“The child who concentrates is immensely happy.”
- Maria Montessori
Admissions
Applications
Your child may enter our wait pool once you submit an application. Applications are accepted at any time, but we recommend at least a year ahead of your desired enrollment date. There is a $50 fee due with the application.
This application is subject to the following conditions:
- We give preference in admission decisions to children with siblings already enrolled in our school and children with previous Montessori experience.
- We may contact the child’s previous schools, teachers or childcare providers to obtain relevant info. The application serves as your permission for us to request student records from any previous school or care provider.
- The application does not constitute acceptance into the Montessori School of Columbia. If the child is accepted to the school, an enrollment contract will be sent.
- The Montessori School of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disabilities, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational and admission policies, athletic programs, financial aid policies, or any other school-administered activities.
Student Visits
If you are applying for 4K or above, we will invite your child to visit a classroom for a full or half-day. This helps us determine if your child will thrive in a Montessori prepared environment.
Students usually have a wonderful time when they visit our diversified facilities, which include specialized classrooms, playgrounds, gardens, and even koi ponds and chicken coops.
However, we do not do visits with rising three-year-olds.
Request for Records and Additional Information
Our team will request records from any prior schools your child has attended and we may opt to speak with your child’s previous teachers. Our teachers are not specially trained to educate children with specifically diagnosed learning, behavior, or attention disorders.
In order to effectively assess whether we can serve your child, we request that you disclose any medical or psychological evaluations, current medications, and any other information relevant to this concern.
Enrollment Process
If we feel that your family will be a wonderful fit for ours, and we have a spot available, an enrollment contract will be presented. Contracts are offered based on the following priorities, and in this order:
- Sibling priority is given only once the older sibling’s enrollment contract is returned;
- Students coming from another Montessori program;
- People who we believe will make excellent partners and stay through the 8th grade;
- People who we believe will make excellent partners and stay through kindergarten;
- If all else is equal, priority goes to a family that brings diversity to our community (transgender, a family of color, child of same-sex parents, etc.).
If a spot is not available for the desired school year, you may defer and remain in our wait pool. If a student moves mid-year, we will offer their spot to a child in the wait pool.
Requirements
Students must be three years of age by September 1st and independently toilet-trained to join our school.
Forms
Why Choose Montessori?
Choosing the best Montessori school for your child is a big decision for any parent. Parents that believe in the Montessori principles want their children to undergo the full potential of the method and its learning experiences.
