Providence Nursery School is a cooperative preschool that relies on the involvement of families to make our school a success. Parents/guardians assist in the classroom and lend their talents to committees and projects and serve as the board of directors.

PNS values family involvement and building community among families in many different ways, and outside of volunteer time at the school, the preschool brings families together with fun events and community traditions. When every family gets involved, our school and our children benefit!

What am I, as a parent or guardian, responsible for?

In addition to meeting paperwork and tuition deadlines:

Families with a student in the 2s, 3s, 3/4s and 4s classes:

1. Co-op (assist) in the classroom on an assigned rotating schedule, or opt to "buy out" of this responsibility (see more details below).

2. Perform an assigned Family Job.

3. Volunteer 11 hours of time to the school, including 3 hours on a scheduled Clean-Up and Maintenance Day (one of 4 Saturdays throughout the year). Families with more than one child enrolled only need participate in an additional Clean-Up and Maintenance Day for each additional child.

4. Attend three required evening meetings per year: Spring Coffee in May, Back to School Night in September, and General Membership in March.

5. Co-oping parents/guardians complete 4 hours of childhood or parenting education, which can be met through opportunities offered by the preschool, or through reading books or attending conferences related to your own parenting interests.

Families with a student in the CDO class:

1. Volunteer 7 hours of time to the school, including 3 hours on a scheduled Clean-Up and Maintenance Day. (Co-oping is not required in CDO, and holding a Family Job is optional.)

2. Attend three required evening meetings per year: Spring Coffee in May, Back to School Night in September, and General Membership in March.

What is a BUY OUT or buy out fee?

As a co-operative preschool, when parents come in to the classrooms to co-op, it is not only helpful, but necessary to properly support our learners. However, we understanding that not all families have the flexibility or availability to spend time in the classroom. A limited number of families may “buy out” of co-oping in the classroom for a fee. The fee is used to pay a teaching aide to full your co-oping position.

Some years we are able to support a buy-out fee for Clean-Up and Maintenance days, but it is dependent on our enrollment; if we have enough families able to do the work, then we can use the fee to pay for additional supplies.

Because we rely on volunteers to complete all tasks big and small at the preschool, we are unable to support a buy-out option for volunteer hours or family jobs. There is no one to pay to complete the work for you!

NOTE: This is an overview of the membership responsibilities. For a detailed explanation, please refer to your membership forms and school policies and procedures.