About Us

Rockland Cooperative Nursery School is the oldest non-profit, parent-participating pre-school in Rockland County. For the past 50 years, RCNS has been dedicated to providing a fun, safe and supportive educational environment for preschoolers ages two, three and four. RCNS is fully accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children - the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. We are a member of Childcare Resources of Rockland and PCPI (Parent Cooperative Preschools International).

"Our goal is to help establish your child's place. With a parent's hard work, love and cooperation, that place has no boundaries." -- Betty Bloch, former RCNS parent and Board President, teacher 2001.

The program is designed to empower both the child and the parent in a classroom setting. It nurtures social, intellectual, physical and emotional growth by creating opportunities for children to explore, create and take the initiative. It builds self-esteem and encourages independent thinking through personal accomplishment and play. And it allows parents to gain valuable parenting insight and self-confidence through classroom participation, parent education programs and the regular exchange of ideas between parents and teachers

Our Facility

"On the outside we're a school, but on the inside we are people helping one another raise our children" -- Liz Schneider, RCNS parent, 1982.

We have a spacious facility with a partial kitchen, loft area and an impressive assortment of play equipment and creative materials, both inside and out.

   
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RCNS is located in Murchison Hall at 8 Old Schoolhouse Road in New City, NY (near the intersection of New Hempstead Road and Route 45).

Accredited by NAEYC

RCNS has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.  read more...

Our History

RCNS has been serving the Rockland County community since it was founded in 1956 by Sis Levinson and a group of parents who saw the need for a high-quality, family-oriented cooperative pre-school. The school was first located in a one-room schoolhouse in Pomona. For 14 years, the school operated with one class of three and four-year-olds. In 1969, in response to growing interest in cooperative education, RCNS expanded to two classes, one for three-year-olds and one for four-year-olds. A class for two-year-olds was added in 1982. Today, all three classes are held in Murchison Hall behind the New Hempstead Presbyterian Church in New City.