SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Last spring, the daycare located in the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) building abruptly closed, leaving dozens of families scrambling for childcare: a nightmare situation for any working parent. Finding local childcare is no easy feat in a region already facing high unmet childcare needs, with many local daycare centers maintaining months-long waitlists. 

Many in this situation would have scattered to find care wherever they could, but a tenacious group of parents was determined to rebuild the daycare community from the ground up. They banded together to launch a nonprofit, parent-led collaborative daycare called Little Redwoods School by James Marshall Parent Nursery School (JMPNS) in the newly vacant downtown space, which opened its doors in early September.

Parent board chair Megan Nevin said, “We felt it was important to continue offering quality childcare in Sacramento especially given how difficult it can be to find care here, and we wanted to build a daycare center that prioritizes community, fair teacher compensation and meaningful caregiver involvement in children’s education.”

After long volunteer hours spent developing every aspect of the new school, Little Redwoods School officially opened its doors on Sept. 2. The parent board partnered with the well-established cooperative preschool James Marshall Parent Nursery School (JMPNS) to help develop a new concept for the school that would emphasize financial transparency and parent engagement. The on-site director and the teachers from the previous daycare were also excited to join the staff of the new care center. 

“It really meant a lot to us to bring back so many of the amazing teachers and our On-Site Director Jen Ortiz from the previous school, and we couldn’t have done this without the support of those teachers and of James Marshall Parent Nursery School. It’s been a huge collective effort to create this school over the past few months, but after so many late nights and weekends, it’s very satisfying to see the community that’s come together and to see how excited our kids are to go to daycare every morning,” said Ira Tarshis, the parent board vice chair. 

Little Redwoods School by James Marshall Parent Nursery School is committed to a child-centered approach grounded in the principles of diversity, equity, family engagement and community building. For the children in our care, this means fostering resilience, nurturing meaningful connections, encouraging a sense of responsibility and promoting overall well-being. For families, we strive to build a culture of transparency, safety and integrity through open and collaborative communication.

Executive Director Erin Hinton said, “I have 17 years of experience with collaborative childcare at James Marshall Parent, which was established in 1954 and has been a pillar of the community in West Sacramento ever since. I’ve seen firsthand, both as a teacher and a participating parent, how this cooperative model of care and education is a reflection of what research has proven time and again: that when families are involved, children thrive.”

Jen Ortiz, the school’s on-site director, said, “Raising resilient, deeply connected children begins with modeling it as a community. What we’ve built here reflects what I hope every child learns: that even in challenges, we can choose joy and meaning when we lean on those who care for us. I’m honored to be part of a community that values each person’s unique strengths and creates a true sense of belonging.

“I wake up every day excited to laugh, play and connect with the children, families and teachers I love,” continued Ortiz.

Little Redwoods School by James Marshall Parent Nursery School is located in the California Environmental Protection Agency building in downtown Sacramento and offers full and part-time care to children from three months to five years old. The school is currently enrolling preschoolers and accepting waitlist submissions for infants and toddlers. Located at 1001 I St. in Sacramento, the school also offers discounted rates for state employees.

The Little Redwoods School is hosting a fall festival on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to noon at Southside Park. The fall festival will feature fun activities for kids, including pumpkin painting, games, costume dress up, arts and crafts and more. 

For more information, visit littleredwoodsschool.org.