NEWS photo Terry Paters

PARENT Mary-Jean Coyle sits at the painting table with daughter Erin
and pupil Stephen at Norgate preschool. The preschool has initiated a
program where parents and children share learning experiences.

arents join

Kids in
AS THEIR older siblings return to
school for another year, hundreds
of three and four-year-old children
in North and West Vancouver are
getting their first classroom expe-
rience —- with their parents right
beside them.

These children are enrolled in
one of the North Shore’s 11 parent
participation preschools.

A parent participation preschool
is a cooperative where parents,
under the direction of provin-
cially-licensed teachers, take a
hand in running the school. As
well as taking full control of the
administration, budgeting, equip-
ment purchase and maintenance,
parents assist and work with their
children in the classroom once or
twice a month.

“As well as easing the separa-
tion when school-age arrives,"
says teacher Denise Mahood, a
six-year veteran of Norgate
Preschool, ‘parent participation
allows an unequalled opportunity
for parents to experience a very
special stage in their child’s
development. Also, having the
parents there gives us an adult/
child ratio of one to five or better,
which really broadens the scope of
what I can accomplish with the
children.’’

Parents also benefit from free
monthly seminars where profes-
sionals from the community speak
on early childhood development,
education, safety, discipline, or
any other topic the group wishes to
pursue.

The Council of Parent Par-
ticipation Preschools is a non-
profit society with over 60 schools
province-wide. Although parents
are expected to contribute a
minimal amount of time to the
operation of the school, some use
the organization as an opportunity
to broaden personal horizons.

“The range of volunteer jobs
available has proved to be in-
valuable experience to many
mothers who sometimes feel a loss
of confidence in their skills after
being out of the workforce for
several .years,’* comments North

scnool

Shore branch president Patty Dix-
on, ‘‘We have had so many fami-
lies benefit in so many ways simply
by having involved themselves and
their children in our type of
preschool.’’

For anyone wishing further in-
formation on parent participation
preschools, the telephone number
for the council office is 522-0834.

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