ABOUT SUBURBAN NURSERY SCHOOL

School Hours

• 9:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
• 90 minute Lunch Bunch for Redbirds (4-year-olds) is available twice a week.
• 60 minute Lunch Bunch for Bluebirds (3-year-olds) may be available halfway through the year, once a week.

Yellowbirds (Two-year olds)

• Eight children in each class
• Children attend two mornings a week (Tues & Thurs or Wed & Fri)
• Two parents co-op in each class
• Only parents may co-op
• Children should be 2 by September 1

Bluebirds (Three-year olds)

• Maximum fourteen children in class on any one day (may be fewer some days)
• Children may attend three, four or five mornings a week
• Two parents co-op in each class
• In three-day option, parent co-ops two days out of four weeks and is the "E-person" (emergency or backup) one day
• In four-day option, parent co-ops two or three days (alternating) out of four weeks and is the "E-person" (emergency back-up) one day
• In five-day - full co-op option, parent co-ops three days out of four weeks and is the "E-person" one day
• In five-day - partial co-op option, parent co-ops two days out of four weeks and is the "E-person" one day (limited spaces available with increased tuition)
• In five-day - once a month co-op option, parent co-ops one day out of four weeks and is the "E-person" one day (limited spaces available with increased tuition)
• Only parents may co-op
• Children should be 3 by September 1

Redbirds (Four-year olds)

• Sixteen to eighteen children in class
• Children attend five mornings a week
• Two parents co-op in each class
• With full co-op option, parent co-ops three days out of four weeks and is the "E-person" (emergency or backup) one day
• With partial co-op option, parent co-ops two days out of four weeks and is the "E-person" one day (limited spaces available with increased tuition)
• With once a month co-op option, parent co-ops one day out of four weeks is the "E-person" one day (limited spaces available with increased tuition)
• Only parents may co-op
• Lunch Bunch two days a week until 1:15
• Children should be 4 by September 1

Sibling Sitting

• While parents are co-oping in the classroom, on-site care is available for younger siblings.
• First Aid and CPR certified care giver.
• No more than 3 children per day.

School Calendar

The school year at Suburban begins one to two weeks after the opening of Montgomery County's schools and ends early in June with a two-week break during the winter holidays. Suburban closely follows the holiday schedule of Montgomery County Public Schools. School hours are 9:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. You can view the complete Suburban Nursery School calendar online.

Snow Policy: Suburban Nursery School bases its snow policy on the Montgomery County Public School guidelines, as follows:

• If Montgomery County opens two hours late, Suburban Nursery School will be closed.
• If Montgomery County schools are closed, Suburban Nursery School will be closed.

Parental Duties

A cooperative nursery school gives parents the unique opportunity to be part of their child's first school experience. As the name implies, in a cooperative everyone's active participation is important to making it work. The children are happiest when they, their parents, and teachers work together openly and "cooperatively." Suburban Nursery School has functioned in this manner for the last fifty-plus years, despite its being run by unpaid parents.

These are your responsibilities as a co-oping parent:

• Co-oping: Each parent is expected to "co-op" at Suburban. On a scheduled day, the child's mother or father assists the teacher and performs all necessary tasks as indicated by the teacher. The parent must arrive on time; failure to do so unfairly shifts the burden of work to other parents. Onsite sibling care is available to the co-oping parent to accommodate younger siblings and to assist in arriving on time.
• Parent Meetings: At least one parent from each family is required to attend all parent meetings. There is an orientation meeting at the beginning of the year for all families, and one or two meetings throughout the year for each class. At year's end, we have another meeting to elect the new Board. Teachers may, at their discretion, cancel or add more meetings if they determine there is a need. Your attendance and participation at these meetings is valuable and necessary; failure to attend the annual, school-wide meetings (in September and May) without an excused absence from the president will result in a fine of $50.
• Committee or Board Service: Each parent is asked to help with the work of one of the committees which help run the school (membership, housekeeping and maintenance, newsletter, hospitality/social, art, science, and fundraising) or serve on the Board. Parents are welcome to attend Board meetings, which are held monthly.
• Open Communication: We stress the need for open, frank, and fair communication among parents, the Board, and the teachers. Should you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please share them with the teachers, with a Board member, or with your class representative. You will be listened to. Grumbling and grousing is destructive and doesn't solve anything.
• Set Up/Pack Up/Clean Up Nights: One parent is required to come to the school on two clean up nights during the year. You will also be scheduled for either school set-up or pack-up, but not both. Regarding clean up nights, we do not have an outside cleaning service, so it is up to the parents to keep the classrooms and the play room clean. Dads or moms are welcome. Clean up nights are scheduled in advance, for Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. You will be given your dates early in the year. If it is not possible for you to attend your assigned date, please make arrangements to switch with another parent in advance. If you fail to attend or make a switch, you unfairly increase the burden on the other parents and you will be fined. For the sake of fairness, we have instituted the following fine schedule: $50 for the first missed occurrence, $75 for the second missed occurrence, and $100 for a third missed night.

LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS

Suburban Nursery School
7210 Hidden Creek Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
(301) 229-1465

• Suburban Nursery School is located in a Montgomery County facility in a suburban neighborhood.
• Take I-495 toward Bethesda. Take exit #39 - River Road (route 190) east toward Washington, D.C. and follow River Road for about 1/2 mile.
• Turn RIGHT at the light onto Nevis Road (Beech Tree Road is on the left side at the light). If you reach Wilson Lane (route 188) then you have gone too far.
• Take 4th RIGHT onto Loch Lomond Drive. Take 2nd LEFT onto Hidden Creek Road.
• Our school is immediately on your LEFT.

OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION