Our Philosophy
From playful beginnings come lifelong learners.
RPEP promotes a nurturing environment where children develop curiosity, confidence, and connection through meaningful play, supported by a foundation of parent participation. Toddler & Me families join their children in class, and AM parents volunteer weekly, helping us maintain a 1:5 ratio that ensures safety, engagement, and individualized attention.
Mission Statement
At Roseville Parent Education Preschool (RPEP), we are dedicated to educating and empowering parents while fostering child-led, play-based learning. Through hands-on participation, parents gain valuable insight into child development, while children thrive in a safe, nurturing environment that encourages outdoor exploration, healthy risk-taking, emotional regulation, and independence. By learning together through play, families strengthen relationships, and our community flourishes through shared support and engagement.
Curriculum
At RPEP, play invites children to explore, imagine, and make meaning from the world around them. Our play-based curriculum blends child-led exploration with gentle teacher guidance, creating meaningful learning experiences every day.
Through hands-on activities, children practice problem-solving, language, cooperation, and creativity while developing confidence and independence. Play is not separate from learning, it is the learning.
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​What Sets Our Approach Apart​
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Child Led
Children’s questions and ideas guide their experiences, encouraging ownership and curiosity.
Active & Hands-On
Learning happens through doing, experimenting, building, pretending, and exploring.
Balanced
A mix of open-ended and teacher-supported activities helps each child engage at their own pace.
Whole-Child Growth
Social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills develop naturally through play and interaction.
​Play in Action​
​Exploratory Play: Investigating sand, water, clay, and more through sensory experiences.
Constructive Play: Building, creating, and problem-solving with real materials.
Imaginative Play: Acting out roles and stories that spark empathy and creativity.
Physical Play: Running, climbing, and moving to create opportunities for risk-taking, coordination, and confidence.
Social Play: Collaborating, communicating, and learning from one another.
Every playful moment holds a lesson about the world, about others, and about themselves. Joyful exploration helps children become confident, creative thinkers who approach learning with enthusiasm and wonder.
Learning Community
At RPEP, every adult is a part of the learning process. Our experienced teacher guides the classroom, supported by engaged parents and our partnership with Roseville Adult School. Together, we model collaboration and curiosity, the same values we hope to inspire in our children.
Meet Our Teachers
Miss Melissa
Toddler & Me / AM Class
With over 40 years of experience in early childhood education, Miss Melissa brings deep expertise, warmth, and enthusiasm to her work with young children and families. Her greatest inspiration comes from working directly with children, continually learning and growing alongside them and their families.
​A longtime member of the RPEP community, she previously taught at the program and later returned as both an educator and parent, when she and her son (now an adult) thrived in RPEP’s supportive, play-based environment.
She values the unique parent participation model, which builds meaningful connections and a strong sense of community among families. Throughout her career, Miss Melissa has taught in a variety of preschool settings, all deeply rooted in play and hands-on learning. In addition to her classroom work, she writes and presents nationally on topics related to early childhood education, sharing her experiences and insights with other educators. She holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from San José State University and an M.A. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College. Outside the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets, and finds joy and renewal in nature.
Miss Christy
Substitute Teacher
Miss Christy has been part of the Roseville Parent Education Preschool community for more than a decade. Her connection to RPEP runs deep, with her husband and brothers having attended in the early 1980s. She continued the tradition with her own three children, who all began their learning journeys here.
Since first joining the Toddler class in 2013, Miss Christy has valued RPEP not only as a place for her children to learn and grow, but as a community that supported her as a parent and fostered lifelong friendships. Now serving as a substitute teacher, she is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the school that has meant so much to her family and to help nurture the next generation of RPEP learners.
​​Partnership with Roseville Adult School:​
RPEP partners with the Roseville Adult School to support both children and the adults who guide them. As members of our cooperative program, parents and caregivers are also enrolled as adult school students, gaining valuable insight into child development and early education.
Through this partnership, families participate in hands-on classroom experiences and attend bi-monthly education and business meetings, held at Roseville High School on the second Tuesday of every other month from 6:30–8:30 p.m. These meetings provide opportunities to learn together, share ideas, and hear from guest speakers who bring valuable perspectives on parenting, education, and child development.
This collaboration ensures that RPEP remains a true learning community where children, parents, and educators grow side by side through play, reflection, and connection.​​​
Connection to State & Regional Councils:
RPEP is proud to be an active member of the California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools (CCPPNS) and its local regional branch, the Sacramento Council Board. These organizations connect us with a statewide network of cooperative preschools that share our commitment to play-based learning, parent involvement, and family-centered education.
Through this participation, we collaborate with other schools, exchange ideas, and stay connected to the latest practices in early childhood education. Our involvement ensures that RPEP continues to grow within a strong, supportive community that values the voices of children, parents, and educators working and learning together.
Why Play Matters
At RPEP, play is at the heart of discovery. Through play, children explore their world, form connections, and gain the confidence to try new things. Studies show that playful learning nurtures healthy brain growth, emotional well-being, and creativity while inspiring curiosity and capability that extend far beyond early childhood. ​​
Below are several respected resources that highlight the vital role of play in early education and its lasting impact on how children think, grow, and thrive.​​​
This article explains how learning experiences that are meaningful, engaging, iterative, and socially interactive deliver strong developmental impact, framing play not as separate from learning but as integral to it.​
RPEP brings research to life by creating classrooms where play and learning happen hand in hand. Our teachers thoughtfully design playful experiences that strengthen cognitive, social, and emotional development every step of the way.