INSIDE THIS ISSUE
PCPI In The Spotlight | Annual Meeting in Portland, OR | Travel Grants Available
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Honor Someone In Your Community
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Cooperatively Speaking
The Latest News From PCPI
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February 2020
Vol. 50 No.2
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PCPI was recently featured in an
article published by the
NCBA CLUSA (the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International).
The article highlights the fact that by nature, cooperative preschools are innovative, affordable and inclusive of parents, providing a viable option for parents facing tough decisions about how best to balance the need for high-quality child-care with career choices.
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"The [cooperative] model allows for direct impact on a child’s education and builds community and trust among like-minded parents."
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Cooperative Spirit Grants Awarded
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Thank you to all of you who submitted applications for the 2020 Cooperative Spirit Grant. The creative community-building ideas we received were phenomenal, and we wish we could fully fund every project. In the end, three projects were selected to receive grants.
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Creating Seating for an Outdoor Classroom
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As Nature’s Pointe students have spent more time outside exploring and learning in their outdoor classroom, the need for additional seating has become apparent. Construction of moveable tables and benches will create a space for whole classes to sit together for snacks or for the parents, teachers and children to gather together.
Thirty families and school community members will come together to build the extended seating area over the coming summer. The outdoor space will be a source of enjoyment and cooperative spirit for years to come.
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Creating a Natural Loose Parts Playground
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Sudbury Cooperative Preschool
in Sudbury Massachusetts
was awarded a $300 grant to support development of a natural loose parts playground, which they believe is a perfect opportunity for parents to engage and leave a lasting mark for future families. Parents will help to design and install a playground that can enhance creativity, problem solving, and open-ended play for use by the entire community. Playground improvements will focus on sustainability and natural creative play with parent created parts.
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Construction of Four Free Little Libraries
Charlestown Playhouse in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania received $800 to erect and maintain four “free libraries” for the community in and around the school. The little libraries will be will built to honor each of the school's four founding teachers: Elizabeth (Betty) Stonorov (1906-2003), Jean Lacy, Ruth Bacon and Carol Nesspor Neskie. The libraries are opportunities to share books and a love of reading; community members can take a book, and also contribute books.
Once created, the libraries will be erected at four key locations in the community: The new all-abilities playground located in Reeves Park; the laundromat in the center of town; downtown Phoenixville; and the parking lot at Charlestown Playhouse.
Not only will the libraries honor the founders of Charlestown Playhouse and the impact that they have had on individual students and families, they will promote literacy throughout the community and be a vehicle for sharing books and increasing involvement and connections with the larger Phoenixville community.
The entire free libraries project will involve nearly 100 families, including current and alumni families. The libraries will serve the entire population of Phoenixville, more than 16,000 people.
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April 16-19, 2020
Portland, Oregon
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The Portland, Oregon area will be the setting for the 60
th anniversary PCPI annual meetings April 16 -19, 2020. The PCPI annual meetings are held each spring, and provide the ideal venue for delegates to share their successes and concerns, to receive support and direction, and to exercise their vote. Activities will include conducting the business of PCPI, strategic planning/goal setting, networking and sharing among delegates, preschool visits, and the traditional Awards Ceremony and Luncheon.
We look forward to seeing you in Portland! Bring a raincoat just in case, but it could be beautiful weather.
Itinerary
You can fly into Portland International Airport (PDX) and we will provide transportation to the hotel. We will begin
Thursday evening with a gathering in the Grand Suite at The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport in Tigard, Oregon (a suburb of Portland), with the possibility of a school visit for those arriving early enough.
Friday will consist of Governing Board meetings and a school crawl that will include lunch.
Saturday will see the Awards Luncheon at nearby Hayden Lakefront Grill, followed by a school visit and, of course, more meetings. We will once again have our mini-fundraiser in the form of a bag raffle at the Awards lunch. Donate an item to our raffle (this is, of course, optional!) and we will explain how it works. How about a small object of art, a scarf, a child’s toy, some fragrant soap, a jigsaw puzzle, or some stationery?
Sunday we will finish our business meetings and most people will head home. Those of you on the East coast may need to leave fairly early if you are working Monday! Others may wish to stay and enjoy our fair city.
Registration
Costs:
- Registration fee for the entire conference is $120 (US or Canadian) and includes the Awards Luncheon, Friday lunch, snacks, and school visits.
- Hotel rooms (including all taxes and full breakfast): King bed ($135) OR Two Queen Beds ($146)
The Awards luncheon alone costs $40 and if your work schedule prevents you from attending on Friday, there is a Saturday only fee, including the Awards luncheon, of $75.
Consider applying for a Marika Townshend Travel Grant to help with your costs. See below, or visit the Resources page of our website,
www.preschools.coop, for details.
All Are Welcome!
We welcome new and returning members to our board meetings, and are always looking for new volunteers to help with tasks necessary to run a successful non-profit. We learn a lot, and work a lot, and have a lot of fun! Join us!
Questions?
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Need Help Getting to the Annual Meeting?
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The Marika Townshend Travel Grant
program helps our members attend the PCPI annual meeting. Details of the 2020 meeting can be found above. Applying for assistance with travel expenses to get to the PCPI annual meeting could make the trip even easier!
Parents, teachers, directors and board members of cooperative preschools are all invited to join in this weekend of camaraderie and focus on our cooperative mission. PCPI needs your talent and contributions, and you will take back many great ideas and renewed enthusiasm from this wonderful networking opportunity.
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The PCPI Awards Committee is depending on you to nominate the people in your cooperative circle who deserve special recognition. Award categories include:
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- District Award for demonstrated commitment and leadership at the local, council or regional level.
- National Award for Demonstrated Leadership for an activity that has had a favorable impact on parent cooperatives at more than a local, council, or regional level.
- Outstanding Achievement Award to recognize an exceptional contribution to, or involvement in, the parent cooperative movement (nominee does not need to be a PCPI member).
- Honorary Life Membership for an exceptional contribution to, or unique involvement in, the parent cooperative movement (beyond years of service).
- Robin Garthright Bunster Award for Excellence in Teaching to recognize excellence in teaching. Nominee should be active as a teacher in some capacity. (See below for details.)
- Certificates of Appreciation to recognize important member contributions to the Parent Cooperative Preschool movement.
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Any teacher nominated for a PCPI award may also be considered for the Robin Bunster Award for Teaching Excellence. Robin was an outstanding teacher in Oregon and a board member of PCPI when she passed away from cancer. Her husband has funded this award in her memory and a $500 honorarium for the teacher's personal use is part of the award. Mr. Bunster recognized how much of their own time and resources co-op preschool teachers invest in their schools. See award application for details.
Detailed awards criteria and nomination forms can be found on the Resources page of the
PCPI website
. Nominations are due
March 18
along with a $20 application fee. A $35 pin is also available to give to award recipients.
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Parent Cooperative Preschools International
PO Box 230327, Portland, OR 97281 | www.preschools.coop
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