The OFNS Co-Op Model
The administrative aspects of Old First Nursery School are run entirely by the parents. Our Head Teacher/Director of Education and our Assistant Teacher are the only full-time paid employees of the school. (We also utilize the services of a housekeeping professional and a professional Educational Consultant on an as-needed basis.)
We are run through the process of direct democracy and all OFNS families share equal responsibility for the governance of the school. Each family is required to send one parent to the monthly business meetings that are held on Monday evenings in co-op members’ homes. These meetings consist of enjoying refreshments, listening to the teachers' report (as communicated by the Parent-Teacher Liaison), hearing from each committee, and discussing and voting on current issues. Any member can submit an item for the agenda to the Program Coordinator.
We strive to create a friendly, supportive, welcoming, inclusive and cooperative community of families. We highly value diversity in our community and extend a warm welcome to families of all backgrounds and structures.
Advisory Board
The Old First Nursery School Advisory Board is charged with:
Helping to retain the institutional knowledge and history of the co-op.
Ensuring long-term sustainability of the co-op by investigating issues that affect the long-term financial and structural health of the co-op.
Maintaining and securing the school’s mission by supporting teachers and parents in their work for the co-op.
Evaluating and advising on long-term issues that affect the co-op.
Family Jobs
The parental responsibilities at Old First Nursery School are highly rewarding. The teachers are the only paid employees of the school, and all administrative responsibilities are completed by the parents. By streamlining costs in this manner, we are able to provide an outstanding early childhood education in an incredible space for a small fraction of the cost of comparable programs. Each family has one major job for the year. Job possibilities will be assigned according to preference and skill. Potential jobs include: Program coordinator, Parent-Teacher Liaison, Secretary, Treasurer, Admissions Officer, Buildings and Grounds, Head of Tree Sale, Head of Spring Event, Head of Fall Fundraiser, Marketing, Trips & Specialists and more. Families may choose to split their family job between two adults or for one of the adult to do the entire job. Each family is also required to:
Participate in cleaning and fixing the school space twice a year, once before school starts and again on the last day.
Help to move the indoor climbing structure and floor mats from behind the partition in the big room on cold or rainy days.
Select, purchase and bring snacks for the class two or three times during the school year for a week.
Work approximately seven shifts of three hours duration per family, at the annual Christmas tree sale, our main fundraising event.
Chaperone class trips.
Host or provide refreshments for one monthly business meeting each year.
Help out as needed with additional tasks that arise.