What Is a Co-op Preschool?

A cooperative preschool is owned and run by the parents or guardians of the preschool students. The preschool requires a commitment by parents/guardians to help in the classroom and provide other support to ensure that the school operates smoothly. Working closely with the teacher, we all work together to make the school a supportive and challenging place for our children to grow. Families who choose to enroll in Irvington Cooperative Preschool agree to: 

    1. Parent-help in the classroom one to two times each month. Two parent helpers are scheduled to work each day. Parents bring a snack, help students during choice time, and help clean the classroom.

    2. Hold a defined job in support of the school - The various responsibilities of running the school are shared among the parents. Each family either serves on an elected board or has a defined job such as parent scheduler, memory book designer, or fundraising assistant.

    3. Participate in fundraising activities - Each family is responsible for participating in fundraising activities and meeting an obligation of $250 per child. Three main fundraisers occur during the school year: the Flutter Run (similar to Portland Public Schools Run-for-the-Arts), a holiday wreath sale, and a rummage sale or auction, which are held on alternate years.

    4. Provide five community hours of assistance on special school projects - Each family volunteers five hours to one of more of the following committees: fundraising, deep cleaning, gardening/outdoor area maintenance, memory book, and safety.

    5. Attend general membership meetings - Parents meet about seven times in a school year. The meetings are a combination of business, socialization, and parent education. Childcare is available.

    6. New families participate in a parent orientation - Before school starts new parents attend a two-hour orientation at which the teacher presents information relating to parent helping, curriculum, and classroom policies.

Last updated by lpaulson on Jan 16, 2008 at 06:49 PM