What is Cactus Wren?

Cactus Wren Cooperative Preschool was established in 1979 and is one of the oldest preschools in Sierra Vista. As a non-profit organization, it fills a community need by offering an affordable, positive social experience for preschool children and their families. Cactus Wren is a non-denominational preschool.

The school is run by parent volunteers, who serve as executive board members, classroom volunteers and in a variety of other roles. Our professional staff are certified elementary school teachers with many years experience.

We are making a change to the structure of Cactus Wren for the 2009-2010 school year in response to state regulations. Cactus Wren remains a parent cooperative, run by the parents for the children, but in the new school year parents will no longer be required to volunteer in their child's class. Instead, each class will have one professional teacher and one teacher's aide. Parents will still volunteer 6 hours per year outside the classroom, as they do now.

Parents who wish to volunteer in the classroom will still be able to do so and can spend time shadowing their own child as well as helping with chores. They will have the opportunity of earning a twice-yearly partial tuition rebate for each session they work.

Each class will have one professional teacher, a qualified teacher's aide and one parent volunteer who will help with setting up the classroom, preparing the snack and cleaning after class. Parent classroom volunteers will now be able to work only with their own child.


We believe that we can honor and preserve the heart of Cactus Wren as a parent co-op, while making these changes to respond positively to our regulatory responsibilities. This way Cactus Wren will be able to continue to offer children a wonderful, positive introduction to education for many years to come!