Trent Montessori Information Manual
We are excited to have your child attend our school and we look forward
to the integral part your child will play in shaping the personality of
the classroom this year. In order for everything to run as
smoothly as possible, we have provided this Information Manual that
covers many of the day to day issues that are a part of our
program. Please read through this manual and feel free to contact
anyone on staff if you have any questions or suggestions. Thank
You.
THINGS TO SEND TO SCHOOL
EXTRA CLOTHES
A well-marked complete change of clothing: socks, underwear, shorts, or
pants, and top. These will be kept at school for the entire
school year. If your child is enrolled in the Extended Care
Program (7:30 to 5:30) they will need to bring 2 complete sets.
It does not matter if the clothes match. An old set is perfectly
fine. Every child must have a set at school at all times.
Please replace clothes when needed.
FORMS
All forms including the Immunization form should be sent to school by
the first day of class. The Immunization form MUST be in the
school office or your child will not be allowed to attend.
TUITION
If you pay with cash, the money must be in an envelope marked -
tuition and your child's name on the outside. Staff are required
to give you a receipt at the time of the payment.
COAT AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING
The children will be going outside almost everyday unless it is raining
or very cold. All children should bring a jacket on days when it
is needed. Please put your child's name on coats and
jackets. Please have your child wear clothes that they are
capable of managing themselves while attending to their personal needs.
ABSENSES
Call the school between 8:00am and 8:30am if your child is not coming
to school. Please leave a message on the recorder if no one
answers. We are very busy in the morning and will not be able to
talk with you before school. We will return calls during a time
when we are free.
KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
Kindergarten students will begin the year with a special week long
session that will include in-depth classroom time, as well as, nature
walks, special crafts, and possible field trips. All Kindergarten
children should bring their lunch for this week. The class will
begin each morning at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. After this
week, they should return to school at the regular class schedule listed
on the school calendar. Kindergarten children may also take part
in our Extended Day program. This is held twice a week from 11:30
to 1:00. Full Day Kindergarten is also available.
Information is available from the Administrator/Directress.
NEW STUDENTS (Phase in period)
• All new children are required to come during the phase-in
period. Times are noted on the calendar on back of the manual.
• Stay in your car and we will come out to greet your child.
• Please place a sign in the window with the child's name and also
introduce us to your child as we open the car door so that we can begin
a personal conversation with your child.
• Explain to your child that you will pick them up in a short time.
• Children come to school to do their "work". Use this term
rather than "play".
• Extended Care will not be available during the Phase in period.
RETURNING STUDENTS
• All returning students should come on the scheduled first full day of
school.
• The A.M. class begins promptly at 9am and ends at 11:45am.
• The P.M. class begins promptly at 12:45pm and ends at 3:30pm.
• Students enrolled in the Extended Care program may arrive at anytime
after 7:30am and before 9:00am and may be picked up anytime after
3:30pm and before 5:30pm. (Other times for drop off or pick up
need to be cleared through the school first.)
DROP-OFF & PICK-UP
The procedure for drop-off and pick-up for the Montessori classes
involves entering the drive off 3rd street and pulling all the way
around and up to the sidewalk. The staff will come to your car to
get your child at this location. Please keep your child in the
car until you have come up to the first spot and a staff person is
ready for your child. This procedure works very well in helping
the child make the transition from the home environment to the school
environment. If your child is resisting, crying, etc., we will
take your child into the school and call you if it remains a
problem. You would be surprised at how quickly they calm down and
get involved in activities once they get into the school and see all
the other children. We ask that you do not come into the school
at this time, as it usually creates disruption of the class. You
are welcome and urged to come in for an observation.
If you arrive at any times other than the beginning or ending times of
either class, you will need to follow the Extended Care
procedure. The children are dropped off and picked up at the back
door and taken by the parent into the school. Please see page 10
for the description of this process. Please refrain from pick up
during the afternoon rest time between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm, if at all
possible.
Please arrive on time and pick up your child on time. Being
prompt shows your child that you feel their school is important.
It is VERY important that you drive SLOWLY in front of the
school. Remember there are children present during arrival and
departure times.
TARDY - We will place a sign stating that class has begun. Please
walk your child to the back door. Your child will join their
class after the beginning "circle time" is complete.
PASSWORD
In order to provide for the safety of your child we must abide by
certain policies and procedures. We will provide an Emergency
Contact Card for you to fill out at the first Parent meeting.
This card lists the names of people who have your permission to pick-up
your child, their phone numbers, and a place to write in a
password. This password will help our staff if an unfamiliar face
shows up to take your child.
Also, children entering and exiting through the Extended Care area must
be signed in and out with staff. Never leave your child without
checking with a staff member. Again, this only applies when your
child is arriving or being picked up at times other than the beginning
or ending times of either class.
TUITION & FEES
In order to plan our class sizes and staff requirements, it is
important for us to know exactly who will be coming in September.
In the past, we have had a few families decide at the last minute, for
one reason or another, not to send their child. This not only
created a financial and staffing problem for us, but also kept us from
opening those spots for families on the waiting list, who had to make
other arrangements for their children. In order to circumvent
this problem, we have the following payment schedule.
Tuition can be paid in full, by semester, or by the month. We
offer prompt payment discounts to those who pay on or before the first
of the month. Also, we offer a further discount for those who pay
once for the entire year or twice a year by semester-(August 1st and
January 1st). The monthly tuition is divided into 10 equal payments due
on or before the 1st of the month. The first payment will be due by
August 1. Each succeeding month must be paid on or before the 1st
to receive the discount: Aug. 1st, Sept. 1st, Oct. 1st, Nov. 1st, Dec.
1st, Jan. 1st, Feb. 1st, March 1st, April 1st and May 1st. With
the first payment due on or before August 1st, this gives us enough
time to open spots for families on the waiting list.
No discounts may be taken for those payments not received by the 1st of
the month. Payments not received by the 10th of the month will be
considered delinquent. Your child will not be allowed to return
to school until payment has been made. Delinquent Tuition will
need to be paid by cash, money order, or cashierís check.
There is a $25 returned check charge. Returned checks will need to be
paid by cash, money order, or cashierís check.
No tuition adjustments will be made for days missed due to illness,
vacations, or unavoidable school closings.
TAX
Form W-10 that gives our provider tax number of 61-1337128
FEES
Registration Fee
$50.00 (Payable with Initial Registration)
Only refundable if the school does not have an opening for your child
prior to the first day of school.
New Student Deposit Fee
$100.00 paid after interview and acceptance letter has been sent. This
is applied toward the first payment.
Intent Form Fee
$50.00
This is paid each year once your child has been in the school to secure
a spot for the following year.
Late Fees
10 minute "grace" period after each class & at school closing
(5:30pm). After you receive 4 late fees, the late fee will
double. After 8 late fees, the late fee will triple. More
than 8 late fees may lead to your child losing their spot in
school. $7.00 per child for each 10 minutes thereafter.
After 6:00pm - $2.00 per child for each minute thereafter.
Lunch Bunch Fee
$6.00 - Must be cleared prior to use. Limited space may be
available.
Before & After Class Drop-In Fee
This applies to Montessori only students for early drop off between
7:30am and the start of the morning class or pick up after the
afternoon class.
$6.00 per hour per child
(On a space available basis only)
COMMUNICATION
Trent Montessori is now a NO CELL PHONE
ZONE!
We want to be able to communicate with you during drop off and pick
up. You are intrusting us with your most precious “gift” and we
ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during this most
important time of the day. We thank you but most importantly,
your child thanks you!
Due to the fact that we have 2 classes you will need to take it upon
yourself to stay in touch with the school through our means of
communication. A newsletter will be sent home with your child
approximately 4 times a year. More frequent reminder notes will
be sent home as they are needed. Each Friday, your childís
canvas bag will be sent home with their work for you to see.
Please return these Monday. (These bags are for your childís
use. If they are lost or abused, there will be a $5 replacement
charge.) In the Extended Care area we will post items on the
bulletin board and may also put notes in the childís cubby which
you are to clear out each day. Our phone committee may call with
information when necessary. Communication to your childís
Directress or to the Administrator should be done in writing or by
phone call, please call and leave a time when we can return your call.
ILLNESS POLICY
If a child becomes ill during class, they will be removed from the
classroom and the parents will be notified immediately. Do not
send a child to school when any of the following symptoms are present
or have occurred within the past 24 hours. FEVER, SORE THROAT,
DIARRHEA, UN-DIAGNOSED RASH, VOMITING, EXCESSIVE COUGHING AND/OR
EXCESSIVE NASAL DISCHARGE. If your child becomes sick at school
one day or has been sick during the night they should NOT be sent to
school on the following day. A 24-hour isolation period should be
observed. The child may return to school when the symptoms have
completely disappeared and they have been fever free (without
mediation) for 24 hours. Only physician prescribed medication is
allowed and it must be properly labeled and the Medication Consent Form
filled out before it can be administered.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS
In the event that we must close due to bad weather Trent Montessori
Preschool will be announced in the list of schools on radio station 550
WCKY & 700 WLW and TV-Channels 5, 9 and 12 News. Some of
these stations list the closing on their web site. PLEASE watch
your TV for the closing. There is no tuition adjustment.
CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT
If a staff member hears a child disclose abuse/neglect, they are
required by law to make this disclosure reported to the proper
authorities. The Administrator of Trent Montessori will make the
report and keep copies of the report in the childís file.
All conversations will be documented and kept in the child’s
confidential file.
OBSERVATIONS AND CONFERENCES
We request that each parent observe their child during the school year
prior to their Parent/Teacher Conference. You may call the office to
set up an observation
spot. Our observation times are Monday through Thursday: 9:30 to
10:30 for the A.M. Montessori class and 1:15 to 2:15 for the P.M.
Montessori class. Parents will have 1 formal conference and more
if the Directress deems this necessary. These conferences are
required and held in November for returning students and in January for
new students. We hope that both parents can attend both the
observation and conference. Parents who come to observe the class
may schedule a second conference. Phone conferences may also take
place during the year.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
We encourage as much parent involvement as possible during the school
year. We have a few parent meetings, Parent Share Month, field
trip volunteers, party helpers, school picnic, etc. to see that you
become involved in your childís first school adventure.
During the last month of school we have an outdoor mini-carnival which
we call Play Day. Parents help set up the game booths and then
assist the children in the various activities.
PARENT EVALUATION
We believe that we have an excellent program and we believe in a
continuous improvement process. We want your ideas and comments
throughout the year. Also, at some point during the school year
we will ask you to complete an evaluation form.
FIELD TRIPS
We do plan a few field trips during the school year. These field
trips are for the 4, 5, and 6 year old children. Some may be
scheduled for all children. We also use a variety of outside
resources to accompany the topic that we are studying. We
encourage parents to invite community leaders to visit our
school. Parents are asked to volunteer their time in assisting on
some field trips. All children and adults are required to wear
seat belts. Children are not permitted to sit in the front seat
and must sit in an approved car seat/booster seat.
VOLUNTEERS
Over the years, parents have asked for ways that they can help during
the school year. You can become actively involved with your
child's school experience. I hope that you will find something in
the following list that interests you.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS: 1 or 2 people from each class to help
contact volunteers for various activities.
TEACHER APPRECIATION COMMITTEE: 1 or 2 people from each class to
help organize teacher birthday and teacher appreciation week activities.
SOCIAL COMMITTEE: This group would plan activities to get the families
together after school hours.
GARDEN/OUTDOORS COMMITTEE: This group would help take care of the
school gardens and help with snow removal from the sidewalks.
CLASSROOM PHOTOGRAPHERS: These people would take pictures of their
class and activities for our scrapbook.
SCRAPBOOK COMMITTEE: 1 or 2 people from each class or organize or
compile a scrapbook for each class. This may be digital or
traditional.
PLAYGROUND ASSISTANTS: These people would help supervise the
children during time in the playground.
PARENT SHARE MONTH: In March, parents are invited to come to
class and share a special interest, occupation, hobby, or talent.
MATERIALS ASSISTANT: This person would be asked to do simple
material making tasks.
CLASSROOM ASSISTANT: This person would be asked to help in the
classroom for particular projects or when a staff person is absent.
ANIMAL SUPPORT PERSON: This animal lover would help the staff by
providing extra care for our animals when needed.
PHONE TREE: These people would be asked to phone other parents
when a need arises.
PARTY COMMITTEES FIELD TRIP HELPERS
Halloween Fire House
Thanksgiving Dentist
Christmas Pumpkin Farm
Valentine's Day Krohn Conservatory
Easter
Aquarium
Play Day/Picnic Library
Spring Program/Graduation Natural History Museum
EXTENDED CARE NEWS
This section contains information on the operation and procedures for
the Extended Care area.
You have enrolled your child in a Montessori Preschool. This is
NOT A DAY CARE CENTER. We use the term Extended Care because we
are providing a service that is an extension of our Montessori program
for the benefit of parents who need full-time care for their
children. You will need to mark your calendars with the days our
school is closed. The school calendar is listed on the back cover
of this manual.
Children must be picked up by 5:30pm. The center closes at this
time. Please do not abuse the grace period (until 5:40).
This time is allowed for emergencies only. There is a strict late
charge that is required when you are late. If you have questions
concerning the operation of our school or late charges please contact
me or leave a message when I can return your call.
Parents and children are asked not to open the door for other
parents. A staff member will do this, for the protection of all
the children.
DROP-OFF & PICK-UP
Pull in the drive-around and park in one of the available spaces.
Please do not block the drive. Bring your child to the back door
and ring the bell. You MUST bring your child to the door and sign
in with a staff person before leaving. The same for pick-up. add
Only Trent staff are to open the door. Children and parents are
asked NOT to open the door. Please follow this safety rule.
You must sign out with staff and clear out your child's cubby. If
everyone is in the playground, collect your child's things, and sign
out with staff before leaving.
Siblings should NEVER be left in the car during pick up or drop
off! This could be considered as “child endangerment” if the
authorities should become involved.
Please refrain from pick up during the morning rest time between 10 am
and 11 am and pick up during the afternoon rest time between 1:00 pm
and 2:30 pm, if at all possible.
If you drop off or pick up your child at the beginning or ending times
of the Montessori class, please follow the procedure described on page
4.
SHARING BASKETS (a.k.a. SNACKS)
An important part of the Montessori Philosophy is the care of others
and the environment. To help the children in this awareness, we
have the ìsharing basket." It is a way for the children to
share with others and beautify the environment. We ask that each
child take ONE DAY of the school year to fill the sharing basket.
Your child will bring the basket home on a Thursday or Friday and
should return it to school the following Monday.
To fill the basket we ask for the following 4 items:
1. Snack for your child's class for one day. NO PEANUT
PRODUCTS! (The School will provide snack for the remaining days)
Please make this something simple and pre-packaged. We encourage
you to enlist your child's help in the selection. In addition to
this snack you are welcome to send in a birthday treat on your child's
birthday or 1/2 birthday. Please limit birthday treats to
cookies, muffins, trail mix, popsicles, etc. Small cupcakes,
please.
2. A bouquet of fresh flowers that the children will arrange and
place in the classroom. Kindergarten children may choose to bring
a plant or flowers.
3. A few specialty items to be used in a class project or in food
preparation exercises. This will be specified when you receive
the basket.
4. A box of tissues, wipes, hand sanitizer, etc. This will
be specified when you receive the basket.
5. A book to share with the class. This can be one of your
child's books or one to be given to the school. The book will be
placed in the “book corner" for the week and then either returned or
donated to the school library. Please make sure that your child's
name is on the inside cover regardless of your intention for returning.
LUNCH
All Extended Care children need to bring
a packed lunch each day. The lunch should include
food that is nutritious for a growing child. Please use a variety
of foods, as the children become tired of eating the same sandwich day
after day. The children have 30 minutes for lunch so you should
see that you do not over pack. The lunch boxes should be placed
in your child's cubby so please use an icepack for cold items and a
thermos for hot items.
The school will provide milk for lunch. Please do not send soft drinks
in your child's lunch box.
Times for lunch: 11:00 to 11:30----P.M. Montessori Class
11:45 to 12:15----A.M. Montessori Class
Please NO CANDY for snacks or lunch!
EXTENDED CARE SNACK
Your child will be assigned one week of the school year to provide
snack for Extended Care. Snacks for this program should be commercially
pre-packaged snacks. Examples: fruit roll-ups, applesauce tubs,
raisin boxes, pretzels, etc.) These are placed in the Snack
Sharing Tub and will be given to the children during their Extended
Care times: 9:00 for the morning and 2:45 for the afternoon.
Whole fruits are also welcome such as: bananas, apples and grapes. No
food will be given after 4:00. NO PEANUT PRODUCTS.
REST TIME
Each child enrolled in the Extended Care program (except Full Day
Kindergarten Children) should bring a small child-sized sleeping
bag and pillow, with the child's name marked on each. These are
to be left at school. All bedding materials are sent home once a
month for cleaning or on the day your child is sick. You are welcome to
take the bedding for laundering more often, if you desire. A
stuffed animal or doll will be permitted for those children staying for
Extended Care. These are to be kept in the child's basket and not
taken home. If a problem arises, we will contact you.
Pacifiers are not permitted.
PERSONAL HYGIENE CARE
We have each Extended Care child brush their teeth after lunch.
Please provide a regular toothbrush (non-battery or lighted) and
toothpast with the child’s name marked on each. You are welcome to
change these as often as you wish. Also, feel free to send a
brush or comb to school. This should also be marked with your
child’s name.
Congratulations, you made it through the
manual!
By the way, if you have any suggestions or additions for this
manual, please let us know. Thank you.