On behalf of Overlee Cooperative Preschool I am requesting changes to the Proposed Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers, specifically in regard to the requirements for staff orientation and ongoing training. 

Since 1945 Overlee Cooperative Preschool has been a place for parents to actively participate in their children’s education by working directly in our classrooms as teachers’ aides. The new requirements for staff orientation (22VAC40-185-240) and ongoing training (22VAC40-185-245) would impose an undue burden on our parents by expecting them to complete 16 hours of orientation and 20 hours per year of ongoing training. Our parents volunteer on average only 50 hours a year in the classroom. Parents who are volunteering their time are simply not going to be able to complete the same orientation and training requirements as our paid classroom teachers. 

We request that the total number of training hours (both orientation and ongoing, collectively) for cooperative preschool parents be limited to the current 4 hours. Please remove the language "who are not considered staff" from section 22VAC40-185-245C describing the required annual training for cooperative preschool parents. Please include an exception for cooperative preschool parents in the new orientation training section 22VAC40-185-240. 

Parents working in classrooms at Overlee Cooperative Preschool complete all of the background checks outlined in Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies. They work under the direct supervision of well qualified and trained classroom teachers.

If the orientation and ongoing training sections of the proposed standards are not changed, cooperative preschools like ours, may be forced to shut down, as parents are unwilling to enroll their children in programs which put unreasonable burdens on them. Either outcome robs children of the high quality, affordable early education that cooperative preschools provide. 

All three of my children attended Overlee Preschool and I was an active board member for many years. I am thankful for the caring and nuturing environment that Overlee provided. It allowed my children to feel safe, grow and explore through positive play under the guidance of unparalled teachers and trained parent volunteers. Together the staff and parents created the kind of environment that we wish our chidlren could experience throughout their entire school career an dalso gave parents a positiver parenting network. Overlee played a large part in molding my children to be the citizens they are today and I hope that this kind of school continues to exist in a world that needs parents and teachers to be more, not less in touch with their children.

Alexandra Beall

Overlee Preschool Parent/Alumni