Frequently Asked Questions About Lakehill Preschool

A co-operative preschool (often called a co‑op preschool) is a unique preschool model where families actively participate in running the school alongside professional teachers. Parents or caregivers contribute time in the classroom (optional) and help with administration and decision‑making through volunteer roles assigned to each family. Co-operative preschools are a great way to build a sense of community, creating connections and memories for life.

Classroom helpers will complete 1-2 classroom helper shifts per month (days flexible) and will attend a monthly parent education seminar and preschool meeting (approx. 1.5 hrs) held on the second Tuesday of every month.

All families are required to take on one volunteer role per household. Volunteer roles include: Executive (President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.); Classroom Representative; Outdoor Maintenance; Indoor Maintenance; Seasonal Fundraising & Events; and/or Special Assignments (please inquire). Most volunteer roles require about 2 hours a month. All families are invited to attend the monthly parent education seminar and preschool meeting.

No. We are licensed as a Preschool, not a daycare, so we have certain parameters for the duration of sessions. We believe our sessions offer flexibility in a caregiver’s day, and an appropriate amount of variety and age-appropriate learning.

Our classes are a great way to prepare your child for Kindergarten!

We offer preschool programs for 3- and 4-year olds.

Registration opens to the public each February. Families are welcome to contact us to join our priority list and receive updates about our open house and registration.

As a registered non-profit, our registration and monthly fees directly support the day‑to‑day operation of the preschool. Fees help cover essential costs such as facility rental, supplies, equipment maintenance, educators’ wages, guest speakers, insurance, bookkeeping, and other operational expenses.

To keep our preschool affordable and accessible for families, we actively fundraise throughout the year to supplement these costs.

Each year, the proposed budget is presented to parents and voted on at our Annual General Meeting, held in May.

We welcome families from across Greater Victoria, who live, work, or have extended family near our Saanich based preschool. Neighborhoods include (but are not exclusive to) Cedar Hill, Lakehill, Gordon Head, Cordova Bay, Broadmead, Royal Oak, Hillside/Quadra, Oaklands, and Fernwood.

Our Top 5 Points of Difference:

1. Co-operative Preschool Model: Including opportunities for parent participation, community building, and student involvement.

2. Accessible and Affordable Rates: Regardless of how often your child attends, or how involved your household is, we have accessible and affordable preschool offerings for 3-4-year-olds across Saanich BC.

3. Outdoor Play Space: Our uniquely large outdoor space with proximity to nature rivals an outdoor or nature-based classroom. Outdoor playtime is built into every session, and during warmer months we transition more of our learning outdoors to our ‘learning gazebo’ and outdoor play space. This can include riding bikes, sandbox time, water station, chalk, bubbles, ball sports, hula hoops, pretend play, practical living, scavenger hunts, nature crafts, gardening, and/or sensory play.

4. Dynamic ‘Learning-Through-Play’ Environment: changing through the seasons and based on class interests, including theme-based toys, multi-sensory stations, daily arts and crafts, circle time, snack, and free-play.

5. Sense of Community: Read our testimonials and you will soon see that becoming a Lakehill Preschool family is an enriching experience and can create lifelong memories and connections! You get out of it, what you put into it.