Welcome to Oregon Preschool, Inc. (OPI)! Oregon Preschool was organized, incorporated and licensed in 1971 by a group of parents who wanted a preschool for children in and around our community. A great deal of creativity, energy and dedication by parents has made our school a tremendous success. The school has grown to accommodate up to 140 students. We hope your family will join ours!
Please note: We use "parent" throughout our page to mean the child's parent, guardian and/or other significant adult.
Click below to find out more about...
Our Cooperative and Educational Concepts
Our Teachers
Child Eligibility Information
Class Sessions: Days, Times and General Information
Our Classes: 1. A Typical Pre-Kindergarten
Session
2. A Typical Mixed-Aged Class Session
3. A Typical Three-Year-Old Class Session
Special OPI Experiences
Participation Requirements
Committees for Full Participating Families
The OPI Board of Directors and Staff
Fundraisers
Structure, By-Laws and Policies - Overview [future construction]
Oregon Preschool, Inc. (OPI) is a licensed, parent cooperative preschool for three to five year olds. It is a non-profit, non-discriminatory, non-sectarian school. Our parent cooperative preschool is organized and administered by parents, creating a wonderful opportunity for involvement in the classroom and OPI activities. Because of the responsibilities carried out by parents, tuition can be held at a reasonable level. Being part of a parent cooperative preschool is a great way to begin involvement in your child's school years.
Our parent cooperative preschool is a place where you will get to know your child's classmates and their families; where you can observe your child's behavior in relation to others at the same developmental level; where you can see how equipment and creative materials at school can be used similarly for learning at home; and where your understanding, respect and appreciation of children can be enhanced.
The first five years of a child's life are the most formative. We need to capitalize on these years, helping our children to develop their potential in all areas and giving them a solid foundation on which to base their school career. Social, intellectual, emotional, and physical development are the basis of our program with emphasis on individual, small group, and large group interactions. Our positive, caring environment fosters self-esteem, respect for others, kindness, and a sense of responsibility. It is wonderful to watch our children learn and grow at OPI!
Winnie is OPI's Director and a teacher for the mixed age and pre-kindergarten classes. She is a four year college graduate specializing in preschool education and holds a current State of Wisconsin license. Winnie has been with the preschool for over 20 years.
Judy is OPI's Program Coordinator and a teacher for the mixed age and pre-kindergarten classes. She is a four year college graduate specializing in preschool education with a current State of Wisconsin license. Judy has been with the preschool for over 20 years.
Kris is OPI's three-year-old class teacher for the M-W classes. She is a college graduate specializing in preschool education with a current State of Wisconsin license. Kris has prior teaching experience and is in her third year of teaching at OPI. She and her family have been involved with the preschool for many years.
Tara is OPI's three-year-old class teacher for the T-TH classes. She is a certified teacher with a current State of Wisconsin license. Tara has prior experience with children and is in her third year of teaching at OPI. She and her family have been involved in OPI for many years.
OPI seeks to maintain a high quality professional staff. Each teacher is responsible for keeping up with current educational information and advances in the early childhood field. In order to accomplish this and to continue to meet State standards, each teacher is required to complete two inservice hours per month and fifteen continuing education hours per year. In addition, staff meetings are held weekly at which time curriculum, upcoming events, program changes, classroom procedures, and other ideas are discussed and goals are set. The Personnel Director is active in communicating with teachers about performance and curriculum.
With the knowledge, experience and commitment of our teachers, you can be sure your child will receive the best preschool education possible!
In order to attend Oregon Preschool:
1. Children need to be three years of age (a birth certificate should be available upon request).
2. Children should be toilet trained.
3. Children need to have a physical examination and meet State immunization requirements.
4. Children with physical or developmental disabilities are eligible to attend.
5. There is no discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed,
national origin,
political persuasion, sex, or handicapped condition.
For information about openings available for the 2002-2003 school year, please call Michele @ 835-2138.
OPI schedule:
OPI generally follows the same schedule as the local school community, September through May. The preschool calendar is announced at the August OPI General Assembly meeting.
Class Times:
Morning classes - 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Afternoon classes - 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Class Days:
Classes are held Monday & Wednesday OR Tuesday & Thursday.
Pre-Kindergarten classes are held Monday -Wednesday - Friday.
Ratios:
The adult to child ratio for the three-year-old classes is one teacher and one parent helper for 10 children. For the mixed age and pre-kindergarten classes, the ratio is two teachers and two parent helpers for 25 children.
Registration Period:
Registration for the upcoming school year begins in March of the previous year. Current members register first, followed by alumni of the preschool. New member registration for new families begins at the OPI Open House on March 24, 2002, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and continues until the school is full. Please call OPI Vice President (Michele) at 835-2138 for information. New family registrations collected between 1:00 p.m. on March 24, 2002 and 4:00 p.m. on March 26, 2002 are placed in a random drawing to determine registration order. Classes are filled and committees are established in registration order.
Registration Information:
Registration forms and further information is currently available from the Vice President (Michele) at 835-2138.
Tuition:
Your tuition rate depends on the number of days per week your child attends and your level of participation in the preschool. Tuition is due the first of every month. September and May tuition is paid at the beginning of the school year. Tuition rates are comparable to other area preschools. Please call Michele at 835-2138 for current tuition information.
Oregon Preschool offers three options for your level of participation. Tuition is based on your level of participation, being the lowest for Full Participating families. In addition, families are asked to volunteer with fund raising activities if they can, and donate baked items for special events. Participation Levels are outlined in detail later in the webpage (see click-on menu, page 1). Participation levels are: Full Participating, Classroom Only and Non-Participating.
Parents Helping in the Classroom (Full Participating and Classroom Only)
All parents have inservice instruction prior to working in the classroom. Parent helpers are scheduled at the beginning of the school year--you sign up for days to help in the classroom that work for you. Snacks and beverages are provided by the parent helpers on their scheduled days. (Please note: Siblings may not be brought to the classroom with parent helpers due to State laws. Class Reps can help you find child care trades if needed.) The days that you are in the classroom will be very special days for your child and for you! Parent helpers assist teachers with many class activities during scheduled work times and all parents receive an inservice at the beginning of the school year to help become familiar with these activities.
A Typical Pre-Kindergarten Session
A typical class session for the pre-kindergarten classes begins with a short period of free play which is supervised by the teachers and parent helpers. Socialization, sharing, initiating play, independence, positive self image and problem solving are emphasized. Following free play, a large group meeting is held which gives children the opportunity to practice listening skills, math skills, follow directions and learn about general topics such as the weather, days of the week, counting, and special dates and places. Each week, the classes focus on special themes which range from nursery rhymes to understanding environmental issues. Parent helpers for the session are also introduced during large group time. Children love this special opportunity to introduce you! After the large group meeting, the children work in small groups and/or individually on projects emphasizing pre-reading and reading skills, math readiness, language, and fine motor skills. An additional short period of free play is followed by "clean-up" time, teaching children responsibility and working together. A second large group time gives children opportunities for structured practice with language and listening skills through literature, science, music, or creative dramatics. Snack time follows large group time, giving children an opportunity to practice using manners and socialization skills. Following snack, teacher directed games (indoors or outside in the play area when the weather allows) provide opportunities for socialization, practicing respect for others, sportsmanship, and safety awareness. The pre-kindergarten classes focus on many essential aspects kindergarten readiness for your child!
A Typical Mixed-Aged Class Session
A typical class session for the mixed age group (ages 3, 4, and 5) follows the same format as the Pre-Kindergarten class session. Themes are identical and projects are similar to those done in the pre-kindergarten class. Teachers identify the needs of older children who are preparing to enter kindergarten and create opportunities to accommodate individual learning needs, such as a greater focus on pre-reading and math skills. Teachers help the younger children to develop skills needed for structured activities. For the mixed age classes, an environment is created where a range of age appropriate learning needs are met.
A Typical Three-Year-Old Class Session
A typical class session for the younger three-year olds begins with a short period of free play followed by a large group meeting to introduce the parent helper for the session and to explain the day's activities. Children practice listening skills and learn to follow directions. The large group meeting is followed by supervised free play and small group arts & crafts projects which follow a theme for the week. Themes help children focus their learning about topics that range from dinosaurs to the colonial days; from farm activities to discovering shadows. Art projects with scissors, markers, paste and textured items help young children with fine motor skills, listening skills, following directions, and self esteem. Free play activities focus on social skills including making friends, sharing, cooperating, following rules, taking turns and making choices. Free play is followed by "clean-up" time, teaching children responsibility, working together as a group, pride in their school, and cooperation. A second large group time gives children opportunities for structured practice with language and listening skills through group and individual participation in songs and finger play. Songs are selected which emphasize counting, ABC's, colors, shapes, safety and the theme for the week. Snack time follows large group time, giving children an opportunity to practice using manners, social skills, taking turns, following directions and participating in informal group conversations. Following snack, a formal story time with books, short stories, tapes, and puppets helps children's' speech and language development as well as listening skills and attention span. The final activity for each session includes teacher directed games (indoors or outside in the play area when the weather allows) providing opportunities for taking turns, cooperation, following directions, gross motor skill development and safety awareness. The three-year-old classes focus on many important early skills to prepare your child for the school years ahead!
Your child will have experiences unique to OPI from when they enter school until their very last day!
Home Visits: Your child's teacher will make a short home visit before school begins. New children have an opportunity to meet their teacher in a familiar environment. Teachers adapt their approach for the visit based on the child's personality and desired level of interaction. Children gain a sense that they are special and ready for a new, fun world of preschool! Children returning to preschool love to show the teachers special toys, pets, and treasures. (Also, the teachers don't care if your house is spic and span--they just want to see your child!!)
Special Preschool Information: You will receive a Preschool Handbook at OPI's August General Assembly meeting (or when you enroll if registering after the General Assembly date) along with all of the information you need to participate in preschool. Teachers send home written notes on a regular basis discussing lesson plans, weekly themes, and information about preschool events.
Field Trips: Children learn about their world inside and outside of the classroom. OPI has two to three scheduled field trips each year and you are welcome to join your child. Visits to the area children's museum, local businesses, roller skating rink, apple orchard and pumpkin patch are just a few of the places we've been to in the recent past!
Holiday Parties: Holidays are special at OPI. Children learn about history, the world and cultures different from their own by celebrating holidays. Children help plan special events to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, December Holidays, Valentines Day and St. Patrick's Day. Parents have additional opportunities to celebrate with their child at the Welcome to Preschool Night in the fall and the All School Picnic at the end of the year.
Teacher Parties: The year wouldn't be complete without the last day of school parties at teachers' homes. Children have the opportunity for closure and to have fun going on a "safari," playing in the park, going "tadpoling" with their parents in the pond, and receiving recognition for a job well done in the classroom the previous year.
Me-books: One of the most special memories of preschool is your child's "Me-book" created by your child and the teachers. Activities, photos, art work and lessons are collected and spiral bound in a soft cover to provide a memorable picture of your child's year at preschool. Children treasure these books, and it is assured to be THE bedtime book for several weeks after school dismisses in May. Shhhhh!! The books are kept a secret from parents until the end of the year!
Giving Back to the Community: Your child will have opportunities to learn about helping and giving to the community during the school year at OPI. Every December we participate in "Host-A-Family" collecting holiday wish list items for a local family in need. Donations of food, clothing, toys and household items are collected and provided for a family to help bring a little more cheer to their holidays. OPI has also participated in "Baskets for Homeless Children" which gave our children a chance to buy and put together special baskets for other children in the region who may not even have a place to call home. These experiences help children learn caring, kindness and responsibility while giving all of us an opportunity to give back to our community.
Oregon Preschool offers three options for your level of participation. Tuition is
based on your level of participation, being the lowest for Full Participating families.
Requirements have been established to meet State regulations and preschool needs.
Full Participating:
Classroom Only:
Non-participating:
At least one parent from each Full Participating family serves on one committee or on the OPI Board for the entire calendar year, from July - July. Committee assignments are made based on registration order. You are asked on the OPI registration form to indicate several committee choices so that we can try to match you to one of your top choices.
BOARD: Serving on the OPI Board replaces a committee assignment. In addition to fulfilling all other preschool requirements, monthly attendance at Board meetings is required. The Board is involved "hands-on" with the many activities needed to assure that the preschool runs smoothly. If you are looking for a fun way to be very active in the preschool, consider a Board position.
EXTRA CLASSROOM HELP COMMITTEE: In addition to working in your child's classroom four or six times per year to meet the preschool co-op requirement, on this committee you work additional days during your child's scheduled class time. This is usually but not always in your own child's classroom. The number of days worked to meet the committee requirement depends on the number of non-participating families in a class. (There is no set number, but a typical range in the past has been from 8 to 12 extra sessions per year).
FUNDRAISING: You work with other parents to organize, set up and run various activities necessary to earn money for Preschool (Fall Carnival and others). Members of this committee sign up to work on a carnival planning subcommittee (kitchen, raffle, etc.) and to work one other fundraiser (i.e. soccor tournament, flower sales, others) during the year. All members work the night before (for two - three hours) and the full day of the fall carnival (approximately 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.). The soccor tournament concession stand in July, 2003 is run by the 2002-2003 committee.
LAUNDRY/HOUSEKEEPING: Parents do weekly washing of rags and towels; seasonal cleaning tasks such as "spring cleaning" before school begins, at the end of semester and before Open House; regular, periodic cleaning of toys; bi-monthly cleaning of classrooms. Year end cleaning is done by the current committee (the 2002 - 2003 committee cleans in June, 2003.)
SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Parents are responsible for providing refreshments for the Spring and Fall General Assembly meetings, Parent Education meetings, holiday parties and Spring Open House. Parents are also responsible for any other social events such as Ice Cream Social, and for the planning and entertainment for the year end All School Picnic.
SPECIAL SERVICES: Parents make and repair items used in the classroom; do sewing and cutting projects; help teachers with work for class projects; help with summer inventory; plan summerfest activities. Planning for Summerfest in June, 2003 is done by the 2002 - 2003 committee.
YARD AND MAINTENANCE: Parents maintain large equipment inside the school and are responsible for general upkeep of the outdoor playground equipment including raking of sand, weeding, trimming of grass around the playground area. Bikes and bigwheels are cleaned and checked periodically. Parents also serve as "clean-up crew" after fund raising events. This committee transports items to and from the carnival site for the Fall Carnival.
Questions about the committee selection can be directed to the Vice President (Michele).
OPI is governed by a Board of Directors made up of eleven current positions elected by OPI parents at the Spring General Assembly. The Board establishes policies and oversees the functions of the school. The teaching staff carries out the educational program and decisions regarding all educational issues.
A brief description of Board responsibilities follows. Any preschool parent may
run for a Board position at the spring General Assembly meeting.. If interested,
indicate this on your registration form. Contact the Vice President with any
questions.
General Functions of Board Members
President: Coordinates all staff, Board members and facilities. Oversees all school policies and functions.
Vice President: Responsible for all registration-related activities, withdrawals, waiting lists, phone calls regarding registration, assigning classes, committee assignments. The Assistant Vice-President (non-elected position) is responsible for all health records.
Secretary: Maintains student data base; responsible for meeting minutes, duplicating, form updates, distributing class lists, correspondence, and OPI calendars. (May assist with maintaining website.)
Treasurer: Handles all aspects of tuition, late fees and works with the bookkeeper (bookkeeper is a paid staff position).
Public Relations Officer: Responsible for publicity. Presents OPI purposes and goals to the community.
Personnel Coordinator: Interviews staff, establishes a hiring committee, arranges teacher substitutes, maintains employee contracts, keeps in contact with other child care agencies.
Class Representative: Coordinates parent assistant schedules, communicates class activities to parents, contacts parents when school is cancelled.
Fundraising Chair (or Co-Chairs): Oversees all preschool fundraising events.
Staff & Key Positions: Staff of the preschool are not elected but are an essential part of the school. OPI staff includes teachers and our bookkeeper.
OPI is able to maintain tuition at reasonable levels by carrying out fund raising activities throughout the year. Each year our preschool parents organize and hold a fall carnival and raffle drawing--this is our main fund raiser for the year. Every OPI family participates in the carnival, which is enjoyed by kids young and old! Our 2001 carnival was a huge success! Thanks to everyone for making this our best year ever!
In addition to the carnival, OPI holds other fund raising activities such as product sales, flower sales, concession stand at annual soccer tournament. These fund raising activities are optional for preschool families. All fund raisers are approved by the Board; OPI parents have suggested many great activities which have benefited the preschool!
Registration forms will be available for the 2002 - 2003 school year and may be picked up at the preschool beginning February 25, 2002. Registration for new families begins March 24, 2002 at the OPI Open House. Call Michele @ 835-2138 for more information!
The following dates are for the 2001-2002 school year. The events listed give you an idea of some of the important happenings at our preschool!
- Fall General Assembly: August 30, 2001
-Parent Inservices: Please contact Winnie at 835-9216 if you missed the inservice.
- Teacher Home Visits - Please call Winnie if you missed your home visit.
- First days of school - one hour class sessions: September 10 or 11, 2001.
- First days of full class sessions (2.5 hours): September 12 or 13
- Welcome to Preschool "Back to School" Nights: October 16, 17, 18, 22
- School Pictures: October 10, 11
- Halloween Parties: October 30, 31
- No School: October 25, 26 (NO school for Kris' classes only Oct 24)
-***OPI FALL CARNIVAL 2001: Saturday, November 10, 2001***
***NOTE: OPI FALL CARNIVAL 2002 is Saturday, November 2, 2002!!!!***
***All families mark your calendars now!!!!***
- Thanksgiving Feast Days: Nov 19, 20
- No School -- Happy Thanksgiving!: Nov 21 - 23
- December Holiday Parties: December 20, 21
- No School - Semester Break: (No school December 17 for Kris' classes only)
No school December 24 - January 4
- Back to School!! Hooray!!: January 7, 2002
- Class Valentine Parties: February 13, 14
-No School (Conferences): February 20 (Kris' classes only); February 21- 22 All Classes
- St. Patrick's Day Parties: March 18, 19
- Registration for Current Members: Begins March 4, 2002
- Registration for Alumni: Begins March 11, 2002
- Open House (Registration for New Members begins): Begins Sunday March 24, 2002 @ 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
*New member class assignments are made after open house and new families are called by the Vice President with information on class placement
- NO SCHOOL (Vacation): March 29 - April 5
Back to School: Monday, April 8
Field Trips: April 9, 10
Spring General Assembly: (for parents) Monday, April 22, 2002
All School Picnic: May 9 (evening)
Class Parties at Teachers Homes: May 28, 29 (Rain dates May 30, 31)
Have a great summer!!!!
Thank you for exploring the Oregon Preschool Webpage! We welcome your comments and suggestions with a reminder that the webpage was developed by parents (not paid experts). We hope the webpage is informative and helpful, and that it will be more helpful as time goes on. Thanks-- The Web Team (Mary Kay, Doug, and Ken) (A BIG Thanks to Ken, for your expert assistance and thanks to Tara for volunteering Ken to help!! A special thanks to the OPI Board and Staff for their support!)
