Like all cooperative preschool models, at Mead Co-op the parents run the school so they are the ones who help establish curriculum, hire, pay and evaluate the teachers. At the same time, the parents are also the students since a major part of the cooperative model is parent education. We are affiliated with Spokane Community College, a relationship through which we receive our insurance, administrative and marketing support, executive training, a portion of our teacher salary, and most importantly, parent education. As is true with most co-ops, our tuition is quite low which is made possible because parent involvement is so high. Our teachers are the only paid staff members at Mead Co-op, which means that the rest of the obligations that go into running a school fall on the parents. As a result, we ask that you;
Attend a once monthly meeting - (third Thursday evening of each month) which involves a business meeting to keep things running and then a parent seminar afterwards. A lot can be accomplished during these meetings from our parent education portion to voting for various things to keep our Co-op running smoothly. These meetings are quite important so please plan ahead to attend as many as possible.
Attend class with your student once a week - twice a week for the first semester for toddler class only
Come to class prepared to do your classroom job for the day: CE = Curriculum Education, LM = Large motor, CU/LU = Clean up & Lunch Setup, BR/HW = Bathroom & Hallway
Participate in your color group - Parents are a part of a color group for the school year and each color group is responsible for one all co-op party, one playground clean-up and one fundraiser each year.
The monthly parent meetings are part of our mission to make Co-op a place where both students and parents are learning. You'll see evidence of "Parent Ed" happening all the time at Mead Co-op. Our dedicated teachers spend a lot of time and effort making sure we cover various topics such as kindergarten readiness, powerful learning through play, sibling relationships, child nutrition, and having realistic expectations for yourself as a parent.
College Affiliation
Mead Co-op is a parent education program affiliated with Spokane Falls Community College.
As a member of the co-op your are an enrolled student in the non-graded parent education program.
Parents may enroll at any time during the quarter and pay only for the months that they attend.
Mead Co-op rents space from Country Homes Christian Church but are not affiliated with any religious organization.
Co-op is a great place to meet other parents so you can "compare notes" on parenting issues and learn more. Time is set aside to discuss issues and learn about parenting topics through seminars, meetings and daily co-op classes. We all can learn from each other!
Call or come by and see if cooperative preschool is for your family!
All parents are required to sign up with Community Colleges of Spokane during Fall, Winter and Spring quarters. This ensures our school's funding from the College.
Our school has a strict no nuts policy. If your child has a food allergy, please let us know so that we can ensure your student’s safety in the classroom and particularly at snack time.
Open enrollment begins March 1, 2025 and ends September 15th for fall starting on September 17th. Enrollment for new families is on a first come first bases, secured by paying enrollment fee. Once a class fills up, a wait list will be started, so feel free to contact us with your interest even if our classes are full.
Once you've officially enrolled, you'll receive a welcome letter confirming your class placement and orientation information.
If you are unable to make the tour dates check out our downloadable tour.
Non-Discrimination Policy It is the policy of the Mead Cooperative to not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, gender, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, marital status or military status in admission or participation in its programs, services and activities. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, children and families we serve.
We will be happy to answer your questions, email us at [email protected]
