​What is a Co-op?

​A Co-op is a preschool where parents actively participate in the education and development of their children. In a cooperative setting, parents voluntarily fill the needs of the preschool by administering the affairs of the preschool through a parent-run Board of Directors, by assisting the teachers in the classroom; and by cleaning, organizing and maintaining the facility and equipment of the preschool. As a result, co-ops are often more cost effective than other preschools.



How many days am I required to volunteer in the classroom?

Generally, parents volunteer in the classroom one day for every five days their child is enrolled. For example, a person with a child attending two days a week could expect to work one to two days per month. In addition to volunteering in the classroom, each family must also fulfill a job/task that supports the school outside of class time, as well as attend membership meetings, fundraising events and school clean-ups occurring at nights and/or on weekends. More information regarding these expectations will be given during the Welcome Meeting in the fall.

 

Important note on parental presence in classroom: At the beginning of the school year, please be prepared to stay with your child for the duration of the class if he or she needs additional time to adjust to the school environment. 

​

What is the student-to-teacher ratio and how many children are in each class?
It depends on which class you are enrolled and the total enrollment number for the class, but in general, each classroom has one teacher and one or two parent volunteers. In our Two's and Three's classes, we have between 10 and 12 children (ratio of 1:5 or 1:6), in our Pre-K classes, we have between 12 and 14 children (ratio of 1:6 or 1:7).

​

​Does my child need to be potty trained?
Your child does not need to be potty trained to enroll at the Northville Cooperative Preschool for the Twos and Threes classes. We do ask that you keep your child’s backpack stocked with wipes and diapers.

​
Do you offer any enrichment classes?
Yes, we are offer a Science enrichment class for 3-year-olds.

​
How much outdoor time do the kids have?
The teachers often use the outdoor areas to transition between activities so the kids are outside at least one time each day (weather permitting) for either as free play or as part of the curriculum. 

​

Do you accept vaccination exemptions?

NCP requires all students to be up to date on the state of Michigan's vaccinations requirements. If your child is following a physician-approved delayed vaccination schedule or has a medical immunization exemption (not religious or philosophical), documentation must be provided.

​

What is your philosophy on discipline and how do you handle difficult situations?
The method that we employ is based on positive discipline. Basically, it involves teaching children how to be respectful and responsible members of a community. Since so much of a preschool child’s development hinges on their social and emotional growth, one of most important jobs as a teacher at NCP is to model and teach behaviors that are kind and respectful to all. Our teachers use kind but clear examples of respectful and compassionate behaviors to help children learn these important social skills. 

 

We also use lots of positive encouragement and praise as our students practice and ultimately acquire these important social skills. A key component of this philosophy is that all children feel that they are important and contributing members of our community which is accomplished by encouraging children to listen to and express their feelings with each other so that they can resolve conflicts in a compassionate way through dialogs and cooperation.

​
What is your overall philosophy on teaching?​

​Our teaching philosophy focuses on social and emotional development, with an emphasis on child-directed play. You can read more on our Philosophy page.

​
What kind of credentials or characteristics do you look for in your teachers?
Our teachers are required to have at least a Bachelor's degree, preferably in a child-related area. In addition, they must be certified by the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services and by the State of Michigan. Also, they need to be members of the National Association of Educators of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Michigan Council of Cooperative Nurseries (MCCN). Lastly, we expect our teacher to be certified annually for CPR and First Aid, and to attend teaching seminars and conferences each year to freshen their skills​.

​
What type of child thrives in your program?
Many different types of children thrive in our program, and we encourage parents to ask questions and inform us about their child’s specific needs. Children this age are generally curious and excited to learn new things. We provide lots of hands-on activities and child-directed play to meet those needs.