What Families Say About OCP

Our daughter has been attending OCP (Overlook Collaborative Preschool) for the past 2 years and we could not feel more comfortable and confident with the environment that Emily and Erin have created. Our daughter is a more reserved and quiet child and it has been amazing to see her blossom and gain confidence in her peer to peer and teacher interactions. They take the time to really offer each child support, choices and opportunities to help them feel successful. The other students at the school are so caring, nurturing, and responsible and this is due to the culture Erin and Emily have created. We feel so fortunate to have found this school

My older daughter had a wonderful two years at OCP and my younger daughter is having a great experience there now. Erin has a real passion for teaching and a wealth of knowledge about child development. She has thoughtfully designed the school’s indoor and outdoor spaces to be inviting and stimulating for small explorers. She and her co-teacher do a terrific job facilitating opportunities for the kids to learn through play, and guiding them to gain greater independence, emotional regulation, and friendship skills. I wholeheartedly recommend OCP!

Our daughter had an amazing experience for 2 years at OCP. It was fun to see her enthusiasm of going to school each day and watch her grow and learn new things about the world then share them with us. It’s a well structured, clean, inviting, and positive learning environment for kids.

My older son went to preschool here and he thrived! Erin and the teachers are so loving and encouraging, he grew up to love school and learning. Now that he’s a first grader I can still see the results. He’s a great student, confident and a compassionate friend and I believe it all started at preschool. I will be forever grateful to have been part of this community and I’m counting the days until our younger son starts going to preschool as well.

Both of our children have had the most amazing experience with OCP.

From the moment we read the website, visited the school and met the teachers, we knew it was going to be such a dynamic puzzle piece for our son’s learning. We will be forever grateful for the nurturing and beautiful environment he got to jump start his schooling and social skills from. We have seen him grow leaps and bounds since starting and we, as parents, have as well.

We have had our son at Overlook Collaborative Preschool for the last year and a half and are looking forward to when our daughter starts there next fall. Erin and [her co-teacher] create a wonderful and thoughtful environment for the kids to play, create, and explore. I like the mixed age class and have enjoyed seeing our son take on different roles in the school as he has grown. I have also always been impressed by the behavior and kindness of other kids at the school, which I believe is a reflection on the environment that Erin and Emily create.  Our son loves preschool and is having the perfect first “school” experience.

Our daughter is at school at Overlook and having a blast! She started as the youngest child in class this year and it’s been wonderful to see her learn and grow with the support of the older kids in school. The collaborative learning approach really works well, and the children genuinely have a special rapport. Erin and Emily have created an amazingly safe and creative space for growth. We found out about OCP from friends and we feel so lucky to be part of this school community.

Our daughter loves going to school and is super excited every day she goes. Our daughter is a bit shy (at first) and teacher Erin and Emily have taken the time to really listen to her and nurture her. The environment is exciting, fun, and safe. We feel very fortunate to have found this amazing preschool and we are enrolling our son this year too!
We can’t say enough good things about teacher Erin and Emily. They are passionate, cheerful, positive and nurturing! 

Watching our son grow and mature there has been amazing as a parent. Erin, Emily, and Darin are so welcoming and fun. The school is a really special little place that’s been designed to use all the space in a very creative way.

Each day we receive journals, so that we can stay up to date with how our son is interacting and learning. Watching him play and interact for the past two years through the journals is the highlight of my afternoon every day. It is clear from reading the journals and meeting with the staff that they are knowledgeable about early childhood education, and really love what they do.

The families at OCP have formed a friendly community in which we are happy to be a part. I look forward to the next few years, and for our next son to go there as well

Both of our granddaughters attend OCP and we appreciate receiving the daily newsletter and photos of their activities. A typical day at OCP includes group preparation of a simple recipe, art projects with instruction about drawing, use of shape and color in a variety of mediums, as well as building materials, Mo the Music Man and play time in the garden and outdoor mud kitchen are other favorites of the children. They are currently watching the metamorphosis of caterpillars to butterflies and work on developing cooperative work on special projects. Language development is promoted through storybooks, puppets imaginative play areas within the school. Thanks for providing a nurturing and a 5 star preschool education program to my grand daughters.

I have had the opportunity to work and spend time at Overlook Collaborative Preschool as an early childhood consultant. I enjoy the warm, friendly, and comfortable space as a platform to work. The teachers Erin and Emily are consistently engaged with the children and create a nurturing and safe environment for all of the children to grow and develop. As an educator myself, I appreciate all of the opportunities for language and social skill development embedded into the natural flow of the classroom. The materials and activities are geared toward early childhood development and crafted in a creative way. Erin, Emily, and Darin go above and beyond to be connected with the children, families, and professionals who are a part of the Overlook Community Preschool community. I feel as though I learn and am inspired by all them following every visit.

We discovered OCP in 2009 when I knew we needed a place for our precocious 2-year old to interact with peers on a regular basis. She spent a full three years at OCP being nurtured and encouraged by preschool owners Erin and Darin and other teachers, including visiting music teachers about once a week. Through those years our daughter learned critical life skills such as confidence, compassion, and a love of learning. Her curious nature was encouraged through the Reggio-inspired approach to teaching, and she also exceeded the academic standards for Kindergarten when that time came. Our younger daughter is now in her third and final year at OCP and thriving as well. OCP is truly a community preschool experience. We feel so fortunate and blessed to have found OCP and to have Erin, Darin, and all of the OCP families in our lives!

As educators ourselves, we are appreciative of the learning environment Erin has created which allows each child’s individuality to shine as she guides them through the learning process. As long distance grandparents, the daily newsletter allows us to keep abreast of the school happenings enabling us to have meaningful conversations with our grandchildren regarding the highlights of their day. We are so pleased that our grandchildren have the opportunity to begin their educational journey in such a warm, nurturing environment.

The first thing my daughter says when she wakes up in the morning is – Is it school today? And she is always thrilled when it is. We love creative learning environment Erin and the teachers make at OCP. When we walk into the school we are always greeted by a calm, cheerful and loving classroom. We can’t say enough good things about the daily journals!

Our daughter started at Overlook Collaborative Preschool this fall and she wakes up in the morning so excited about going to school. I toured a number of schools before deciding on OCP. The facility is so warm and welcoming. We love the daily journals with pictures and stories emailed to us each day. We are able to ask our daughter about specific things from her day, and carry the things she is learning at school into the home. She has gotten very excited about writing and drawing and in just a few months shows really amazing improvement in both. But most importantly it feels like her learning community is a second home for her, she is always talking about her friends and teachers, even asks me to send photos of things she loves to Erin and Sarah. It is such a wonderful community to be a part of, we can’t wait for her little sister to be able to go to school as well!

It doesn’t condescend to kids with loud colors or cartoon characters, but feels inspired by the outdoors in a cozy way. The children’s artwork is displayed all over, and even though the school is small there are nooks and crannies where kids can explore and create. We love that the curriculum is driven by the kids and is focused on play and reinforcing to them how capable they are: kids get to choose what to do and how to accomplish their goals in a safe environment. A lot of the decision-making happens as a team with the other children and that kind of collaboration has helped teach our son about sharing the world, give-and-take and supporting others. We have come to really appreciate the peer-to-peer learning that goes on and OCP does a really fantastic job letting it happen and not getting in the way.

Also, really, everybody agrees: the daily journals are the most amazing thing. It’s very cool to get a snapshot of each school day. Finally, the school has a very clear and comprehensive handbook that outlines rules and expectations for children and parents.

I have toured so many preschools in North Portland and Overlook instantly felt like the right fit for our daughter. We love reading the daily journals and learning about how she has spent her day and what has happened at school. The environment that Erin, Sarah and Darin work to create is warm and welcoming and full of love! Thank you for all you do!

Our child will leave Overlook with the strategy to answer questions both by respectful collaboration and with real thinking and creativity, and not regurgitating or waiting for answers. We see it every day at home and hope to learn from our child!

When you walk in the door it’s so welcoming, bright and clean. The teacher’s are warm and loving in addition to providing an environment where learning is constantly taking place. My son is truly thriving in the environment the teachers work so hard to create. As parents, the journal we receive every day is so impressive and appreciated. It makes us feel like we are really a part of our son’s day and gives us a platform for continuing learning and discussions at home. We feel so fortunate to be part of such a great community of teachers and families!

Being a part of the Overlook Collaborative Preschool community is as important to us today as when it was the first day our child started school. Our appreciation for the love, guidance and joy of learning you have tended in our child is beyond words. Our child has entered kindergarten with great social skills, a strong sense of self confidence. Thank you (Erin, Sarah and Darin) for the passion and attention you bring to your school and each child every day.

Erin has created a warm and safe environment for exploration and play. Following her students’ lead, Erin provides activities that fully engage our son’s imagination. At OCP our son is learning how to be a kind and considerate friend as well as how to express his own ideas with confidence. We LOVE this school!

This has been a wonderful place for our son. He loves to go to school and has learned many great life skills. Erin is consistently thoughtful in how she approaches each child and makes each day a unique learning opportunity. I am always amazed at how much they accomplish in 4 hours. We couldn’t be more pleased with the happiness and success our son has had at this school.

Our son felt comfortable there from the first moment we visited and adores the teachers as well as the friends he has made. The teachers are creative and energetic, finding unique ways to inspire and encourage the children’s natural curiosity, and making sure each child knows that they are a valued member of the community. We are so thankful to have this wonderful preschool in our neighborhood.

Our child had a great year and has made so many beautiful things and learned so much.

The teachers and the other parents and kids have been so warm and welcoming. We are very appreciative of the eco-minded design of the school’s environments – indoors and outdoors. The school itself is a delightful space filled with so many different learning and play stations. Our daughter’s speech, imagination and pretend play skills have blossomed. She looks forward to every school day and is always sad to leave at the end of the day.

We looked for over a year at many different programs for our son and thankfully found Erin. It is a big decision to leave your child with someone else for any length of time and Erin made this an easy and fun process. She is a fantastic teacher who effortlessly creates a loving environment for children to grow and learn. Our son loves her so much he wishes everyday was a school day. I would recommend that every parent check out this program, you will not be disappointed. Thanks Erin for all your hard work, what you do is so important and so appreciated!!!!

Erin has abundant energy and passion for kids, and she makes sure the kids feel loved and included. She encourages the children to explore, take initiative and does a great job at fostering first friendships. I love the daily journals Erin puts together with pictures and stories from each day. I email those to family and friends so everyone can see the things my son has been learning and sharing at school. Thanks Erin!

Our son has never had any other care givers than his family. He LOVES his teacher and new friends. Continually he comes home sharing about new things he’s experienced and skills he’s acquired. We searched long and hard to find a good fit for him. You must check this place out.

What an extraordinary teacher Erin is, and the kids’ curiosity and empathy are so poignant. The kids are blessed to be in such a remarkable preschool.