Parent Aide Days

Each family is required to volunteer 4-8 Parent Aide Days per semester to aid the teacher. 

Parent Aide Days are a highlight of joining a parent cooperative preschool! To comply with regulations, our school is required to maintain a 1:5 adult:child ratio. Each class has two family volunteers (parent, grandparent, close family friend at least 18 years old) along with teacher Missy each school day. Siblings are not allowed to tag along for the day with parent aides as this skews the ratio--this includes infants. If you have multiple children enrolled at the same time you are required to sign up for Parent Aide Days per child.

As Missy says, "These will be the fastest two and half hours of your life!" It is so, so much fun being swept up in the whirlwind of fifteen preschoolers as they play and learn.

Parent Aide Schedule: Morning: 8:45am-12:15pm • Afternoon: 12:00pm-3:30pm 

ABC Parent Aide Duties

BEFORE CLASS

• AM Classes:

• • Check Emergency Exit, clear snow if needed. 

• • Dump old bleach solution, fill two spray bottles - Supplies & instructions above kitchen sink.

• Put five chairs at each table.

• Check that the correct toy food is out for your class.

• See Missy’s clipboard for daily instructions.

FREE PLAY

• Assist children who are reluctant to allow their parents to leave.

• Help children find activities which interest them at play centers.

• Supervise activity at table centers - help put on smocks, wash hands, write names on artwork.

• Play with the kids and have fun!

CIRCLE TIME

• Put away center activities.

• Sanitize tables and chair tops with bleach solution.

• Put out placemats for snack time.

• Close sensory table if used. - PM and T/TH.

• Assist children in staying seated within the circle.

• Join the circle yourself and participate with your child.

SNACK TIME

• One parent aide goes to the bathroom sink with ten children, one to the kitchen sink with five children. 

• Children should get their snack out and open independently as much as possible.

• If a child does not bring a water bottle, there are cups in the kitchen cabinets.

• Children should clean up their space after snack, returning leftovers to their cubby.

• Clean tables, chair tops, and placemats (BOTH SIDES) with bleach solution.

STORY/PUZZLE TIME

• See Missy’s clipboard for Project setup. Children go to the carpet for quiet play.

PROJECT TIME

• Assist children with project as needed but DO NOT DO THE PROJECT FOR THEM!

• Have children write names on projects - help as needed.

• Put take-home projects in children’s cubbies.

• Put wet projects in the furnace room, on paint rope, or the sensory table to dry.

• Assist children with hand washing as needed.

• Close any project supplies that would dry out, the rest can be done after outdoor play.

OUTDOOR PLAY

• Assist children in dressing for outdoor play.

• • If a child is missing gear, check the Borrow Bins in the entryway.

• Accompany each group of five children outside as they are ready.

• Maintain supervision of children, the 1:5 adult:child ratio must be maintained at all times!

• Note: If other parents arrive and agree to stay for the end of outdoor playtime, you may go inside to begin cleaning early. You must confirm this with the teacher and notify the other Parent Aide.

CLEAN UP DUTIES - See Parent Aide Cleaning List.