One unique aspect that sets Greater Warsaw Cooperative Preschool apart from other preschools is our family involvement. When families participate in the classroom through a conveniently scheduled rotation, you send a supportive and loving message to your child that this step in their lives is important enough to do it together. It is a wonderful experience to have your child ask if it’s your turn in the classroom, but the real reward is seeing their faces light up when you answer, “Yes!”

Parents, guardians, grandparents, other relatives, and family friends are all welcome to participate in the classroom as long as they submit and pass the Warsaw Community Schools background check. This is a mandatory safety requirement.

This requirement varies based on enrollment and class frequency. General expectations:

• 3/4s: 1-2 days/month  

• 4/5s 3-day: 2-3 days/month 

• All: One special event per school year (e.g., VIP night, Thanksgiving Program, etc.)

If a family member wishes to be more involved, there are opportunities to volunteer on the Board of Directors, help with special events, or assist with more intensive in-class projects.

On your participation days, you will arrive with your child to the preschool by 9:15 AM. You may help with:

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• Assisting kids at drop-off/pickup (escorting to/from class, help w/coats, backpacks, etc.)

• Helping with basic arts & crafts projects that are planned and instructed by the teacher

• Cleaning the classroom toward the end of the day

• Providing a classroom snack half of your family’s participation days

• Packing a show & share item for your child

Please bring two snack items and appropriate paper products (plates, cups, napkins) for each preschool child and adult helper. Snacks must be in store-packaged, sealed containers. They do not have to be individually packaged. Treats for birthday celebrations and class parties may be brought in from store bakeries such Meijer, Kroger, or local shops. Homemade treats are not allowed.

Examples of common snacks: Pretzels, yogurt tubes, snack bars, goldfish, apple slices

3/4s Preschool Class: In this class, the students grow and develop their social and emotional skills (including the advancement of play skills, learning the routines of a classroom, and fostering independence), fine and gross motor skills, and pre-academics (such as building vocabulary, rhyming, rote counting, 1 to 1 correspondence, colors, shapes, and an introduction to science).

4/5s Preschool Class: This class enables older students the opportunities to continue to deepen and broaden fine and gross motor skills, social and emotional development (including more cooperative play, building the sense of self, and fostering problem solving), along with additional time exploring scientific concepts, literacy (including phonemic awareness and letter sound correspondence) and numeracy.

Yes! For 4/5s, we offer Lego League and Spanish enrichment classes. The enrichment classes align with the Warsaw Community Schools DLI and STEM school programs. The two days/week of enrichment also help with the transition and preparedness for kindergarten through lunching with classmates and having extended learning time with a specialized focus.

The purpose and values of Greater Warsaw Cooperative Preschool remain the same; however, as opportunities present themselves, we have continued to build on our superior curriculum by adding field trips to different locations, hands-on art projects conducted by local artists, and recently, even regular visits to kindergarten classes within Madison Elementary. We continually hear from the kindergarten teachers that we work with that our students are very well prepared.