Enrolling my son in Kindergarten at Cocoplum has been a fantastic decision. He's genuinely excited…read moreabout learning and continues to amaze me with his grasp of sciences and math. This is a stark contrast to his previous experience in a VPK program, which closely followed the traditional Florida public school system and left him dreading school.
At Cocoplum, the kids enjoy 1-2 weekly trips, have daily al fresco lunches, and participate in interactive games and peer-to-peer learning for math, sciences, and reading. This unique approach has fostered my son's independence, thoughtfulness, and confidence. He's not only curious but also eager to share what he's learned.
I also want to highlight the incredible leadership at the school, which is founded and run by two remarkable women. Melanie, the executive director, exudes a pleasant demeanor and brings a calming energy that the kids adore. Fernanda, the other founder, focuses on the curriculum, taking the time to genuinely listen to the children and connect with them on their level. Her approach encourages various forms of creative play and learning; she's like the Latina Miss. Frizzle! Being Mexican, Fernanda also incorporates a significant amount of Spanish in the classrooms, which is important to me since I speak Spanish at home.
The teachers are wonderful and trained in the Conscious Discipline method. In teaching, they are observant and facilitate learning by tapping into each child's curiosity. An example from the other day: In Kindergarten, the kids were read a funny book. They were so excited by it that they took it upon themselves to rewrite the words and phrases from the book. When I was a kid, we were forced to write out sentences from books, but in my son's class, the kids WANT TO :) ! A few times a week, the teachers share anecdotes and photos on an app, which are linked to various learning objectives. While the school is play-based and creative, they do assess levels of competence across various subjects on a quarterly basis. This is something only the parents see and not the students, unlike traditional schools where kids are shown their report cards.
It brings me great comfort knowing that my child is in incredibly capable hands and surrounded by kind and caring children and adults, eliminating the need for me to constantly hover over him. Truly, it's a fantastic school. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the small class sizes, which is a huge plus!