What is expected of a Co-op Parent?

Puyallup South Cooperative Nursery School is a parent cooperative preschool run by the families, for the families.  For parents who want to participate in their child’s early education, it offers an excellent choice.  Cooperative preschools have a 50-year history in Washington State.  

Parent education credits are required as part of the Co-op Preschool affiliation with Bates Technical College. Under the guidance of Bates Technical College Home and Family Life Department, cooperatives have developed into small, non-profit corporations controlled by each school’s families. Each year, parents must earn 8 Parent Education credits for the school year - equivalent to one credit per month. 

To successfully operate our school, each family involved must make a commitment to participate in the school’s activities and operations.  This commitment involves:

• Attending Orientation Night (mandatory)

• Attending a Parent Training Session (mandatory)

• Classroom Participation (mandatory)

• Holding a Committee or Board Position (mandatory)

• Actively Supporting School Fundraisers (mandatory)

• Attending One School Clean-up Session (mandatory)

• Participating in Parent Education Activities (preferred)

Attending Orientation Night

Orientation night brings families together to understand how the cooperative model works, learn classroom expectations, and build community. Parents are introduced to the school’s philosophy, their responsibilities as classroom helpers, and the safety and supervision practices they’ll use with children. Parents also get clarity on logistics like tuition procedures, communication channels, parent jobs, and the yearly calendar. Teachers will walk parents through daily routines, behavior‑guidance approaches, and health protocols so they feel confident stepping into the classroom. The night also creates space for parents to meet one another, ask questions, tour the classroom, and begin forming the relationships that make a co‑op function smoothly.

Attending a Parent Training Session

A Parent Training session will be held before the start of school to fully familiarize you with the classroom routine.  This training is required for all who will be working in the classroom:  moms, dads, grandparents, day-care providers, etc.  If there is any possibility of someone working in the classroom during the school year, they must attend one parent training session.

Classroom Participation

The co-op philosophy recognizes parents as the most important teachers their children will ever have.  To incorporate this philosophy, parents work a few days each month in the classroom assisting the teacher in all activity areas of the school, cleaning up the day’s activities, and providing a nutritious snack on a rotating basis.  Classroom participation will vary month to month depending on which class your child is in, how often it meets, and the number of children in the class. 

Holding a Committee or Board Position

The co-op is run by the families, who serve as officers on the school board and members of committees.  There are numerous committee and board positions available to suit a variety of interests.  These positions help the school run smoothly and involve everyone. 

Actively Supporting School Fundraisers

The co-op offers low tuition and a very high-quality program—all possible only with classroom participation and full member support of fundraising.  Our small, non-profit corporation is self-supporting.  Registration and tuition fees do not meet the total cost of operation.  Fundraisers are necessary, not only to provide new equipment and keep tuition low, but also more importantly, to pay the monthly bills such as teacher’s salaries, supplies, rent, etc.

Attending One School Clean-up Session

The co-op provides a healthy, safe environment to which we all contribute by participation in one work party during the year.  At orientation, each family will leave a check for $100 and sign up for a cleaning month.  The check will remain un-cashed unless your cleaning duties are not completed by the deadline.  After you have fulfilled your cleaning duty, you will receive your $100 school clean-up deposit back.  If you fail to complete your duties, your deposit will be cashed. 

Participation in Parent Education Activities

The co-op is the best place in town to learn right along with your child under the guidance of early childhood professionals.  When you enroll your child at Puyallup South, you enroll yourself in the Bates Technical College Home and Family Life program.  Over the school year, you will earn at least 8 parent education credits by attending parent education meetings or participation in other approved activities.  Most meetings feature a speaker addressing a carefully chosen educational topic.  Time and topics and a list of alternate activities approved for credit are included in the handbook.

Parent Education Opportunities Include:

• Puyallup South sponsored events, i.e. Orientation, Parent Training, Friendship Festival, Science Night.

• Quarterly group meetings with the Bates coordinator.

• Monthly Bates classes/email articles with questions on such topics as brain development, sibling rivalry, kindergarten readiness, etc.

Ways to Earn Parent Education Credits:

1.  Monthly Parent Education meetings or Co-op family events/trainings: one credit per family per event/training.

2.  Orientation is REQUIRED. One credit for each person attending may be earned (maximum two credits per family).

3.  Parent Training is REQUIRED. One credit for each person attending may be earned (maximum two credits per family).

4.  Informal parent sharing sessions scheduled during the day.

5.  Spending an extra day at school providing a special project, sharing a special talent, etc.

6.  Attending a seminar or class pertaining to parent education offered elsewhere requires Bates Instructor approval.

7.  Attending a parenting class offered by our Bates Instructor.

8.  Attending a Board meeting (maximum of 1 credit).

9.  Writing a book/tape review or a parenting video report for the newsletter

10. Substitute teachers will receive one credit as compensation for their commitment to cover for the teacher when needed on an "on-call" basis throughout the school year. In addition, the substitute will not be required to work in the classroom as a "working parent" for one session to make up for each time they serve as substitute teacher. It is the substitute's responsibility to inform the class rep prior to the next months' calendar being made.

11. Board members earn two credits per year- one for serving on the board and one for attending board meeting(s)

12. Satisfactorily completing a committee position earns one credit at the end of the school year

13. Workshops at Bates.

14. Visiting the Bates Resource Center (maximum 1 credit)