Parental Involvement
Information about Parental Involvement in the School
Parent Enrichment
The Co-op is not only a wonderful environment in which children can grow and develop, it also offers members a unique opportunity to work cooperatively and creatively with other parents and to build lasting friendships for both parent and child.
As a Co-op member, you are directly involved in the decision-making process affecting your child’s education. Our free lending library of articles, books and CD’s is an invaluable resource to help with your parenting questions and concerns.
About Parent Involvement
In order to provide a quality, affordable program. The responsibilities outlined below are required.We feel the benefits far outweigh the time required.
Types of Participation
Full/Regular Participation: A parent with a child enrolled in our regular participation program will have the following responsibilities:
- Participate in the classroom by working the determined number of classroom work days per month *( DETAILS )
- Participate in the Fundraiser
- Attend monthly General Meetings. See the School Calendar for dates. *DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
- Complete the Adult Education classes, taught by our Parent Advisor, consisting of a total of ten hours (spread out over several sessions). This is a one-time requirement for working in the classroom. Parents holding Reduced Participation positions still need to fulfill this requirement. If a participant in the Adult Education class misses a session, a “make-up” must be completed as approved by the Parent Advisor. New parents joining the school after the Adult Education
classes have been taught must consult with the Parent Advisor to arrange for a “make-up” program.* - Weekday program families participate in two Work Parties per year to ensure our facility is properly maintained and improvements are made.*( DETAILS )
- Attend the Parent Orientation (not required of parents returning to the 3, 4 and 5 year-old programs) See the School Calendar for dates.*DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
- Hold a Parent Job, which helps the school run smoothly.*( DETAILS )
*Not Required for the Toddler Program – See Below
Scheduling Classroom Workdays
The Class Representatives will be responsible for assigning classroom participation days. They will distribute a monthly calendar to all families in the class, detailing who will participate on each class day, and who will provide food.
Workday Schedules
In the fall the class representative will ask you if you have any restriction on when you can work in the classroom, black out days. (i.e. can’t work Wednesdays because of a standing commitment.)
If a long-standing commitment comes up during the year, please let the class representative know.
If you know you will be on vacation, please let the class representee know by the 15th of the month prior to your absence or if scheduled please see information below on trades. The class Rep will not be working around your daily commitment (ie. hair, doctor or DDS appointments, etc.)
Trades
- After the schedule is distributed, if you are unable to work your scheduled days, find someone to trade with you. The porch is a perfect time to ask others to trade. If unable to make trades face to face, and need to call, please call or text the names on your class roster. Don’t give up after a few attempts. When looking for a trade, it is best not to send out a school wide email requesting this, find a trade buddy in September and have that be your first call.
- Each family will receive a roster of all Co-op families; use the roster to find someone to trade with.
- After a trade is made mark it on the posted work calendar at the school or leave a message at the school.
- If you or your child gets sick too late to make a call the night before your scheduled workday, please let the teacher know by calling the school. If you find someone to work for you, please work a day for them in return.
Participation with Siblings (3, 4 and 5 year-old classes)
If a parent has multiple children enrolled in any of the preschool classes, that parent will be required to work the regular number of times for the first child (2), half the regularly required number for the second child (1), and for any other children (except toddlers) the parent works half the regular classroom days. Every family will have two days before a family with siblings is assigned three.
If a parent with multiple children in the preschool classes opts for additional Reduced Participation status (above the sibling participation status) their number of workdays will be reduced on top of the sibling participation discount and tuition will increase to reflect this participation status. Reduced Classroom Participation will be offered dependent on enrollment.
All other responsibilities (Fundraiser participation, General Meetings, Adult Education, Work Parties, Orientation and Parent Jobs) are per family, not per child. Thus, if you have three children in the weekday program, you will not be required to hold three parent jobs!
(please see the HANDBOOK for details).
Reduced Classroom Participation
The option of Reduced Classroom Participation is available to families with heavy demands on their schedules, and for whom a regular participation schedule would be difficult to maintain. Reduced Classroom Participation status will be given at the discretion of the Director and the Board of Trustees.
Parents choosing Reduced Classroom Participation will work fewer days in the classroom than those with Regular Participation status,
but must fulfill all other parent responsibilities, as specified above. Reduced Participation is where the member works in the classroom for half the regularly required number of days. Reduced Participation members hold regular voting membership and may hold Board positions. Reduced participation will not be scheduled for stand-by substitution.
Reduced Participation positions are offered to the extent that a particular class can accommodate them — that is, all parent work shifts must be covered, and the remainder can be awarded as reduced participation slots. Typically, Reduced Participation can amount to approximately 20% of the total class size, but this varies according to the number of siblings in class and the number of people expected to be on medical leave (especially maternity leave).
Reduced Participation is offered at Registration time. If more people request this option than there are Reduced Participation slots available, an Ad Hoc Committee of the Board of Trustees will be formed to apportion Reduced Participation slots based on expressed need, or a lottery may take place. Parents with Reduced Participation status in a given year will receive priority consideration for Reduced Participation status the following year. A change in status between Reduced and Regular Participation can be made with space permitting, and the approval of the Director.
Tuition for Reduced Participation members who work half the regular classroom days is one-and-a-half times the Regular Participation rate.
Substitute Participation: Members may allocate their participation requirements in the classroom to the adult substitute of their choice, provided that:
1. The substitute is at least 18 years of age
2. All required immunization and TB records are on file
3. The substitute attend orientation and the September General Meeting.
4. The same person consistently substitutes for a given parent (Preschool)
5. In order to remain within licensing requirements, a child may attend school accompanied solely by a parent or the designated substitute for whom immunization records are on file at the school. If parent or the designated substitute are unable to attend, the child will have to miss class that day (Toddler)
6. If the substitute is not a blood relative, they will need to provide home insurance. (Our school’s insurance does not cover nannies or friends)
7. All other requirements specified under “Parent Responsibilities” are fulfilled
Toddler Participation: A parent with a child enrolled in the Toddler Program will have the following responsibilities:
- Be present and responsible for their child at all times during class
- Participate in the Food Experience and Clean-Up on a rotating basis
- Attend monthly General Meetings
- Participate in the Fundraiser
- Attend Toddler Parent Orientation at the beginning of the school year (see School Calendar)
