Other events for parents and teachers include a curriculum meeting, family picnics, and several workshops on topics of interest. During the admission process, parents are asked to submit an application and attend a tour of the school. The Family Annex offers a developmentally appropriate curriculum for all children within a framework of extended- day child care. The Family Annex occupies three floors of a Columbia- owned brownstone, containing three classrooms, a backyard, a kitchen, and a common area. The class sizes range from eleven to thirteen students.
Teaching is considered the role of professional staff.
There are one licensed teacher and one teaching assistant per class. However, parents do have direct decision-making authority through an elected board of directors and general membership meetings. All parents are expected to serve on a committee and to participate in the fund-raisers and maintenance weekends. This degree of parent involvement is responsible for the family feeling in the classrooms and at all gatherings. The curriculum emphasizes the individual development of each child through both structured and unstructured activities.