WHAT IS A COOPERATIVE?

What makes a cooperative special?

At Poppy Preschool Cooperative, families and teachers work together to create a caring, playful, and engaging environment where children can grow socially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Parents don’t just drop off their children—they actively take part in the classroom and in the life of the school. This unique model allows parents to see their children learn and play alongside peers, better understand common stages of development, and share both the challenges and joys of parenting within a supportive community.

Because we are a cooperative, Poppy is always evolving. Each year brings new families, fresh ideas, and opportunities to improve how we learn and grow together. Parents contribute by helping in the classroom, serving on committees, and choosing a family role that reflects their skills and interests. Beyond formal tasks, families support one another in countless ways—swapping classroom days, sharing rides, volunteering, and lending a hand when needed.

At the heart of our school is shared leadership. Every family has a voice and a role in shaping the preschool experience. We celebrate each family’s unique contributions, knowing that our community is strongest when everyone feels valued and accepted. This spirit of cooperation not only enriches our children’s education, but also builds lasting friendships and connections among families.

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“Becoming a part of the DCCNS (now Poppy Preschool) community is one of the best parenting choices we've made. DCCNS gave us all the opportunity to learn and grow alongside each other - the parent co-op model allows for the education of both children and their parents. Because DCCNS follows a play-based curriculum, our children were allowed to imagine without limits and develop individually. They were perfectly prepared for kindergarten and, more importantly, a richly adventurous life.”

- Adélie & Jeffrey Barry

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Parent Commitments

Parental involvement is an important part of our school and is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about your child’s growth. As a participating parent you are required to:

  • Participate in the classroom - roughly 2X a month

  • Earn Parent Education/Meeting Credits

  • Attend Work Parties

  • Complete a Family Task

  • Assist at one event

  • Participate in fundraising efforts

As a cooperative, we are always looking for ways to help parents make the most of their preschool experience. Our Playcare system was developed in response to families needing care for other children during their working parent shifts. This can be a younger or older sibling. As a bonus, the other siblings also gets a fun experience with other kids, while their sibling is at school.

For an additional fee, we have onsite childcare twice a month for families that need it during their working parent shifts. This reduces the stress of finding other childcare options and making multiple stops to drop off children in the mornings.

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Green watering can pouring water drops.

Playcare

An important part of the cooperative preschool experience is parent education. By sharing information and learning from the “experts” (child development specialists, teachers, our kids, each other!), we help one another learn about parenting.

Parent Education/Meeting Credits: Attend 5 meetings (families who enter mid-year are prorated), 3 of the meetings are mandatory. Listed below are the parent education events often offered each year.

More on Parent Education

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  • Fall Class Connection Meeting (MANDATORY) – early September

  • Whole School Orientation (MANDATORY) - Fall

  • Family Potluck- late September (earn 1 credit per family)

  • Parent meeting/lecture–Fall

  • Winter Class Connection Meeting (MANDATORY) – mid January

  • Parent meeting/lecture–Winter/Spring

  • Additional meetings, book groups, or workshops may be scheduled throughout the year.

Visit the Poppy Calendar for exact dates of each parent education opportunity. Events are added throughout the year; check back regularly for updates.

You may earn educational credits by attending other parent education experiences. If you are interested in obtaining credit for another event not listed above, please email the Poppy executive director, Liz Allewelt-Smith. In the email, please describe the activity for approval and once activity completed email a brief summary of your experience.