The Co-Op Concept
At Little Beginnings, parents play a vital role in their children’s education.
Our co-operative preschool (co-op) is staffed full-time by highly qualified teachers and enrichment staff, and requires parent involvement in the classroom and in the operation and success of the school.
As a cooperative, Little Beginnings recognizes that parents are the primary educators of their children. To that end, we invite parents to share their interests and talents in the classroom, to participate in field trips and learning opportunities, and to engage in close and regular communication with teachers about their child and their child’s classroom.
Parents may support the operation of the coop through a range of contributions, including providing healthy snacks, helping build classroom community or providing strategic direction and governance by serving on our Board of Directors. This direct parental involvement provides a unique educational opportunity: The children grow in mind, body, and spirit as they are nurtured and treated with acceptance and kindness by teachers and other parents.
Why It Matters
We believe that there are many benefits of participating in our co-op:
A measurable edge
Research indicates that meaningful parental involvement in schools is a powerful predictor of high student achievement and healthy development.
A sense of community
Our families develop close friendships based on their shared interest in the success of each child, as well as the overall success of the school and our teachers.
A voice
At LB, families have a voice, and we want their input. Parents can share their ideas and views through direct conversations with the administration and teachers, and board meetings.
More time for teachers
Parental involvement allows teachers to spend more time with each student, encouraging their self-expression and reflection.
Parent jobs
Little Beginnings is a parent cooperative, and its success depends on everyone’s participation. Parent jobs include a variety of positions, such as Parent Job Coordinator, Snack Shopper, Librarian, or Board of Directors.
Each parent-volunteer job has a direct impact on Little Beginnings, including saving teachers time, so they can focus more energy on the children; and saving money so we can buy high-quality classroom materials and offer the competitive wages and benefits that attract top talent.
In addition to volunteering for jobs, parents are expected to attend two parent-teacher conferences per year; provide a yearly $300 donation, which is tax deductable; and attend our Co-Op Annual Meeting. We also encourage parents to participate in our fundraisers and social events, including Pizza & Pajama Night and our annual school picnic.