“To be faithful in little things is a big thing.”
- St. Augustine

Mission Statement:
The Our Lady’s Good Helpers Preschool Co-op seeks to support families in the early faith-formation of their preschool aged children with the primary objective being exposure to Catholic teaching, tradition, and prayer along with introducing pre-reading skills, number skills and fine motor advancement in a classroom environment.

We honor the parents as primary educators of their children in our cooperative style of teaching where every parent is encouraged to lead lessons for their child's class and participate in the execution/fulfillment of our mission.

Vision Statement:
The Our Lady’s Good Helpers Preschool Co-op exists as an answer to the Catholic Church’s mission to support family life; bringing the light of Christ to her youngest members, fostering a sense of belonging in the Family of God, as well as providing parents the opportunity to experience Christian fraternity, and support for one another as we fulfill our call to love and serve our family.

About Us:
We aim to support parents and equip them with tools to be actively engaged in the religious education of their child(ren). This program is designed to foster strong, loving relationships between parents and their children while also developing meaningful connections with other young Catholic families. The co-op offers faith-filled friendships among parents, where they are able to fortify one another in their vocations.

Classes are held Tuesdays 9:00-11:00am, September-May

• Toddler time (0-2 year old): Drop-in playgroup attached to the preschool co-op. Any parents are welcome to come with their baby/toddler to enjoy playtime and Christian fellowship. No registration required!
• Seton Level (2-3 year old)*: Introduction to the basics of our Catholic faith using an abbreviated Catholic ABC’s curriculum. Children will practice listening skills, classroom participation, letter recognition, and social skills.
• Brise Level (3-4 year old)*: Expansion of the basics of our Catholic faith using the Catholic ABC’s curriculum. Children will practice letter recognition, beginning writing, counting, social skills, and fine motor development.
• Bosco Level (4-5 year old)*: Continuation of learning our Catholic faith using the Twenty-Six Letters to Heaven curriculum. This group will practice beginning writing, pre-reading skills, number skills, social development, and fine motor development.
• JPII (6+)*: Optional classroom placement for older siblings.
• *age grouping may vary depending on registrants each year

Parent Involvement:
We honor the parents as primary educators of their children. In our cooperative style of teaching every mother/father is expected to take a turn leading lessons for their child’s class. We recognize that some parents feel unqualified to teach the faith; the co-op helps to break down the barriers of that fear through easy to implement lesson plans and the witness of other parents. By way of fulfilling duties, the pre-school co-op assists both parents and the pastor in fulfilling their respective catechetical roles as laid out in Canon Law:
Parents above others are obliged to form their children by word and example in faith and in the practice of Christian life… (Can. 774, §2) The pastor is to promote and foster the function of parents in the family catechesis mentioned in 774, §2. (Can. 776)

Cost:
A fee is required to cover supplies and snacks for the entire year.*

• $25/child
• $50/family max
• *A small second collection may be taken if funds run out. Please note that no one will be denied based on financial difficulty.

FAQs:
Q: Who teaches the classes?
A: The classes are 100 percent parent led, no teaching background necessary.

Q: What ages does the preschool serve?
A: The co-op holds class for 2-5 year olds as well as an option for school-aged children, depending on the interest each year. There is also a toddler play time attached that is intended for younger siblings and parents of young children.

Q: Does my child need to be potty trained?
A: No, children in diapers are welcome.

Q: Can I bring my younger children?
A: Yes!  We specifically have a toddler time room for younger siblings to play while the older ones attend class.

Q: What is the cost?
A: The yearly fee is $20 per year, family max of $50, which covers crafts and snack. There is a possibility of a second nominal fee if funds run out before the end of the year.

Q: What is the curriculum?
A: We use Catholic Icing’s “Catholic ABC’s” for the 2-3 year olds and “26 Letters to Heaven” for 4-5 year olds. Both aim to introduce our children to the Catholic Faith while also introducing them to basic academic skills. Any activities for school aged children vary from year to year and are developed by the parents.

Q: Am I allowed to leave after dropping off my child?
A: No, we ask parents to stay the full duration of class unless it is an emergency.  As a traditional co-op, we rely on help from all parents each week for our preschool to run smoothly.

Q: Do I need to be a member of St. Bernard Parish to join?
A: No, we welcome families from different parishes (although we’d love to have you join St. Bernard!).

Q: Can my child attend only half the year, say January-May?
A: We prefer to have children enrolled for the full year so they gain the full benefit of the preschool, but we are open to families joining for part of a year.

If you are interested in learning more or getting involved please contact us by using the form below.

Each month, our Newly Married/New Parent Ministry Group meets to support each other in community while their children play in the nursery. Led by parishioner Kara Williams, the group listens to podcasts, discusses life and faith and prays together. New members are always welcome. The group meets from 5-6 p.m., on the first Monday of the month in the nursery.

If you are interested in learning more or getting involved please contact us by using the form below.