Family Involvement

When you enroll your child at GHCP, you become part of a cooperative preschool community built on shared participation, support, and learning. Families gain parenting insights and practical skills through:
  • Parent education discussions led by experienced early childhood educators
  • Opportunities to learn about child development and age-appropriate expectations
  • Ongoing communication with teachers about your child’s development
  • Participation in the classroom alongside teachers
  • Community connections with other families navigating similar stages of parenting
  • Resources and guidance to support positive, developmentally appropriate parenting practices

GHCP’s cooperative model helps families better understand how children learn, communicate, and grow. Through involvement in the classroom and parent education opportunities, parents gain practical tools to support social-emotional development, independence, and confidence.
Our program emphasizes respectful, play-based learning and provides families with strategies they can use at home to support healthy development, problem solving, and strong family relationships.

Parent Participation is a key element of the cooperative preschool experience. Parents are invited and expected to participate by:
  • Working in the classroom, working on a committee, and/or serving on the Board of Directors. On average, expect contributing a few hours a week to help our community and school run effectively. Participation in the classroom is highly encouraged, but we have some flexibility to make the schedule work for working families. 
  • Attending Parent Education events throughout the school year
  • Participating in fundraising for the school​

Committee Positions

​Your involvement in the operation of our school is vital to its success. We have many tasks, great and small, that combine to give our program its wonderful depth. As a volunteer run organization, each and every job is very important. Your work and support provides our children with a wonderful place to grow and learn. We appreciate your commitment to our school and the children.

​Each family is required to either serve on the board or on a committee. The main committees are:
  • Classroom Helpers
  • Facilities
  • Events and Fundraising
The committee positions, or “parent jobs” described below are an example of how parents support our school each year. Families are given an opportunity to indicate their preference before they are assigned to a committee. 
Are you a current GHCP family wanting to pay your tuition and fees, view your class roster or download forms? Please visit the Jovial Family Portal. 

​Our Mission: The Gig Harbor Cooperative Preschool is a parent-operated, non-profit corporation affiliated with Bates Technical College that provides quality learning experiences for children and promotes the development of knowledge and skills for strong and healthy families.
GHCP is a non-profit corporation open to all students. Gig Harbor Cooperative Preschool reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran in its programs and activities in accordance with college policy, and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations.