and to foster a community of families who are enthusiastic about being involved in a cooperative preschool.
Community
The current monthly fee rate is:
3 Day = $192
4 Day = $236
5 Day = $280
Please note that there is a $200 enrollment fee and additional fees may apply for field trips and extracurricular programs.
Cost
Friends of Mine Preschool admits children from 2.5 to 5 years old for a mixed age classroom experience.
Our school day runs from 8:45am-12:45pm and the schedule includes snack time, lunch time, outside time and group time with variable lesson or exploration time.
Admissions
- wren cook
- jordan barker
- Anna Pizzo
- Julia Haverstock
And it's fun too! Everyone plays and makes art and learns so much.
