Grace
Montessori School Parent/Student Hand Book -
General Information Page 1
Please
be sure that you have thoroughly read and understand the
Grace Montessori School handbook. Please let us know if you
have any questions, comments,
suggestions or concerns.
When you have finished reading the handbook, please print
out the Parent/Student handbook agreement form available
at the end of this
page, read and sign
it and return it with your child's registration package.
Signing the form indicates that you have read and fully
understand the handbook and are
prepared to work with the
school on the guidelines we have put in place for our
school.
 Mission
Statement:
The
mission of Grace Montessori School is to create an
environment for children in which they are
encouraged to explore, create,
socialize and celebrate their unique talents. The
school is committed to developing within each
child a sense of responsibility and
interdependence with their community and the
world.
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Philosophy
Of The School:
We
are dedicated
to
providing quality education and care in the
comfortable classroom setting with a focus on
meaningful activities designed to complement the
child's life. We believe that the process of
lifelong learning is an exciting journey. The
child learns through wonderful and broad
experiences that are exposed to him/her at an
early age. Children learn best when exposed to
various choices. Inner discipline can only be
achieved in an atmosphere of freedom where the
child is trusted to make choices that are
appropriate for their own level of readiness. The
teacher is there to support, teach, encourage,
redirect and supervise.
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The
Montessori Method:
The Montessori approach is a system of education
which encompasses both the philosophy on the
child's growth and a rationale for guiding such
growth. It is based on the child's developmental
needs for freedom within limits. In addition, a
carefully prepared environment guarantees exposure
to material and experiences to develop
intelligence as well as physical and psychological
abilities. It is designed to take full advantage
of the self motivation process, the unique
abilities of children and to allow them to develop
their own capabilities and inner gifts.
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Goal:
Grace Montessori strives to provide high quality
education and childcare programs consistent with
the Montessori philosophy. this includes fostering
self confidence, caring, independence and
respecting the fact that children are different
from adults and each other. We strive to meet the
needs of working parents or children 18 months to
six years, be as financially strong as it is
educationally vibrant, provide a strong sense of
community for children and their families. We seek
to perpetuate and recognize the unique and special
relationship we have with our neighbors.
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Qualifications,
Schedules,
Tuition:
Our rates are designed so that the longer
your child is at school, the lower your hourly
rate. We have designed various schedules to best
suit your childcare needs. Our set schedules
ensure that one adult will be present during class
time when there are 12 children present and 2
adults will be present for any number of children
between 12 and 24 in the Combo classes and more
than 6 children in the Basic Trust class. This
will increase individualized attention and
instruction to each child. Please make an
appointment with our Director to discuss tuition.
We do offer a VERY LIMITED three day program from
8:30am to 12:30pm and 8:30am to 3:00pm.
Please be sure that when you register, you let us
know which time slot and days you are seeking so
that we can best suit the needs of you and your
child. Three day programs will be given on a first
come first served basis. Please make sure that the
time slot you choose is the exact time slot you
are in need of as changes are not easily made due
to guidelines of the student teacher ratio. We
need to know in advance how many teachers we will
need to make sure the children are getting the
best educational experience possible.
You can view class times by clicking here: Class Information
If
you choose to remove your child for a period of
time to attend an outside program, you will be
required to pay one half of the monthly tuition in
order to hold a spot for your child at Grace
Montessori. There will be no refunds for days your
child might miss for reasons such as, but not
limited to sickness and vacations.
Teachers are hired for a position at Grace
Montessori School based on the number of children
enrolled in each class. If a child is withdrawn
from a classroom, this can affect the number of
hours previously available to a teacher in that
classroom if the number of children drops below
the State mandated number of teachers per number
of children in the classroom. Beginning in August
of 2020: From August to May of each year, unless a
child is removed due to a Military transfer or a
transfer due to a job leading you out of Mtn Home,
the $100.00 last month of school deposit will be
applied to your last months tuition. A 30 day
notice MUST be given!
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Multi-Age
Grouping:
Multi-age grouping accommodates the child's inner
development rather than relying on age as the
primary indicator for readiness with instruction.
Peer cooperation and peer tutoring increases
achievement and self esteem in both the older and
younger child. There is the added advantage that
students and teacher enjoy the experience of being
together for more than one year. In a multi-age
classroom there are also established models so
that teachers spend less time teaching the
classroom routines. Ultimately, multi-age grouping
offers increased flexibility and learning to the
child's individual needs.
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Diversity:
The
Montessori
approach typically appeals to people from
diverse and colorful backgrounds. We, as a
school, wish to expose and educate our children
about the exciting diversity that makes up our
society. The children will learn to embrace and
respect the differences within our population
today. The children will learn and be exposed to
different cultures and traditions from all over
the world.
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Preparing
Your Child:
Most young infants, up to seven (7) months,
adapt to caring adults and seldom have
problems adjusting to childcare. Older infants
may be upset when left with strangers. They
will need extra time and your support to “get
to know” the caregiver.
Some
children
show changes in behavior when they start
childcare. Toddlers may cry, act out and refuse
to go to childcare or act angry in other ways.
Preschoolers may regress and behave like a
younger child. They may be more wakeful at
night. This behavior usually goes away after a
few days or weeks in high quality childcare
facility.
You
can
reduce your child's fears about starting
childcare. Visit the program or family childcare
home with your child before beginning care. Show
your child that you like and trust the
caregiver. Arrange a visit with in-home
providers while you are at home or when you need
childcare for a short time. Preparation and
familiarity make any new experience easier for
children. There are also storybooks about
childcare that you can read together. Check with
your local library for titles and availability.
After
a
child has been in childcare, a sudden change in
caregivers may be upsetting. This can happen
even if the new caregiver is kind and competent.
If you are concerned about your child's
feelings, you may want to arrange a meeting the
caregiver or ask your Pediatrician for advice.
Parents need to help the caregivers and the
child deal with any changes in the child's
routine at home or at childcare.
Good
childcare
helps children grow in every way and promotes
their physical, social and mental development as
well as offering support to working parents.
Your Pediatrician wants your child to grow and
develop with enjoyment in a setting that
supports you as a parent, and so do we.
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Community:
It is the expressed desire of the school to create
a sense of community within the children through
our work in the classrooms, education and filed
trips. In partnership with the parents, it is our
goal to teach children to be good corporate
citizens of our community. We want to create a
sense of awareness and eagerness for children to
be a contributing part of the community. If we
create a sense of enthusiasm and desire in the
child to make a difference in the world, then we
have planted a seed for the future.
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Non-Competitive
Atmosphere:
The school has a goal to create a stimulating and
cooperative environment rather than a competitive
environment. It is important for the children to
develop a joy and enthusiasm for learning.
Allowing each child to learn and advance in their
own time, without having to keep up with other
students, allows for a calm, relaxed learning
environment for everyone in the classroom. A
non-competitive learning environment is a vital
part of learning and a strong belief within our
Grace Montessori School.
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What Is A
Montessori Toddler Program All About:
Rest and inactivity are foreign to the toddler's
nature, something that every parent of a toddler
knows firsthand. The prepared toddler environment
is a place where the very young child is able to
act upon his nature energies and curiosity. We all
know the toddler is in constant motion and objects
just seem to leap up into his or her hands. The
toddler is encouraged to touch, handle and explore
everything in his surroundings. His attention span
is limited, so the prepared environment provides a
wide variety of materials.
The child is given freedom in the indoor and the
outdoor environments to select activities that
satisfy his needs. We encourage this within
appropriate limits. We also encourage
independence. The toddler wants to do things by
himself, unfortunately in today's hurry up pace,
there is not always time or patience to allow the
small child to complete the job at hand all by
himself. The toddler prepared environment and
program are designed to be convenient for the
child. The prepare toddler environment is his
place to feel at ease and at home. It is our aim,
as the aware adult, to remove obstacles that
frustrate the child by building furnishings to his
size and having materials at his arms reach and at
his eye level.
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What
is a Montessori Primary Program All about:
Entrance
to the primary classroom varies in ages. A child
usually enters the classroom between the ages of
2 1/2 and 3 years old, demanding on the child's
readiness. The child will begin with the
simplest exercises based on activities to which
she or she is drawn. The materials and equipment
used will help to develop concentration,
coordination, independence and a sense of order.
The primary classroom is designed to take
advantage of the child's sensitive years between
the ages of 2 1/2 to 6, when the child best
absorbs information from and enriched
environment.
We will try to cultivate his/her own natural
desire to learn. Our objective is to first allow
the children to experience the excitement of
learning by their own choice, rather than being
forced.
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What
is a Montessori Kindergarten Program all
about:
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Programs
Offered
For The Calendar Year:
Summer
Camp: When Summer camp is over, we have two weeks
of extended day before the fall session begins. If
your child is not returning to Grace Montessori in
the Fall, their last day will be during the last
week of Summer school.
Parent
Education: Parent education programs may be
scheduled through the year to share information
about our school and the progress we are making.
Your attendance is highly encouraged. Please refer
to our school calendar for dates and times.
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Newsletter:
Any information that is needing to be
shared throughout the year will appear on our
"News Letter" page and on our Bright Wheel page
each month. Please make sure you read the News
Letter page as well as our Bright Wheel pages as
often as possible, these pages serve as our best
form of communication that allows for immediate
updates of any information we need to communicate
to our parents, important dates, upcoming events,
time changes, PTO information and at times,
helpful information about the growth and health of
children and more.
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End
Of The Year BBQ And Silent Auction:
We end our year
with a BBQ and silent auction. Families are
encouraged to come and enjoy good food and check
out the items that the children have worked on all
year long that are up for auction. This is a pot
lock that we hold at the school and it allows our
staff and families to socialize one last time
before the Summer break. This event will be held
on a Friday, the last day of school.
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Information
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