Welcome to McDonald Montessori School!
McDonald Montessori School follows the Montessori method of education created by Dr. Maria Montessori over 100
years ago. Dr. Montessori believed that children are individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses, interests, and learning styles, and acknowledging these traits is the key to a child's fundamental development. While working in the prepared environment of a Montessori classroom, the child has the opportunity to work on concepts at a level that is challenging without being frustrating. When a child works in this manner, they are more engaged and focused, thereby leading to a deeper understanding of the material with less boredom and frustration. This fosters a genuine, lasting interest in learning. MMS has an environment that is kind and supportive to our students using the Montessori principles. We strive to provide a solid academic foundation with a desire for lifelong learning. We encourage independent decision making and problem solving skills. All of our students are integral members of our classroom communities. We strive to develop positive social, emotional, and physical growth in a respectful environment. Our Montessori classrooms are carefully designed to meet the needs of our students. They are beautiful and orderly which play vital roles in fostering a love of learning.
Our Programs
McDonald Montessori School offers two programs for the academic school year in addition to a Before Care and an After Care program.
Children's House (CH)
Children's House is a multi-age classroom for children ages three to six. Each classroom has a teacher and an assistant. The Morning Children are generally ages three to four. Extended Day children, also known as Kindergarten aged children, are generally ages five and six. Morning Children attend school from 8:30AM to 12:00PM daily while the Extended Day attends school from 8:30AM to 3:00PM. Children may enter Children's House between three and four years of age. To experience the full Montessori work cycle and tap into the sensitive periods, we encourage enrollment prior to a child's fourth birthday.
A typical day for a young student in our Children's House classroom begins with a greeting and hand shake with the teacher. Ready to begin their morning work cycle, the child maneuvers through the classroom with confidence, exploring concepts in math, reading, writing, geography, science, and activities of daily life at their leisure. Our students learn skills in grace and courtesy, naturally caring and teaching each other, respecting the classroom activities, cleaning up after themselves, preparing their own snack, and washing their dishes. The morning concludes when the children gather for group to sing songs, celebrate a birthday, hear a story, or learn about something new (in topics as diverse as dinosaurs or China). The day ends with outside play time.
Extended Day (ED)
The Extended Day student returns to the classroom for an afternoon academic work cycle. It is a very intimate classroom with fewer than ten students and a teacher. Students have lessons in language, math, geography, and science. Extended Day students enjoy additional curriculum experiences like PE, a foreign language, and art.
Lower Elementary (LE)
Lower Elementary is a multi-age classroom for children ages six to nine. The Lower Elementary classroom has a teacher and an assistant. The Lower Elementary program is similar to a first, second, and third grade program. The Lower Elementary children attend school from 8:30AM to 3:00PM. While having previous Montessori experience is helpful, it is not required to enroll in the Lower Elementary Program.
A typical day for a Lower Elementary student begins with a greeting with the teacher. They begin their morning by choosing a work. Lower Elementary students have individual lessons, small group lessons, and whole class lessons depending upon the lesson and readiness of the student. The Lower Elementary student continues the work that was begun in the Children's House classroom. As their confidence continues to grow, the Lower Elementary student further explores concepts in math, geometry, reading, writing, grammar, word study, geography, and science. Lower Elementary students enjoy additional curriculum experiences like PE, a foreign language, and art. Each school day includes active outside play time. Movement is essential to the Montessori curriculum.
Before Care
McDonald Montessori offers before school care for both Children's House and Lower Elementary students. Before care is available between 7:30AM-8:30AM for any child currently enrolled at McDonald Montessori. Before care is available on a first come, first serve basis. Parents are encouraged to pre-schedule use of before care to ensure space is available. Only children who have been officially signed into the before care classroom are allowed in the building before 8:30AM. At 8:30AM the regular school arrival process begins.
After Care
MMS offers an after school care program for both Children's House and Lower Elementary students. After Care is available between 12PM and 5:30PM for any child currently enrolled at MMS. Parents may either enroll their children in After Care for the full year or on an as-needed basis. Space in After Care is limited, and priority is given to families with a full year plan. We do our best to accommodate everyone, but we strongly encourage advance scheduling when possible to ensure availability. Children who are currently enrolled in the Morning Program and who attend After Care are required to nap from 1:15PM-2:30PM. School-aged children are welcome to enter After Care at 3:00PM.
After School Activities
MMS provides many After School opportunities for our students.
Although After School Activities vary from year to year, in the past we have offered:
*Children's Yoga
*Drama
*Dance
*Foreign Language
*Soccer
*Robotics
*Art
We have people from our community teaching the majority of our After School programs. Therefore, our programs have separate registration fees, usually payable to the individual instructor or organization providing the program. All programs are offered on-site here at school.
Summer School
Due to COVID, our summer program is very different this year.
We are offering summer school.
There are two month-long sessions to help "make-up" for the time lost in the spring.
Our summer school session is for both Children's House and Lower Elementary students.
Please call or email for details.
Please view our registration form above for prices and times.
Our Usual Summer Camp Program
The learning doesn't have to end when the school year is over. We offer a summer program that provides children with a fun and safe environment to encourage their natural tendencies to explore and learn from the world around them. Sessions are one-week long. They are offered from mid-June through the beginning of August, and they are open to children from three to six years old (rising first graders). Summer camp is open to all and regular school year enrollment is not required to attend. Topics vary from week to week. Past sessions have included studying various countries, science experiments, biology, botany, and the senses. Every Friday is "water day," where the children enjoy time playing with various water toys, eating pizza and dessert.
Before Care and After Care are also offered. The hours mirror those of the regular academic school year.
Summer camp:
*Hours are 8:30AM-12:00PM, Monday-Friday
*We are closed July 4th
(or the observed holiday)
*Before Care 7:30AM-8:30AM
*After Care 12:00PM-5:30PM
Tuition
2020-2021 School Year
Payments are based on a TEN-month payment schedule if enrolled by August 1st.
There is a non-refundable enrollment fee of $400 per child, per calendar school year that is due with the contract.
This fee is not prorated.
We offer a 5% sibling discount. It is automatically applied when more than one child in a family is enrolled.
We love and appreciate our military families, so we offer a 5% military discount to our active duty service members.
Discounts may not be combined.
Children's House (three and four year olds)
8:30AM-12:00PM, $6100/year
7:30AM-5:30PM and the 5 work/conference days, $10,900/year
8:30AM-5:30PM, $10,300/year
7:30AM-12:00PM, $6500/year
Extended Day (five and six year olds)
8:30AM-3:00PM, $8700/year
7:30AM-5:30PM and the 5 work/conference days, $11,000/year
8:30AM-5:30PM, $10,700/year
7:30AM-3:00PM, $9100/year
Lower Elementary
8:30Am-3:00PM, $9100/year
7:30AM-5:30PM and the 5 work/conference day, $11,500/year
8:30AM-5:30PM, $11,200/year
7:30AM-3:00PM, $9500/year