Community at Lake Stevens Co-Op
One of the things that makes LSCP special is that so many of the families come from the area neighborhoods, and the school serves as an introduction for your families, to those you might not otherwise have met. The school becomes a network of families to have fun with and who you can turn to when you need them. Many of the friendships that are created while in the cooperative become lifelong connections. We think this happens because of the extra expectations of parents in a co-op—working weekly in your child’s classroom, being responsible for a school job or serving on the board or a committee, parent/child problem solving together and helping out with fundraising. The extra work allows us to get to know each other and each other’s kids on a deeper, more connected level.
Working in the classroom
Each family is expected to work in their child’s classroom once a week. The class chair creates a monthly schedule according to family preferences and assigns them a rotating job- position to help monitor the main room – and the teacher provides a job description. If a parent can’t make their shift, they are responsible for calling other families in the class to find someone to trade with—almost always easily done. The benefits of working in your child’s class are significant: you can share your child’s experiences and learn about what they have fun doing at school; you can develop a relationship with your child’s teacher and get ready ideas on everything from new activities to try at home or help with difficult behaviors; you get to see the range of “normal” among your child’s peers; and you get to know the children your child plays with and make friends with their parents who you work alongside with in the classroom.
School Job
Each year, families are assigned a school job based on their talents and interests and the schools’ needs. The only paid employees at the school are the teachers—everything else gets done because of parents rolling up their sleeves and pitching in to run and improve the school. It’s a great way to give back to the community, to really see your importance in an organization, and to see a need and fill it. New families are usually given jobs that are fairly straightforward—the longer a family is at LSCP, the more we encourage them to take on greater roles, such as chairing a committee or joining the board. We think these jobs are really more fun.
Monthly class meeting
Each month, there is a 2 hour evening meeting held at the preschool. The school’s parent educator presents information and resources on a topic chosen in advance by the class, and parents have a chance to share their experiences or seek individual advice on the topic. The teacher updates parents on what’s going on in the classroom, new themes being introduced, and any changes or suggestions she has for the classroom. The class chair passes on information from the board meeting and any news regarding the school. The class meetings are something parents say they look forward to—a chance reflect on their child’s development, seek advice from experts, and hear about the news of the school.