Northshore Co-op Preschool
  • Home
  • Welcome
  • What is Co-op?
  • Curriculum
  • Classes
    • Inchworms 1-2's
    • Caterpillars 2-3's
    • Ladybugs 3-4's
    • Butterflies 4-5 (Pre-K)
    • Honeybee Family Class
  • Enrollment
  • Teachers
  • Preschool Preview Night 2025
  • Building Community
  • Visit NCP
  • Fundraising & Support
  • Contact Us
  • Employment
  • Sister Programs

What is co-op preschool?

Co-op means participation in your child's early education 

Parent Involvement and Parent Education
Different from a drop-off preschool, at NCP you work as an assistant teacher in class one day per week. Through this participation you work and play with all children in the class, enriching the preschool experience for everyone. Parents/caregivers working in class will rotate through different class jobs each week. Examples include snack parent, art table, teacher helper, etc. For our multi-day classes, working parents are assigned one working day per week (the same day of the week for the whole year). Students may be dropped off on your non-working days.

NCP is affiliated with Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) to provide parent education.  Parents in our program are enrolled at LWTech and earn 2 college credits per quarter. Parent education occurs throughout our program including monthly evening meetings, speakers at LWTech, in class discussions and teacher interaction throughout the day.

Participating in fundraising activities
All members of the co-op participate in the annual fundraising event to raise funds for our school. Parents contribute items or get items donated from local businesses. We sell tickets to friends, family and community members and serve appetizers and desserts the evening of the event. The evening ends with music and dancing. This is a fun and productive way to meet our fundraising needs.


Help at a classroom cleaning/changeover event
Six times a year the classroom undergoes a transformation. Well-loved activities are put away in exchange for new activities. Parents and teachers spend a few hours making the magic happen. This keeps children excited about school and keeps the learning environment fresh. This is also a time to give everything a good cleaning. Parents are obligated to attend one changeover per year.
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Complete a School-wide Job
Each family of the co-op holds a school-wide job. The types of jobs vary from creating class memory books, to making play-dough to planning school fundraising. These are the tasks that help to keep the school running on a day-to-day basis. Some jobs take more time than others, but each family participates in keeping the school running. Examples include:

  • Fundraising
  • Paint Bottle Refiller
  • Outdoor Maintenance
  • Summer Lawn Care
  • Curriculum Prep Helper
  • Birthday Crown Maker

Do I have to drop-off?   
Beginning school and being separated from one another can be difficult at first and may be a time for adjustment for both parent and child. If you choose not to leave on your drop off day you are welcome to stay and work in the classroom. If you are staying on one of your drop-off days we ask that you participate fully in the classroom as you would on your assigned day.
  • Home
  • Welcome
  • What is Co-op?
  • Curriculum
  • Classes
    • Inchworms 1-2's
    • Caterpillars 2-3's
    • Ladybugs 3-4's
    • Butterflies 4-5 (Pre-K)
    • Honeybee Family Class
  • Enrollment
  • Teachers
  • Preschool Preview Night 2025
  • Building Community
  • Visit NCP
  • Fundraising & Support
  • Contact Us
  • Employment
  • Sister Programs