FAQ

Early language immersion is one of the best ways for children to become bilingual – a privilege that has shown to have life-long benefits. Our Spanish bilingual program is integrated into the Montessori classroom, so children receive both the authentic Montessori education and a strong Spanish language program at the same time. Every classroom will have two Head Teachers, one who speaks English only and one who speaks Spanish only. Children will receive lessons on the different areas of the classroom in both languages to solidify their understanding of both.

We offer two educational programs: a Toddler Program (18 months through 3 years old), and our Primary Program (3 years old through kindergarten). Both programs teach lessons in Spanish and English so a bilingual program is integrated into our Montessori environment throughout the day. In each program, children develop independence, knowledge, and confidence in their abilities.

Children’s classroom activities are called “work,” as part of our strategy to develop a positive association between school, learning, and work. Teachers incorporate “extracurricular” activities into the classroom, including music, art, and much more! Our teachers give lessons in Spanish and English so a bilingual program is integrated into our Montessori environment every minute of the day.

We offer two options for toddlers and primary students. Toddler Program Half-day: 8:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Full day: 8:30 a.m. –3 p.m. Primary Program Half-day: 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Full day: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

We have not been offering a before-care program because of low-demand. In the past, before-school care began at 7:30 a.m. If your family needs before-care please let us know. We do offer after-school care. Our extended day program (EDP) runs until 5:30 p.m. Parents have different needs for after-care. Some families only need until 4pm; others need until 5pm etc. Parents sign up and pay for EDP in half-hour increments.

Dr. Montessori’s philosophy is consistent with ‘Positive’ or ‘Conscious' Discipline Practices. We do not believe in rewards and punishments or “time-outs.” We offer children clear expectations and consistent natural consequences to their actions. We do a lot of role modeling to show children how to use words to express themselves rather than acting out physically. We believe children can understand logic, so we only remove them from situations when aggression occurs.

Yes. We offer a summer program for currently enrolled families. Some families prefer to travel all or part of the 10-week summer break. For this reason, tuition for the summer program is charged at the same rate but is not included in the contract for the 10-month academic year. Our summer program is an extension of our school year. Our program includes some Montessori-related activities, but it has more of a camp-like atmosphere - involving more crafts and water activities.

We offer a sibling-discount. If you have more than one child enrolled in our school, each additional child will receive a 5% discount off tuition. We also offer a 5% discount to families who pay for the whole 10-month academic year in advance.

Montessori children are given the trust and respect to make their own choices and judgments; they receive space to explore their interests at the pace they’re comfortable with. This leads to children who have great self awareness, high self-esteem, and a love of learning and challenges. Montessori children grow into confident, capable adults who love to think “outside the box.” We feel children are capable of amazing things at a younger age than most people consider. We nurture children’s “inner teachers” and allow them to discover their wonderful abilities.

Dr. Maria Montessori, who was born in Chiaravalle, Italy in 1870, was the first female physician in her native land. In 1906, she gave up a university chair and her medical practice to work with 60 children in Rome’s San Lorenzo district. This became the first Casa dei Bambini (“Children’s House”), and is where she developed the Montessori method of education. Every piece of equipment and exercise is based on her scientific observations of children’s ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings and their tireless interest in manipulating their environment—things they do “naturally."

Dr. Montessori opened the Montessori Training Centre in Laren, Netherlands, in 1938, and founded a series of teacher training courses in India in 1939. The training center, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), continues to train teachers around the world today. One of its many objectives is, “Spreading and upholding the pedagogical principles and practice formulated by Dr. Maria Montessori, which ensures the independence of the child’s personality through successive stages of growth until he reaches full normal development by means of his own activity.” Many variations of the Montessori method exist, since it was never copyrighted, and a few have very little to do with Montessori theory or materials. It’s up to parents to explore the different schools to find the right Montessori for their child. A Montessori Primer The Montessori method is something many parents have heard about, but most are unfamiliar with its specifics. Here are answers to some common questions about Montessori. “Free the child’s potential and you will transform him into the world.” –Maria Montessori

We are currently partnered with Child Development Associates which provides subsidies to help families cover the cost of childcare. The first step in the financial aid process would be to go to their website https://cdasd.org/families/childcare/ and complete an application to see if you qualify. Once you are approved by Child Development Associates, contact us to inquire about enrollment. We are also a part of the Military Care in Your Neighborhood Network (MCCYN) which offers fee assistance for active military families to choose private care in their neighborhood. https://public.militarychildcare.csd.disa.mil/mcc-central/mcchome/mccyn