PARENT RESOURCES
Welcome to WCP! We’re excited to have your family join our wonderful school! You will find the answers to most of your questions here, but if there’s anything you don’t see that you’d like to know more about or think we should add to this parent resources page, please let us know by emailing us at info@westsidecooperative.com.
School Calendar & Events
The school calendar includes all-school and class meetings, as well as the board meeting schedule. Field trips are not listed on the main calendar and will be coordinated by each class representative.
Health & Safety
When should your child stay home?
According to the Olympia School District guidelines, please keep your child at home if they have:
Fever over 100.4°F
Children should stay home until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Diarrhea or Vomiting
Keep your child home until 24 hours after these symptoms have stopped.
Severe Cough or Cold
If your child has a heavy cough or cold that makes it hard for them to participate comfortably in activities, it’s best to let them rest at home.
Unusual Fatigue or Irritability
Sometimes, children just need a day to rest and recharge.
Work Party Dates
Work Parties are led by our House team. Every family is required to participate in one Summer and one Fall work party. There is also an additional, optional, work party to prepare the school before the Open House in the Spring. The goal of these work parties is to keep the school grounds clean, well maintained, and safe for our little ones.
If you are unable to attend both a Summer and a Fall work party, you can either attend the Open House Work Party or contact the House team (housemgr@westsidecooperative.org) to coordinate a make-up task.
Summer Work Party
(pick one or schedule a make-up task)
August 2, 9am-1pm
August 24, 9am-1pm
Fall Leaf Raking Party
(pick one or schedule a make-up task)
November 8, 10am-12pm
December 6, 10am-12pm
Spring Open House Cleanup
(qualifies as a make-up task)
February 28th, 10am-2pm
2025-26 WCP Class Info & Tuition
Orange Class
3-4 years old
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
9:15 - 11:45 am
$215.00/month
Yellow Class
2-3 years old
Tuesday & Thursday
9:15 - 11:45 am
$160.00/month
Red Class
4-5 years old
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
12:30 - 3:00 pm
$215.00/month
Tuition is due on the 1st of the month.
How to pay:
By check only (no cash). This can be a written check, a mailed check directly from your bank, or a cashier’s check. Checks should be made out to Westside Cooperative Preschool.
Where to turn deliver your check:
In the tuition box at the school or mailed to: Westside Cooperative Preschool, P.O. Box 12659 Olympia, WA 98509-2659.
Fundraising Requirements
This year’s Friendship Run will be held on April 19th, 2026!
Each family is required to raise at least $350 for our yearly fundraiser: the Friendship Run. To learn more about the event, check out the details here.
DETAILS COMING SOON
These important links are coming soon for the new school year:
Registration and Swag Link
GoFundMe Donation Link
Donation Tracking Link
Set-up and tear-down Link
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Family Job Descriptions
Click here for the full list of job descriptions. Each family must fulfill one family job.
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WCP Board
The preschool’s board is volunteer-based and made up of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Chair, House Chair, Fundraising Chair, Class Reps, and the Teachers.
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School Calendar
Click here for a printable copy of the WCP school calendar.
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In-Class Volunteering
Every class must have two parent volunteers to assist the teacher at a time. The volunteer schedule is organized for each class by the class representative.
When you enroll your child in the Cooperative Preschool Program, you have also enrolled yourself in the Bates Parenting Education Program. The goal of a co-op/parenting education program is to foster and support parenting and family management skills and provide an enriching, developmentally appropriate learning experience, for your child.
As a working parent/guardian in the classroom you will be assisting the teacher with facilitating and supervising learning activities with the children. During this time, you will observe and support child development experiences and implement positive child guidance techniques.
You pay Bates tuition fees to enroll (one adult per family) in the Bates Parenting Education Program. As a Bates student you earn college credits, have access to the Child Studies Resource Center, and are able to take the introductory college early childhood education class at no extra cost. You can access your transcript through "my Bates" on the Bates Technical College website.
Parent Education Requirements & Credits
How many Parenting Education Credits are required?
Each family must earn eight (8) Parent Education credits during the school year (equivalent to one (1) credit per month).
These credits may be earned beginning the night of Parent Orientation until the last day of school, unless otherwise noted. Families enrolling after the beginning of the school year must earn parent credits equivalent to the number of months they are enrolled (i.e. enroll in January, earn five (5) credits).
How do I earn Parenting Education Credits?
There are multiple ways to earn your parent education credits:
Attend Parent Orientation/Back to School Night (mandatory); maximum of two (2) credits per family.
Attend Parent Training (mandatory); maximum of two (2) credits per family. Risk management requires that each adult working in the classroom must be trained. Adults cannot be scheduled to work in the classroom until they have taken parent training; working in the classroom is a mandatory obligation.
Attend parenting education meetings or events, including parent share, electronic parenting ed topics (monthly) family events planned by Bates or your co-op (one credit each).
Successfully complete your committee position for the year (one credit).
Attend a board meeting as a visitor (one credit per year)
Attend a parent education meeting at another cooperative preschool.
Attend the Bates Resource Center (one credit per quarter)
Attend a parent education event sponsored by a community agency; earn a maximum of one credit for a series of classes (with approval from your Bates instructor).
Share an educational experience with the class (i.e. a special art project, music program, your job; nurse, fire fighter, police officer, etc.)
Earning the required parenting education credits is your responsibility and part of fulfilling your agreement with the cooperative preschool.
If at any time you have difficulty in earning your parenting education credits, please contact your co-op parenting education chair or your Bates instructor for help.
Allergies
The entire school is peanut free.
Yellow Class: cashews
Orange Class: dairy (cow, goat, sheep), tree nuts, coconut, pistachio, cashews, macadamia
Red Class: dairy, peanut, almond