River Oak Co-op
Our mixed-age early childhood program is located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, and is led by Stacy Niemiec and Sarah Bethel, two experienced outdoor educators. This co-op provides developmentally appropriate, play-based early childhood education that promotes respect for people and nature through outdoor learning.
Outdoor Preschool
River Oak Co-op's mixed-age outdoor preschool program is located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago. Led by two experienced outdoor educators, this co-op provides developmentally appropriate, play-based early childhood education that promotes respect for people and nature through outdoor learning. The program offers an all-outdoor learning experience that fosters curiosity, compassion, empathy, cultural awareness, creative problem solving, and environmental responsibility in children ages 3-6. We welcome families seeking an alternative to traditional Pre-K and Kindergarten.
Enrollment is now open for the 2023-2024 school year!
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Start Date: August 21st 2023
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Calendar: Loosely aligned with Chicago Public School calendar. Registered families will receive a complete calendar and parent handbook.
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Days/Times: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-2:30 pm; part-time options available.
Age Range: 3-6 years old
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Tuition: $150 per week for 2 days a week; $225 per week for 3 days a week; $375 per week for 5 days a week.
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Summer Camp
NOW ENROLLING! River Oak's summer camp will run from July 8th to August 16th, from 9am to 2:30pm Monday through Friday. Much like our school-year program, this is a nature-based, child-led experience with a strong focus on free play out in nature. We will prioritize full-time enrollment, but will also have a 3-day option and a 2-day option available. (Please inquire with teachers/directors Stacy and Sarah.) If you have questions, feel free to email us at riveroakcoop@gmail.com. We'd be more than happy to chat more about summer camp with you!
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Location: River Park in Chicago
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Ages: 3-6 years old
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Tuition: $375 per week (Monday through Friday)
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Registration: https://www.jovial.org/oakleaf/hello/forms/31
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If the link takes you to the portal homepage, select the form named "River Oak Co-op (Chicago)Weekly Summer Camp Enrollment 2024."
Nature Tots
Our Spring Nature Tots program runs every Tuesday from 9 - 10:30 am just south of the playground located at 5100 N Francisco Ave in Chicago. Nature Tots is a caregiver- accompanied program for children ages 0-3 and is drop-in only. Upon arrival, you will sign a waiver and pay the program fee of $25 via Zelle. Please reach out to riveroakcoop@gmail.com with any questions!
Co-op Leadership
Stacy Niemiec
Co-Chair & Teacher
Stacy has a BS in Environmental Science from UIC and an MS in Child Development from the Erikson Institute with a specialization in preschool- aged child development. After graduating from UIC, Stacy worked at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum with 3-5 year olds creating nature based programs during the summer months. She then decided to go on to study child development. After her studies at Erikson, she moved to Oakland, CA where she did in-home developmental and behavioral therapy. She then had a child of her own, Levi, and they moved back home to Chicago.
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Once home, the pandemic hit and Stacy ran an outdoor preschool pod where she rediscovered her love and passion for being in nature with young children. After the pandemic she became the co-director (with Sarah Bethel) for an outdoor program based in a public park in the city. She also taught her own class or 3-6 year olds during this time. Stacy believes people thrive outside, in nature, and is excited to partner with Oak Leaf to bring this experience to children living in the city!
Sarah Bethel
Co-Chair & Teacher
Sarah has worked in environmental education for the past decade, six of those years focused specifically on early childhood nature education. She has worked inside the classroom as well as in multiple outdoor preschool programs, eventually working as the co-director for an outdoor preschool here in Chicago. Her experiences in nature-based learning, garden education, and all-weather fun, have led her to Oak Leaf and the River Oak Nature Program - which she is very excited to be a part of!
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Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon and a Masters of Education from Antioch University. When not teaching, Sarah can be found taking bike rides around the city, baking up a storm in her kitchen, or out walking her dog Lew with her husband Max and daughter Wren along the beautiful Lake Michigan waterfront!
