Dear Council Members,
When our family moved to Menlo Park from Canada, we didn’t know a single soul. No family nearby, no friends in the Bay Area. Then we joined the Co-op—and found our family.
The Menlo-Atherton Cooperative Nursery School gave us more than a place to send our kids. It created a true community built on support, trust, and connection. It was instrumental in helping us put down roots. The Co-op fostered learning and creativity for our daughters, but it also offered invaluable parent education—night meetings with experts who guided us through developmental stages and gave us the tools we needed to raise healthy, resilient kids. I still use what I learned at those sessions today.
We now have two incredibly well-adjusted, active daughters—ages 14 and 10—who both began their journeys at the Co-op. They’ve grown into leaders in their schools, and my husband and I have continued to give back to our community. For the past five years, we’ve coached local teams, volunteered in classrooms, served on the PTO, and I’ve even stepped up as a substitute teacher in the Menlo Park City School District because I saw there was a need. That spirit of giving back started at the Co-op.
One of the most personal and profound parts of our journey came when I was pregnant with our youngest daughter and placed on bed rest for 10 weeks. It was an incredibly difficult time. The Co-op community—without hesitation—organized a meal train for our family that lasted the entire 10 weeks. That level of care and generosity is something I will never forget.
This is what the Co-op is: a nonprofit, parent-run school with a long history in Menlo Park—nearly 75 years. It’s housed in a building built by and for the Co-op, nestled in Nealon Park since 1961. About 75% of the children who attend are Menlo Park residents, and two of its three employees live here as well. It operates independently, without costing the city a dime, while contributing enormous value in return.
We’re asking Council to give clear direction to staff to move forward with a 10-year lease extension under the current terms—just as Little House has. If the Co-op were asked to pay market rent, this nonprofit model wouldn’t survive. Tuition would rise dramatically, and the inclusive, community-driven foundation would disappear.
I can’t overstate how much this school has meant to our family and to so many others. The Co-op is a deeply loved and historic part of Menlo Park—and it deserves a stable future.
Thank you for considering this request.
The Lee Family.
“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.”
-- MAE WEST
