Frequently Asked Questions

What are your hours?

9:30 AM — 12:30 PM for Bears, Owls, Lions, and Foxes.

Please note that on days when you are the helping parent or floater, you arrive 15 minutes before class to help set up, and leave 15 minutes after class ends to help clean up and prepare for the next school day.

What is the maximum child-adult ratio of each class at Dulin?

Bears: 6:1
Owls: 6:1
Lions: 8:1
Foxes: 8:1

Child-adult ratios allowed by state licensing are typically higher. Through our 50+ years of operation, we have found that these smaller class sizes are the most beneficial for our families and our staff.

What are your approximate class sizes?

Bears: 12
Owls: 12
Lions: 15
Foxes: 15

Class sizes are approximate and are subject to change. Approximate class sizes are below the maximum allowed by state licensing. We choose to keep our classes small in order to provide more individualized attention and have our community small and intimate by design.

How much is tuition?
Please see TUITION & FEES.

Parental involvement keeps our tuition rates low, while allowing us to pay our teachers a professional salary.

What are the age cut-offs?
Children must reach the appropriate age (i.e., Bears must turn 2) by September 30th of the calendar year in which the child is enrolled. There are no exceptions to these age cut-offs, even if your child “misses by one day” or “can keep up with the older group.”
Do participating adults teach the classes?

No, our certified, professional teachers teach. Participating adults only assist the teacher. Our teachers undergo required training throughout the year and are paid a professional salary.

Can someone other than a parent be a participating adult?

Yes! As long as the adult meets licensing standards (completes background checks, annual training, etc.) they can be participating adult at Dulin. In the past we’ve had grandparents, babysitters and others participate!

What is your potty-training policy?
At Dulin, we recognize that potty proficiency is a developmental milestone that varies widely among children, and accidents can (and do!) happen. As much as parents would like for toilet training to happen on their schedule, it can only happen on the child’s timetable.

Children in our Bears class are not required to be potty-trained.

Children in our Owls, Lions, and Foxes classes should be potty-trained — or at least be actively working on it.

How do participating adults obtain the required training hours each year?

Our Parent Education chair brings in speakers on a variety of topics throughout the school year. You are welcome to suggest topics you’d like to see covered. Attendance at our mandatory Orientation and Membership meetings, both of which feature speakers, also go toward the required hours. If you are unable to attend any Dulin-sponsored training opportunities, we also accept proof of having attended a parenting class. The Parent Ed chair can help you determine what events qualify as appropriate for your Dulin training requirement.

What is required for participating adults?

We comply with the Department of Social Services licensing standards and participating adults are considered staff, and counted in our child-adult ratios. Therefore, they are required to complete background checks, personal references, TB screening, and annual training.

Per DSS licensing standards, they must also be capable of communicating effectively both orally and in writing as applicable to the job responsibility, and be capable of communicating with emergency personnel. (Participating adults must be able to reasonably understand and communicate in English, as that is the primary language of instruction and communication at Dulin Cooperative Preschool.)

Does Dulin Preschool include religious instruction?
Dulin Cooperative Preschool is chartered by Dulin United Methodist Church, and operates in harmony with their principles. Religious instruction is not included in the curriculum, but grace is said prior to snack time. Classes may explore holiday traditions of any faith, through the experiences of our diverse student body.
Is there a full-day or extended-care option?
No.
Can my child be enrolled in more than one class?
No.
How do you accommodate gifted children?
Our teachers are experienced with handling students at varying stages of development, and children of all abilities thrive in our play-based curriculum.
If your curriculum is play-based, does that mean there are no academics?
Age-appropriate academics are included in every class, but the focus is on learning through experience and play, not through a lot of seat work. Children learn at their own pace, and the focus is on play and socialization. Academics emerge via experiential play, crafts, activities, role-playing, and taking part in a variety of activities in the course of every school day.
What is the role of the Teacher/Director?
The Teacher/Director is in charge of the day-to-day operation of the preschool. Under the direction of the Executive Board, the Teacher/Director administers the educational program, collaborates with the teaching staff and oversees the use and maintenance of the facilities and equipment. She ensures the consistency, quality and implementation of our play-based curriculum, and works with the teachers to provide a developmentally appropriate environment that reflects our school’s philosophy. She consults with teachers about all students, conducts student observations as needed, addresses needs or concerns regarding individual students, and responds to parent concerns. In addition, she works with the administration of Dulin United Methodist Church to ensure a smooth, cooperative relationship between the Church and the preschool. She is also a non-voting member of the Executive Board.
What is the role of the Administrative Director?
The Administrative Director works with the President and Teacher/Director on State Licensing matters to ensure procedures are in place for licensing compliance. She facilitates licensing inspections, and creates/maintains school and family files to comply with licensing requirements throughout the year. She creates, maintains and updates the database of student and adult information and distributes the information as needed including rosters, allergy lists and emergency preparedness plans. Additionally, the Administrative Director spends time as needed assisting the teachers in the classrooms.
Can a working parent or family participate?

Yes, we have many families who make room in their schedules for participating in a co-op despite busy schedules — whether they work outside the home or not.

As a rule, co-oping adults should have a certain amount of flexibility in their schedules so they can meet the co-op and committee responsibilities. However, Dulin Preschool can’t take the place of daycare; we have no extended-day option for those needing full-time care.

How often will I work in the classroom?

With full enrollment, you can expect to be scheduled to co-op once or twice a month. Occasionally you may find yourself working more or fewer days in a given month, depending on scheduling issues in your child’s class (e.g., vacations, pregnancy/birth), but it all evens out by the end of the year. Our Participation Chair carefully tracks days worked and swaps.

How do I know when I’m going to co-op?
Our participation chair accepts requests to accommodate your schedule. The participation calendar is published thirty days in advance so that you may plan accordingly. All families can expect to be scheduled in school about twice a month per child.
Can siblings be brought into the classroom on co-op days?
No, state licensing does not permit siblings of any age to be in the classroom. You are responsible for finding childcare for siblings on the days you work in the classroom. If you do not have a regular sitter, we can sometimes help you set up a baby-swap with another Dulin family. Many Dulin families have handled child-care this way, and they have found the swap not only solves a child-care issue, but can result in wonderful new friendships!
May I “buy out” of my co-op responsibilities?
We firmly believe that co-oping is an integral part of our preschool philosophy. All families are expected to co-op equally.
What will my classroom responsibilities be?
All Dulin Preschool families are required to work in their child(ren)’s classroom(s) on a rotating basis. Parents assist the professional teacher with activities and provide a healthy snack.

Please see A Day at Dulin as the “Helping Parent”.

Are you a member of NAEYC?
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation is a very common question on preschool-search checklists.

Dulin Preschool fully meets the criteria of NAEYC accreditation (the criteria is almost identical to Virginia state licensing, and we undergo unannounced licensing checks throughout the school year). However, the actual NAEYC accreditation process is very expensive (running into the thousands of dollars) and time-consuming. As a non-profit preschool with low tuition — not to mention a volunteer board of directors without the time or resources to work full-time on the accreditation process — we prefer to put our money into school operations instead of a professional designation. We will gladly address specific points of NAEYC standards (available on the NAEYC Web site) and how Dulin Preschool meets or exceeds them.