Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's education at Columbia Greenhouse. Teachers and parents communicate often as they share information informally during arrival and pick-up times or in telephone conversations. Parents and teachers meet together at the Welcome Meeting at the beginning of the school year and at the Curriculum Night held later in the year. Two planned conferences are scheduled each year for teachers to meet individually with parents. In addition, parents are invited to participate in the life of the classroom by sharing in special activities and by sharing their interests with the class.

All Columbia Greenhouse families are members of the Parents Association, and parents are encouraged to attend Parent Association meetings. Meetings provide the opportunity for parents to exchange ideas and attend workshops that address the interests of the parent body. The class representative from each class attends meetings and acts as the official liaison between members of the class and the association. The Parents Association also functions to support the fundraising efforts of the school.

Parents are asked to continue the long and proud history of parent involvement at Columbia Greenhouse, and each family is expected to make one major contribution. There are many ways to be involved, including serving as a class parent, newsletter writer, admissions guide, or as a co-chair or committee member of one of the annual fundraising events. Getting involved is a wonderful way to meet other parents and to feel part of the school community.

Listed below are the events and meetings that usually take place each year.

Parent/Teacher Welcome Meeting - a meeting for parents to meet their child's teachers before school begins. Special attention is paid to the plans for the first weeks of school and how separation will be handled.

Family Welcome Picnic - a picnic to welcome all families to Greenhouse that is held on a Columbia campus lawn. Each family brings dinner and Greenhouse provides watermelon.

Apple Day Bake Sale - a bake sale with apple desserts and other goodies that takes place on the Columbia campus.

Curriculum Night - a group meeting for parents that is organized to discuss the early childhood curriculum set up in the classrooms and the teacher's plans for the year.

Parent Workshops - a presentation or discussion group several times a year on topics of interest to parents.

Annual Auction and Dinner - a fun evening with a catered dinner, lively auction, and dancing.

Kindergarten Admissions Information Night - a meeting for those parents who will be applying to kindergarten in the following year.

Spring Fair - an elaborate street fair on our block with games for children, wonderful food, rummage, pony rides, Castle ride, petting zoo, and a raffle.

Family Farewell Picnic - a closing picnic that is held at the end of the year on a Columbia campus lawn. Parents bring a picnic dinner and Greenhouse provides watermelon for dessert.