“Are they making a chrysalis yet?”

It’s a question you don’t always hear from 3-year-olds, but at the Central Whidbey Co-op Preschool, asking about the classroom caterpillars is just one of the ways the students learn to take education into their own hands.

Last week, the lessons were filled with fun facts about reptiles.

At circle time “Eewws” and “Oohs” fill the room as teacher Tami Aparicio describes how snakes snack and wiggle loose their shedding skin after a growth spurt. No matter what the reaction, the kids sit around eagerly waiting to give their two cents on the subject.

Co-op kids learn fun stuff, according to the young students. They learn numbers, letters, about caterpillars and “the importance of sharing because it’s nice.”

“You learn how to be safe, like looking both ways before you cross the street,” said one cheerful young boy.

At the co-op preschool, no matter what age you are, no matter how new you are, you can come and have fun.

“The co-op preschool is a unique space where children learn to interact as vital and integral members of our community,” said Jen Laska, first-year co-op parent. “And parents have the opportunity to share in the joys and challenges of raising our next generation.”

Central Whidbey Co-Op Preschool is located at the downstairs level of the Coupeville United Methodist Church and was established in the late 1970s.

This Saturday the school will host a family-friendly evening of magic to help support scholarships to ensure even more children get a cooperative education.

The Parent Education Cooperative Model, which the Central Whidbey school follows, was established in 1938 by the Seattle Public Schools, primarily serving families with children ages 3 to 5.

“It came from the realization that every profession has knowledge base support, but parents are expected to just know everything,” said Karin Watson, Parent Educator for Skagit Valley College.

The programs moved to technical and community colleges as cooperative education developed and spread around the state. By the 1980s co-op programs in Washington State saw increased growth and support thanks to a then budding politician, Patty Murray.

Locally, the Parent Education Program at Skagit Valley College oversees the Central Whidbey and South Whidbey Co-op preschools. Parents receive college credit and their children receive a valuable social and educational foundation.

“I hear countless times from kindergarten teachers that kids come to school knowing letters and numbers but they don’t know how to get along with each other,” Watson said. Watson works with the co-op parents to establish the instructional program for the school. Parents help choose curriculum for the year, establish and adjust classroom procedures and guidelines and even help select and evaluate the teacher.

Tami Aparicio has been the teacher for the Central Whidbey Preschool for the last five years.

“People don’t realize just how forward thinking Washington is in early childhood education until they move to an area that doesn’t have co-op preschool,” said co-op parent Audrey Pettibon.

Pettibon moved to Whidbey two years ago and immediately contacted the co-op preschool to enroll her twin daughters, 4-year-olds Lindsey and Peri.

“I wanted a school where I was involved in the education of my children,” she said.

At Central Whidbey Co-op there are two groups of learners: children and parents. At the core of the co-op education philosophy is the opportunity for parents to become directly involved in the education of their children while also gaining an education as parents.

“It’s hands-on learning on how to raise kids to be socially competent,” Watson said. “There’s so much anxiety about school readiness that we often miss the social aspect.”

Watson said that people are beginning to realize classroom size isn’t as heavy a factor as it used to be.

“It’s parental involvement in schools that has the greatest impact on a child’s education in the long run,” she said.

Pettibon said it was the parental presence that sealed the deal for her on co-op education. When she was checking out preschools she always walked into classrooms where the students seemed ill at ease.

“There’s always going to be shy children that take a while to get going,” she said. “But at co-op they have comfort that there’s always a mom here. It may not be their mom but they know it’s a friend’s mom.”

Co-op parents are required to spend time in the classroom, attend monthly parent education classes, share their talents by assisting in the administration and maintenance of the school and serve on one committee.

While the classroom commitment can seem daunting to working parents, Watson said the task can be shared.

“Moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles can share the time,” Watson said.

Even when it’s not their turn to help lead class, parents are invited to stop in and be involved in the class.

“We have parents who come each day for circle time and then leave for a while and come back,” Pettibon said. “They get to come and see how their kids interact with their friends.”

Co-op schools offer support for parents, a network of fellow parents to turn to and a parent educator they can glean information from.

“Everything’s very family oriented,’ said co-op parent Alana Camarena, mom of 4-year-old Ruby. “Everyone helps each other out and you can call the other parents if you need anything.”

It’s a lasting foundation for both the parents and the children.

“From kindergarten up, they are there to support each other,” Aparicio said. “It’s a bond that carries through their children’s education years.”