FAQ page
- Who started PCS and how did you plan for the opening of the school?
- Who runs PCS?
- Where is PCS located?
- How will PCS grow?
- Will PCS be registered or accredited?
- Is PCS a religious school?
- Is PCS a Montessori school or a Waldorf school?
- Does PCS adhere to the Portland Public School’s calendar?
- How will I get to know other families?
- What is the cutoff for kindergarten?
- Does PCS offer a half-day kindergarten program and, if so, is tuition reduced?
- How many children are in each class?
- Do PCS students use computers?
- How is student progress monitored and reported to parents?
- What about art, movement and music?
- Is foreign language taught at PCS?
- How are parents involved in the classroom?
- Why are parents required to do a weekly shift?
- How much is tuition?
- Are there additional fees, costs, or fundraising obligations?
- What hours does PCS operate?
- Do you offer aftercare?
- Do you serve lunch?
- How do I apply for my child to be admitted to PCS?
For many years, members of cooperative preschools around Portland wished for a “coop after coop.” In other words, we wondered why our children had to leave the kind of caring community that had nurtured and guided them for their preschool years. PCS’s founding families decided that, with careful planning, the common vision of a cooperative elementary school could be a reality. We began meeting, reading and talking to educators and interested families. In the spring of 2005 we found our wonderful space. In the summer of 2005 we hired our first teacher and decided that we would launch our first PCS class in the fall of 2006.
In July 2005, we attended an intensive, extended workshop, the ICCI Institute for newly forming schools, run by the very successful Arbor School. In this setting, we closely examined and refined our structure, policies, curriculum and development goals. The process confirmed for us that our vision was sound and compelling, that our program is unique in Portland, and that there is a demand for cooperative education in Portland.
The PCS board, which is composed of a minimum of three and a maximum of fifteen members, are responsible for governance of the school’s affairs, including developing and overseeing the budget, formulating overall school policy, supervising admissions and overseeing development and ongoing operation of PCS.
PCS also has an advisory board, composed of people who are not members of the school. The advisory board provides expertise to the school, particularly in the areas of curriculum, human resources, communications and conflict resolution.
Finally, PCS has an Executive Committee, composed of the teacher-administrator and two other individuals, one a member of the school, and the other a nonmember. The Executive Committee is responsible for hiring, evaluating and promoting the professional growth of PCS’s teachers. The Executive Committee also serves as a consultant group for the teachers and acts as a buffer and liaison between teachers and PCS members.
At 2201 SW Vermont Avenue, two minutes off I-5 at Terwilliger, in the Hillsdale neighborhood. We are located within, but are not affiliated with, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. We have three classrooms, which will serve our students through fifth grade, a large outdoor play area and garden/yard, use of the church’s kitchen, and a large indoor church hall for indoor play in rainy weather and for performances.
Our first K-1 class entered PCS in the fall of 2006. PCS will add the second grade in the 2007-08 school year, and will grow by at least one grade each year, until we serve grades K through 8.
We will register with the Oregon Education Department by the winter of 2008. The requirements are relatively modest and we do not foresee any difficulties in obtaining this registration. There is no accreditation process for private schools in Oregon.
No, PCS is a secular, nonprofit, independent school.
No, although we share the core value of a child-centered environment that does not rush the child socially or academically. We use national and state math, literacy, science and social studies goals and standards as the “backbone” for our work. This means that children master age-appropriate math, language and science concepts, but they do so through material that is important to them. We also invite teachers and families to introduce us to their passions and interests, whether they be literary, scientific, recreational or artistic.
Although we largely track the Portland Public School’s calendar (primarily for the convenience of families who may have children in that system), we provide one additional week of instruction during the academic year. Additional details are provided on our calendar page.
One of the things we hear over and over again from parents whose children have been in a cooperative school setting is that they feel more isolated once their children leave that setting. One of the gifts of our cooperative model is that we interact a lot. Friendships form in work parties, membership meetings and the weekly “shift” work. We also have a vision that parents will model lifelong for children by using our space and organizing their own extended learning in areas that interest them. Whether it be a foreign language, chess, knitting music or carpentry, we encourage our space to be used by our families outside of the usual school day.
While we generally adhere to the public school model (“five by September 1st), we recognize that all cut off dates are somewhat arbitrary. For this reason, we invite parents who wish their “fall five” children to begin kindergarten with the “older” group to discuss this with our teachers. With their input, we believe you will be able to make the best choice for your child. Similarly, if your child has late birthday, we encourage you to speak with our teachers about whether your child will be comfortable attending PCS as a “younger five.”
The K-1 class runs for 6 hours each day. We believe that developmentally appropriate full-day kindergarten can offer a more relaxed learning atmosphere and more opportunities for child-centered, creative activities, as well as more opportunities for developing social skills. Full-day programs also provide more time for field trips, activity centers, projects, and free play. Early childhood educators have observed that when children attend school in a setting that feels homey, rather than “institutional,” and where they are being followed closely by adults who know them well and have time to give individual attention, full day kindergarten, as a general rule, works well.
Some families may feel their child's shorter attention span and interests are better suited for a half day program, and we support that choice. For some children (older 5s, kids who have been in a preschool setting that has a longer day or who are used to attending 3-5 days), the transition to a full day program will probably be almost seamless. For younger children or for children for whom this is the first experience being away from their families for more than an a few hours at a time, the adjustment may take more time.
We
do not have a formal short day option, but kindergartners
may leave after four hours and our program is structured
with a shift in activity at that point to make a natural
stopping point for children attending for a “short” day.
Part-day students may transition to full day attendance
when the teacher and family feel it is appropriate.
Families pay 85% of the standard tuition in those months
where their child attends kindergarten on a part-day basis.
Our classes are mixed age (K-1, 2-3) with a maximum of 16 students (for example, 8 kindergartners and 8 first graders) in each mixed-age class.
We do not have computers in the K-1 or 2-3 classrooms. We believe that minimizing “screen time” within our school furthers our mission of helping our children grow in each of the social, creative, and intellectual dimensions.
Each teacher creates a portfolio for each of their students to show representations of the child’s best and most important work. The teacher provides detailed midyear and year-end narrative reports for each child and continually documents each child’s academic and social progress. In addition, the teacher holds midyear and end of year conferences with the child and his or her parent(s) or caretaker(s). The teacher communicates with families in writing twice each month, and more if needed, about the academic work and social environment of the class as a whole. Finally, by participating in the classroom, parents observe their children in the classroom on a weekly basis and have a strong sense of the thematic flow.
PCS provides a weekly music program which is facilitated by a specialist who has a great deal of experience teaching instrumental and vocal music to young children,and bringing song and dramatic musical play into classrooms. We will add part-time movement and design professionals over the next few years. We also tap into musical and artistic expertise that resides within our member families.
Our outdoor space is large and inviting, and includes gardens, large play spaces, climbing structures, and areas for running and climbing. The Southwest Community Center is located just a few minutes away by bus. Our specials programs will expand to include foreign language (beginning in grade 5) and a formal physical education program as PCS grows.
We do not have a language program at PCS. Within the school week, students will begin foreign language instruction by grade 5.
At Portland Cooperative School, each family is responsible for a weekly 3-4 hour shift in their child’s class, from Kindergarten through third grade. After third grade, as many children desire more independence, while parents will continue to play an active role in the school, their participation will be in special projects, research, field trips, and developing special projects in coordination with their child’s teacher.
The school day, for students in grades K-3, is divided into morning and afternoon shifts, and each parent helper is assigned a regular shift day and time (morning or afternoon). The shift schedule is created before the school year begins and takes into account parent’s scheduling needs and requests. One or two parents work together with the teacher in the classroom.
The teacher facilitates the parent’s role within the class. The types of activities the teacher might ask a parent to do are wide ranging and may include working with a small group of students on a math or art activity, writing the words of a student as she tells a story or describes something she has observed, taking a small group of children outside to work on a science project or helping younger children set up for lunch. Parents are also welcome to work with the teacher in finding ways to share their own interests and hobbies with the students.
To help parents prepare for their shift responsibilities, we hold two training sessions for parents before the start of the school year. This training helps orient parents to the room and the educational approach of Portland Cooperative School.
Portland Cooperative School requires a substantial investment of time and energy from families. This commitment is deeply rooted in our philosophy of building a school community that enriches not only our children, but also our own lives and the community beyond our school.
Weekly shifts promote a deepening of relationships between parents, teachers and children. Parents and the teacher form a team that actively works together to create a positive learning environment. As relationships deepen, trust develops, ideas are shared, problems are solved together, confidence grows and the willingness to take risks, out of a desire to learn, expands. This occurs in relationships between parents, between parents and teachers and between parents and students. Promoting interconnectedness is at the core of PCS’s philosophy, and the weekly shift plays an important role in helping to make this happen.
Weekly shifts also give parents more opportunities to hone their parenting skills. The more time parents spend in the classroom, the more opportunities they get to observe their child’s interaction with other adults and children, and the more chances they get to exercise their teaching and parenting skills. The opportunity to watch how a skilled teacher helps two children resolve a conflict respectfully, or guides a child through a math problem, can be an invaluable way for parents to gain insight into new ways to interact with their own children. The opportunity to observe and develop relationships with other children also helps parents become more aware of stages in child development and the uniqueness of each child.
Finally, the active regular participation of parents brings richness and flexibility to the classroom day. Parents have much to offer and share with children. One parent’s interest in carpentry can be a gold mine for a group of children who want to learn how to build. In addition, the type of activities a teacher can plan increases when he or she can rely on the regular presence of a familiar team of parents.
Tuition is $6,500 for 2008-2009. Our tuition is calculated to cover our operating expenses at 80 percent of maximum enrollment.
There are no significant financial obligations beyond tuition. We are committed to having tuition payments cover our operating expenses. There will be opportunities to participate in fundraising as we develop special programs, build an endowment dedicated to financial aid (unfortunately, no financial aid will be available for the 2008-2009 academic year), and acquire additional physical resources. It is also possible that there may be special optional school activities that will require modest fees to cover materials.
The school day is from 8:45 a.m. through 2:45 p.m., though we open for drop off at 8:30 (and pick up may happen until 3:00 p.m.). We follow generally the Portland Public Schools calendar, but have fewer days off.
We do not presently offer aftercare, but encourage families interested in developing an aftercare program to look into options and discuss arrangements with St. Barnabas. If aftercare is provided, it will be through a contract with an outside provider and will have an additional expense to participating families.
No, students bring their own lunches and snacks each day (we have a refrigerator). However, we plan to begin a tradition of cooking together as a community once a week in the church kitchen.
Please see the admissions section of our web site.