About the Co-operative
Parent Involvement
Parent involvement is a cornerstone of the co-operative spirit at
CCCCG and parents must fulfill their responsibilities as co-operative members
whether you are part-time or full – time. Families are required to be
involved in the operation of the Centre through attendance at parent meetings,
fund-raising, and by contributing 4 hours of their time each semester. The
purpose is two-fold: to enhance the Centre for the benefit of the children and
to contribute to the sense of community among parents, staff and children.
Parent Meetings
These are held 3 times per year and take various forms: The formal September Annual General Meeting (AGM), meet and greets, staff/parent meetings, etc. Notice will be posted at least one week in advance with meetings generally held at the Centre on a Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Child care is provided at a nominal fee. At least one parent from each family must attend and it is mandatory for parents to remain at the meeting for a minimum of 1 hour from the beginning of the meeting. The Board can ask parents to leave the Centre if non-attendance at parent meetings is not justifies. Parent meeting attendance is not required in times of bereavement.
Fund Raising
An ever constant requirement for any child care centre! Throughout the year we collect Zehrs receipts for rebate, sell gift wrap, calendars and host a silent auction etc., and are always willing to try new ideas.
The Four Hour Commitment
Located in the Parent Lounge is the Parent Involvement Clothes Line. Here is where you will find the job card attached to the clothes line for the corresponding program. Check it often as new tasks are added all the time. Sign up for a job, follow through on your commitment and you’ll avoid that pesky fine! Ask the Director or Supervisor about it. As well, a Saturday Maintenance Day is held each semester which is a child free work bee at the Centre and is a great way to fulfill your 4 hour obligation. There are 2 two-hour maintenance evenings held each term. The dates are posted on a sign-up sheet a week in advance. Each evening counts as 2 hours of parent involvement. There are 3 semesters each year: January – April; May – August; and September – December. Each semester you are required to fulfill your 4 hour commitment.
If you have special talents please identify these to the Director and we’ll put you to good use. Alternatively, significant contributions of services or materials to the Centre will count towards your parent involvement. Speak to the Director or Parent Involvement Coordinator for more info on “what counts”.
Board of Directors
A eleven member board, these are parents elected by the parent body to represent the interests of the Centre. The AGM is the official time for elections but turn over can also happen throughout the year as families leave the Centre. The Board positions are Chairperson, Secretary, Financial, Policy and Procedures, Parent Involvement, Personnel, Fundraising, Facility, and Member-at-Large and Past Chair. The Centre Director is the eleventh member. Notice and descriptions of any vacancies will be posted and interested parents are asked to submit a letter of intent outlining any relevant experience and motivation for involvement. Participation on the board counts as fulfillment of the parent involvement plan. A list of the current Board members is located on the parent bulletin board along with their Board position, phone number and email address.
A detailed description of all of the aspects of the parent involvement component and role of the Board of Directors can be found in the policies and procedure manual and by-laws.