Co-op: Family Commitment
co·op·er·a·tive
- Marked by a willingness and ability to work with others.
- Involving mutual assistance in working toward a common goal.
- An enterprise or organization owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services.
The Children’s Schoolhouse is a family cooperative preschool. Each parent or guardian has a voice in the school’s educational policy and overall operations. While family involvement is at the heart of our community, classroom participation and activities are coordinated and approved by the teacher to support a smooth learning environment. Parents and guardians are warmly encouraged to share their special talents, interests, hobbies, or skills with the Schoolhouse community in ways that enrich our collective experience. The commitment of time and energy from each family is essential to the function and spirit of our school.
A team system helps distribute the responsibilities that keep the Schoolhouse running smoothly and thriving. As members of the co-op, families have the opportunity to join the Board of Directors or serve on a team of their choosing to support the school and its mission.
All positions involve a year-long commitment, from June 1 to May 31, and are designed to remain manageable within each family’s schedule. Each team has ongoing tasks throughout the year—for example, assisting with fundraising events or helping maintain the school grounds. Families select a team with specific responsibilities, and team members work together to accomplish their goals. As a cooperative, we trust that everyone contributes their time and effort so that the workload is shared fairly and every aspect of the Schoolhouse runs safely and effectively.
We begin each school year with a general meeting, and all families are welcome to attend the monthly board meetings. These gatherings provide an opportunity for parents and guardians to stay connected, share ideas, and collaborate on the goals for the year ahead.
The Children’s Schoolhouse is a family cooperative preschool where each parent or guardian has a voice in the school’s educational policy and overall operations. Family involvement is an important part of our community, and parents are encouraged to share their talents, interests, hobbies, or skills with the class. To help maintain a smooth and supportive learning environment, all classroom participation is coordinated with and approved by the teacher. The commitment of time and energy from our families is essential to the success and spirit of our school.
A team system has been designed to distribute the necessary duties that run, maintain, enrich, educate, and support the Schoolhouse and its families. As a member of the co-op, you have the opportunity to join the Board of Directors or join a team of your choosing, on behalf of your child and the Schoolhouse.
All positions require a year-long commitment, from June 1 to May 31, and remain manageable with respect to your personal and professional lives. Each team will have tasks to complete throughout the year. For example, participation in fundraising events, assisting in school grounds maintenance, etc. Each family shall sign on as a member of a team with specific responsibilities. The board chair and team members will decide how best to accomplish the tasks and goals of their team. As a cooperative, we trust that everyone will contribute an equal amount of time in an effort to evenly distribute the workload. Each team is essential to the smooth and safe operation of the Schoolhouse.
We start each year with a general meeting and all families are welcome to join the monthly board meetings. This gives parents/guardians an opportunity to get acquainted with the Schoolhouse and the goals for the year to come.