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/guardian has a voice in its educational policy and all aspects of the school’s operation. Schoolhouse parents/guardians are welcome in the classroom and encouraged to share any special talent, interest, hobby, or skills with the community. The commitment of time and energy by the parents/guardians is essential to the function 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.