Amid cuts, parents support preschool

MOSES LAKE - The Big Bend Co-op Preschool is unusual among schools because it isn't somewhere parents take their kids and simply drop them off with a teacher.

Here, parents are also teachers.

"We are a preschool that believes that parents are our children's first and most important teachers so we like to involve parents in the learning process," says Amy Delp, the co-op's fund-raiser chair.

Parents are required to spend time in the classroom with their own kids as well as other people's.

"Each kid has a grown-up," says teacher and parent coordinator Julie Kim-Knapp. "Whether it's mom, dad or sometimes a grandparent, someone is here with the kids."

The students participate in different activities that prepare them for the experience of being in kindergarten and socializing with other kids.

"We're not academic in the sense of having a sheet and learning ABCs. It's not a drill-and-kill situation," Kim-Knapp says. "Our philosophy is that children learn through play so in everything we do, we're trying to teach the kids something. A big focus is social skills and emotional skills so when they get into school they are ready to learn."

April Montiel says she first brought her daughter, Josephine, to the co-op "because it was the only program that was age appropriate at the time."

"Also, this program is very diverse. Josephine's father is Venezuelan, and we wanted her to be in a very ethnically rich environment," Montiel says. "If there are families out there that feel isolated, this is a place to not feel isolated."

Connection with the Russian, Ukrainian and Hispanic families in the area is very important, Montiel added.

In the past, the co-op has successfully included families who are not primarily English-speaking and turned the experience into an educational one for the kids.

"We would have the non-English speaking moms talk about the activity they were in charge of in their own language then we could also give instructions to the kids in English so they are exposed to that different language," Kim-Knapp says.

The co-op lost its 30-year affiliation with Big Bend Community College during the past summer after major budget cuts within the college.

"The college had a ton of cuts and unfortunately, we were one of the cuts," Kim-Knapp says.

The arrangement allowed parents to receive credit in Early Childhood Education at a discounted rate for attending co-op classes with their kids. Although this is no longer an option, Delp says the preschool is not in danger of closing.

"Because we rely on parents to work and help run the preschool we are able to keep tuition at an affordable price," Delp says.

Parents are required to participate in three fund-raisers this year, and in the past have sold Papa Murphy's cards, held a Domino's Pizza night and hosted a booth at the Soroptomist Bazaar during Christmas.

But the next fund-raising event will be very different than ones in the past.

Imbibe Wine and Art Bar in Moses Lake has agreed to host an art show featuring works created by co-op students starting in February.

"Our goal is to have each child have one or two pieces of art in the show," Kim-Knapp says.

The artwork will hang on the walls prior to the reception so that visitors can bid on pieces before the event. The co-op will also get a percentage of sales from the evening's wine tasting.

The show is Feb. 17, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Imbibe is located at 216 W. Third Ave.

For questions about the co-op, class openings or more information, call 509-989-5566.