Membership in a Parent Cooperative Preschool is a rewarding commitment of time and love.
The school is maintained by parents and families; the business of the school is handled by a board made up of parents, and the educational program offers parents the opportunity to be involved in the classroom in various ways.
1.Let's Play!
Classroom Volunteer
Parents who choose to volunteer in the classroom receive a monthly tuition discount and will work as “aides” to the teacher. Volunteers must get a TB screening and have their doctor complete the Licensing form 503, “Health Screening.” Volunteers must also provide proof of immunization for MMR, Tdap and influenza. Volunteers may waive the influenza requirement in writing.
Depending on the number of classroom volunteers and the length of the month, you will be scheduled to volunteer up to 4 days per month, or up to 2 days per month, plus 1 or more sub days, depending on the volunteer option you choose. More info on sub days is provided in the handbook.
2.Time to Grub
Provision of Snack
All families are responsible for providing snack for the class on a rotation basis.
Parents are also invited to our seasonal celebrations and other events during the year. These involve provision of food, treats and decorations.
3.Keepin’ It Clean
School Helper Job
Each family will select a monthly “School Helper Job.” These tasks keep the school and grounds clean and maintained, and all of the materials and toys clean and organized. The jobs will be chosen at the beginning of the year, and will generally take 1‐2 hours of time – outside of school hours.
4.We Love to Party
Serving on a Committee
Many friendships are formed while serving on a Happy Time committee. You can select from the following committees: Fall Festival (October/November), Holiday Story Night (December), Family Art Day (February), Spring Dance (March), Eggstravaganza (April) Year End Picnic/BBQ (May).
5.FUNdraisers for the Whole Family
Volunteer Hours for Events and Fundraisers
Each family is responsible for ten hours of volunteer activity each year at our events and fundraisers. Additional ways to complete the hours are through helping with maintenance and improvement projects outside of the School Helper Jobs. Please note that 4 of the 10 hours are to be served at fundraisers (2 hours at the fall fundraiser and 2 hours at the spring fundraiser). Each family is responsible for bringing in donations for our spring auction valued at $50.
Parent Cooperative Preschools
A parent cooperative preschool is organized by a group of families with similar philosophies who hire a trained teacher to provide their children with a quality preschool experience. The Teacher/Director is responsible for the curriculum, philosophy, supervision of parent helpers and Licensing by the State. The preschool is maintained by the parents on a non-profit, non-sectarian basis. The parents assist the professional teachers in the classroom on a rotating basis and participate in the educational program of all the children. Each family shares in both the business operation of the school (by serving on the Board), and the maintenance of buildings, grounds and materials, thus making it truly a cooperative venture.
Parents, preschool children and their teachers all go to school together and learn together.
For Families
Parents gain insight into child behavior by observing other children. They observe how other parents and the professional teachers handle various situations and gain greater understanding and enjoyment of their own children through active participation in their education.
They have the opportunity to share their experiences and expertise with others while working together in a cooperative setting. Through serving on the Board, parents learn about administration, running meetings and other skills useful to them in other areas and states of their lives.
They also learn useful ideas for helping their children at home and in the world around them.
For Children
Children participate in a supervised play and learning experience with children of their own age. Equipment, materials and physical facilities are scaled to child size. An opportunity is provided to interact with adults other than their own parents. The ratio of one adult to five children allows for a greater sense of security, supervision and assistance. The children are able to find security and a feeling of belonging in a world which is non-threatening and interested in them.
Social/Emotional Development is our major area of focus. Learning to respect and accept the rights and differences of others is emphasized. Children have hands-on experiences in creative arts, music, science, literature, and language geared to their needs and developmental level.
For the Community
Parents and children develop an extended family with friendships they carry through their lives. Parents gain a strong sense of responsibility and develop positive self worth which carries over into every aspect of community life. The cooperative organization provides preschool experiences within the financial means of most families.