S
tevens is unique in its philosophy of parent involvement in school life. As a cooperative, Stevens places on its members significant responsibilities on which the functioning of the school and the education of the children depends. The school is managed by the Board of Trustees, comprised largely of current parents who are elected by the cooperative membership. The board hires the Head of School who in turn recruits, trains and supervises all other staff members.
Parents of full time students are members of the cooperative and must attend three general membership meetings a year to organize committee work, elect board members and get current information about the operations of the school. They are also required to participate in committee work (including conducting assigned jobs); fundraising; serving as a helping parent during the school day; and timely payment of tuition. Parents may choose a buy-out option for some of these requirements.
Although an important component of the school, the half day 2s and 3s classes are distinct in the fact that parents are not part of the cooperative. Many parents of 2s & 3s choose to volunteer at school events and fundraising activities. Parents of the 3s are required to spend time in the classroom as helping parents.