About NNS
The Neighborhood Nursery School has been serving young Los Angeles families for over 70 years, beginning at a site on the south end of the Silver Lake reservoir in 1952, and moving in 1976 to our current location, a beautiful tree-filled .25 acre campus at the other end of the reservoir.
We are a non-profit cooperative, which means that parents are active and essential partners with our certified teachers in the running of the school. Parents work as teaching assistants, maintain the buildings and grounds, and organize fundraisers, including the annual spring fair which has become a Silver Lake community tradition.
The curriculum at NNS is based on the interests, needs, and abilities of children aged three to five. Children choose freely from a wide range of activities and play options that promote socialization and lay the groundwork for later schooling. Our program includes all aspects of experiential learning: social, emotional, intellectual, creative, and physical.
NNS has provided a stimulating and formative preschool experience for over 1800 children, while monthly parent education presentations have helped their parents understand child development and meet the many challenges of raising a family.
Neighborhood Nursery School is licensed by the Department of Social Services of the State of California and by the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services. We are members of the Los Angeles Council of Parent Participatory Nursery Schools and the California Council of Parent Participatory Nursery Schools.
Established: 1952
Enrolls: Children 3 to 5 years of age. All races, ethnic groups, family structures, and religions welcome. Toilet training not required.
Visiting Days: The Neighborhood Nursery School welcomes visitors wishing to come by and see the school in operation. You and your child can spend the morning with us and meet the teachers, the membership chairperson, and parents. Call or email for an appointment. 323.665.0209 membership@neighborhoodnurseryschool.org
Admissions: Admission decisions are based on a number of factors. Admission is not first-come, first-served. Alumni families who left the school in good standing are given preference. Also, in every case, the composition of the current student population is considered. For more information see admissions process.
Ownership: NNS is a cooperative, owned and operated by the parents of its students. Parents participate in the school’s daily operations, administration and maintenance through regular work days as teaching assistants, committee work, fundraising, and monthly business meetings.
Schedule: Monday through Friday, 9:00am – 12:00pm, September through June, plus a six-week summer session. Three year-olds begin at two days per week. Children may attend two, three, four, or five days a week, depending on space availability and teacher approval. If there’s a sufficient number of students getting ready to graduate, a pre-kindergarten afternoon program is offered in the spring twice a week for 8 weeks.
Capacity: 24 children maximum per day.
Ratio: Usually one adult for every three to four children; never higher than one adult to five children.
Funded by: Tuition plus parent-run fundraisers, including the Spring Fair, auction, and annual quilt.
Tuition Aid: A limited amount of tuition aid is available. After admission to the school, families may apply for grants of tuition aid by filling out a request form and submitting it to the Board (elected parent officers and teachers). Interest-free loans are also available.
Parent Education: Topics related to child development and parenting are included in the monthly parent meetings geared to the developmental needs, interests, and abilities of young children.
Staff:
Teacher-Director Odilia Gonzalez (joined NNS in 2021)
Teacher Sam Smith-Connell (joined NNS in 2023)
Tuition:
2 days/week: $300 a month
3 days/week: $335 a month
4 days/week: $370 a month
5 days/week: $400 a month