Dandelion is currently accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year. If you'd like to apply, please send an email with your address to: Liz Scarboro at dandelionenrollment@gmail.org. Our first application deadline will be November 5th.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Dandelion Web site! Here you will find information about our wondereful parent cooperative preschool. If you have any questions that aren't answered here, please click here to email us and we'll get back to you.

Enrollment

Dandelion accepts children aged 2 years 9 months through 5 years for fall enrollment. Please call the school at 510-526-1735 or e-mail dandelion.enrollment@gmail.com beginning mid September of the year prior to the fall you would like your child to attend. You will be sent an Inquiry Form. Upon receipt of the Inquiry Form by the Enrollment Officer, you will be placed on a list. There is no application fee and neither families nor children are interviewed. A balanced roster is created from the list with consideration for balancing age, gender, and diversity. Tours of the school are given only to families that we have a space for.

Dandelion maintains an equal opportunity admissions process and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic/cultural background, national origin, religion, income or sexual orientation.

Hours

Monday Through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon
Extended care available from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m.

Family Participation

Parents participate in the following ways:

*Participating in the classroom beginning with set-up at 8:45 a.m. and finishing with wrap-up at 12:30 p.m. We maintain a 4:1 ratio. The number of times a participating adult works in the classroom depends on the attendance schedule, i.e. if a child attends 3 days/week, his/her adult works in the classroom 2 - 3 times a month.

*Attending and participating at the parent evening meeting the first Monday of every month. The first part of the meeting involves Dandelion business and the second half includes parent education and discussion.

*Contributing to the functioning of the school by holding and performing a Family Job, i.e. purchasing, classroom animals care, gardening.

*Working on two Saturday mornings a year to clean and maintain the school.

*Fundraising, which includes scrip and two or more fundraising events each year.