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Handbook
The Montessori
Learning Center, Inc. is a private pre-school and child-care center for students
between the ages of 2½ to 6 years old.
The program director is Brenda Tackett.
The school uses the unique educational philosophy and methodology
developed by Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), an Italian physician and
educator. The school is not a baby-sitting
service or play school. It is a unique
learning center designed to take advantage of the child's natural sensitive
years (between the ages of two to six years old) when he/she can absorb
information from an enriched environment.
Our school is for parents who want a positive educational foundation and
attitude for their child. Our goal is to not fill a child with facts but
to cultivate his/her own natural desire to learn. Our basic intent is to teach the pre-school aged child that
"LEARNING IS FUN." Specially designed materials and a
well-planned environment in the school enable each child to experience the
excitement of learning by his/her own choice.
The Montessori Method allows the child to develop a feeling of
self-confidence and a positive self-image.
We provide a warm, nurturing and well-balanced program of educational
development, social development and creative free play. In summary, The Montessori Learning Center
strives to help your child develop the fundamental habits, attitudes, skills,
and appreciation that are essential for a lifetime of creative learning. The Montessori Learning Center is affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS), a national Montessori organization that trains and certifies teachers and evaluates member schools to ensure that Montessori principles are followed and high professional standards are maintained. Children will be accepted for enrollment in
The Montessori Learning Center providing: 1. The
child is between the ages of 2½ to 6 years old.
2. The child is toilet trained (occasional
accidents are acceptable). 3. The
child is deemed ready for pre-school enrollment and the school staff feels your
child will benefit from the program. 4. The
school has an opening. 5. Registration
(non-refundable), material and tuition fees are paid at the time of acceptance. 6 Admission
forms have been submitted including: (1) the admission application (with the
emergency information form); (2) a medical report, signed by a physician; (3)
the blue certificate of immunization; (4) the registration agreement; (5) the
field trip form; (6) the transportation form; and (7) the emergency medical
form. We will interview all new
children before admitting them into the program. This provides us the
opportunity to evaluate the child's individual development level and decide
whether he/she will benefit from the school's program. This interview will also introduce the child
to the teachers, environment and materials.
Registration Fees Yearly Admission - A $125.00
non-refundable registration fee is required for all students. Material Fee A $50.00 material fee is due on the first day of each new school year (September). This is for purchasing required Montessori materials and supplies for the children.
The Montessori Learning Center offers several basic
enrollment options. These include:
The school also offers an extended day option
(7:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.) for the morning session students. This allows children to remain through the
lunch period. Children must be picked up between 12:30 and before 12:45. There
is a late charge after 12:45. The five-day, full-day option has higher
priority. However, some morning session
options are reserved. The school
recognizes that extenuating circumstances may require special enrollment
options not listed above (example: mixed morning and full-day service or
extended day). The school is flexible
and will work with your special needs.
Rates will be determined based upon the circumstances. NOTE: The school closes at 5:30 p.m.
ALL CHILDREN MUST BE PICKED-UP
BY 5:30 P.M. Children picked-up
after 5:30 p.m. will be charged a late fee of $1.00 per minute. Tuition is based
upon the selected enrollment option. A
current tuition rate schedule is attached. The school operates
on a full-year basis. However, tuition
is based on a nine-month academic school-year schedule (September through
May). You may pay the tuition in full
or in monthly installments due on the first Tuition payment is
due on or before the first day of each month. Please make checks payable
to The Montessori Learning Center Inc., and either mail or deliver to
the school by the first of the month.
There will be a $25 charge for any check returned by the bank unpaid. Failure to pay the
monthly tuition fees by the end of the month will be the cause of dismissal and
denial of further attendance. DISMISSAL
AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY There is a six-week
"adjustment" period for all new students. Following this period, the school staff will decide whether the
child is ready and able to adapt to the school environment. Each child is unique and some require more
time than others to adjust to a new environment. We will schedule a meeting to discuss any adjustment
problems. The school will dismiss a
child if they are unable to adjust. If there is a behavioral or
discipline problem, parents will be contacted for a conference to discuss
corrective action. If behavioral
problems become persistent and non-correctable, it may be necessary to dismiss
the child from the school. The
Montessori Learning Center reserves the right to request and enforce the
withdrawal of any child when the staff deems such action necessary. In
such case, you will receive a refund of any prepaid tuition. If
you plan to withdraw your child during the school year for any reason, you must
notify the school in writing at least two-weeks in advance. Your tuition for the month during which you
leave is not refundable. If you fail to
provide at least a two-week notice, you will be required to pay the next
month's tuition. We will consider
extenuating circumstances. You are
responsible for paying any unpaid tuition, late fees or any other expenses if
you withdraw your child from the school.
In addition, you shall be responsible for paying any expenses incurred
by the school in collecting any unpaid fees. The academic school sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. However, early morning drop-off is available
between 7:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. Arrival
time for regular students is between 8:15 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. All
children should be in class by 8:30 a.m.
All lessons begin between 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. so it is very important
your child be in school by this time. Drop-off/Pickup
Procedures - Please observe the following procedure when
dropping-off or picking-up your child.
Drivers are to enter the facility using the north entrance of the
circular drive. The Alabama Department
of Human Resources (DHR) requires that all parents escort their child into the
school and sign and date the daily
sign-in/sign-out sheet. Please
do not drop-off your child and allow them to enter the building
unescorted. Exit the school using the south
end of the circular drive. At dismissal
time (between 11:20 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. for the morning session and 12:30 p.m.
to 12:45 p.m. for the extended morning session. The school closes promptly at
5:30 p.m. for the full-day session), use the same entrance and exit procedures.
For pick-ups, you must enter the school and sign-out your child.
Please be courteous to other parents behind you ... please make your
drop-off and pick-up as quickly as possible. Please remember to be prompt in picking-up your child. This is very important to them - children
get very upset if they are always last to leave. If you are going to be late, please notify the school. Dismissal for the
extended morning session (8:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.) is between 12:30 – 12:45
p.m. If your child is not picked up by
12:45 p.m., he or she will be placed into the nap room and late fee will be
incurred. If you need to stay
at the school for an extended period, please park your vehicle on the street
and do not block the circular driveway. Children may only
leave the school with their parents or designated car pool driver(s). You must send a signed and dated note or, in
an emergency, you may notify the school by phone if someone else will be
picking up your child. Only those
individuals identified and authorized on your Application Form will be allowed
to pickup your child. Please call the
school if your child is going to be absent or is going to be picked up early. The Montessori
Learning Center does not provide transportation to or from school. The typical daily
school schedule is shown below: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Arrival/group activities 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Group lessons/circle time 9:00 a.m. - 9:10 a.m. Snack time 9:10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Academic work time 11:15 a.m. - 11:30
a.m. End of morning session/cleanup 11:30 a.m. - 12:00
p.m Outside recess 12:00 p.m. - 12:30
p.m. Lunch 12:30 p.m. - 12:45
p.m. Storytime 12:30 p.m. - 12:45
p.m. Dismissal of extended morning
session 12:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Rest period 2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Snack 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Outside/inside activities 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Dismissal
We encourage and welcome your interest in the school and
in your child's development. We invite
you to visit the school at anytime ... you are welcome to openly observe and
participate with your child. March is
normally our “observation month” when we encourage parents to visit the school
and observe their child. We typically schedule several open house
events throughout the year. Our
expectation is that all parents attend.
This will allow you to become better acquainted with the staff. They will share information on your child's
progress, class schedules, curriculum and our expectation of the students. Your child will be more relaxed in loose comfortable play
clothes. Since a very important part of
the Montessori classroom involves activities with water and paints, dressing
appropriately will help free them to engage in these activities. Please do not dress your child in clothing
that is too good to risk stains. We
prefer clothes that encourage the child to dress him/herself. You will need to leave a change of
clothes at the school. The children
participate in indoor and outdoor activities every school day (weather
permitting) throughout the year. Please
dress your child appropriately for outdoor activities. Please place name tags on your child's
clothing such as coats, sweaters, caps, boots, etc. This will eliminate loss and confusion. We recommend soft-soled shoes in the classroom environment. This helps the children to effectively
participate in activities that will develop coordination. Please send a pair of regular shoes to wear
during the day if your child wears boots during adverse weather. The Montessori
Learning Center is unable to provide clothes changing services for children
engaged in after school activities such as dance or sporting events. Parents are responsible for changing their
child's clothes. We serve morning and
afternoon snacks consisting of juice or milk, fruit, raw vegetables, bread
products, or other nutritious foods.
The school provides a hot lunch to the extended day program children
catered by local establishments. Costs
for the daily lunches are $4.00.
Children may bring their own lunch if you do not want to participate in
the catered program. Alabama State law
requires that all children under kindergarten age enrolled in licensed
child-care facilities lie down each day for a forty-five minute rest
period. The school provides cots but
parents must provide a kid-napper (blanker with attached pillow). Children may bring a favorite small stuffed
animal for bedtime company. Kid-nappers
will be sent home every Friday for washing.
Please place your child's name on all items. The children enjoy
celebrating their birthdays and other special personal events. If you wish to provide refreshments for a
special event, please notify the school in advance. For birthdays, we typically have a "celebration of
life" and sing "happy birthday" to the child. The celebration of life involves having the
child walk around a symbolic sun (a lighted candle). The months of the year are printed on cards that are placed around
the candle. The child walks around the
"sun" holding a globe to symbolize the passage of time. The teacher will explain the various stages
of development that the child has attained. The Montessori Learning Center observes the same holiday
schedule as the Huntsville City School District. The school is closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day,
Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, July 4th, Labor Day,
Memorial Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas vacation (one week
Christmas shutdown). The school is also
closed for one week in late May and August, and one week for Spring break (late
March or early April). There are no
tuition reductions for the scheduled shutdowns. Please see the attached calendar. Approximately three times each year, we ask parents to
provide classroom snacks for the week.
Each month the school will publish a "snack calendar." On your scheduled week, you will need to
provide snacks for one classroom (approximately 25 students). Please bring a wholesome and nutritious
snack. We will provide you a list of
suggested items. We teach and remind the students about the school's
ground rules and policies. These ground
rules include: 1) Respect for self 2) Respect for other children 3) Respect for teachers 4) Respect for the environment We required that
all children follow the school's ground rules.
Children help establish and agree upon some classroom ground rules. We encourage and require a verbal settlement for all
conflicts. The school does not
allow physical aggression and/or discipline.
Discipline methods includes positive guidance, redirection, and the
setting of clear- Throughout the
school year, we schedule field trips to places of interest. This is a great way to enhance the various
units of study that we are covering.
The school needs parent volunteers to transport and supervise the
children on these trips. If you have
any suggestions for an educational field trip that the children might enjoy,
please contact the school. Remember
your child must have a signed permission slip to participate. Also, all children must wear seat belts
during transportation. We will send a
notification letter and a permission slip home before any scheduled events. The school does not have liability insurance
covering the transportation of students in vehicles owned by parents or
employees of the school. We suggest
that parents volunteering to transport students have a minimum of $300,000 auto
liability insurance coverage. To minimize the
danger of spreading diseases, please keep your child home when they have colds
or other infections. Should signs of
illness arise during the school session, we will notify you to pick up your
child. We will remove any sick child
from the group and a staff member will care for them until the parent
arrives. If the school is unable to
reach the parent, the person listed on your child's Emergency Form will be
contacted. Children must be free of any
symptoms of illness for at least twenty-four hours
before returning to school. We will
inform you if your child comes in contact with any communicable diseases while
at the school. Parents must notify the
school when their child has come in contact with a communicable disease outside
the school. Please call the school
before 9:00 a.m. to report illnesses or absences. All children in attendance participate in all
activities (inside and outside). If
your child is unable to participate in regularly scheduled activities or
special lessons either outdoors or indoors due to illness, please keep them at
home. The school staff will notify you immediately
if your child is injured. If you are
not available, we will contact the person listed in the Admission Form and/or
your child's physician. Minor injuries
are treated at school by the staff using first-aid treatment approved by the
Board of Health. If your child receives
a severe injury, we will immediately take him/her to the Huntsville Hospital
Emergency Room. Parents are responsible
for any medical expenses incurred by their child. Medicine - The school does not administer any medication. The Montessori
Learning Center promotes a close and open communication policy with the
parents. We encourage parents to
"drop-in" and observe at any time. Written progress reports will be
sent home in mid-November and mid-April.
You are encouraged to visit or call your child's teacher if you have
questions or concerns. Except in an
emergency, please call or visit your child's teacher after school hours as they
will be unable to leave their classrooms during the school session. You may call anytime to set up an appointment
for a conference. If you have any other concerns or questions during the year
please feel free to call or set up an appointment with the school director,
Brenda Tackett. You are encouraged
to inform the school’s staff of any unusual circumstances, or changes in your
home or family environment/routine (such as a death in the family, parents
being away, someone close to your child moving or becoming hospitalized, etc.)
that may affect your child's behavior and/or well being. Being aware of these circumstances will help
us better meet and deal with your child's needs. EMERGENCY/SEVERE WEATHER POLICY In the event of a fire, power failure, or other problems
that interfere with the children's safety or well being, we will contact you
immediately to pick-up your child. The
school shall remain closed, if necessary, until the problems are resolved. In case of a severe weather warning during
the school session, we will move the children into the central office and/or
rest room areas within the building and direct them to sit with their heads
tucked between their knees. When the
Huntsville City School District is closed for severe weather or bad driving
conditions, we will also be closed.
During periods of severe weather, please monitor your local television
stations for information on school closure. The school is inspected yearly by
the fire department and meets all applicable fire requirements. In case of fire, the fire alarm is sounded
and the staff escorts the children from the building to a prearranged meeting
place for a head count. We hold
practice fire drills on a regularly basis to review proper procedures. The center will follow the directions and
instructions of the Emergency Management Agency or other applicable civil
authorities in the event that it becomes necessary (civil emergencies or
disasters, etc.). Children should not bring the following items to school:
money, toys, dolls, gum, or candy. In
addition, we do not allow toy knives and guns or any other play weapons. Any such items brought to school will be
confiscated and returned to the parents.
We appreciate your cooperation. Please check your child's pockets routinely
for small items that may belong to the school.
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