Valley Parent Preschool is a co-operative school. We believe the family is the most influential teacher in a child's life and we feel preivileged to partner alongside the families who attend our school. Parent involvement (family members, such as a grandparent, can participate too) is crucial to the success of our program and we look forward to working together.
Participating parents work in the classroom as an extension of the teachers. This involves supervising and engaging with children in a chosen area of the school during free choice time, and assisting the teachers in running an activity during small group time. Only staff members assist children with toileting needs or changing their clothing.
In addition to helping in the classroom each month, families commit to 20 hours a year of committee work, 5 hours a year of school upkeep, and 3 evening parent meetings a year. The time and talents families put in to the program creates the strong community feel at our school.
During assigned snack days each year, parents prepare and serve snack as they visit with the children and hear about their day. Morning families are assigned snack approximately 4 times a year and PM families are assigned snack approximately 1-2 times a month.
At the end of the school day, parents help clean their selected area and check in with the teachers.
When working in the block area, parents might help the children build a sky scraper, a train, or a jungle filled with animals.
Yard parents might help children create volcanoes in the sand, bounce balls high in the air with a parachute, search for vegetables in our garden, or encourage a child as they work to climb the rocks or monkey bars.
When in the library, parents might read stories, do puzzles, participate in a puppet show or play pretend with the doll house.
In the activity area, a parent might oversee an art activity, help a child make a sky scraper out of recycled materials, build a sculpture out of clay, or help children write their name in shaving cream.
In the drama room, parents might dress up as a king or queen, design a railroad, play freeze dance, open a pizza restaurant, climb the rock wall, and build a marble run all in one day.
“I love being involved in my daughter’s education. Getting to work in the classroom and watch her grow and learn was such a positive experience. I never felt like I was working and enjoyed building my own friendships with the other parents.”
“Valley Parent Preschool is wonderful! The teachers are fantastic and Sarah, the director is amazing! [...] I’ve had a lot of “A-HA” moments when I see the way they handle different, sometimes difficult situations without missing a beat and I take that knowledge home with me.”
“We loved our time at Valley Parent! [...] The teaching staff was amazing, tailoring activities throughout each month to the interests of the students. Using hands on activities and play-based learning as an “always” not a “sometimes” was remarkable, watching the growth of the children over the course of the year blew me away. I also loved being in the classroom, helping and being a part of my child’s education.”
“Our family is so proud to be a part of VPP. This is definitely a place where the more you put in, the more you get out of the experience (It is a co-op and the school thrives and depends on parent power!). The community is wonderful and the teachers are knowledgeable and caring. Our son’s teachers have been dedicated to the children’s developmental needs—multi-sensory, socially, emotionally...the list goes on!”
