Participation:
Getting Involved (or Not)

Are you interested in becoming more involved in the preschool? Click here to view the Board of Directors Role Summaries!

What does it mean to be a co-op?

Waterloo Co-operative Preschool is a parent co-operative where families work together to manage the successful operation of our school. Being part of a parent co-op is a very rewarding experience. Our preschool provides the opportunity to be involved with your child’s early education in a way that works with your schedule, budget and lifestyle. All of the members pool their resources to create a successful program. We, as the parents, are the assistant teachers, the administrators, the fundraisers, the maintenance crew, and the organizers. Together, the families of Waterloo Co-operative Preschool have been running successful programs for over 51 years!

Waterloo Co-operative Preschool is funded in part by the Region of Waterloo.

 
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Classroom participation

At our preschool, you can choose to be an in-class participating family. These members are referred to as classroom volunteers. Classroom volunteers help out in the classroom once a month during their child’s class time. Families who chose not to be in-class participating families do not help out in the classroom.

In-class participating families (classroom volunteers)

In-class participating families (classroom volunteers) assist with snack preparation, set up, and clean up, while also interacting with children in the class during the program. Volunteers can expect to be scheduled for classroom volunteering once a month, plus one backup volunteer day.

As part of Ministry regulations, classroom volunteers cannot bring other children to school on their volunteer day.

Committees / (Co-op Roles)

Whether you choose to be an in-class participating or not, you must serve on either a committee or the Board of Directors. Committee work or taking on a Board role are both great ways to get involved and make a difference in your child’s school!

If you have more than one child attending the preschool, you are only asked to participate in one committee or Board of Director role.

School improvement

  • Keep the classroom and playground clean and safe

  • Undertake building projects

  • Complete minor repairs

Special events

  • Help with fundraising initiatives (e.g., Scholastic orders)

  • Assist in the organization of preschool family events

IT and web support

  • Maintain the preschool website, update and manage content

  • Provide IT support for the classroom laptop and printer

Newsletter

  • Create and distribute the monthly newsletter

Financial

  • Ensure all fees are deposited and appropriately accounted for

  • Issue tax receipts

  • Prepare grant applications

Board of Directors

Are you interested in being more involved with the preschool? Maybe looking to supplement your resume? Consider sitting on our Board of Directors!

Board of Director positions include:

President*

  • Provides oversight for all governing activities of the Preschool, in accordance with laws and applicable legislation affecting the Co-operative Preschool as a non-profit.

  • Organizes and chairs meetings from the agenda (template sent out by Secretary); Zoom link to staff and members at least 10 days before each meeting.

  • Works with the Administrator/Secretary to prepare Welcome Meeting and AGM agendas and presentations

  • Meets with the Director once per month.

  • Ensures that all Board members are performing their duties adequately and reliably and in good attendance at meetings

  • Assigns new board members and staff new preschool email addresses and disables as needed.

  • Aids in addressing serious matters along with the Director.

  • Works with Treasurer, Bookkeeper, Director, and/or Supervisor to complete funding applications and monitors due dates and timelines.

  • Monitors strategic planning and goals

  • Has bank signing authority and is the signing authority for the Regional and Licensing.

  • Will recruit new board members each year and provide information sessions

  • Shares in the responsibility of media relations with the Director

Vice President*

  • Signs off on the Director's timesheets

  • Exports all approved time sheets to send to the accountants biweekly

  • Leads contract renewal with the Director for board approval

  • Assists the Director with contract renewals as needed for senior staff.

  • Troubleshoots concerns or breaches of privacy, cyber attacks with Director and IT

  • Consults with the director on any WSIB reporting, or serious staffing concerns.

  • Consults with HR Peninsula on HR matters and contracts.

  • Annual review of school policies with all board members

  • Leads the performance evaluation of the Director biannually.

  • Meets monthly with the Director

Treasurer*

  • Chair Financial Team Meetings with support from the Director and CPA

  • Has signing authority and works with Childcare CPA on all financial matters.

  • Signs off on expenses in Plooto and approves other expenses above pre-approved spending amounts, determining if the expense is in line with the budget, and ensuring the expenditure is consistent with Board Board-approved expenditure policy.

  • Sends e-transfers to staff when there is a payroll error requiring quick action.

  • Pre-approves spending and purchases in line with the budget and expense policy.

  • Has signing authority and must approve documentation for Regional funding and compliance, and be aware of due dates.

  • Receive monthly financial statements from the Childcare CPA team and present to the BOD at meetings when they are not available.

  • Collaborates with the Bookkeeper and Director to create a draft budget annually for the planning meeting in December.

  • Collaborates with the Bookkeeper, Director, and President to create and present a budget annually for the AGM.

  • Works with  President, Bookkeeper (childcare CPA), Director, and/or Supervisor to complete funding applications.

  • Has signing authority with the Regional and Licensing bodies.

*President, VP and Treasurer are all on the Executive committee (makes decisions on urgent matters that cannot wait for full board review) and Personnel committee (hiring, contract renewals)

Communications Officer

  • Aids in Preschool communications to Preschool membership, board of directors, and staff.

  • Redirects as appropriately any web enquiries or emails to the main email account if the staff member in charge is unavailable.

  • Creates the periodic newsletter with input from the educators and leadership team.

  • Is the contact for the Social Media Co-op role in collaboration with the Director.

  • Helps social committee and or fundraising committee, organize dates, times and communicate it with flyers for special events

Technical Officer

  • Help VP with Google Workspace migration; manage Google Workspace once migration is completed

  • Manage the internet/wifi issues/set up; point of contact with the Church for anything relating to the internet

  • Point of contact for the IT volunteer roles

  • Assists with any other subscription as needed on Preschool devices.

  • Ensures security of preschool devices.

  • Aids in any cyber security attacks or privacy concerns

  • Aids in keeping website AODA compliant

Secretary

  • Takes minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and General Meetings.

  • Distribute minutes and ensure it is posted on the website.

  • Provides hard copies of the Policies, Procedures, and Bylaws to families upon request.

Operations Officer

  • Board representative liaising with the church, alongside the Director

  • Manages funding/grant applications for special projects, in collaboration with the Director, the Supervisor

  • Is the contact for the Sponsorship committee and aid the Fundraising and or social committee

  • May aid with internal budgeting

  • Completes health and safety inspections periodically and provides support

  • Takes part in strategic planning

School Improvement Officer

  • Works with the Director to maintain monthly inventory and check lists, order supplies for the washroom, and cleaning supplies 

  • Coordinates along with a staff member, attends, and manages the Fall, Spring, and year end clean ups each school year.

  • Is contact for the School Improvement committee (cleaning crew) when  the assigned staff member is unable. .

  • Schedules carpet cleaning (or contracts it out) before the start of school each September,  when the  staff are unable.

Member at Large

  • Assists with special project, grants or committee where help is needed

  • Often filled later in the year by a current preschool member who will be on the BoD next school year

Community Advisor

  • Advises the Board on procedure (via email or at meetings)

  • Informs the Board of any long-running projects or old projects that had to be put on hold, or of previous WCP activities that were notable (success or failure)

  • Actively involved in strategic planning

  • Draws on previous experience of WCP to recommend a successful approach to challenges and provides continuity for the board.

  • Should be a previous Board member and familiar with the operations of WCP

All members of the Board of Directors are required to participate in monthly Board meetings that are typically held at the preschool.

Information sessions will be held 15 minutes before all board meetings and an orientation is conducted by the Director several times a year.

For additional information, please see the link below to our Board of Directors Handbook:

Board of Directors Handbook

Board By-Laws

Special skills and community helpers

If you have a special skill or job that would help the preschool (e.g., painter, electrician) or might be of interest to the children (e.g., police officer, musician), we’d love to talk with you to see if we can work together. Arrangements can often be made in exchange for committee duty or fundraising.