Classes & Teachers
The teacher is the designer of the child’s environment and maintains the rhythm of the day. He or she constantly interacts with the children and is engaged in an ongoing cycle of observation, guidance, and assessment. The relationship that the teacher develops with each child is instrumental in providing the safe and secure environment on which OCP prides itself. The teacher also helps children work through disagreements as an unbiased mediator.
Another important relationship that the teacher nurtures is the relationship with the parent. Open communication with parents occurs on a regular basis, and the unique parent-teaching experience of the cooperative preschool allows for an even stronger relationship between parent, teacher, and child.
Relationships between caregivers/teachers and children and their families are the foundation of a child’s development of sense of self and security and his or her ability to relate to others and express feelings. Our low child-to-teacher ratio fosters this strong relationship between teacher, child, and family.
Every class at OCP is led by an experienced teacher with at least a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related area of study and extensive experience working with young children and parent education. Lead teachers are supported by a parent-teacher, and in the case of the oldest class–the Larks, an assistant teacher.
All teachers undergo an extensive interview process to determine their professional and ethical understanding of teaching young children. They must also understand and respect the parent’s role in a cooperative and value parent education. All are required to have current CPR and first aid certification.
Our Classes
Children are grouped in classes by age as of September 1st. This is the deadline used by the Georgia public school system, as well as most area private schools. Class structuring changes year by year based on membership needs.
Please contact admissions@oakhurstcoop.com with specific questions about how the upcoming school year is forming.
The Chickadees are between 24 and 29 months of age as of September 1. The Chickadees meet three days a week (MWTh).
The Owls are at least three years old as of September 1. Attendance options include two, three, four, or five days a week.
The Sparrows are at least three years old as of September 1. Attendance options include two, three, four, or five days a week.
The Larks are at least four years old as of September 1. Attendance options are four or five days a week. However, 5 days is strongly encouraged to prepare your child for a Kindergarten environment.
Larks (fours)
Shannon McGriggs
Shannon McGriggs (she/her) is the current Larks Teacher at Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool. She is a classically trained Violinist and has been teaching violin and viola in the Atlanta area since 1999. After her daughter graduated OCP she continued to sub at OCP and stay a part of the community. Now three years later has joined the staff. She is also has her Yoga RYT 200 and has held the yoga enrichment at OCP as well as teaching in studios in Atlanta. She is an artist and loves to express herself creatively. She loves gardening, cooking, and cuddling with her two golden retrievers Scully and Blanche. Shannon loves to spend her weekends being present with her family and friends whether that is hanging at the house filling it with smells of delicious food and laughter or meeting others out and about the neighborhood. She resides in Kirkwood with her Husband, daughter, and two precious Goldens.
Sparrows (threes)
Sade’ Goodwin
Sade’ Goodwin (she/her) is the current Sparrows teacher at Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool. She brings over 15 years of experience working with young children, including mixed age groups (0-5) in Reggio Emilia-inspired preschools and learning environments. Sade’ takes a social-emotional approach to teaching and believes in building trusting relationships while nurturing children’s natural curiosity about the world around them. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, she now lives in Fairburn, Georgia with her family and their three rescue pups. She and her family are proud Ravens fans! Sade’ is also a certified yoga instructor and a twin. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys reading, hiking, and continuing to grow as an intentional educator.
Owls (threes)
Gloria Pichardo-Gurley
Gloria Pichardo-Gurley (she/her) is originally from the Dominican Republic and has called Decatur home since 2022, where she lives with her husband and daughter. Her connection to working with children began early, through youth programs and community outreach in underserved communities in the Dominican Republic. Although her professional career initially took her into Industrial Engineering and Inventory Management, becoming a parent re-sparked her interest in early childhood education. She first became part of the Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool community as a parent and later returned as an enrichment facilitator and substitute teacher before joining the staff as the Owls Lead Teacher. Gloria is especially drawn to the curiosity, imagination, and wonder of the preschool years and loves creating opportunities for children to explore, create, problem-solve, and grow in independence while building meaningful relationships with the people around them. She values the unique role of a cooperative preschool and believes that children benefit deeply when families and teachers work together as a community. Outside of school, Gloria loves spending time with her family, traveling, being outdoors, exploring nature, and cuddling with her 17-year-old cat, Peepers.
Wrens (older twos) & Chickadees (younger twos)
Carmina Escalante
Carmina Escalante (she/her) is the current Wrens and Chickadees Teacher at Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in Sociology and from the University of Edinburgh with an M.Sc. in Environment and Development. She joined the OCP community late in 2025 as a Substitute Teacher and had such a meaningful experience in the community. She has been playing the violin since she was 8 years old and continues to play whenever an opportunity arises. She has worked in a variety of fields, including as an Associate Editor for a music magazine and in the marketing department of a large law firm. She spent most of her professional career working in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for several organizations. She hopes to bring that same spirit into her classroom so that every student feels safe, welcome, and like they belong. She lives in Lake Claire with her 8-year-old daughter, husband, their two cats (Honey and Graybay), and their senior dog (Noki). She loves reading, so if you have a good book to recommend, please share!
Support Teacher
Susan Diamond
Susan Diamond (she/her) has been involved in cooperative preschool education for eighteen years. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Georgia State University, with a major in French.
Nineteen years ago Susan and her husband, Michael, became parents, traveling to China to adopt their daughter, Ivy. Ivy began attending a cooperative preschool when she was two and a half. Soon after Susan became employed there as a substitute teacher, after-care teacher, and teacher’s assistant. She then became a teacher and taught a multi-age class of three- and four- year olds.
Susan believes that children at the preschool level learn through play, and from experiencing and exploring the world around them.
Her daughter is a junior at Georgia Tech and has an incredible enthusiasm for learning, which Susan attributes to early school years at a cooperative preschool.
Teaching Assistants
Heather Spiegel
Heather strives to make each child feel welcome and safe in the classroom and assists Shannon McGriggs in the Larks classroom.
OUR MISSION
Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool creates a nurturing community that gives children and their families the opportunity to learn, communicate, play and grow together. In this positive, family-centered educational environment, we strive to develop each child's curiosity, empathy, confidence, self-discipline, and enthusiasm for learning.
By encouraging children to be active and creative explorers of art, music, literature, nature, and the community, we provide a foundation for acquiring the skills children need to succeed both now and in the future. We model sustainable practices through our curriculum, daily operations, and community events.
