The Collective Spirit

The magic is in our community.

Parent participation, alongside the dedicated care of our administration and staff, is key to our success. The Collective is a fun, collaborative environment where adults from different economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds come together, bound by their love for their children and commitment to community.

The Collective Credit Program

Each generation of Collective families enjoys creative freedom and their own sense of ownership over sustaining the magic of our tight-knit community. The Credit Program serves as the backbone of how we get this done.

Credits allow parents to make meaningful contributions and ensure that all families are part of the community. Parents commit to pitching in 18 hours of their time during the school year via a wide range of activities.

Certain predetermined tasks and roles are needed for the smooth operation of the school. In the past this has included:

  • Side yard maintenance

  • Snack shoppers

  • Graphic designer

  • Website/tech manager

  • Fundraising committee

  • Social committee

  • Board member (credit for an entire family)

  • Cleaning supply shoppers

Saturday Morning Teams

Default Collective credit work is participation on a Saturday morning work team, six times a year. Unless parents sign up for a more specific role, they will be automatically assigned to a Saturday morning work team for basic cleaning and maintenance. Children are welcome to come, and parents can take turns watching them.

It’s not only a way to help us reduce our costs, it’s also a great opportunity to get to know each other! Each team has a leader who is responsible for opening and closing the Collective, keeping track of work and making sure everyone signs in. If someone cannot make a shift, there is ample opportunity to make up hours with another shift or helping at an event (e.g., Fall Festival, Open House, our Annual Gala).

Special Projects

Parents can also earn credits by making their own proposals using their skills and creativity, and are highly encouraged to do so! Past examples have included:

  • A bilingual education professor led workshops on incorporating Spanish in our classrooms, which is now baked into our program across all classes. 

  • Another parent made a dollhouse for dramatic play.

  • A group of parents who had various backgrounds in TV/film/media teamed up during Covid (during which the Collective remained open!) to produce a tour video as a substitute for in-person tours.

Interested in applying?

Come build with us! For the most up-to-date info on tours, deadlines, tuition, financial aid, and open slots, click here.