a parent cooperative
Above all, we are a parent cooperative school, where parents are not only welcome, but are intimately involved in and out of the classroom. The cooperative nature of the school bridges the gap between home and school, and gives parents a greater understanding of their child's experience in nursery school. Being a part of a cooperative nursery school is a wonderful experience for the children as well as the parents. Children enjoy the community of parents and their special parent help days, and parents contribute their own enthusiasm to the school and get to know other families through their work together.
Parent cooperatives are nothing new. In fact, the first one was started in 1916 by a group of faculty wives at the University of Chicago. Interest in cooperative preschools grew out of the burgeoning realization that the early childhood years are a foundation of social and academic success. Head Start is a legacy of the cooperative preschool movement. Today, the Newton Early Childhood Association lists five parent-cooperative preschools in Newton. Many still consider them the best-kept secret in education.
Parent responsibilities include being a parent helper in the classroom 7-10 times/year, and taking on a family job (either serving on the Board of Directors, or on a supporting committee). Each year we have a diverse group of families, with varying schedules and other commitments.We work with each family to find the right committee position or board position, that will fit well with the other commitments in a family's life.The involvement of our families is a large part of what makes Burr Cooperative so special.
