General School Obligations
- Work as a teacher's aide (supervising children, setting up activities, cleaning up) in your child's class one day per week, per child.
- Attend on evening adult education meeting per month with the other parents of your child's class. These required meetings last three hours and must be made up if missed.
- Attend school-wide adult education meetings/general meetings with the entire school (typically every other month, or 6 per school year). These meetings are mandatory and must be made up if missed.
- Perform a year-long school job. Parents administer the school, manage the fundraising efforts and maintain the school facility. The school job typically takes six hours per month. Some examples of school jobs include: class photographer, field trip coordinator, fundraising committee member, playroom coordinator, art room coordinator, outdoor maintenance, librarian and purchaser.
- Participate in one of three Saturday Safety and Maintenance Education Days per year.
- Participate in our SCRIP program ($3,900 year/family or a $225 tax deductible buyout). Families with two children enrolled have a $5,850 yearly requirement or $340 tax deductible annual buyout.
- Participate in required fundraising activities.
- Read and understand the SPNS School Handbook.
SPNS School Committees and Jobs
As a cooperative, parent participation preschool, SPNS is actively administered and maintained by its members. The teachers and director are the only paid staff maintained by SPNS. Parental involvement is therefore vital to the successful functioning of our school and program. Committee participation is a key aspect of a parent's contribution to the school.
Each family has an obligation to participate on a committee, fulfilling one school job within that committee for the duration of the school year. SPNS takes this obligation very seriously. If a family fails to complete the assigned school job to the satisfaction of the Director and School Board, a $250 penalty (forfeiture of the annual deposit) will occur.
Monetary Obligations
- $50 non-refundable application fee per child, for enrollment or being placed on a waitlist.
- $250 deposit payable upon enrolling.
- Last month's tuition is paid upon enrolling and tuition must be paid on time and in full each month. Please note that the first month's tuition (pro-rated) is due if enrolling after the school year has begun.
- Class material fee is paid each semester, pro-rated to the semester in which you are joining. For example, if enrolling during the second semester, only the second semester class fee is due.
- Complying with any and all required fundraising, including participation in the SPNS SCRIP program.
Monies Refundable Upon Withdrawal from SPNS
Withdrawal prior to the beginning of the school year:
if written notice of withdrawal is given to the Membership Chairman thirty or more days prior to the first General Meeting (Welcome Brunch), all money paid will be refunded in full. This includes the last month's tuition, the class material fee and the $250 deposit. If written notice of a withdrawal is not given to the Membership Chairman thirty days or more prior to the first General Meeting (Welcome Brunch), the $250 deposit is not refunded, but the last month's tuition and class materials fee will be returned.
Withdrawal after the school year (post-Welcome Brunch) begins:
If thirty days written notice of a withdrawal is given to the Membership Chairperson, and all school obligations have been met, the family will receive a refund of their last month's tuition and the $250 annual deposit. Refer to the SPNS School Handbook for full details on voluntary withdrawal.