Island Cooperative Preschool has been focused on children and parents learning together since 1971. We are a diverse community of learners providing an inspiring place for young children and caregivers to thrive.
Our school is a parent-run nonprofit located on beautiful Bainbridge Island. Working together, we nurture the development of the whole child through play, creativity and outdoor adventures. We focus on the social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of children ages one through five. Our nature-based curriculum follows the seasons and incorporates our amazing outdoor play space as well as natural settings around the island.
As a co-op, we truly value our strong community of families. Regular social gatherings and school activities provide many opportunities to develop meaningful connections. We know that parents are their child's first teachers, so we provide support with monthly parent education classes and coaching.
Under the experienced guidance of teacher Ellen Carleson, we regularly participate in our child's classroom as Teaching Parents. We have the pleasure of learning alongside our children and helping them to develop their curiosity, creativity and confidence in a safe and stimulating environment.
It's for these reasons, and more, that we love our school. We invite you to explore these pages to learn more about us.
Please contact us directly for a visit and a tour. We'd love to meet you!
“We love ICP because it provides a community of nurture and support that we wouldn’t have been able to create on our own. Having moved here from the East Coast, ICP gave us a wonderful opportunity to develop our “village” with likeminded families that have similar child rearing philosophies and commitments to growing and developing our community.
Teacher Ellen and the co-op are wonderful and committed to encouraging our kids to be kids through fun, outdoor, creative play that prepares them for their future! Through this play, my husband and I have witnessed the great social, emotional, physical and educational development that Teacher Ellen instilled in our oldest, which set him up to succeed in elementary school. We would be remiss if we didn’t give our second child this awesome opportunity!” -- Sunny Stanley
“This is Team Evison's 8th year at ICP, and it won't be our last, as we plan to red-shirt our youngest--just as we did with our middle and oldest children--all so they could have an extra year with Teacher Ellen. Our children have thrived under Ellen's care and tutelage, and many of the friends they have made at ICP, along with the tools they've developed, have followed them into primary and middle school. ICP is more than just a pre-school, it is a vital community, and an excellent resource for parents and children alike. We are particularly grateful to have had ICP through the pandemic, as it has been the highlight of our Lulu's life through a difficult and isolating time. She literally can't wait to go to school every day, and as parents we feel very comfortable with the great care Ellen and staff devote to safety protocols. For nearly a decade, ICP has been a foundational piece of our family life, and child-rearing ethos, and for these things we are extremely grateful.” -- Johnny Evison