8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Forest morning
Outdoor classroom
Cooperative nature preschool
An outdoor preschool, made by its families
Bosque is a cooperative of families in South Tucson. Children ages 3 and 4 spend the morning in a shaded outdoor classroom with three teachers and two family adults who help that day. The teachers speak Spanish with the children, and we also serve families in English.
The co-op
The duties of the co-op
Bosque belongs to the families who run it. Here are the duties, in plain words.
A duty day in the classroom
One morning every two weeks, an adult from your family joins the teachers: setting out snack, reading a story or walking with the group outside.
What a duty morning is likeA job for the co-op
Each family takes one job for the year: the garden, water and shade, snack, materials or cleanup.
One family meeting a month
One evening a month we meet to decide together how the year goes. The teachers explain; the families vote.
Co-op hours
Duties are counted in hours a month. If a family can't do a duty, they tell us and we look for another way to help.
The week
Mornings and the duty day
Children come two or three mornings a week. Every morning, two family adults help in the classroom.
Fall session
Monday
8:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Duty day
Outdoor classroom
Family adultsTwo families each morning
Tuesday
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Forest morning
Outdoor classroom
8:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Duty day
Outdoor classroom
Family adultsTwo families each morning
Wednesday
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Forest morning
Outdoor classroom
8:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Duty day
Outdoor classroom
Family adultsTwo families each morning
Thursday
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Forest morning
Outdoor classroom
8:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Duty day
Outdoor classroom
Family adultsTwo families each morning
Friday
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Forest morning
Outdoor classroom
8:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Duty day
Outdoor classroom
Family adultsTwo families each morning
Sample classes.
Our programs
Programs by age and schedule
Two age groups and two schedules, with the same four-hour morning.
| Ages | Adults to children | Group size | Two mornings8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Tuesday and Thursday | Three mornings8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Monday, Wednesday and Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threes3-year-olds | 1 adult to 13 children | 16 | Offered | Offered |
| Fours4-year-olds | 1 adult to 15 children | 16 | Offered | Offered |
Fees and what each is for
- Registration
- Opens your family's file and covers the forms and the first week's materials. It is paid once, when you enroll.
- Monthly tuition
- Set by the child's age and how many mornings a week they come. We give you the figures on the tour.
- Co-op membership
- Met with your family's co-op hours.
- Materials
- Paper, paint and garden plants.
- Snack
- The morning snack.
- Outings
- Walks to the park and the nearby trails, with families' written permission.
Sample programs.
Membership
Co-op membership
Membership belongs to the family, not the child. It is met with co-op hours.
A family with one child at Bosque
One family, one place. Co-op hours are met with these duties.
- A duty day in the classroom every two weeks
- One job for the year
- One family meeting a month
- Term:
- One school year, August to May
- Cancellation:
- Written notice a month ahead.
- Refunds:
- What happens with the month in progress is explained in writing when you enroll.
A family with more than one child
Co-op hours are per family, not per child. We talk it through on the tour.
- One job per family
- The duty day is arranged with the teachers
- The same duties however many children attend
- Term:
- One school year, August to May
- Cancellation:
- Written notice a month ahead.
- Refunds:
- What happens with the month in progress is explained in writing when you enroll.
If a family can't do a duty, they tell us and we look for another way to help, such as a job that can be done from home.
The year
Enrollment and the year's dates
We give you exact dates on the tour; these are the months.
The school year
- Tour
Tours by appointment
All year
A working morning to see the outdoor classroom and meet the teachers. You can bring your child.
- Applications open
Fall enrollment opens
February
We write to families on the waitlist first.
- Open house
Meeting for new families
March
The teachers explain the co-op duties and answer your questions.
- Decisions
Answers to families
April
- First day
First day of school
August
- Closed
Winter break
December
Sample dates.
License and safety
License, adults per child and outdoor routines
The state license, the adults for each group of children, and what we do about shade, water and heat.
License
Licensed by ADHS, Oficina de Licencias de Cuidado Infantil
Child care license · AZ License # 000000Verify
Adults to children
1 adult to 13 children
3-year-olds
Group size: 16
1 adult to 15 children
4-year-olds
Group size: 16
Group size
Up to 16 children
with 2 adults
Ages 3 years to 4 years
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Mandated reporter training
- Food handler training
Safety routines
Shade
The outdoor classroom has fixed shade over the play and snack areas. The teachers follow the shade through the morning.
Water
Each child brings a bottle and there is water in the yard. Children drink before going out, midmorning and when they come back inside.
Heat
Each morning we check the forecast. With an extreme heat warning, the morning is indoors, and families know before they leave home.
Headcount
We count the children when we leave the classroom, when we change areas and when we come back inside. One adult counts and another confirms.
First aid
There is a first aid kit in the yard, and staff trained in CPR and first aid every morning.
Family adults
A family adult works beside a teacher; they are not left alone with a group.
Ask us about child care assistance
Sample details.
The team
Three teachers, and the families beside them
They speak Spanish with the children through the morning, and all three serve families in English.
Milagro Valverde
Director and teacher
Runs Bosque and teaches the morning group. Her family has lived between Sonora and Tucson for generations. She speaks Spanish and English with the children and families.
Audelia Gabaldon
Teacher
Looks after the garden and the water in the outdoor classroom. Speaks Spanish with the children through the morning and serves families in English.
Isauro Riojas
Teacher
Leads the circle, the stories and the headcount every time the group leaves the classroom. Speaks Spanish and English.
Families
What families say
“I like that the duty day doesn't feel like a chore. I arrive, they put me to work on snack, and the children see me as part of the room.”
Lucía R.Parent of a four-year-old
“At first the heat worried me. They explained how they handle shade, water and the days the morning is indoors, and that put us at ease.”
Gabriela M.Parent of a three-year-old
“The teachers explain everything in Spanish, and when I have a question I message them and they answer.”
Andrés T.Parent of a four-year-old
Sample reviews.
Come and see the outdoor classroom
A tour takes a working morning. You will see the yard, the shade and the indoor room, and meet the teachers.
