Skytown’s Core Values

Community
As a cooperative preschool, community is an essential element of who we are. We are a nurturing and supportive community of children, families, teachers and staff who practice “love in action.” This love can be witnessed between the family and teacher relationships, through a sense of care and support among the parent community when things get hard, and in the supportive environment we create for children to grow.  

Respect
We deeply respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child and adult). 

We take our children seriously. We listen to what they say, pay attention to their development, and work towards supporting their needs. We also respect each other as parents and our diverse family practices. 

Trust
As a community we seek help from one another when we need it. We trust that everyone in our community is doing the best they can. Families trust one another to care for each other's children. Teachers, staff and parents develop deep trust through their daily partnerships, both inside and outside the classroom, and this supports the smooth operation of our school. We support children in trusting their own voice and to know that any adult in the community will help them if/when needed. 

Voice/Communication
Communication, as the exchange of information and understanding, requires courageous and authentic dialogue with ourselves and others. Learning how to use our voice in that exchange--in a way that serves and respects both the sender and receiver--is an important part of cultivating social-emotional wellness. We practice open and honest communication within our parent community. We actively model and support children to develop social-emotional wellbeing, including expressing their feelings and needs, practicing empathy, trusting their own voice, and becoming confident in who they are are individuals. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We work to create a deep sense of inclusion and belonging--where everyone in our community is welcomed, valued, seen and are able to bring their authentic and whole selves forward. We promote curiosity and understanding of experiences and viewpoints other than our own while upholding principles of fairness and justice. We commit to identifying and removing structural barriers to access, participation, and equitable learning opportunities. We believe in self-reflection and courageous conversations and we commit to continuous learning about how our beliefs and actions have been shaped by our experiences of the systems of privilege and oppression in which we live and operate. Learn more here.

Conflict Resolution/Restorative Justice
We believe that children can effectively resolve their interpersonal conflicts with support and guidance by attentive and caring adults. We actively support children through a conflict resolution and Restorative Justice process that allows space for children to express their feelings and needs, attend to harm, and discover/explore solutions to make things right. We believe in authentically restoring relationships, instead of forced apologies.