Membership
A cooperative preschool lives and breathes with parent participation, and, like so many things, you’ll get out of your experience at Annandale Cooperative School what you put into it.
We know what you’re thinking. How much time will it all take?
Well, in some part, that’s completely up to you. Yes, there are required meetings, committee assignments, work parties and co-oping responsibilities. And, yes, being in a cooperative preschool will take a little more time and energy than the typical “drop-off” care. But Annandale Cooperative Preschool is more than just a place to put your child in the mornings. It’s a community of members who band together to paint classrooms, write informative blog articles (and fabulous web content), host picnics, organize class parties, learn from educated speakers, and help some of the best preschool teachers manage classrooms full of some really great kids.
Chances are, you’re interested in a cooperative preschool because you’d like to be more involved in your child’s education. Perhaps you’d like to not only know the names of your child’s friends, but actually get a chance to see them interact with each other in a safe and fun environment. Maybe you’d like the opportunity to make a few new friends yourself.
Typical Co-oping and School Responsibilities Per Class
| Class | Class Days per Week | Co-op Frequency* | # of School Aide Days per Year** | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-year-old classes | 2 Days | Once every 4 weeks | 2 | |
| 2-year-old classes | 3 Days | Once every 3 weeks | 3 | |
| 3-year-old classes | 3 Days | Once every 4 weeks | 3 | |
| Pre-K-year-old classes | 4-5 Days | Once every 3 weeks | 4 or 5 |
* Co-oping Frequency Note: During the initial weeks of the 2-year-old and 3-year-old classes, two parents will co-op in the classroom to help the students get into a new routine, and, as a result, a parent’s obligation in the classroom will be approximately once every 2 weeks. Co-oping schedules are created in three-month spans to allow for plenty of notice to employers and care-providers. Careful attention also is paid to specific requests, birthdays (so you can co-op on your child’s special day), work schedules, other children’s class schedules, etc. An extraordinary amount of effort goes in to make sure parents can fulfill their co-op and school aid requirements without too much impact on their day-to-day lives.
** School Aide Requirement: Should you have more than one child enrolled at Annandale Cooperative Preschool, the number of days you are scheduled as a school aid align with your oldest child. In other words, a parent with a 5-day Pre-K student and a 2-day two-year-old will only be scheduled 5 days. Parents can choose to “buy-out” some or all of their school aid schedule by finding a replacement and paying the going rate for substitution.
