The Montessori Concept

Almost 100 years ago, Maria Montessori, Italy's first female physician, took upon herself the daunting task of educating the underprivileged children of nineteenth century Rome. Her remarkable success sparked an international scholastic movement that has inspired thousands of schools in over 30 countries worldwide.

            The methods she developed through years of careful observation were simple, yet insightful. They begin with the recognition that young children have a uniquely heightened capacity for learning. By providing them with an enriched environment during this critical period, children are more likely to achieve their full academic potential.  Peaceful social relationships are emphasized throughout Montessori's curriculum.

WELCOME!

The staff at MVM is looking forward to sharing the school year with you and your child!  Please let us know if there is any way we can make it a more rewarding experience for you both.

Enrollment Requirements

Mountain View Montessori serves children ages 3 to 9 years old. In order to register in the preschool program, your child must be at least 2 years and 9 months old and toilet independent. The Kindergarten program has a requirement of full time morning attendance with a recommendation of continued afternoon attendance. The Primary program is for children first through third grade. Space in each classroom is limited, so  those who have previously attended MVM are given priority.

Tuition and Fees

A $50.00 registration fee is required and must be returned with the Enrollment Application and the signed Tuition Agreement in order to reserve your child's place in the classroom. Families with more than one child enrolled are eligible for a 10% discount in the second child's tuition fees. It is understood that the payment of the registration fee is a commitment to enroll and is not subject to refund.

            No tuition bills will be mailed to you. You will receive a statement at the end of each month attached to the latest issue of the monthly newsletter. Please deliver or mail payments (make checks out to Mountain View  Montessori School) to the school office promptly by the first of each month. A locked drop box is mounted outside the side entrance for your convenience. Payments that are more than 5 school days late will be assessed a 5%  late fee.  Returned checks are assessed a $20.00 service charge. If you should need to discuss financial arrangements, please speak with Juliet Fleischer.

            The monthly tuition fee is based on an average for convenience and does not reflect the actual number of days school was in session that month. The per day cost is the annual tuition divided by the total number of days school is in session for the program you choose, so you are not paying for holidays and vacations. The tuition installment that will be due in July and June is reduced.

After School Daycare

Afternoon daycare is available from 3:00 to 5:00 at a cost of $7.00 each day. Total daycare cost will be assessed each month on a per day basis as it is used. Capacity is limited in the after school care program. Advance notice must be given in writing of your intent to have your child stay for daycare. The charge remains $7.00 per day whether the child has spent 15 minutes or the whole two hours in daycare. We will not be able to provide daycare in the afternoon from noon until 3:00. The 3:00 to 5:00 daycare program is the only “as needed” option available.

Snow Days and Days Missed

MVM is a “year round” school program that begins the middle of July and runs to the middle of June with a one week break in both autumn and spring and a two week break around Christmas time. You should receive a school year calendar in your registration materials. There will be no deduction in tuition fees for illness, holidays, or snow days.

            If the public school, SAU #9, is closed or delayed due to snow, MVM will be closed for school, also. We will make every effort to get a “closed” announcement on the air at WMWV 93.5 FM and channel 9 TV by 6:30 a.m. Please check these information sources first. You may also call the school with questions about closing.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Arrival Procedures:  Please keep to the right of the driveway and circle around, waiting your turn to allow your child to disembark at the side door of the school with the assistance of a staff member. If you prefer to park and walk your child into school, please park in the grassy areas so as not to block the drive. Children must be accompanied by an adult when walking across the driveway area.

            Please make every effort to arrive on time. Tardy arrivals disrupt the opening ceremonies and your child misses important information about events of the day.

Dismissal Procedures:  Please pick up your child promptly at dismissal time. Children cannot be released into the parking area, so please pull up to the playground gate or the side door of the school where a staff member will assist your child into the car. 

            Young children gain security through being picked up promptly at the same time every day. No child likes to be the last one. If you are more than 15 minutes late picking up your child, an additional $7.00 charge will be levied on your next monthly statement.

Saying Good-bye

Those first days of class when you are ready to leave your child, it is important to leave IMMEDIATELY after saying good-bye. Being absent from you is not nearly as painful for your child as the act of separation, so make separating short. The "one more hug" syndrome becomes lengthier with the passage of time and NEVER goes away. "Good-bye" must mean, "I am leaving now."

Transportation Authorization

A written notice is required if your child is to be picked up by anyone not listed on the authorization section of your enrollment form. Children WILL NOT be released to an unauthorized person. If you expect to have another person pick up your child on a regular basis, please add this person's name to your authorized pick up list. This is for your child's protection and safety.

NOTE: Even if you are having another student's parent pick up your child, we must have official word from you that you approve.

Bringing School Items Home

School materials are expensive and difficult to replace. If your child should happen to bring home a bead, block, puzzle piece, or other object from school, please return it. One missing piece can  make an entire set unusable.

Sharing Things From Home

Please do not allow  your child to bring toys into school, even with the intention of "just leaving them in the cubby." Assure your child that his/her toys are for home use and that at school he/she has other special things to play with. The opportunity to share toys, books, pictures, or items of interest is granted regularly throughout the school year when your child brings home the "Me Bag," or is assigned a “sharing day” at school. Toy weapons, war toys, and toys promoting destruction are prohibited. We encourage sharing items the child has made him/herself or objects related to culture, science or nature. Check with the directress in advance before bringing live animals.

Observation in Classrooms

Parents are welcome to observe in the classroom at any prearranged time. Observation for parents who have children enrolled usually begins after the fourth week of school in order to give the students time to become comfortable with their new classroom environment. Observation for others interested in the school may be arranged from September on. Please contact the directress and arrange a convenient time.

Parental Involvement

There are a variety of ways in which parents can be involved in the school, all of which will enrich the children's experience and the parent's relationship with and appreciation for their own child. Having Dad come to school is especially exciting!

            Direct Involvement with the Class. Come to the class for a special interest time and share your pictures, cooking, gardening, love of nature, art, playing an instrument, your vocation, hobby, skill, lore, etc. The children love to have  their own parents come to the class.

            Service to the School Environment. Make materials, prepare a special snack, create an ongoing classroom lesson or activity, help maintain or beautify school rooms or grounds. These services should be coordinated with the directress.

            Create Your Own Involvement. Got an idea? Share it with us! Chances are the children will enjoy it more than what their teacher may have suggested. We’ll help you work it out!

Discipline Statement

MVM's goal is to establish self discipline within the child by giving him/her rules and the encouragement to follow them. The purpose of the rules is to aid in the development of self respect and respect for others:

                        No child may hurt another or himself in any way.

                        No child may disturb the work of another.

                        No child may harm the environment.

            When a child does break a rule, we talk to him/her to see that he/she understands the rule. We may change his/her activity and work area. If that doesn't work or if it is a discipline pattern, we have the child hold the directress's hand and walk around with her until the child has regained enough control to again choose his/her own work. If a child looses control, he/she may be separated from the classroom until self control is regained.

            If a problem persists, the parents are contacted so we can work on a behavior change together. The directress will first present and discuss the problem with the parents to exchange ideas for helping the child. The directress will then document both successes and setbacks in the child's self control according to the arranged modification format. Finally, the parents, directress and administrator will hold a conference to decide what further action should be taken to best meet the needs of the child and the other students in the classroom. If there is a question as to whether the child is able to function positively in the Montessori environment, a limited period will be set for working out the problem.

Health Policy

Please keep your child at home if he/she has any of  the following:

            * fever (within 24 hours)

            * acute cold

            * swollen glands

            * sore throat or ear ache

            * bad cough

            * nausea or vomiting  (within 24 hours)

            * diarrhea (within 24 hours)

            * skin eruptions or rashes

            * chills, flushed appearance, headache

            * pediculosis (head lice)

Children who arrive at school with symptoms of an illness will be sent home. Please report contagious diseases to the administrator immediately so that parents of children exposed to the disease can be informed. 

            You will be asked to sign an accident report should your child be involved in a minor accident that changes the skin's appearance or causes a bump. If emergency medical care is ever required, we will contact the names listed on your child's Medical Emergency Statement, including your doctor.  For life threatening medical emergencies we will call 911.

Medication

Occasionally it may be necessary for your child to receive medication during the school day. We can dispense medicine only if the following procedures are followed:

   1. The medicine is in the original bottle from the pharmacy. If it is a prescription, the bottle must be labeled with the child's name, the dosage, the drug name, and how often it is to be taken.

   2. The medicine must be accompanied by a “Medication Release” form obtained from our office. This must be filled out and signed by the parent.

            Please never give your child vitamin pills, cough drops or any other pills in lunch boxes or back packs to take on their own. Staff members are directed not to allow any child to take medication unless the above procedures have been followed.

Changes in Home Environment

Please let your child's directress know about any changes in your routine home environment, as these can affect children dramatically. Our knowing can guide us in helping your child deal with such situations as the illness or death of family member, friend or pet, divorce, new sibling, lengthy absence of a parent, moving to a new home, etc.  Also, please let us know if your child's behavior or attitude at home changes dramatically. This information is considered privileged and will remain strictly confidential.

Nap Procedures

MVM is required by the state of New Hampshire to provide a rest period for children 5 years of age and under who are at the school more than 4 hours each day. If, after half an hour to 45 minutes of lying on a mat, a child has not fallen asleep, he/she is invited to quietly get up.

            Napping children should bring their own personal pillow and blanket to use on a resting mat provided by the school. These items should be clearly labeled with your child's name. All pillows and blankets will be sent home once a week to be laundered. Children will be requested to use the bathroom and wash their hands and face in preparation for their nap. Slow classical or instrumental music is softly played during nap time.

Clothing

Your child will be encouraged to pour, polish, scrub, paint, dig, climb, dance and run at school. Loose fitting clothes that aren’t fancy and that have easy fastenings make exploration much easier. Aprons are worn for messy work but they are by no means foolproof. Parents are encouraged to have children wear clothing they can  remove and put on themselves.

            We encourage rubber soled shoes for safety in outdoor play. Sandals, open toed shoes and cowboy boots often hinder a child's freedom of movement. In winter when your child will be wearing snow boots to school, we encourage you to keep a pair of hard soled slippers or  slip-on shoes in your child’s cubby at school. These can be worn in the classroom and will make changing out of and into snow boots much easier.

            Preschool and kindergarten parents, please supply a change of clothing suitable for the season to be kept at school. Your child's name should be on each piece of extra and outer clothing your child brings to school.

Food

Please do not permit your child to bring gum, candy, soda or foods high in sugar to school. Each day a nutritious morning snack will be provided between 9:00 and 11:00. It will generally consist of at least 2 of the following:  fruit juice, breads, crackers,  cheese, cereals, yogurt, milk, peanut butter and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Please inform us of any food allergies your child may have. 

            Children enrolled in the afternoon program should bring a lunch in a container clearly marked with their name. Lunches should be well balanced and include a drink. The school has no place to keep everyone’s lunch or drink cold, so please include a cold pack when necessary. A microwave is available to warm items that will take a minute or less to heat, only! Napkins are important items to include for dining hygiene and manners. We encourage you to involve your child in selecting and preparing nutritious items for his/her lunch.

Snack Basket

As part of the “grace and courtesy” curriculum, every child will be invited to supply a morning snack for the whole class about once a month. This enables the children to be hosts or hostesses and to set up the snack table with their choice of decorations. Snacks need not be costly or elaborate, but should contain something from at least two food groups. Some examples are pretzels and raisins, peanut butter and crackers, yogurt and granola, rice cakes and juice. Please try to include your child in the planning and purchase of their snack to expand the experience of hosting. The school supplies cups, bowls, spoons, spreading knives, napkins, etc. A class calendar or newsletter is published at least once a month with the snack basket assignments listed. If your child is assigned a day that is inconvenient for you, please let the directress know. We want this to be a positive experience for both you and your child. If your child becomes unable to attend school when he/she has the snack basket, do not worry about bringing in food. There is always a supply of snack foods on hand at school to fill in with.

Field Trips

Maria Montessori believed in “bringing the world in” to preschool children, and taking older, elementary children “out to the world.”  Younger children feel more secure in an environment they are familiar with, so we usually invite community members to come in to our preschool class. We try to plan about 1 field trip a month for the primary class, and we welcome invitations to visit businesses and sites of special interest, as well as suggestions for places to visit. Field trips require permission slips to be signed as well as volunteer parental drivers and chaperones. Drivers must have a current driver’s license and auto insurance. All MVM students and chaperones are required to wear seat belts when traveling to and from field trips. Please read MVM’s monthly newsletter for details of upcoming field trips and planned events.

School Calendar and News

Parents will receive a calendar of the school year before school begins and monthly newsletters with calendar updates. Please check the newsletter for any changes on the master calendar and the specific dates of parent meetings and classroom events. Information concerning you and your child is available in every newsletter, as well as special events that are being planned. We try to include community events when we are aware of them and always appreciate your suggestions of information to include in the newsletters. If there is anything you would like to include or promote, please drop a note to Juliet in the payment drop box.

Special Days

Birthdays get special treatment in our classrooms. Parents are invited to bring in treats for the class and to participate in a ceremony honoring the birthday child. The ceremony is usually  held at the opening of the school day but can be rescheduled for your convenience. For the treat, we encourage muffins and fruit cups in lieu of cupcakes or cookies, but we understand the need to placate the birthday child. Please do not allow your child to distribute invitations to birthday parties at school unless he/she is inviting everyone in the class.

            We also celebrate holidays in the classroom with parties that are festive and acquaint the children with holiday traditions and  meanings. Parental help and suggestions are always appreciated. Look for sign-up sheets on the bulletin boards in the side entry around holiday time, and be sure to sign the sheet for the class your child is in.

Withdrawal from School

MVM operates on the concept of an academic year. If it becomes necessary to withdraw your child  before the end of the school year, a written notice of intent to withdraw is required 30 days prior his/her final day. Tuition will be adjusted based on this notice. Thirty days notice will not be accepted after May 15, and you will be responsible for completing the remainder of  the annual tuition fee. No reduction to  tuition costs will be made to compensate for illness, vacation or snow days.

Current Information

Please notify the administrator if you have a change of address (residential or mailing),  phone number (home, work or cell), change of job or marital status. It is required by the State of New Hampshire that school records be kept updated, and it is important for us to have current information to best serve your child. We need to be apprised of changes for those you listed as emergency contacts on your registration form, as well as changes in who is allowed to pick up your child from school. Thank you!

Equal Employment

and Education Opportunity

Mountain View Montessori accepts enrollment of all 3 to 9 year old children regardless of their heritage, their religious affiliation, their sex, the shade of their skin or the sexual orientation of their family members. MVM employs personnel on the grounds of their personal virtue and their educational achievements and experience, regardless of their heritage, national origin, religious affiliation, sex, sexual orientation or the shade of their skin. We believe all people have a right to work and learn in an environment free of discrimination.