Parents are asked to give of their time, energy, and talents to make DPNS’ cooperative program successful. But it’s well worth the effort! Through active participation at school, our parents gain a better understanding of their child’s behavior and development, sharpen their parenting skills, and build long-lasting relationships with other families.

Parent participation is essential to our school and required for your child to attend. All families must:

Work in the Classroom

Working in the classroom helps parents become more objective about their children. Seeing their child in a group of children the same age helps parents to understand and interpret development and behavior. Parents can become more at ease with the fact that a child does not always grow and change at a convenient pace or by a regular schedule, and at the same time come to realize that much of what their child does is not necessarily unique or different.

Through discussion and observation of other adults (other parents and/or the teaching staff) in specific instances, parents can often develop new ways of handling situations and solving problems—which they can later apply at home! Parents can learn new and enriching experiences for their child and can contribute ideas of their own for the benefit of other parents.

Attend Parent Education

As a parent at our school, you will be enrolled in the DJUSD/DPNS parent education program. This program includes classes led by expert speakers on child growth and development, guidance from teachers on working with preschool-age children, and after-school discussions of issues observed in the classroom.

Our parents are required to attend at least seven parent classes each school year. These evening meetings are a great opportunity to connect with fellow parents, as well as learn and practice valuable skills (conflict resolution, kindergarten readiness, toilet training) to be applied in the classroom and at home.

Complete Task Time

As a cooperative, we depend on our parents to administer and run the school. You can choose to serve on our Board or to undertake a class-specific task throughout the school year. Tasks require a minimum three-hour commitment and include making homemade play dough, washing linens, buying snack ingredients, and taking photos.

Keep It Clean

Our parents keep our school sites clean. Each family is responsible for one weekend cleaning and a number of work party (group cleaning) hours. This not only saves money for our families and keeps the school’s cost down, but it also gives our families firsthand knowledge of the school grounds and a special feeling of ownership in co-op.

Participate in Fundraising

Our tuition fees do not cover the full cost of operating DPNS. Fundraising is essential to balancing the school’s budget. Families contribute by working shifts at our three main fundraising events: the Fall Fall Festival, the DPNS Auction and our end-of-year celebration DPNS Rocks, and by attending and making a donation to the auction.