Grace Montessori School Parent/Student Hand Book  - General Information

​

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.



Student/Teacher Ratio:
There will be a ratio of 1 teacher for every 6 children in our Basic Trust classroom and a ratio of 1 teacher for every 12 children in our Combos and Kindergarten classes. We will maintain these child-to-teacher ratios at ALL times throughout our school year.

Spanish Class:
When a teacher is available, all students will participate in a weekly, half-hour Spanish class.

Admission Policy:
Grace Montessori admits students on a non-discriminatory basis. We accept children from 2 years to 6 years of age. Exceptions on the age will be made on the child's readiness and will be decided by the Director and staff. Grace Montessori complies with all applicable Federal, State and local laws concerning equal employment and discrimination in places of public accommodation. It is our policy not to discriminate based on an individuals race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, Veteran status, age or any other basis protected by Federal, State or local law. This policy applies equally to employees, applicants for employment, contractors, guests and enrolled as well as prospective students and their parents.
 
Enrollment Policy:
Grace Montessori reserves the right to maintain class balance with respect to age and curriculum needs. Students will be considered based on available time blocks as we only have a limited amount of blocks available.
 
Priority Of Placement:
Children that are existing students will be offered the opportunity to make the first choice in programs and enrollment. Once existing students are served, priority will go to siblings, alumni, and public waiting list children, respectively. The Director reserves the right to adjust the enrollment placement of children at any time.
 
Idaho Licensing Policy:
Grace Montessori is a certified and licensed program. We operate in accordance with licensing rules and regulations for Childcare Facilities as outlined by the Department of Health's Services through the State Of Idaho.
 
Open Door Policy:
We encourage you to visit the school, however, should you wish to visit your child's class any time after October as the children may be settled into the classroom, please be sure to set up an appointment with your child's teacher, in advance. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.
 
Attendance Policy:
Parents are asked to notify the school their child will not be attending for any reason. There is no reduction in tuition for absences. We ask that you make a commitment to have your child attend regularly and be ready to begin class at the scheduled time. Children must arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. for class to attend school that day. Children must arrive on time as it is imperative to maintain our school structure.

 

We have allowed for many days off with the holidays including Christmas break and spring break to allow time with families.

We understand that unexpected illnesses can happen at any time causing your child to be absent from school for lengthy periods of time. In order to keep your child's time slot and space open at the school, in the event of an extended absence, tuition payments will need to continue. Tuition covers teachers' salaries as well as other expenses associated with keeping the school open and functioning properly. In order to avoid layoffs and other cost cuts, tuition fees are necessary even during illness, vacations, and other non-school related absences. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.
 
Withdrawal Policy:
Children are admitted for the duration of the academic school year. Any withdrawals from the school should be made as soon as possible. Registration fees are non-refundable.  Please make all written requests for withdrawal one month prior to the final date your child will attend. These same policies also apply for Summer enrollments. IF YOU DO NOT GIVE A 30-DAY NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL, YOU WILL FORFEIT THE REMAINDER OF YOUR CHILD'S TUITION FOR THE MONTH.
 
Payment Policy:
Yearly tuition is based on ten months equally for school. Extended days are not figured in with the monthly tuition so they will be billed on an extended-day basis. Tuition payments are due in full by the 5th of every month for the current month. There will be a $35.00 late fee assessed for payments made after the 5th of the month. PAYMENT IS DUE ON THE 5TH OF EACH MONTH, IF PAYMENT IS ONE MONTH OR MORE BEHIND, GRACE MONTESSORI SCHOOL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO END YOUR CHILD'S ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOL.
 
After 5:30 p.m. Late Fee:
It is vital to your child that he/she be collected on time, therefore, the consequences for a tardy parent are strong. FOR EVERY FIVE MINUTES OF TARDINESS $10.00 WILL NEED TO BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE TEACHER BEFORE LEAVING, ON THE DAY YOU ARE LATE. Any problems or emergencies must be communicated to the staff as soon as possible when you find out about them.
 
Drop-Off Policy:
We can't stress enough the importance of the arrival and departure transitions. A punctual arrival is critical! Prompt arrival makes it possible for your child to settle smoothly into his/her daily routine primarily because your child will receive an appropriate greeting time with their teacher, assistant, and peers.

 

• Overall, the 8:30 am drop-off time in the Montessori setting often use the early morning to prepare the environment, set up materials, and plan for the day

​

Arriving at school late not only gets your child's day off to a rocky start, but it breaks the other children's fragile concentration and it's not fair to the rest of the class. Teachers are also interrupted and can not stay on their morning schedule as needed by the children. If you need to meet with the teacher for more than a few minutes please contact them after class time as they are attending to the needs of your children at class time. Here are a few ways to get ahold of your teacher. Either through Bright Wheel or email gracemontessori@msn.com or a phone call after work on 208 580 0205. They will not be able to visit with you during class time. Happy, positive, and prompt goodbyes will also make daily transitions go smoother and easier for the children and staff. 

 

Overall, the 8:30 AM drop-off time in Montessori schools is carefully chosen to support the educational philosophy, promote a sense of community, and maximize the learning opportunities for each child throughout the day.  

​

Release Of Children Policy:
Children will be released to those persons listed on the Bright Wheel contacts. If there is a change to this, it must be submitted in writing and added to the forms in the office. Proof of identification is required at the time of pick up from anyone who has not previously picked up the child or at the time identification is requested. On occasion, a parent may need to call the school to authorize an additional person to pick up a child from the school. The person picking up the child must have proper identification and a relationship with the child. Always have contact with a staff member in the classroom or on the playground when picking up your child.
 
Volunteer Policy:
If you have an interest in something or a talent, passion, etc., please let us know if you would like to volunteer to present a program to your child's class. Contact your child's teacher if you are interested. The volunteer policy in the Basic Trust classroom may not be possible due to toddler separation issues.

 

In a Montessori school, it's very important for parent volunteers. Why?  
In Montessori schools, parent volunteers play a crucial role because they contribute to the collaborative community environment that is central to the Montessori philosophy. Their involvement helps to strengthen the connection between home and school, supports the child's holistic development by fostering a sense of continuity, and enhances the overall learning experience through shared experiences and perspectives. This active participation also allows parents to gain deeper insights into their child's educational journey and enables them to better support their child's learning and development both at school and at home.  

 

What kind of volunteering? 
At GMS parent volunteering can encompass a variety of activities and roles, depending on the needs of the school and the interests of the parents. Some common types of volunteering include:  
•    Classroom Assistance: Parents may assist teachers by preparing materials, and activities, supervising activities, or supporting individual or small groups of children during supervising work periods. 
•    Field Trips and Outings: Parents often accompany students on field trips, helping to ensure safety, facilitating learning experiences, and providing additional supervision.  
 

The importance of our structure:

1. Uninterrupted Work Period: Montessori classrooms emphasize uninterrupted work periods where children engage deeply in their activities and lessons: Starting the day promptly allows for a longer period of focused learning and exploration without disruptions  

2. Community and Social Interaction: The beginning of the day often includes community time, where children greet each other, engage in group activities, and participate in discussions. Arriving on time ensures that children can fully participate in these social interactions, which are integral to their development.  

3. Respect for the Child's Time: Montessori philosophy respects the child's need for uninterrupted concentration and autonomy in learning. Prompt arrival supports this principle by allowing children to engage fully in their chosen activities without feeling rushed or hurried.

 
PTO - Parent Teacher Organization Policy:
Our goal is to have parents participate in a PTO for Grace Montessori School. Due to low participation and interest, we have not had a PTO for the past few years. We would love to hear your thoughts about any interest in participating in, organizing and helping to rebuild our PTO. Please contact one of our staff for any interest in this are.

Purpose:

The Grace Montessori Parent Teacher Organization provides ways for parents to contribute to the school's mission and goals, builds the connection between parents and the school and enhances the sense of community.

The PTO supports efforts through: (Currently no PTO 2024-2025)

•  School functions to build connections between families and staff members.

•  Teach support to ease the burden of chores that fall on our teachers.

•   Community involvement to help the school give back to the community.

• Supporting parent education to help parents understand the Montessori approach.

• Welcoming new families into the school community and ensuring that they fully understand all the opportunities and obligations that are associated with the school.

• Ground maintenance to help provide an environment of beauty for our children.    

The PTO usually meets once a month to coordinate efforts and programs. These meetings are open to all parents. Meeting dates and times are posted on the school calendar and not announced in the school newsletter. If you have a suggestion and are unable to attend the meeting, please contact the PTO officer or committee head. Any time you have a question or comment regarding the PTO effort, please feel free to contact the PTO President.

For each activity or function, there is a leader assigned. Leadership can take many forms, most often a parent, sometimes a teacher, and sometimes the leadership of a parent staff member or multiple parents working as a committee, these people are the ones who truly make events possible.
 
Nap Policy:
Children who require a mid-day nap will be given the opportunity to take one. Please bring a crib sheet and blanket the same size as the crib sheet no pillow, sleep sack or pillowcase, we will provide a sleep mat. Children may bring one small sleeping buddy such as a stuffed animal or a doll. Please label all of the child's belongings for health purposes. It is required that all blankets be taken home at the end of the week to wash and be returned the following week. The linen must be provided using a reusable shopping bag. We will provide the first bag free at parent night. 
 
General Discipline Policy:
Grace Montessori shall not display or condone any form of child abuse, neglect or exploitation. Our goal at Grace Montessori is to work with the children to develop internal control of his/her behavior. The options for guidance and discipline take various forms and are as follows:

1. Environment-peace table. This is a space created in each classroom where the child may go to re-group and collect him/herself. It is quiet and peaceful and provides an activity geared toward refocusing and reflection.
2. Logical rules involve concepts such as "hands are for helping, not for hurting", "use your words" and taking care of the environment.
3. Positive behavior: We encourage the children when they are making good choices and follow the positive discipline guidelines.
4. Redirection: We may need to remove a child from the situation and place the child in another area of the environment to give them an opportunity to refocus and consider alternate behaviors.

Grace Montessori will use the following guidelines:
1. Staff members will define and maintain consistent, reasonable rules and limitations for a child's behavior and will teach, model, and encourage orderly conduct, personal control, and age-appropriate behavior.
2. The teacher will explain to the child why a particular behavior is not allowed or appropriate and will suggest an alternative and assist the child to become engaged in an alternate activity.
3. If the teacher determines that a child's behavior may result in harm to him/herself or others, the teacher may gently hold the child until he/she regains control of their behavior.
4. A staff member shall ensure that the method of discipline used will not cause harm to the health, safety, or welfare of a child.
5. Any abusive punishment, including verbal, by any staff member or parent, on the premises, will not be permitted.

While we do not anticipate any problems with any child, we are aware that with changes in school, new teachers and the new environment, a can and will at times experience confusion and display some behaviors that are not typical of that child. At Grace Montessori School, we will make every effort to work with parents and children to help make this transition as smooth as possible for parents, children and our staff members.
 
In the unlikely event that we are unable to help a child make the transition within a 30 to 90 day period, at the discretion of the Directress, we may find it necessary to make the tough decision to remove the child from our school in order to avoid interruptions in the daily routine of our other students as well as our staff members.

Please be assured that before the decision to dismiss any child from Grace Montessori School is made, we will assess the situation, work with the child, work with the parents as well as any outside sources that parents may be working with and every effort will be made to keep the child enrolled so that we can help to avoid any further disruptions in their daily routine. It is never our wish to dismiss any child, however, we have to keep in mind the safety, well being and the overall peaceful and calm atmosphere at Grace Montessori School. We hope that parents will understand this and work with us as needed in this area.

 

Montessori uses the 3D approach to discipline. The 3 D's refer to dangerous, destructive, or disrespectful behaviors that may occur in the classroom. When these behaviors happen, adults should respond immediately and without hesitation to protect children, others, and objects. It's important to intervene to prevent children from developing habits of destructive, dangerous, or disrespectful behavior. Instead, adults can try to redirect children with safe, constructive, and respectful techniques. For example, an adult might say something pleasant like, "Ah, I can see this isn't a good time for this".
 
Biting/Hitting Policy:
If an ongoing challenge arises with excessive biting and/or hitting, the following procedures will be followed:
 

The biting/hitting policy can be viewed here: CLICK HERE

The head teacher of the classroom will review the time frame of the incidents, the frequency of the incidents and the severity of the incidents and any related circumstances will be considered when making a disciplinary decision.
 
Discharge Policy:
Grace Montessori reserves the right to cancel the enrollment of a child for the following reasons:

1. Non-payment or excessive late payment fees.

2. Failure to observe the rules of the school.

3. Physical and/or verbal abuse of staff or children by a parent or a child.

4. If a child is constantly disruptive and interfering with the learning process of peers in his/her class.

5. The school is unable to meet the special needs of the child.

In the event that there is a concern regarding the child's continued participation in the classroom, Grace Montessori will immediately contact the respective parents for a conference. It is left to the discretion of the head teacher to continue enrollment of the child under challenging circumstances. 

Health Policy:
When children are ill, they need special attention and tender loving care. Please do not send your child to school with a fever of 99 or above, or when taken under the arm add one point, sore throat, bad cough or Flu symptoms. If your child shows signs of being ill while at school, you will be contacted to come to school and pick up your child. A child must be free of a fever for at least 24 hours before returning to school. If your child is on antibiotics, he/she must have been on the medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Please remember to sign the top of the illness report that you understand the procedures. 

Sending children to school when they are sick exposes the other children as well as the staff to whatever illness your child has and this can create a long-lasting circle of illness in the school. A child who is sick will have a hard time concentrating and will not be at their best for learning the days lessons. We ask that you please help us to maintain and healthy learning environment for the children and staff by keeping your child home when they are sick. All items chapstick IB profine or anything brought to school needs to be filled out with a medication report just in case another child gets into it and has a reaction. 

 

Sample sick leave form: CLICK HERE
 
Communicable Disease:
In the event of a communicable disease, notices will be sent home to children have been exposed. A Doctor's release may be requested upon the return of children who were absent due to a communicable disease including Head Lice.
 
Medication Policy:
A completed Medication/Treatment Authorization form must be filled out by the parent of any child who requires medication at school. The form along with the medication in the original container showing the Doctor's prescription instructions must be brought to the school before a medication will be administered to any child. A Medication/Treatment Authorization form must accompany ALL medications including but not limited to the following: Sunscreen, lotions, diaper rash ointments and chapstick. All medications must be given to the head teacher of the classroom upon arrival and all prescriptions must have the following information listed: Expiration date, First and last name of the child taking the medication, prescription number, dosage and routine administration, instructions for administration if indicated, there should be starting and ending dates of the dosage period, times and frequency of administration for doses needed during school hours and the date of authorization. We ask that you NOT leave ANY medications in your child's backpack, coat pockets, lunch boxes, or cubbies at school, please make sure that ALL medications are given directly to a staff member.

The teacher shall:
1. Administer a prescription medication provided by a parent for a child only from a container prepackaged and labeled for use by the manufacturer and labeled with the child's name.
2. Log name and amount of medication administered and the prescription number, if any.
3. Log the date and time the medication was administered.
4. Log the signature of the staff member who administered the medications to the child. The record shall be maintained on facility premises from 12 months from the date the medication was administered.
5. Grace Montessori shall return all unused medication to the parent when the medication prescription date has expired, the medication is no longer be administered to the child or in cases where a child is no longer enrolled at Grace Montessori or a parent is unable to be located, the medication will be properly disposed of.

To print an authorization form for medication Click here for a printable Medication/Treatment Authorization Form

Toy Policy:
We ask that you not send toys, other than a small buddy to nap with, to school with your child. We ask that you not send any belongings that are not necessary, to school with your child as these items can be broken, lost and cause distractions during class times. We ask that items that are necessary, such as: lunch, jacket, extra clothing and items needed for napping, be transported to school in your child's backpack.
 
Lunch And Snack Policy:
Healthy and nutritious snacks will be provided for your child every day. The snacks will be low in sugar. A snack calendar will be sent home at the beginning of each month. The snack calendar indicates the day that your child is responsible to supply the class snack and will give you a suggestion of what to bring. Water is available and supplied to the children at all times during the day.

All children must bring a lunch box from home. We ask that the lunch be provided in an insulated lunch box with your child's name clearly marked and easily visible and that the lunches include healthy, nutritious foods low in sugar. Please provide and ice pack to keep food in your child's lunch bunch fresh and if needed, a thermos containing their warm foods. Please label any containers that will not be thrown away, such as Tupperware, with the child's name clearly visible on the item to ensure that it will be returned to you. In the event that your child does not bring lunch to school, we may contact you and we ask that you not bring fast food as this disrupts the class and distracts from those eating a healthy, nutritious lunch. 

We ask that you not send soda pop or candy in your child's lunch, these items will not be served at lunch and will be returned to your child's lunch box. If your child has a special diet or has an allergy to any foods, please notify the head teacher and fill out and emergency form stating the food allergy and if there is any medication supplied such as an Epi Pen.
 
Birthday Policy:
You are invited to celebrate your child's life with us in the classroom. We meet together at our line and set up the months of the year around the "Sun", with a candle sitting in the middle of the Sun. Your child holds the globe and starting at his/her birth month, walks around the Sun one time for each year of their life. The teacher will introduce the child and then mom or dad will share events from the first year of the child's birth, if mom or dad is not available, the teacher will share the information, about each year of the child's life is shared as they walk around the Sun.

This celebration is a nice way to share the life of your child with the class and focuses on your child's life rather than gifts and sweet treats. Our focus is to acknowledge this special time by recognizing the unique and special traits and events in your child's life. The celebration of life may vary from room to room and teacher to teacher and is based on the age of the child and the individuality of the classroom.

 

Fire drills are conducted monthly in our school for several important reasons:
1. Safety Preparedness: Regular drills ensure that students and staff know what to do in case of a fire emergency. This preparedness can save lives by ensuring everyone reacts swiftly and appropriately.
2. Practice and Familiarity: Familiarity breeds competence. By practicing fire drills monthly, individuals become more comfortable with evacuation procedures and escape routes, reducing panic and confusion during a real emergency.
3. Compliance: Idaho Stars and educational authorities mandate regular fire drills to ensure schools are compliant with safety regulations. This helps maintain a safe environment for everyone on the school grounds.
4. Identification of Issues: Conducting drills allows Teachers to see potential issues or obstacles that may hinder a quick and safe evacuation. This includes checking fire alarms, emergency exits, and evacuation routes.
5. Continuous Improvement: Each drill provides an opportunity to evaluate and improve emergency response. This iterative process enhances overall safety protocols.
In essence, monthly fire drills are a proactive measure to protect the lives and well-being of everyone within the school community by ensuring preparedness, compliance with safety regulations, and continuous improvement in emergency. 
 
Clothing And Personal Items Policy:
Please dress your child in comfortable, season and weather-appropriate clothing that will be easy for them to manage. Please bring basic slippers with a rubber sole (no characters or anything sticking out of the top as this them from knowing how to sit properly at circle.)

We ask that you supply an extra set of clothing, also weather-appropriate, for your child and that it be kept in their backpack at all times. A complete change of clothing should include the following: shirt, pants/shorts, underwear, and socks. Please keep these items in a labeled, Zip lock bag inside of your child's backpack. Please make sure that you label all clothing, including coats, hats and gloves with your child's name in permanent marker. You will also need to bring a wet bag as seen below.
 
Records Policy:
Each parent will be required to provide the necessary enrollment information prior to the beginning of school. Immunization records should be kept updated at all times. All records of children attending Grace Montessori School are kept confidential.

Note: If you have chosen not to get your child immunized, you MUST agree that in the event of any kind of outbreak, such as, but not limited to Measles, you will keep your child home for 21 days from the date of the outbreak. You will be required to pay full tuition for the time your child is out of school, in order to hold their spot. Print out that agreement for here: Unvaccinated Child Form
 
Field Trip Policy:
Grace Montessori shall obtain written permission from a parent before a child participates in any field trips. A field trip permission slip will be filled out for each field trip we go on. A field trip permission slip will include:

1. The date and purpose of the field trip
2. The times of departure and return to school
3. The name, address and telephone number of the destination.
4. The cost, if applicable, of the field trip.

Observations Policy:
Observations of your child's classroom are encouraged and may be scheduled through the head teacher of your child's class. There are observation guidelines that we hand out to help maximize your time in the classroom. We ask parents to refrain from doing any observation time prior to October 15th as this is the time in which the children are establishing a routine and settling into the school year.
 
Conferences Policy:
Conferences are held twice throughout the school year. Both parents are expected to attend the conference with their child's teachers. Please see the school calendar for conference dates. Sign-up sheets will be available before the conferences take place. Parents will have the opportunity to reschedule the conference up to two weeks after the scheduled conference time if needed.

Parent/Child conferences are important as this is when the children will show you what they have been working on throughout the year.

Kindergarten students going into first grade will have a parent/teacher conference in the Spring.

Basic Trust will also have parent/teacher conferences throughout the year.

 

Suspension Refund Policy:

Purpose:

• a. The purpose of this policy is to outline the procedure for providing refunds to parents or guardians in the event of a student's suspension from the school.
   

Eligibility for Refund:

• a. A partial refund may be offered to parents or guardians of a student who has been suspended from the school.

• b. Refunds will be considered for the period during which the student is unable to attend classes due to the suspension.
   

Calculation of Refund:

• a. The amount of the refund will be calculated based on the tuition fees paid for the duration of the suspension.

• b. Refunds will be prorated based on the number of school days the student is suspended.

• c. The decision to grant a refund and the amount refunded will be at the discretion of the school administration.
   

Request for Refund:

• a. Parents or guardians must submit a written request for a suspension refund to the administration office.

• b. The request should include details of the suspension, including the dates and reasons for the suspension.
   

Review Process:

• a. The administration office will review the request for a suspension refund.

• b. The decision to grant a refund will be communicated to the parents or guardians in writing.
   

Refund Disbursement:

• a. Approved refunds will be disbursed by [insert method of payment] within [insert time frame].

• b. Refunds will be issued to the individual or entity responsible for paying the tuition fees.
   

Appeals:

• a. If a request for a suspension refund is denied, parents or guardians may appeal the decision by submitting additional information or documentation to support their case.

• b. The appeal will be reviewed by the school administration, and a final decision will be communicated to the parents or guardians.
   

Policy Review:

• a. This suspension refund policy will be reviewed periodically and may be subject to updates or revisions at the discretion of the school administration.

• Please note that this policy should be customized to fit the specific policies and procedures of your school, and it should comply with any legal or regulatory requirements applicable in your jurisdiction.

Communications With The Teacher:
We ask that parents share and communicate with the teachers on a regular, as-needed basis. It is difficult for the teachers to discuss anything at length during drop-off and pick-up times or during class time. Teachers appreciate messages, questions, suggestions and other communications in written form and will meet face-to-face when needed.

Please print out and sign the Grace Montessori School Parent/Student Hand Book agreement form: CLICK HERE FOR THE FORM
By signing this form, you acknowledge that you have read and thoroughly understand the policies and procedures of Grace Montessori School and agree to them.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please call 208-580-0205 and we will be happy to help you.
 

Our goal at Grace Montessori is to try to meet the needs of every child!

​

PREVIOUS PAGE ->