There are so many causes that need advocacy these days I often find it overwhelming, so I remind myself that I can do only so much within my immediate world. One of the parts to my world (actually pretty much in my DNA) is my belief in the cooperative philosophy for preschool education.
Along with the MHCNS&K membership in the Indiana Council of Preschool Cooperatives (ICPC), we are members of Parent Cooperatives Preschools International (PCPI). Both organizations provide us with insurance needs as well as other resources, so it’s important that we try to support each organization.
I invite you to help strengthen the cooperative preschool movement by clicking a Facebook “Like” at the bottom of the PCPI homepage at https://www.preschools.coop. I KNOW you believe in the parent and child education you are experiencing at our little school, so I ask that you go to this page on the same website to access their newsletter: https://www.preschools.coop/resources-index/. Scroll to nearly the bottom and sign up so that you will stay informed about preschool cooperatives in the United States and Canada.
Getting back to advocacy… here is the issue (just makes me shake my head in disbelief) as quoted from the July issue of PCPI newsletter:
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), the licensing agency for child day centers in the state, intends to implement a change that will require all parents in co-ops to meet the same training requirements as staff, which includes state mandated orientation training (10-16 hours), 20 hours per year of continuing education, and CPR and first aid certification. Under the regulation, parent volunteers who don’t meet the training requirements cannot be counted toward adult/child ratio requirements, and they would be required to be within site [sight] and sound of a paid staff at all times.
This could literally eliminate co-op preschools in Virginia!
Change.org is an advocacy platform that has a petition opposing this Virginia measure if you would like to help at this link:
https://www.change.org/p/state-board-of-social-services-help-save-coop-preschools-in-virginia?recruiter=7769926&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition When you go to this site, you may be presented with a pop-up to translate the language to English. If you want to sign the petition, find the Virginia Cooperative Preschool Council link under the picture to add your name.
Have you ever heard of the proverbial “camel getting his/her nose under the tent?”
This could be it … which state could be next?
Indiana?
Best in parenting,
Ginny
P.S. Wish I had a good picture of a camel’s nose.
