To strive to meet the academic, social, emotional, and developmental needs of the child through a Montessori environment preparing the child to emerge as an independent and confident member of the community.
The Montessori Method is an all-inclusive method of educating children. Dr. Maria Montessori identified and named this remarkable method. Her vision reached far beyond the mere transmission of knowledge. Dr. Montessori saw the environment as the source to develop and release the full potential of people, most specifically children. The Montessori curriculum encompasses all aspects of human development.
Affliliations and Accreditations
McDonald Montessori is affiliated with the American Montessori Society, also known as AMS. AMS is a professional organization that monitors Montessori schools who choose to be members.
All of McDonald Montessori’s lead staff are accredited Montessori teachers. Each teacher teaches to the age group for which they are accredited and certified to teach. All support staff are trained and educated on the Montessori philosophy and method.
If you are interested in reading more about the Montessori Method, we recommend the following books:
Secret of Childhood by Dr. Maria Montessori
Discovery of the Child by Dr. Maria Montessori
The Montessori Controversy by John Chattin-McNicols
McDonald Montessori is a multi-age environment. Children in the Children’s House program can be anywhere from 3 to 6 years of age; Children in the Elementary program can be anywhere from 6 to 9 years of age. Montessori education is cumulative. As children are presented a material, they explore, learn the language, and discover the concept as they work with that material. All of the materials are sequential, where after two years in the Montessori environment, the third year is spent as a glorious pinnacle to the previous two years. The entire concept of the three year cycle is based upon the planes of development Dr. Montessori identified, 0–3, 3–6, 6–9, and 9–12.
Children's House
We offer a primary program for children age 3 to 6. The classroom is a single multi-age classroom. The Morning children are generally aged 3 to 4. Extended Day children, also known as Kindergarten aged children, are generally age 5 and 6. Morning children attend school from 8:30 to 12:00 daily, while Extended Day children attend school from 8:30 to 3:00 daily.
The Montessori philosophy follows work cycles. All of the Children’s House children have a three-hour, uninterrupted work cycle from 8:30 until 11:30.
Dismissal for the Morning children commences at 12:00 and ends at 12:15. The Extended Day children return to their classrooms for lunch. At 1:00, the Extended Day children,commence an afternoon work cycle until 3:00. Extended Day dismissal begins at 3:00 and ends at 3:15.
Lower Elementary
Our elementary program is for children age 6 to 9. The classroom is also a single multi-age classroom. The Lower Elementary program is similar to a first, second, and third grade program. The Lower Elementary program also has athree-hour work cycle in the morning from 8:30 until 11:30. The Lower Elementary program has their lunch around 12:00. After their lunch period, the Lower Elementary students have an additional afternoon work cycle that is comprised of various activities in addition to the core Montessori curriculum.
Flex Time
This is a flexible after school care program available for any child currently enrolled in either the Children’s House or Lower Elementary programs. Our Flex Time program is based on a first come first serve basis. Anyone may either enroll their child into Flex Time for the entire year at an additional tuition rate, or anyone may utilize the Flex Time on an availability basis after putting money into their Flex Time account. This program makes care after school available to anyone at anytime on an as needed basis.
Children's House
• 8:30 Arrival
• 8:30 – 11:30 Work Cycle
• 11:30 – 12:00 Group Time and/or Playground Time
• 12:00 – 12:15 Morning Children Dismissal
• 12:15 – 1:00 Extended Day Lunch Period
• 1:00 – 3:00 Work Cycle*
• 3:00 – 3:15 Dismissal
* Also included in the Extended Day afternoon work cycle are various extracurricular activities including language studies and physical education.
Lower Elementary
• 8:30 Arrival
• 8:30 – 12:00 Work Cycle
• 12:00 – 12:30 Lunch
• 12:30 – 1:00 Recess
• 1:00 – 1:30 Silent Reading
• 1:30 – 3:00 Work Cycle*
* Also included in the Lower Elementary afternoon work cycle are various extracurricular activities including language studies and physical education.
Flex Time
• 12:30 – 1:00 Lunch
• 1:00 – 1:30 Playground Time
• 1:30 Dismissal
• 1:30 – 3:00 Nap/Quiet Time
• 3:00 – 4:30 Snack/Dismissal/Work Cycle
McDonald Montessori is open from 8:00 until 4:30, Monday through Friday, except for noted holidays. McDonald Montessori guarantees a minimum of 165 school instruction days for the academic year. There will be no make-up days for inclement weather. Regular school hours commence around Labor Day and end the first week of June.
The school is closed on the following holidays and/or days:
- Labor Day
- Rash Hashanah
- Yom Kippur
- Thanksgiving (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday)
- Winter Break (mid-December through the beginning of January)
- King, Lee, Jackson Day
- President’s Day
- Spring Break (the second Monday in March through the week)
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- Memorial Day
- Parent/Teacher Conference Days (no children)
- November: first and second Friday
- February/March: the last Friday and the first Monday of the month