What is a typical day like at McMinnville Playschool?

Play is the main event at our school. Children need large blocks of time to investigate deeply, practice new skills, build relationships, or to organize the roles and rules of a complex game. Here is an example of how a day at Playschool typically looks:

8:30-8:45: Arrival of Family Co-Teachers
Family co-teachers participating in the classroom arrive early to help setup and prepare for the day.

9:00-9:15 Arrival of Students:
The teacher will be at the door to great children as they arrive. This helps to ease the transition from home to school.

9:00-9:45: Indoor Exploration
Children choose from a variety of activities in the classroom. Art, science, manipulatives, reading, dramatic play and block areas are always available. Parents are available to read, replenish supplies and keep company with children.

9:45-10:00 Circle Time (Also referred to as “Morning Meeting”)
This is a time for our whole class to come together to sing beloved songs, engage in treasured rituals, and discuss issues that are important to the children.

10:00-12:00: Indoor and Outdoor Exploration
Children are invited to continue their work from the morning. Small groups may form to study a topic more in-depth. The playground will also be available at this time. Children may have snack whenever they are hungry.

11:45-12:00: Dismissal
Families pick up children from the playground and get a brief update about their child’s day.

12:00-12:45: Family Co-teacher Clean Up
While the teacher dismisses students, coteachers finish cleaning up.

12:45-1:00: Family Co-teacher/Teacher Meeting
Family coteachers and the teacher discuss the day’s events. This is an excellent chance for coteachers to bring any problems or concerns about the class day to the teacher.

What is a cooperative preschool?

A cooperative preschool is a program that is operated by a group of parents who take an active interest in their children’s first educational experience. Parents help the teacher in the classroom, are given opportunities for education, and are involved in decision-making. (more info from PCPO Website)

What are the benefits to enrolling my child in a cooperative school?

Benefits a Cooperative School Offers Children:

• New experiences and a wider world to explore and enjoy
• A teacher who encourages their sense of self-esteem and self-confidence
• Parents in the classroom which insures an above average adult to child ratio
• Children of similar ages with whom to play and learn respect for the differences and rights of others
• Play equipment, learning games, expressive materials, and art activities not generally available at home
• Field trips, story-telling, musical and dramatic play, exercise for large motor muscles and activities to stimulate small muscle coordination
• A positive attitude toward future school attendance

Benefits a Cooperative School Offers Parents:

• Participation in their children’s education away from home
• A better understanding of their children’s individuality through observing them with other children the same age
• A voice in school decisions and policy-making
• Education in child development and parenting skills at parent meetings, PCPO Conferences, and through publications
• Mutual understanding and moral support from other parents with the same concerns, interests, and problems
• Memories of activities shared with children

When does the school year begin and end?

Our school year typically begins in mid-September and ends at the end of May. Holidays and inclement weather closures correspond with the McMinnville School District calendar.

Does my child need to be potty trained to attend the school?

No, potty training is not required.

What is the age range of children attending the preschool?

Preschool
Children must be 3 by November 30th

Toddler Group
18 months – 3 years

How many children are in each program?

Following are the maximum class sizes for each of our programs:

• Preschool: 16 students per class
• Toddler: 12 students per class

How many times a month does a parent teacher volunteer in the classroom?

On average, a family will be in the classroom as a parent teacher 2-3 times a month.

Are the parents responsible for developing curriculum and lesson plans?

No. The school’s teacher is responsible for developing the curriculum and daily activities for the classroom.

What is the adult to child ratio?

There are three parent teachers and one teacher in the preschool classroom, with an adult to child ratio of 1:4. In Toddler Group a parent or caregiver must accompany each child.

Can I bring my younger child to the classroom when I parent teach?

Our school does allow immobile infants, which must be carried or worn at all times.

What discipline methods are used at the school?

Parents and teachers provide helpful guidance to children by respectfully acknowledging feelings while redirecting or limiting behavior. The goal is to support young children as they gain the ability for self-discipline. We also use problem solving as the main strategy to help children resolve conflicts.

The steps of conflict resolution we use are:

• Approach calmly.
• Acknowledge Feelings
• Gather Informatiopn
• Restate the problem.
• Ask for possible solutions and choose one together.
• Congratulate the children on solving a problem and be prepared to offer followup support.

Does the school have an outside space?

Yes! It has an outdoor, fenced playground. Please click here to see photos of our classroom and playground in action.

Does the school make accommodations for children with allergies?

Yes. Our school strives to accommodate all allergies, and will do our best to address intolerances. An allergy list is posted on the classroom door so that all adults are aware of any allergies a child may have. All snacks provided by the school will be allergy free.

What are some examples of family jobs?

Family jobs are set up to keep our school running smoothly, cooperatively, and to provide the best environment for our children. Some examples of our family jobs are Snack and Supplies Coordinator, Librarian, Laundry, Enrichment Coordinator, Treasurer, Registrar and President.

Can I visit the school and observe the class and teacher?

Yes. If you are interested in registering or being placed on our waiting list, please contact us to set up a date to visit our classroom in action. We recommend that you bring your child with you so that you may observe how our classroom works and if it works for your child.

Masking/COVID Quick Facts

Follow this link for more information.

How to enroll

1. Contact Registrar for confirmation of openings.

2. Use Brightwheel to fill out the Enrollment Packet. You will be prompted to create a Brightwheel account when you begin the process.

3. Make payment through cash, check, or in Brightwheel.

When is open enrollment for the next year?

• Enrollment open for current families Feb 5th-19th
• Enrollment open for Alumni Fed 20th-March 5th
• Enrollment open for the public/waiting list March 14th

Preschool Tuition and Payment Schedules

• $75.00 is due at the time of submitting registration paperwork (registration fee)
• $250.00 is due by the first day of class (September tuition, supplies fee, half of the administrative fee)
• Optional: add $35 if you wish to pay all of the administrative fee up front