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.

One thing is for certain: Joining a cooperative preschool demonstrates to your child that you have a personal interest in his or her education, and that you are committed to helping them succeed. And if you get a chance to enjoy a little adult time and work on projects and committees that are a bit more stimulating to your “grown-up” mind, all the better for it.

What is co-oping?

Annandale Cooperative Preschool is run by its member families. Every class is led by an experienced, professional teacher; we do not employ teacher aides. Instead, family members take turns assisting in the classroom on a rotating schedule. Enrolled families see that rotation on the co-oping schedule in the members’ area of the site. If you are considering the school, start with the parent FAQ or parent participation.

How often will I co-op?

It depends on your child’s class. Parents co-op in the classroom roughly once every three to four weeks: once every four weeks in the two-day 2s class and the 3s classes, and once every three weeks in the three-day 2s class and the Pre-K classes. During the first weeks of the 2s and 3s classes, two parents co-op each day while the children settle into their routine, so the rotation runs closer to once every two weeks for that stretch.

Schedules are made two to three months at a time: usually two months at the start of the year, and two to three months after the new year. Before each one is drawn up, you give the scheduler the dates you cannot co-op, and the schedule also takes account of work schedules, your other children’s class days, and birthdays (so you can co-op on your child’s special day). If you have more than one child enrolled, your school-aide days follow your oldest child’s class.

What do I do on my co-oping day?

You are the teacher’s aide for the morning. Arrive 15 to 30 minutes before class to help set up the room and greet the children. During class you help in the classroom, at snack time, and on the playground, and you assist with cleanup. Teachers orient every family member before their first co-oping day, so you will know exactly what to do. The State of Virginia considers co-oping family members to be staff, so a co-oping family member must be able to communicate effectively during the day and in case of emergencies.

What if I cannot make my scheduled day?

First, head it off: schedules are made two to three months at a time, and before each one is drawn up you give the scheduler the dates you cannot co-op. They will work around them. If something comes up after the schedule is out, swap with another family: any co-oping day can be traded with another parent, in the class parent chat or in person. School-aide days can be swapped the same way, and for school-aide days only, a family can also pay for a substitute to cover some or all of its days.

What is a school-aide day?

A duty rotated among all families, separate from classroom co-oping: the aide works from 9 a.m. until about 12:25 p.m., opens and closes the playground, and handles simple tasks around the school. The number of school-aide days per year is in the table below.

How much time does co-oping take?

* 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 two to three months at a time 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.