Make a Pledge
The Cooper School
Save nearly 60 years of history by contributing a donation to The Cooper School
(formerly Union Cong Nursery School)
Why now?
In Fall 2024, Union Congregational Church announced plans to close the nursery school after the 2025–2026 year.
In response, families and church leaders collaborated to allow the Nursery School to operate independently.
The school will rent the Vincent Building, managing its own educational programs, improvements, finances, and compliance, while establishing a strategic foundation for the future.
Friends of Union Cong Nursery School must raise $500,000 in pledges by May 2026, with a goal of $1.25 million in total pledges and cash donations by November of 2026.
We urgently seek your partnership to ensure this vital legacy continues to flourish within its cherished home. This major gifts campaign is a key element of a strategic fundraising effort that establishes an inaugural annual giving campaign, enhances fundraising events, and targets foundation funding. By embracing independence, our new Nursery School is poised to expand its impact for generations to come.
How will your support make a difference?
Beginning in June 2026, the Cooper School will be responsible for all costs associated with our building.
Your support will guarantee that there is a reserve fund for capital expenses projected for the first three years of the independent school’s operation, including:
New HVAC system
New roof
Emergency repairs
Improved security system
Ceiling and flooring renovations
Fundraising timeline
You can spread your pledge out over multiple years to make a bigger impact more manageable.
For example:
$5,000 pledge over 5 years totals a $25,000 pledge
$2,000 pledge over 5 years totals a $10,000 pledge
Rooted in Reggio
Guided by talented, passionate educators inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy,
the program emphasizes joy, empowerment, and child-centered learning. Through a responsive, play-based curriculum, we nurture self-expression, creativity, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning, guiding children as they become creators, thinkers, and engaged citizens who contribute to their communities
For nearly 60 years, The Cooper School (formerly Union Cong Nursery School) has served as a cornerstone of the community;
a pioneering force in high-quality early childhood education, nurturing over 500 young minds on journeys of joyful learning, discovery, and enduring friendships. Since 1968, the Vincent Building on Cooper Avenue has served as the school’s home, offering the ideal environment for hands-on, experiential learning. The grounds provide serene outdoor spaces that inspire inquiry, collaboration, and exploration.
"Children possess a hundred languages, a hundred ways of thinking, of expressing themselves, of understanding and encountering others, with a way of thinking that creates connections between the various dimensions of experience rather than separating them."
Leadership Giving Levels
Your early support as a founding donor of a newly independent Nursery School is instrumental during this pivotal transition time.
We look to recognize your essential contribution by welcoming you to a giving level in grateful recognition of you and your family.
Pledges at these levels will receive public recognition & invitation to special events to celebrate school successes
Pledge payment schedules can be customized, for example, a $100,000 commitment can be fulfilled with $20,000 annually over five years.
Diamond
$200,000+
Platinum
$100,000 - $199,999
Gold
$50,000 - $99,999
Silver
$20,000 - $49,999
Bronze
$10,000 - $19,999
Make a pledge
The Cooper School
Save nearly 60 years of history by contributing a donation to The Cooper School (formerly Union Cong Nursery School)
See us in action!
The Cooper School
176 Cooper Avenue, Montclair NJ | InfoCooperSchool@gmail.com