ABOUT US
Our Belief Statements
This moment at this time with this child
At Campus Preschool …
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We believe children begin to understand themselves through child-directed, open-ended play and that by providing loosely-structured exploration children are given the time and space to discover and pursue their interests.
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We believe the most important aspect of preschool is developing and honing social skills and learning how to vocalize their needs to peers and adults alike.
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 We believe that children should be respected and heard.
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 We do not believe in punitive discipline but instead in patiently building trust by being present and mindful during interactions with each child — meeting each child where they are both physically and emotionally.
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 We believe each child should leave Campus with the confidence and tools to thrive in their school journey.
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 We believe in developing a sense of community by helping children understand that each of their classmates has something valuable to offer.
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 We believe education is cooperative and that having parents in our classrooms daily demonstrates to children that their families are invested, along with their teachers, in their learning.
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We believe preschool is a chance for children to learn how to trust adults outside of their family structure.
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 We believe in empowering parents to become lifelong advocates for their child and for their child’s education.
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 We believe in gently transitioning children into the school environment by welcoming parents to stay each day for as long as their child needs.
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 We do not force children to share. We believe in taking turns.
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 We believe in complete inclusivity and embrace diversity. We support all types of family structures and are cognizant of the varying needs of each child in our school.
Our Teachers
Rebecca Gerritsen (She/Her)
My name is Rebecca Gerritsen and I have a passion for working with young children. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Calgary. I taught kindergarten with the Calgary Catholic School Board for over 8 years, before continuing my career by staying at home to care for our family’s 2 children. When the time permitted in 2015, I was eager to begin teaching pre-school with Campus Cooperative Pre-School. I love working at Campus. I enjoy working with the families, fostering community and helping children become capable independent learners. In recent years, I have begun my educational journey towards outdoor programming, forest schools and understanding the classroom as the third teacher. The environment at Campus provides me with the opportunity to explore and learn with children and their families. I am excited to share another year of learning and growing with the Campus Cooperative Community.
Paula Peterson (She/Her)
Hello, I’m Paula Peterson and working with children 0-6 years has been my focus since first attending university to earn a degree in Child Development. I taught preschool and supervised and developed programming for school aged and preschool aged children at a college childcare center before moving with my husband from California to Calgary. I went on to complete a degree in Education while raising a family, but my heart was always with early childhood education.
I then worked for Parent Link for over 9 years as a child development facilitator, working with and supporting families with children 6 years and under. My focus was on developing and delivering drop-in and registered literacy-based programs for families with children in this age group, including the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program. Prior to coming to Campus, I worked as a child development specialist helping children with developmental delays. Now I am excited to be in a preschool classroom where I began. Seeing children develop and adapt to the classroom environment is a joy. I believe children are natural explorers of their environment and are great problem solvers. I have always had an interest in open-ended art where process rather than product is the focus. Loose parts play is something I have slowly started to explore.
In my spare time I enjoy yoga, walking in nature, crafts, biking, and golf. I love the parent co-op environment at Campus Preschool where there is a sense of community. I am looking forward to a fun year of exploring and learning with your children.Â
PARENT IN CLASSROOM INVOLVEMENT
Parents and caregivers are an essential part of Campus Preschool Cooperative. At least one member of your family must belong to a committee or the Board. As well, parents are strongly encouraged to volunteer as the in-class parent helper every six to eight weeks. Depending on the ages and number of children in the Junior Class, parent helpers may be mandatory until the winter break.Â
What is the expectation for Volunteer/Parent-help days?
We believe that it’s important for children to feel supported by their parents or caregivers and offer opportunities to join your child in the classroom. Being the parent helper allows your child to share their school experience with you, and it allows you to see them in the world that they are creating outside of the home. Volunteering opportunities can be arranged ahead of time with the classroom teacher, or can be spontaneously supported as time permits. We also understand that some parents and caregivers are unable to attend during class hours, and although volunteering in the class is strongly encouraged, it is not strictly mandatory.
What do I do if my child or I am sick, or we can’t make it?
If you or your child are sick on your parent-volunteer day, you must stay home. If your child is sick, please do not bring them to school. They are welcome to return to the school 24 hours after the resolution of their last symptom. We will be happy to arrange an alternate time for you to volunteer in your child’s class.Â
Can I bring a sibling to my parent-help day?
No. The parent helper day is something that your child looks forward to and is an experience that requires your full attention to the classroom. Bringing a sibling to school also affects the caregiver-to-student ratios that we are required to maintain. However, if the need to care for a sibling is a barrier to you volunteering in the classroom, please speak with the classroom teacher.
What are the responsibilities of the parent-helper?
Specific parent-help information can be found posted in each classroom.
Tips for your parent-help day:
- assist the children with hand washing and hand sanitizing
- relax and be present with the children
- children’s needs take priority over cleaning and putting away
- remember that you are there for the entire group, and not just your child
- when in doubt, ask! Teachers are happy to direct you
How often should I volunteer?
This depends greatly on your availability and the needs of your child. Please consider volunteering once every 6 to 8 weeks. Â However, the junior classroom usually requires one volunteer per school day until the end of December to accommodate child care ratios required for children under 3.Â
COMMITTEE AND BOARD INVOLVEMENT
One or more members from each family is required to volunteer in the running of our pre-school. What does this look like? It means volunteering on a committee or as a member of our Board. As much as possible, we try to align volunteer commitments with your skills and interests.Â
Committees include:
– Volunteer scheduler
– Laundry/Maintenance & Repair
– Playdough
– Library
– Fundraising
– Community Outreach & Events
– Audit
Our Board positions include:
– Chairperson
– Vice-Chairperson
– Treasurer
– Secretary
– Casino Chair
– Chair of Committees
– Community Outreach & Events
– Fundraising Chair
– Registrar
CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Co Chairs: Marla Kerr & Lexus Pleasant
Treasurer: Elaine Wilson
Secretary: Jamie Tubb
Registrar: Harleen Vasselin
Administrator: Chloë Cook
Note: All terms run from September to September.
We welcome anyone at any of our scheduled Board meetings with the exception of ‘in-camera’ sessions. If you are interested in joining our Board please contact us!Â
FUNDRAISING
Campus Pre-School has an account at the VECOVA Bottle Depot, so you may drop off recyclable donations at the bottle depot at any time. Simply label your bags and tell them your drop-off is for Campus Pre-School, and they will sort, count and credit our account.
Set up a Skip the Depot account and direct the proceeds to Campus Preschool. Skip the Depot will come to your front door to pick up empties.
If you sign up for a Skip the Depot account using the following referral link, Campus Preschool will automatically earn $15!
Mabel’s Labels are a great way to prepare for the upcoming school year and ensure that your student’s items are well marked. Visit https://mabelslabels.ca/ and select “Campus Preschool (Calgary)” from the “Support a Fundraiser” tab before you shop.