The Cooperative School has a planned and dynamic parent education curriculum. Teachers provide parents with regular updates about classroom activities and pedagogy. We train parents in the delivery of our curriculum, Through the Garden Gate and the use and purposes of the 4 Spaces for Learning. They also maintain a resource library and provide resource lists for parent reference and use. Monthly meetings include workshops on topics such as fostering communication skills, positive discipline, guiding purposeful play, and nutrition. The Cooperative School brings in speakers and trainers to offer a range of professional perspectives on issues regarding early childhood education and parenting.
We also look to our membership to enrich each other’s parenting experiences. Several planned, casual school functions offer the opportunity to both relax and compare parenting notes. Some of these events are parents-only affairs; there are also three annual events that bring together all the School’s children, siblings, and extended families. For instance, pictured below is the School’s year-end Lantern Launch that takes place on the Mall in Washington, DC. Alumni are invited to join current families at our Spring Families and Friends Garden Party and Art Show, featuring the students’ collected artworks.
The School’s Board of Directors, comprised of current member parents, conducts formal and ongoing information gathering to encourage two-way communication between the stakeholders of the School. Two-way communication is an essential component to the success of The Cooperative School’s education plan. Parents are given feedback and guidance with regard to fulfilling their roles assisting in the classroom and as stewards of the School, and in turn they are encouraged to share their views and experiences in order to strengthen the program for future generations of families and students.
An elected Board of Directors maintains and distributes documents to the membership to guide daily practice and sustain the health and longevity of the School, including the School’s Handbook, Membership Rules and Regulations, and a current set of Bylaws. A Board of Trustees, nominated and elected by the Board of Directors and comprised of both alumni members and community leaders, serves as a conduit to the greater community.
