Co Op Preschools

Co-op preschools are classes run by (usually) the local Community College that parents enroll in. Depending on your child's age he/she goes to class attended by the parent and the parent has class once a month to attend a parenting class.

When my child was 12 months she went 1 day a week and I went with her. When she was 2 yrs, she went twice a week and I went with her once a week. Both my son and daughter went. There was also a pre-k class for kids that were too young for Kindergarten, they went 4 times a week and I went once a week.

I am an ex-k-1 teacher and I recommend them highly! They are not high pressure learn, learn, learn places. They are loving, experiential places for kids and parents to become who they are meant to be. (That is a very Montessorial phrase-I am a Montessoria trained teacher too.)

They have low numbers of kids, with high numbers of parents to kids so every one has someone to talk and love. There are teachers of kids and teachers of parents.

Even as a teacher of young children, there was lots of things that I did not know about parenting. I think that is an important part of the program that can not be replicated in any other program. I frankly recommend them highly.

The requirements vary from school to school. Here's how it works at my son's school:

Students have to be fully potty trained. They have preschool programs for kids ages 3-5. They also have a once a week mommy & me class for two year olds (potty trained not required for this).

Students can go either 2, 3, or 4 days per week and parents must work 12/18/24 days per year respectively. It comes to about 2-4 times every six weeks, depending on which program you're in.

We also have a mandatory evening meeting once a month and a mandatory cleaning day one Saturday morning per year. Each family must also hold a chairship, meaning we are responsible for a particular portion of running the school. Sample chairships: marketing, class photographer, laundry, organizing teacher appreciation work, holiday party, etc.

At a co-op that my friend's children attended, working parents could do other jobs to fulfill their requirements if they couldn't be in the classroom. This involved things like preparing crafts or other administrative work.

I LOVE being in a co-op preschool. I get to know all of the other parents really well and I get to know the children. When my son talks about his friends, I know exactly who he means. I get to see him interact with the other kids and teachers and see how he likes to spend his time at school. I also get to know the teachers really well, so I don't have any concerns about how they run the classroom, treat the children, etc. I highly recommend co-ops if you can fulfill the required commitments.

You should only opt for a Co-op Preschool... IF you have the time, to make the required participation guidelines.

If you cannot, or do not want to, then, a Co-op Preschool, is not for you.
That is the bottom-line.

A co-op, is run/organized/administered by the Parents. They have meetings/boards and you need to be In class per your participation requirements, too. And you DO need to volunteer.

Each school will be different.
Some accept diapers. Some don't.
So you simply have to ask them, what THEIR rules are.
Because, each school is different.

There are many in my area. Each one has different rules.
They are all very good.
But, the parent IS required to participate. Each month. Several times a month.

The co op preschool my dd went to not a good experience. There was one main teacher plus 3 helper moms everyday. It was difficult for my dd to have different teachers everyday. Many of the moms weren't good teachers-it seemed as if they were there because it was so much less than a regular preschool-not because they wanted to be involved in their child's education. The following year we went to a regular preschool, with a teacher who had an education in early development. It was a big different.

Co-op preschools are basically run by parents. They're inexpensive because of that. They are typically a program under the community college system umbrella but can be independent too. We get college credits for the parent education portion. I did coop as a child and am now on year four, with my second child. We love it! I like being a part of their education and school decisions, and it's truly like a family, you know your kid's friends and their parents and the parent Ed teaches you that there are other people in your shoes!

My school starts at age 2, there's three classes. No potty training required, and play based, creative learning with a focus on communication and positive discipline. The 2s class meets 2 days a week, 3s is 3, 4s is 4. Two-2.5 hours a day, and the parent only needs to attend class one day a week. If you're on the board there's one meeting a month and one cleaning a year. If you're not on the board you have two cleanings a year and a classroom job (art prep, art sorter, field trips, photographer, laundry, etc). All parents have a monthly meeting, rotate snack except our 4s class, and have a station on their work day (table toys, art, sensory table, books, blocks, etc).

Let me know if you have any other questions. My oldest daughter made friends she will probably have for life through coop, and so did I!

T.

A Co Op preschool means that they require parents to volunteer in the classroom. My daughter will be starting at a co op preschool in the fall, she is 3. At my daughters school, a schedule has already been mailed to all the parents, with the day they are supposed to come in. They only require once a month, and usually they need to be at least somewhat potty trained if not fully trained.

My son is starting a co-op preschool this fall (he's 3). My understanding is that there is always a parent and teacher in the classroom. Parents take turns and there will be a sign up sheet at our preschool tea. How often you volunteer depends on how many kids are in the class. Right now we have 10, so I would basically be on the hook for every 10th class day. He will go three days a week, so that's a little more than once a month. The parent only has to be there during school time, not all of extended day.

It doesn't have to be a parent for your turn - it can be either parent, grandparent, other relative. Everyone that might do it has to submit to a background check, TB test and uh, maybe something else that I'm forgetting!

Of course, a lot of parents work and can't do their day. Or there are other siblings that would need childcare, too. If you can't (or won't) do your day, you can buy it out. That gives the school a chance to pay for another staff member to take your turn. At the moment, my son is very clingy and if having me or my husband in the classroom is too disruptive, we'll buy out.

From the other moms that did it this year, you are the classroom helper for the day. Doesn't seem too hard. Help with activities, potty breaks, etc.

For your other questions, I think all of the preschools in my area require potty training. Otherwise you are in a transition class (older 2s/young 3s that are not potty trained or ready for preschool for some other reason) or parents day out. And I would guess most preschools start at 3.