Co-op Parent Participation
What is Parent Participation and Will It Work For Me?
As you will have read on our home page, parent participation preschools operate through a co-operative that sees parents assist the teacher in the classroom on scheduled sharing days, and also take on a job within the school. Parents also participate in fundraising.
When you join a Cooperative Preschool, you have made the decision to be a part of a rewarding family experience. While your children learn through play and make new friendships, you become a part of a support system of parents who all share a common goal. It is also a learning experience for the parents. Each month, a speaker gives a presentation that provides parents with the tools to help their children through the various stages of learning and development.
For today’s busy families, a chief concern may be whether your schedule will allow you to participate in our school. We are able to accommodate parents who work during the day through a number of flexible options, including opt-out provisions. Many of our families have two working parents or one single working parent and are still able to join in parent participation. We also have maternity provisions for parents with newborns, and many families trade babysitting days for younger siblings on their sharing days. We strive to make co-op preschool work for everybody.
Your Responsibilities to the Preschool include:
- assisting in the classroom on a pre-arranged rotational basis
- attending orientation sessions with other parents and ECE
- attending monthly meetings of preschool membership for parent education session, preschool business and social
- paying a registration fee and reasonable monthly tuition
- participating in fundraising
- sharing the tasks of the preschool such as mixing paint and making playdough, ensuring equipment upkeep, or holding an executive position.
There is a preschool job to meet every member's schedule and interest!
Before deciding whether to enroll your child at Goldstream Co-op Preschool, we strongly encourage parents to get to know the school in at least one of the three following ways: By attending our weekly drop-in program ; by calling to arrange a parent-only in-class observation; or by coming to one of our general meetings (held the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.).