Frequently Asked Questions

Please keep in mind that the following Q & A reflects KCP's pre-COVID schedule. 
Age Requirement
Q: At what age can my child attend KCP?
A: Class age cut-offs are as follows: 
Group I: Children must be 2 by February 28th. 
Group II: Children must be 3 by February 28th. 
Group III: Children must be 4 by May 31st. 
Dates given are for the calendar year in which the school year begins. Thus, for example, children entering Group I in the fall of 2020 must be 2 years old by the end of February of that year.
Tuition Cost
Q: How much does it cost to attend?
A: Please see the Registration page for current tuition rates. 
If you feel tuition will be a hardship for your family, please consider applying for a financial aid. For more information, please email our Registrar. 
Parent Involvement
Q: What do parents have to do as members of KCP?
A:  In order for KCP to function as a nonprofit co-operative preschool, and to maintain its affiliation with Lake Washington Institute of Technology, we have several membership requirements: 
  • One parent from each family must work in the classroom once per week for each child enrolled at the preschool. Certain exceptions apply for parents of multiples or those with newborn babies.
  • At least one parent per family must attend the monthly evening parent meeting.
  • A parent from each family is required to serve on a committee or hold a board position.
  • Each family is asked to meet an annual $100 or more fundraising commitment.
  • We ask that each family fill out and return all the required forms prior to attending their first day of school.
  • Registration, tuition, and insurance fees are the responsibility of each family to pay to KCP in a timely fashion. Registration fees are to be paid per class enrolled while tuition and insurance fees are to be paid per child enrolled in the school. If KCP tuition payment becomes too great a burden on a family, the school has a scholarship program.
  • Per our contract with the church that houses us, the preschool space must be thoroughly cleaned weekly and prepared for the church's Sunday school classes. Two KCP families will be assigned to clean each session. Families usually clean two or three times during the school year.
  • One parent from each family must participate in the annual September set-up OR May pack-up event. This 2-2.5 hour morning event consists of either setting up the classroom for the school year or packing away education supplies for the summer. 
Sibling & Maternity Policy
The purpose of the KCP Sibling Policy is to accommodate parents who are unable or
reluctant to leave their infant while attending class with an older child. The intent of this
policy is to keep the KCP parent education program family friendly to include parents with
infants.
Non-mobile siblings may attend school on their parent’s workday for an additional fee of
$50 per year. Parent’s must wear their child in a front-pack and the sibling will be added to
the roster for insurance purposes. No more than one sibling can attend per workday in each Group. Additional sibling spots may be available in Group I with teacher and board
approval.
For safety reasons, infants are not allowed on the floor of a class. Strollers and car seats
must be stored in a car or just outside the school doors under the awning. The parent is
responsible for all infant care during class. The parent must also maintain supervision of
their assigned area.
Sibling attendance should not affect the quality of the class. It’s important to maintain a
balance between accommodating parents with an infant and maintaining a high quality
program for people who attend with a single child. Sibling attendance is at the teacher’s
discretion. Each quarter, teachers will check-in with parents of siblings to make sure sibling attendance is working for all parties.”
Q: Can my younger child (newborn or toddler) attend class with my older child?
A: Yes, non-mobile siblings can attend class in a front pack with their caregiver.  Sibling spaces are limited and increase your tuition costs.  Let us know if you need a sibling spot when you register.
Q: I'm pregnant, but won't have the baby until after class starts; do I need to register for a sibling spot?
A: Yes, please register for a sibling pot as soon as possible.  Families with newborns are given 6 consecutive weeks off when they are not required to work in class.  Please ask our Registrar for more detailed information about our maternity leave policy if you plan to take maternity leave.
Calendar
Q: When does the KCP school year begin and end?
A: The first day of school is the third Monday of September, and the last day of school every year is the last Thursday of May. Graduation for those going on to kindergarten will also occur in the last week in May.

Q: When does registration begin for the next school year?
A: In the month of January, there is a priority enrollment period for current and former KCP families followed by open registration for the general public. Current and former KCP families get first priority to sign their children up for the following school year. This priority registration period begins on beginning of January, and open registration for the general public begins on the day of the open house (usually mid/late-January). For more information on the registration process, see the registration page. 

Q: How will I know if the preschool is closed for snow or other bad weather? What about spring break and the winter holidays?
A: KCP follows the Lake Washington School District calendar. When they go on vacation, so do we. On half days and conference days for the Lake Washington School District, KCP families will attend class as usual. On the days when the school district has cancelled school due to weather, KCP will also be closed. If LWSD declares a late start, KCP Groups I and II will be cancelled, and Group III will meet as able. 
Toilet Training
Q: Does KCP require children to be toilet trained before they can attend?
A: No. As a co-op, we're able to maintain a very low child/adult ratio of 4:1 or better. We have enough parents helping in the classroom so that someone can take a moment to change a diaper if needed. Many children will be more motivated to use the toilet independently when they see peers demonstrate their toilet mastery at preschool.
​Community Involvement
Q: What other services does KCP offer to its families and the community?
A: In its over seventy-five of operation, KCP has developed traditions of service to the community and to our families:
  • Each year KCP has two major giving campaigns. In November we work with Olive Crest and organize a giving tree to buy gifts for foster kids in need. In the spring, we organize a food drive for Hopelink to help families in need. 
  • Every year just prior to the end of school the board generates a summer park schedule. This enables new, returning and past families to come together during the long summer break from school. 
Jovial & Electronic Payments
Q: What is Jovial? 
A: Jovial is a family information portal especially designed for preschools. KCP uses Jovial for family data management, registration, electronic payments, etc. 
Q: What is ACH?
A: Automated Clearing House, ACH, is similar to an electronic version of a paper check. ACH payments though Jovial will transfer funds directly and securely from your bank account to KCP's bank account. 
​
What is ACH account verification, and how does it work? Jovial will perform a quick verification to confirm that it's really your bank account. You only need to perform this verification ONE TIME, when you submit your first payment. As long as you don't remove your bank account information from your Jovial Family Portal profile, you can make subsequent payments without repeating the verification process. 

How does the verification work? 
  • Make your first payment by entering your bank account information.
  • Prior to processing your payment, Jovial will send two small deposits to your bank account. The two amounts will be random amounts less than $1. 
  • Once you have received the deposits, Jovial will send you an email asking you to check your bank account, note the exact amounts of both deposits, and submit them to Jovial. 
  • If the amounts you enter match the amounts deposited, Jovial will mark your bank account as "verified," and it will process your first payment. 
  • If the amounts you enter do not match, Jovial will give you a few opportunities to try again. If you enter incorrect amounts too many times, the account verification will fail. Your payment will be cancelled. 
  • If you do not complete this process within seven days, the payment will be cancelled, and you'll have to try again.  
Is there a fee for using electronic payments? Not at this time.
How long does it take for my electronic payment to process? 
Two to four business days. 
Why did my electronic payment fail? Sometimes, electronic payments fail after initially being submitted successfully. Common reasons for failures include: 
  • Insufficient funds
  • Invalid/incorrect bank account information
  • Recently closed bank accounts 

Is this process secure? 
All electronic payments are processed by third‐party, dedicated electronic payment providers and their affiliated banks; they use encryption, secure servers, and have dedicated security teams. 

Who do I contact if I have questions or concerns about my Jovial payments? Please email our Treasurer.