Welcome to Durham Community Preschool
We were proud to be featured in the Natural Start Alliance spotlight of March 2021.
Our Mission
Durham Community Preschool is a secular non-profit nature preschool that offers play-based, part time child-care. We welcome families of every race, ethnicity, religion, family structure, and background.
Our Vision
Our vision is to nurture the potential of each child through innovative strategies that foster social-emotional development and creative exploration. We are unwavering in our commitment to providing families with a high quality educational experience within our inclusive, socially responsible community.
Conscious Discipline's Baby Doll Circle Time
Our Values and Philosophy
“All behavior is a form of communication” – Dr. Becky Bailey
Durham Community Preschool practices the concepts of Conscious Discipline, a brain-based trauma informed social emotional program. These concepts, skills and strategies help adults, educators and children learn about and practice self-regulation. This can be as simple as learning breathing exercises during transitions to incorporating a calm down kit for big feelings. Our focus is on building relationships, creating connections, and learning skills to navigate social situations. We want children to feel safe and to feel loved at preschool so that they can be ready to learn!
Family Involvement
Family involvement is strongly encouraged at Durham Community Preschool. It is a cornerstone of our program and crucial to our community-building mission. We encourage parents to volunteer a small portion of their time each month. This can take the form of assisting in the classroom, supporting staff with small projects, or helping with a fund-raising event. We have a mix of parents represented at DCP: some have full-time jobs outside of the home, some work at home or at part-time jobs, and some have busy student or volunteer schedules – but all participate in the life of our preschool, and we are stronger for it. Durham Community Preschool is so named because we truly value community: both our small but vital family of parents, children, teachers, and staff, and the larger communities of Durham and beyond.
