Redmond Co-Op Preschool alumni are invited to an open house celebrating the legacy of longtime board member Jim Bartron from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Refreshments will be served at the preschool, located in the basement of the Redmond United Methodist Church, 16540 NE 80th St.
Jim’s widow, Darlene Bartron — known as “Miss Darlene” to her former Redmond Co-Op students — will be there to share happy memories with visitors. And at 10:30 a.m., there will be a dedication of a painting of the solar system, which was commissioned in honor of Jim’s work, designing rockets that propelled the Viking Lander. A former co-op parent, Stephen Daniele, provided the concept and the design for the painting, which was commissioned to artist John Alves.
According to teachers Julie Kennedy and Karen Gronberg, Jim was devoted to children and science learning and also helped Redmond Co-Op find its current space, which it has occupied since 1990.
The preschool is not affiliated with Redmond United Methodist, although it has a friendly relationship with the congregation. Redmond Co-Op is actually linked to parent education courses at Lake Washington Technical College.
Participating adults earn college credits by attending meetings about child development and common parenting concerns. Parents also actively plan and supervise activities and take turns with housekeeping duties at the preschool.
Kennedy and Gronberg were parents of Redmond Co-Op students long before they started teaching there.
“It’s nice to meet people with kids of similar age, facing the same challenges, such as eating or sleeping habits,” said Gronberg.
Kennedy remarked, “We are very diverse ethnically and in other faiths. So you get a lot of wisdom from a lot of different perspectives.”
Comparing notes and observing children besides your own “lets you see whether your child is on target developmentally, or not,” Gronberg commented.
Teachers at the co-op receive a lot of “outside education, focusing a lot on spotting red flags,” said Kennedy.
For example, if your young child exhibits symptoms of hearing or vision difficulties or a developmental disorder, someone at the co-op will know how and where to seek professional guidance.
But the best reason to be involved in Redmond Co-Op Preschool is that “groups keep in contact like family — the same people go camping together from year to year,” Gronberg stated. “I go into Safeway or Target and my family says, ‘You know everybody!'”
Kennedy said the camaraderie imparts a “small-town feel,” in a city that has grown dramatically since the Redmond Co-Op Preschool began in 1962. It first held classes at Faith Lutheran Church, then moved to Marymoor Park, the old Nike missile property, the Union Hill Alliance Church and Redmond Junior High before settling into Redmond United Methodist.
The physical locations may have changed but not the spirit of caring, the teachers stated.
The close friendships between co-op members are cherished by participating adults, but “kids also go into school more confident because they have so many extended aunts and uncles through Redmond Co-Op Preschool,” said Gronberg.
Last but not least, because parents all share in the workload, Redmond Co-Op Preschool is more affordable than many early childhood programs. Scholarships are also available for those in need.
For more information, call (425) 885-2888 or visit www.rcpreschool.org.
