From Parent to Director, Co-Op School Finds New Leader

When the Cooperative Nursery School of Ridgewood encouraged Pam Koutrakos to apply for its vacant director position, she jumped at the chance for obvious reasons: good job, nice community, involves her extensive teaching background. However, the director's gig appealed to Koutrakos for one bigger reason.

As a child, Koutrakos learned at a co-op where her mom worked as director.

"I remember it was such a special connection, and it's stayed with us our whole lives," said Koutrakos, the mother of two Co-Op Nursery students. 

Starting July 1, Koutrakos will begin her new job as the director for the school, located in and affiliated with the United Methodist Church on Dayton Street. Currently a reading specialist and literacy coach within the Teaneck school system, Koutrakos comes to the co-op with 15 years experience in pre-K to sixth grader education and has a Masters in literacy and language arts from William Paterson University—following an undergraduate degree at Rutgers University.

The Fair Lawn resident says she is very excited to lead the nursery school.

"I absolutely love it here," Koutrakos said. "I'm most looking forward to spending my days in such a wonderful environment and being part of such a unique place."

Even before getting the job, Koutrakos was a long-time believer in the co-op community. Parents for each student—from toddlers to pre-K—are required to spend time within classrooms. The familiar faces, she says, benefits both parents and kids.

"This gives them an experience where students love to learn, and families can socialize in such a friendly setting," she said. "Many parents meet their best friends here."

Koutrakos's oldest son just graduated from the 4s and her daughter from the 2s. Although her son will attend kindergarten next year, he will also enroll in the co-op's new kindergarten enrichment program. That allows students to come back to the nursery school two days a week and reconnect with their friends they may not see in their town's school system.

"Kindergarten is a new experience. This program lets kids come back to a familiar place with friends," she said. "My son says he wants to stay here through college."

As a parent, Koutrakos served on the school's board and helped develop curriculum for the "Mommy and Me" program. In her new role as director, she wants to continue the community spirit and help develop appropriate curriculum for easy transition into elementary school.

"We use four out of five of the same district initiatives as they do in the Ridgewood school system," she said, adding students from a variety of communities attend the school.

Working with her teachers, the board, and the Methodist church, Koutrakos wants to give parents the tools they can use to enhance their child's learning experience at home.

"We're talking about parents' nights so we can connect what's happening in the schools with home, and give them resources they can use if they want," she said.

Koutrakos will have a little breathing room before school gets under way in September, but she plans on spending the summer freeing her up organizationally to be in the classroom come the fall.

"The plan is to be in every school classroom every single day for some reason," she said of her eight regular classes. Every week she said she will develop or help implement a different activity for each class, and at minimum will pop in to say hello daily.

The nursery school has rolling enrollment, and people may find information for most classes at its website. Koutrakos is all smiles when she invites people to join "the positive happy, atmosphere."