At Lansing Co-operative Nursery and Preschool, parents have the chance to be involved in their child’s early education and to have a voice in the daily operation of the school.​ From optional ​in-class Nursery duty days to various committee work, parents provide the special ingredient that makes the Lansing early childhood education a positive, enriching, and fun experience for children and their families alike. 
Our North York based co-op works well simply because everyone works together to ensure that the exceptional quality of the school is maintained. We are a "Little School for Little People".
How does a co-op Nursery and Preschool work?
​Schools vary by specific method and setup, but the premise is generally the same. Trained teachers and parents work in partnership to ensure the school has a successful year. Each parent is a full participating member of the co-op through their participation in variety of school responsibilities. 

At Lansing, the daily education and core operation of the school is performed by our experienced RECE teachers and school director. 
Parental ​involvement ranges from optional in-class Nursery duty days to a choice of Executive and sub-committee work supporting the running of the school.​

Why even choose a co-operative?
As a parent at a co-operative nursery and preschool, you:
  • Have a say in how the school operates during the time your child is attending.
    At a school board and sub-committee level, you represent the parents. You make decisions and set policies based on the best interests of the families of the school. This often provides a opportunity to hone existing skills and learn new ones.
  • Are genuinely involved in your child's first school experience, which is highly rewarding for both parent and child.
    As a Nursery duty day participant, you have an unique educational and engagement opportunity not likely to be ever repeated in future school years. Children learn so quickly at this age and it's a delight to see it firsthand.
  • Make new friends and find support during this often intense child rearing period.
    A co-op set-up encourages frequent interactions between parents, facilitating supportive friendships that often extend well beyond Lansing years.
Nursery duty days 
In-class Nursery duty days may include help running a craft activity, preparing & serving snacks, helping to clean up, general supervision and assisting the teachers in class. 

Nursery duty days are optional and qualify for a monthly fee discount. The number of Duty days per month also varies by program day-enrolment:
  • 5-Day enrolment: 3 days per month
  • 4-Day enrolment: 2.5 days per month
  • 3-Day enrolment: 1 day per month

While duty days are typically performed by a parent, we do understand that many parents work full-time and as such, duty days may be performed by another family member, such as a grandparent, or caregiver.

Note: It is mandatory for duty day participants to have a current First Aid and CPR certification and clear vulnerable sector check before entering the classroom.
School Board and Sub-Committees
Lansing is governed by a school board, usually made up of volunteer parents. The board is responsible for setting program fees, hiring staff and other administrative duties like maintaining the school budget.
The school board meets once a month, with some work being performed outside of monthly meetings (e.g. a specific project or forecasting the budget).

Outside of the school board, parents can assist on various sub-committees, such as Building Maintenance, Program Registration, Special Events (e.g. School Holiday Party) or Fundraising.

Gave me a glimpse into my daughter's day-to-day learning
Participating in the duty days allowed me to feel connected to the school and to really get a feel for how the program was run. It also gave me a glimpse into my daughter's day-to-day learning, which is something that I especially cherish now that she is in SK.
My younger daughter just turned 2 and I am looking forward to sending her to Lansing this coming year. I have no doubt that she will thrive just as her older sister did.
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- Alisa