Resources For Parents

The Montessori Method is designed to take full advantage of the "absorbent mind" of the young child. It is a unique cycle of learning developed for taking advantage of the child's sensitive years between birth and 6 years old. In an enriched environment, any child is able to absorb concepts without any critical thinking behind the learning. Their minds are like sponges that absorb knowledge.

Within an enriched environment, you will find Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language and Culture areas. Together, with the teacher and the child, the concepts can be absorbed without stress. In this environment, the child is allowed to repeat an activity until he/she has uncovered the truths that are within the materials. A confident and happy child emerges as the symbiosis between the teacher and the child, and the learning environment unite.

Yes. We have sharing on Fridays, in both morning and afternoon classes. The purpose of sharing is to give your child the opportunity to practice speaking in front of a group and to build their vocabulary. The object to share should benefit the entire class and may be something that the child made, a favorite book, CD (compact disc), pictures, cultural objects, but please, no toys.

We request you schedule an observation at specified times in advance. This assures only one or two guests are observing at a time, protecting the classroom from constant interruption and minimizing disruption.

Yes, by law parents may drop in at any time to inspect the facility and watch the children. Classroom observations are the best way for parents to understand their child’s school experience. Parents not only learn what their child is doing; they also see Montessori principles in action. Please keep in mind the teachers give their full attention to the children during class time and may not be able to talk with you during your observation.

Snacks and lunch are not provided by the school, and we ask parents to pack their child's lunch and snacks for the day.

Yes. We have set aside specific Parent-Teacher Conference days in our school calendar. There will be no school held during those days so parents may meet with the teaching staff. We will post a sign-up sheet well in advance so that you may plan accordingly. A reminder notice is sent to the parents several days before the conference.

We encourage both parents to attend the conference, as it is more than a method of evaluating student progress. Conferencing is one of the most important ways to demonstrate and encourage a reciprocal parent/school partnership.

Conferences are most effective when both teacher and parent expect to contribute and to learn for the benefit of your child. Please note that staff members are not available for lengthy conversations before school hours. However, we do appreciate and need your input and feedback. If you would like to schedule other appointments to discuss your child’s progress or any other school matters, please call the office or send an email.

Villa distributes a monthly newsletter to parents at the beginning of each month via email. This is the main source of communication of the school’s events and news. It features upcoming events, information on major developments at the school, and activities of the class as a whole. If you prefer a hard copy of the school’s newsletter, you may request one from the school office.

Notices and reminders are occasionally distributed as needed. Occasionally, we post articles, reminders, and notices on the bulletin boards located outside the classroom.

Additionally, the Director and teachers are happy to discuss your child and any school matters with you. Please schedule a time for them to meet or contact you either by phone before or after school hours. Please be mindful, the staff has a limited time for lunch and preparation for the afternoon class. We prefer that any meetings or phone calls take place outside of the core school hours (before 9:00 AM or after 4:00 PM).

Yes, there is one mandatory general meeting every year.  We require all parents to attend this meeting since essential school business that affects your child is discussed.

Yes, we do. You can check our school calendar for specific dates. We encourage all parents to join us for hands-on exploration and academic enrichment. These workshops provide parents with specific information about child development, Montessori principles, and educational methods. This is an excellent opportunity to find out what your child does in school. These workshops are designed to explore an aspect of the curriculum, which help parents understand not only what their children are doing, but also why.

The school needs parents to help with the weekly laundry, making materials for the classroom, serving as a member on the Board of Directors, serving on the fundraising committee, and working on the various clean-up days announced throughout the year.  We appreciate any and all assistance.