Why Choose a Cooperative Preschool? 

Family Preschool is a true village for the 21st century, connecting participating families and forging lasting friendships and support networks. 

• Children take pride in working alongside their parents in the classroom.
• Parents have a unique opportunity to observe and interact with their child during the school day.
• Parents observe  their children’s daily growth and development at school.
• Low adult-to-child ratio.
• Learn valuable parenting techniques from experienced teachers.

What is a co-op?

At Family Preschool parents share in the operation of the school and are actively involved in the classroom. With our cooperative preschool model parents experience their child’s important early years of development through direct engagement in the classroom. The time parents spend in the classroom alongside their children is precious and treasured by parent and child for many years to come.

Parent participation includes:

• Working in the classroom as a Helping Parent 1 to 2 times a month
• Maintaining an on-going co-op project
• Attending several work days for school maintenance and cleaning
• Contributing to fundraising events

the co-op model and working parents

A cooperative preschool provides important  benefits for both parents and children. Family Preschool strives to make sure these benefits are accessible for families with one or two working parents. Co-op jobs are classified as “small” or “large.” At the start of each year families select two small jobs or one large job. Many jobs are well-suited for a working family. Making play dough, cleaning paint pots, or taking the wash home every Friday are examples of some co-op  jobs that provide the opportunity for a working family to reap the benefits of a co-op without interfering with their day job.

Helping Parent days are scheduled according to a parent's availability. Parents  select the days they are available to help in the classroom via an online poll. Care is taken by the scheduler to make sure all requests are met.

fundraising

Family Preschool holds a number of fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for scholarships and fund improvements to the school. But don’t worry; you won’t be selling popcorn or wrapping paper at Family Preschool! Our annual fundraisers are fun and relevant, including a Cork and Keg raffle, an online auction, professional  portraits of children, and babysitting events.