Frequently Asked Questions about the WMS Co-op Program

The Parent Co-operative Program builds on the sharing of skills, talents, and participation throughout the school community to meet the needs of our children and benefit school programs as a whole.

The Parent Cooperative Program at Wilmington Montessori School provides a way for all of our children to benefit from the unique interests, talents, and professional skills abundant in our parent population. Active involvement in Co-op is an excellent way to strengthen your partnership in your child’s education while getting to know other families and making valuable contributions integral to the functioning of the school.

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• What is the time requirement for Co-op?
• Who can fulfill our family’s Co-op?
• How will I know how many hours I’ve submitted?
• What types of participation are eligible for Co-op hours?
• What types of participation are not eligible for Co-op hours?
• How do I determine the number of hours I report for a completed Co-op job?
• How do I find out about Co-op needs?
• When may I complete on-site Co-op jobs?
• Is it possible to fulfill my Co-op requirement from home?
• How do I report completed Co-op hours?
• What happens if I complete my Co-op requirement before the end of the school year?
• What happens if I do not complete my Co-Op requirement before the end of the school year?
• Who do I contact if I have questions about Co-op?

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What is the time requirement for Co-op?

Each family is responsible for Co-op hours based upon the number of days their children are enrolled during the school year.

• 5 full or extended day program: 50 hours per year
• 5 half day program: 40 hours per year
• 3 full day program: 40 hours per year
• 3 half day program: 30 hours per year
• If more than one child in a family attends WMS: 50 hours per year
• Hours will be pro-rated for those families who enter WMS after the beginning of the school year and for those changing programs mid-year.

Your yearly Co-op requirement begins September 1 and ends August 31. Co-op participation requested between the last day of school and September 1 may be applied to the requirement for the upcoming school year, but completed hours may not otherwise be carried over from year to year.
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Who can fulfill our family’s Co-op?

Although Co-op hours are not transferable from family to family, anyone in the family (aunt, grandparent, etc) may assist in the completion of the time requirement.
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How will I know how many hours I’ve submitted?

Your Co-op hours will be tracked as you report them, and you will receive a mid-year statement of your completed hours to date in January. At the end of the school year, the business office will issue bills for incomplete hours.
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What types of participation are eligible for Co-op hours?

Co-op hours may be reported for requests made through your child’s teacher, homeroom parent or the Family Relations Director. Some examples of participation that may be reported for Co-op hours are:

• Classroom support (your child’s Homeroom Parent will provide a list of classroom jobs) Note: Although we have a nightly cleaning crew, more intensive disinfecting of shelf materials is advisable, especially in infant and toddler classrooms. Teachers may ask parents in their classroom to share the responsibility for this important chore.
• Event support (planning committees, set-up, providing food, publicity, etc.)
• Maintenance support (gardening, small repairs, carpentry, etc.)
• Program support (library, sports activities, Extended Day/Before and After School Program assistance, etc.)
• Administrative/Office support (Board participation, fundraising, grant writing, graphic design, technology assistance, etc.)

When purchasing items for classroom, event, or program support, the general guideline is that one Co-op hour equals $17.00 spent. In order to receive Co-op credit for requested purchases, a receipt must be attached to the Co-op Report form. Classroom teachers may approve purchases up to $100. Purchases of $100 or more must be pre-approved by the Family Relations Director.
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What types of participation are not eligible for Co-op hours?

Many valuable contributions of time and talents are made because parents wish to be supportive of their child’s classroom activities and of the school in general. Some examples of participation that may not be reported for Co-op hours are:

• Attending classroom parties or other celebrations
• Attending school meetings (Annual Meeting, Transition and Curriculum Nights, etc.) or parent education workshops.
• Donated furniture and technology: As much as we appreciate your consideration, donated items such as furniture and computers cannot be included as Co-op time. We would suggest that you complete a tax deductible donation form (available from Family Relations Director) for these items. Like you, we have limited storage, so please check with the Family Relations Director before bringing items into school.

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How do I determine the number of hours I report for a completed Co-op job?

• Actual time spent: It is not always clear how long it will take a parent to complete a project. In those cases, parents are asked to track their time expenditure and report the number of hours actually spent on the task.
• Time spent plus supplies purchased: If a parent spends 2 hours making curtains for a classroom, plus $17 in fabric or other supplies, they may claim a total of 3 Co-op hours.
• Year-long commitments: It is recognized that certain Co-op jobs include extensive responsibilities and time commitments, and may be assigned an hour value. For example, a parent serving as a homeroom parent or board member may claim 50 Co-op hours.

Note: Claiming Co-op hours for cooking and baking requested: You may claim the cost of the ingredients, plus prep time (not baking time). Most people just work out of their pantry, don’t purchase special ingredients, and don’t have a receipt to attach to their Co-op report form. In this case, estimate the cost of the ingredients, exchange it for Co-op hours at the rate of $17/hour, and add that to the prep time. If you do purchase special ingredients, attach the receipt to the Co-op form and claim hours at the rate of $17/hour.
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How do I find out about Co-op needs?

• School website - www.wmsde.org: The Family Relations Director regularly posts Co-op opportunities on the “Parents” portion of the school website. Parents may inquire about a request or offer assistance by contacting Joanne Waters, Family Relations Director, at joanne_waters@wmsde.org.
  
• Email: Opportunities for Co-op participation are often communicated to parents through the homeroom parent newsgroup.
  
• Co-op bulletin boards: Co-op Opportunities and sign up lists are posted on bulletin boards outside the Family Relations office and at the top of the Aspen wing. You will be contacted to confirm your participation.
  
• Classroom bulletin boards: Classroom teachers and homeroom parents often post Co-op requests on their hallway bulletin boards or may list needs in their class newsletters.

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When may I complete on-site Co-op jobs?

Parents may complete many Co-op jobs in the school, during evening hours or on Saturdays from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Important: If parents bring children into the school after hours, they must follow the same rule that applies to all employees of the school regarding child supervision: Children should never be left unsupervised in any area of the school at any time.
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Is it possible to fulfill my Co-op requirement from home?

Yes, many Co-op jobs, such as materials making and graphic design, may be done from your home.
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How do I report completed Co-op hours?

Co-op hours must be reported on the Co-op Report form, available outside the Family Relations office or through the WMS website. In order to receive Co-op credit for purchases, receipts must be attached to the form. Reports may also be submitted via email to Joann. Receipts may be scanned and attached.
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What happens if I complete my Co-op requirement before the end of the school year?

Please submit reports for all completed Co-op jobs as you finish them, even if you have already fulfilled your Co-op requirement for the year. As valuable resources, parent donations of time and purchases are tracked and help the school with funding for grants. You may also need this information for tax purposes. More importantly, your support throughout the year is vital to the functioning of the school. Many of the school’s largest events happen in the spring, and their success depends on our parents’ time and talents.
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What happens if I do not complete my Co-Op requirement before the end of the school year?

If you are unable to complete your family’s co-op requirement before August 31st, you will be billed for the hours not completed at the rate of $17 per hour. Parents who are unable to complete their Co-op hours by the end of the school year but wish to do so over the summer may contact the Family Relations Director to make arrangements and the end of year Co-op bill will be adjusted to reflect participation.
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Who do I contact if I have questions about Co-op?

If you have any questions or concerns about the Parent Co-op Program at WMS, please contact Joanne Waters, Family Relations Director. Parents are invited to make suggestions for Co-op participation. Your ideas are important to us!
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