Parent Participation

The Board of Directors and Parent Committees

Community Cooperative Preschool is a parent co-operative that was established in 1962. The school is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, made up of parents. The board meets once a month during the school year to help make decisions about how the school is run, including hiring staff when necessary.

There are a number of committees that help maintain and support the Preschool. At least one parent per family is needed in order to help the school function smoothly. You can also opt-out of this requirement, if you supply the school with a buyout cheque in return. The involvement of at least one parent per family in a committee is needed unless a buy-out cheque is supplied. Please refer to the Committee Information Sheet in our registration package to read job descriptions for the various positions that need to be filled.

Parent Assists

In addition to being involved with the running of the school, parents are also required to assist the teachers in the classroom roughly once every 6 to 8 weeks depending on scheduling and enrolment. For parents who are not able to parent assist, a buyout fee of $30.00 per month in lieu of parent assisting is an option, although there are a limited number of spaces per group for this option. Grandparents and caregivers etc. can also parent assist, as long as they provide the school with a valid police check prior to their assist day. Parents are responsible for bringing a healthy snack for the class on their parent assist day.

On your duty day you will provide an extra pair of hands for the staff, preparing snack or lunch, helping children dress and undress, writing names on artwork, etc. It is also an opportunity for you to observe your child as he or she grows and develops within the preschool. Parents are responsible for their own babysitting arrangements on their parent assist days. Only non-mobile and/or nursing infants are allowed to accompany you on parent assist days. Failure to attend an assigned parent assist day will result in a monetary fine and a requirement to make up the parent assist day. Consistent failure to complete your parent assist days may result in a withdrawal from the preschool.

For more information on parent assisting, please see our Parents Handbook.

Annual General Meetings

At least one parent is required to attend the Annual General Meeting that occurs every fall. This meeting gives you the chance to meet your child's teachers, your committee members, and other parents. These meetings are especially important for non-board members, as they provide an overview of how the school is being run and gives a chance for all parents to express their opinions and receive committee information. Remember that this is your school and we need your help in shaping it!

We hope that your participation in the co-op will be a positive experience. Think of it as an opportunity to learn new skills and reawaken old talents. The school is open for you to come in and observe or discuss concerns with staff so that your child's experience will be a positive one.

General information

The school year

The school year runs from the first Tuesday in September until late in June. It follows the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board's school year calendar with the exception of P.D. Days and final day of classes. All classes run from 9:00 am to 12:30 p.m. Unfortunately, we do not provide any afternoon classes.

Class Schedules and Fees

Annual registration fee: $100.00 (non-refundable, payable only once per family per year).

Program	Schedule	Fees	Requirements
2 or 3 years	Tuesdays and Thursdays	$210 per month	Children must be 2 or 3 years of age by Dec 31, 2019
3 years	Monday, Wednesday and Friday	$255 per month	Children must be 3 years of age by December 31, 2019
****	Monday to Friday	$465 per month	None

Being accepted into the preschool depends on a number of factors:

• When your completed registration forms and post-dated cheques are received. Applications are processed on a first come, first served basis.
• Siblings and children of preschool alumni are given priority up to a certain date.
• Age your child.
• The limit of one special needs child per class.
• Mutual agreement between you and the preschool.
• Your interest and willingness to participate in preschool activities including the Board of Directors and Committees.

Our payment method is by post-dated cheque only. Money orders are also acceptable, but they must be received prior of the 15th of the month.

We charge an additional $30 for NSF cheques. Please add this amount to your payment when you submit a replacement cheque.

Subsidized Spaces

Subsidies are available for children enrolled in any of our programs based on financial need. Applications for subsidized spaces must be made through the City of Ottawa's Child Care Services department. For more information, please contact the city at 613-580-9696.

Withdrawal Policy

Prior to August 15: If for any reason, you withdraw your child from the preschool, you will receive back all cheques, except the registration fee.

After August 15: You must provide the preschool with two month's written notice prior to withdrawing your child. If this is not possible, you must still pay for two months worth of fees from the time written notice is received by the Registrar. The two month period allows the school time to locate and process a new student while still maintaining full enrolment. This is necessary as the preschool's budget is based on full enrolment. We remind you that it is to your benefit to notify the Registrar as soon as you suspect you may be withdraw your child. Any remaining post-dated cheques will be returned to you.

The school reserves the right to ask parents to withdraw their child from the program without notice in the event that a child does not adjust to the program, the program is not meeting the child's needs or fees are not received in a timely manner.

No rebate is provided for withdrawals that take place after April 14th nor is there to be any refund as a result of a child being absent from school due to illness, hospitalization, holiday trips, etc.

Registration Procedures

When submitting a registration, please make sure to include the following forms:

• A completed registration form
• A completed policy and permission form
• A completed committee questionnaire

When submitting a registration, please include the following cheques:

• One registration Fee cheque dated at time of application ($85.00).
• Ten post-dated cheques (dated 15th of each month from August to May, please remember to change the year with the January cheque).
• If spaces become available in January, we do accept registrations. The tuition cost will be increased by 10% per month over the regular yearly rate.

Payments start in August to allow the school to pay for school expenses that are incurred before classes begin. The Board of Directors establishes the cost of tuition in February of each year. The cost of tuition is divided into 10 equal payments.

Submit Forms

Please mail us the forms and cheques listed above using the envelope included with your registration package.

Intake Interview

The Registrar will send you an Acceptance of Registration letter and a Criminal Reference Check wavier letter when your child is accepted to the preschool. An intake interview will be scheduled with the Preschool Director or Assistant Director for new children coming into the preschool. You will be notified, by phone, of the interview date by the the 3rd week in August. Interviews are usually held the following week. Please do not bring your child to this meeting if possible as we will be discussing him or her. During the interview you will have the opportunity to discuss any special concerns that you may have regarding your child.

Please bring these to your interview:

• All completed forms, policies and procedures that have been emailed to you in August.
• Your child's immunization card.
• A valid police check or stamped volunteer letter.

First Day of School

The preschool uses a staggered entry approach in September, starting around the 15th of the month. This method allows us to introduce children to the school in small groups. Parents are expected to stay with their child on his or her first day if they are a new student.