The Co-Op Experience

What is a Co-Op?

Cooperative: demonstrating a willingness to cooperate: working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit  

Preschool: a school for children ages three to five

A cooperative preschool, therefore, is a group of parents acting together to provide a quality school for children ages three to five. The school, with assistance from GPWPC, is operated and maintained by the parents and teachers. Parents become part of a supportive, unique community that bridges their child’s home learning to school learning in a natural, hands-on way. Parents volunteer to either serve on board positions or to perform jobs that assist with the smooth running of the preschool.  

Sunny Days Co-op Parents:

• have a strong impact on their child’s first school experience

• are involved in their child’s gentle beginning to the school year

• have opportunities to observe young children in a group setting to gain insight into their behavior and development

• have a solid understanding of what their child does at school

• are supported during the joyous as well as trying times of childrearing

• are encouraged to share their skills, interests and culture

• often form lifelong friendships

Why a Co-Op?

Parents work in the classroom alongside the teachers and see children’s accomplishments firsthand. Parents observe typical preschool behavior and learn as the teachers model positive interactions. The preschoolers benefit from having one adult for every 4 or 5 children in the classroom. Children form new relationships with other adults as well as teachers and children. Families often form friendships that last a lifetime.

Parent Requirements

Parents hold a co-op position ranging from an active role, like serving on the Board, to a less active role, like working a one-time event, securing supplies or prepping projects. Each family works in the classroom about once per month and is required to attend three membership meetings per year.

Fundraising

In order to provide a quality program and keep tuition costs low, fundraising is necessary. Several passive opportunities exist such as registering at Kroger’s, and shopping online at Minted and Oliver’s Labels. There are also activity based fundraisers we do each year such as a Mom-to-Mom Sale and Kid’s Night Out.

Parents are given the choice to participate in a minimum number of fundraising events or to choose the buyout option at the beginning of the school year.