Montessori at Otari - Preschool Enrolment Pack

Dear Parent

Thank you for your recent enquiry into Montessori education for your child at the Montessori at Otari Preschool.

Please find attached an Enrolment Pack. Included in this pack is:

information about Montessori education,
information about the Preschool, and
an enrolment form.

If you decide to enrol your child, please return the enrolment form to the Preschool together with payment for enrolment and subscription fees. Details on how to return the form and make payment are on the attached enrolment form.

The date the Preschool receives your enrolment form, enrolment fee and family subscription becomes the date of your child's enrolment. This is the date entered onto our waiting list.

(Please note: the family subscription is due every year in order to retain your child’s place on the waiting list. A request for payment is posted to you annually. If you do not advise the Preschool of any change of address you may not receive the request, and non-payment will result in your child being removed from the waiting list.)

The Preschool holds information evenings during the year. Parents with children on the waiting list aged 2 years oldand over will receive an invitation. In general you will be expected to attend an information evening before your child is offered a place in the Preschool.

As our Preschool is run as a Parent Co-operative, your participation in certain areas will be required during your child’s time at the Preschool.

For further information please contact me on 021 519 476 or telephone Nicola at the Preschool office on 475 9688.

Yours sincerely

Marta Karlik-Neale

Enrolment Officer

ontessori Information

What is Montessori?

The Montessori Method of education is based on the belief in the child’s innate potential. It encourages self-confidence, self-discipline, concentration, independence and aims to prepare the child for life.

The Montessori Education philosophy is successfully used throughout the world for preschool, primary and secondary children. Montessori education is both a method and a philosophy, concerned with the development of the whole child.

Dr Maria Montessori believed that no human being is educated by another person. A child must do it for herself/himself. Learning continues long after the hours and years spent in the classroom. Motivation comes from within by a natural curiosity and love of knowledge. Dr Montessori felt, therefore, that the goal of early childhood education should cultivate a natural desire to learn.

Montessori in the Classroom

The Montessori approach begins with the acknowledged potential of each child and provides for mental, physical and spiritual development through a specially prepared environment.

The child is able to work at his/her own pace with a logical sequence of activities and materials, many of which are self-correcting. Once a child has experienced success in an activity he/she is often motivated to repeat it many times. Thus the development of concentration, self-esteem, self discipline and independence begins.

The teacher in a Montessori classroom is referred to as a director or guide. The primary function of the director in the classroom is to facilitate learning by observing the child and removing obstacles that may impede his learning. The director prepares the environment, selecting equipment and organizing the classroom to meet the particular needs of each child.

The Prepared Environment

The environment is fully prepared for the child to explore. It reflects order and sequence and therefore, fosters independence. There is a place for everything and all materials are accessible to the child. The Montessori materials are unique to a Montessori environment and philosophy and are a pillar of the prepared environment. Each piece was carefully developed to convey a specific concept, which reveals itself to the child through a presentation and exploration of the equipment.

The 3-6 Year Old, About the Preschool Child

Dr Montessori identified the young child’s unique aptitude for learning as the ‘absorbent mind’. In her writings she frequently compared the young mind to a sponge. It literally absorbs information from the environment without effort. The Montessori Preschool is designed to allow for maximum development of the young child’s potential. There is a sensorial aspect to all materials and a wealth of available experiences. The child is continually asking how? why? The environment is designed to permit the child to seek out and learn the answers on his/her own.

Montessori Today

Montessori schools and training centers for teachers are now established throughout the world. This approach to education is suitable to all children. Interest in Montessori continues to grow at a rapid rate. Here in New Zealand we now have nearly 100 preschools and 10 primary schools.

The preschool is a member of the Montessori Association of NZ (MANZ) which represents our interests at a national level.

The Montessori Environment

A Montessori environment provides love, warmth, security, respect, understanding, real listening, freedom to explore, freedom to learn by oneself, rules enforced fairly and

consistently, time to move slowly, an orderly environment, opportunity for success, encouragement.

Staff are always happy to discuss any concerns or problems you might have with the preschool or talk about your child.

Montessori in the Home

Much can be done to assist the child’s development by organizing aspects of the home environment to suit him/her.

Physical attributes of a prepared environment at home:

Arrange the child’s room in an orderly way, with a place for all things so that the child can learn to find things as he/she needs them and be expected to put them away.
Provide a child-sized table and chair.
Have a cupboard and toy storage shelves accessible so that the child can reach all parts of them.
Have low hooks for clothes or a pole in the wardrobe at a height that is within the child’s reach.
Have low drawers for frequently used clothing – check that the child can indeed manage the drawers.
Provide clothing that can be managed by the child – look at it from the child’s point of view: are the fastenings capable of being managed by the child?
A place to hang pictures at the child’s eye-level.
Mirror at the child’s height.

Daily life is full of possibilities for young children. When showing how to do something, your actions need to be slow for a child to be able to follow. Break the activity down into steps; demonstrate slowly and with as few words as possible.

Skills such as cleaning, sweeping washing dishes, preparing food, help to develop coordination, concentration and self esteem as well as fulfilling the child’s desire to be independent.

Preschool Information

Staff

Staff are all Early Childhood and/or Montessori trained.

The staff child ratio is 1:10

Clothing

A full change of clothing (including a jacket) is required, as spares but particularly for Civil Defence purposes. All items of clothing and personal belongings need to be clearly labelled.

From the beginning of term 4 to the end of term 1, we have the policy of “No Hat – No Play! Even on a cloudy day!” Please make sure that your child brings a named hat to Preschool during this period. Choose a hat that provides good shade to the face, ears and neck.

During the summer months, please apply sunscreen to your child before they arrive at Preschool. Sunscreen will be available again for those staying beyond lunch.

Food

In keeping with the Montessori philosophy, children prepare morning and afternoon tea as part of the session’s activities. Accordingly, approximately twice a year every parent is rostered to provide the food which the children prepare.We are a Nut free Preschool.

Waiting List

Our waiting list procedures are determined by our Waiting List and Enrolment Policy. Once your child is enrolled, a letter is sent out confirming your enrolment date.

Currently siblings receive enrolment preference provided they are enrolled on the waiting list by 18 months of age. Next preference is given to a child with Montessori at Otari Playgroup status (those regularly attending the Playgroup for at least a year and on the Preschool waitinglist by 18 months of age). Children moving into the area and transferring from another Montessori environment get next preference, followed by other families on the waiting list who are offered places depending on availability and the date of enrolment.

During the year, Information Evenings are held for parents with children on the waiting list aged 2 years and over and you will automatically be sent an invitation to attend.

Session Details

All children are enrolled for five mornings from 8.45am to 1pm. In addition, there is a possibility of adding a minimum of 2 afternoons, and a maximum 4 afternoons that finish at 2.45pm. Children are enrolled for 4 terms per year that follow the primary school dates as set by the Ministry of Education.

Details of Class Routine

Morning Session

This session runs from 8.45am to 1pm, five days a week.

The main door is open at 8.45am, to welcome children and whanau until 9.00am. If you need to stay with your child, you are able to until 9am, when the work cycle starts for the children. If you arrive after 9am, we ask that you farewell your child at the classroom door and quietly hand over to a teacher.

Children and their parents/caregivers are greeted by the staff individually and staff are available to take messages or answer brief queries. Please advise if the child is being collected by other than the parent/caregiver.

The work cycle goes from 9am until approximately 11.50am. Possible activities would include individual independent work or small group lessons involving the Montessori materials; reading with the children; music; drama; art and craft; project work following a particular interest, baking or preparing food…

The garden is open from 9am and the children have the choice to go out if they wish, for a period of time, allowing every child to have a turn. During the individual work time children choose when to have their morning tea, once it has been prepared by the children. Water is always available. Parents provide the morning tea on a roster basis. Rosters are displayed on the notice board in the foyer and parents are responsible to check with the teachers for a list of what is needed.

Lunch: At approximately 12pm, children get ready for lunch. Some children take turns at setting tables for the rest of the group. Children bring their own lunch, in a lunch box. Please provide lunch in a named container. We recommend small portions, with easy to open containers and healthy choices (no lollies, chocolate or junk food). We have glasses and jugs for water, so drinking bottles are not required. There are glasses, plates and cutlery available for lunch, if needed. We have a Food Allergy Policy (refer Policy at back of this Handbook). WE ARE A NUT FREE PRESCHOOL: please do not include nuts, including muesli bars and nut spreads in your child’s lunchbox.

Children going home at 1pm, get ready in the corridor and are farewelled by a teacher, at the door, to be collected by a parent/caregiver. Please make sure you are on time to pick up your child.

Full day

A full day means that your child is staying all day, from 8.45am to 2.45pm (Note that the Preschool closes at 1pm on Wednesday). You may choose a minimum of two afternoons and a maximum of four. However, there is an expectation that around the age of 4, a child will start with 2 afternoons to slowly increase to 4, if not already enrolled in any afternoons.

The afternoon session continues on from lunch, from 1.00pm to 2.45pm.Children follow the work cycle, similar to the morning, until approximately 2.30pm. Numbers are lower in the afternoons, allowing more flexibility in the programme. Small groups of children could visit the school library and the Montessori primary class (for the oldest children only, maximum of 6 children for 1 teacher); we might take the children to the primary playground, the school field for games, Otari Wilton bush for an excursion or bush walk or spend some time in the Preschool garden…Class updates keep parents informed about particular activities.

At around 2.30pm, children and adults tidy up the environment. This can be followed by a short mat time, with a story or some singing. Children get ready in the corridor and are farewelled by a teacher, at the door, to be collected by a parent/caregiver. Please make sure you are on time to pick up your child.

Parental Responsibilities

Our Preschool is a not-for –profit incorporated society (and registered charitable entity), governedby a Council in consultation with the Centre Leader. The Council is made up of parent volunteers. The Preschool is dependent upon parental support to operate. Parents are expected to join or support the Council, support fundraising, participate in the gate monitor duty and observe the driveway usage rules that enable the Preschool to operate within Otari School.

Families must participate in an annual working bee. At the beginning of each school year dates for working bees will be notified to preschool families. Each family will be assigned, alphabetically, to a working bee. If parents are unable to attend the working bee they are rostered to, it is up to them to arrange a swap with another family. If you are unable to attend a working bee, you will be asked to pay a Family Cleaning Levy of $75.00.

The Preschool looks to parents to help in other ways. Please consider ways in which you could assist.

Costs

The Ministry of Education provides the Preschool with some funding, however the Preschool in accordance with its Fee Policy charges the following fees:

Enrolment

An enrolment fee of $10.00 is payable when a child is entered onto the Waiting List. This fee is a one off fee per child.

Family Subscription

All families with children on our waiting list or attending the Preschool are required to be members of the Montessori at Otari Preschool Inc. The annual family subscription for this membership is $25.00 (billed each September). Those families enrolling their child between March and July pay $12.50 initially.

Fees Administration Bond

When a child commences at the Preschool a Fees Administration Bond of $150 is payable. This is refunded when a child leaves the Preschool provided that no less than 4 weeks term time notice is given in writing.

Individual Profile Book

There is a one-off cost of $20.00 which pays for a child’s profile book. Children are given a profile book when they start. It is kept by the teachers and traces the child’s journey though Preschool. You are welcome to take your child’s profile book home.

Session Fees

From 1st July 2007 “20 Hours ECE” has been available to three and four year old children who are enrolled at this Preschool. From 1st July 2010 “20 Hours ECE” became available to 5 year olds. The maximum “20 Hours ECE” that can be claimed for each child is 20 hours per week across all services that the child is enrolled in. An Optional Charge is requested for children receiving “20 Hours ECE” to enable the Montessori to provide the specialist equipment and learning.

Fees apply to 2 year olds, as well as to 3, 4 and 5 year old children enrolled for more than 20 hours at this Preschool or at another service. The fees set out below are set under the presumption that the total hours enrolled are claimed under the “20 Hours ECE” initiative with our Preschool. Any hours enrolled that are not claimed under the “20 Hours ECE” will be charged a fee being the loss of MOE funding. Fees are billed and payable at the commencement of each term.

The following table sets out the optional charges and fees from the start of Term 2, 2015.

Sessions / Optional Charge/Fee Per Term/per child
Morning Session (Half Day) M-F 8.45am-1pm / $312*
In addition you may choose:
2.45pm session finish (2 Full Days not W) or / $115**
2.45pm session finish (3 Full Days not W) or / $173**
2.45pm session finish (4 Full Days not W) / $231**

* Fee if child is less than 3 years old and/or if hours enrolled are not claimed under the “20 Hours ECE”.

**Note this is a fee, not an optional charge. Please note that fees are reviewed annually. Fees may increase in the future depending on the overall financial situation of the Preschool.

Optional Charge (for those receiving “20 Hours ECE” only)

The Preschool has set an optional charge per term for those children receiving “20 Hours ECE”. The optional charge contributes to the cost of maintaining and upgrading our Montessori equipment and materials, staff professional development with a particular focus on the Montessori philosophy. It also covers the Montessori Aotearoa of New Zealand membership subscription fee. This charge makes an important contribution to the running of the Preschool and we strongly encourage parents to make this payment.

Office Hours

Nicola Clarkis the Office Administrator in the preschool office. She is available for general inquiries during the following hours:

Monday to Friday8.45amto3.15pm

Montessori at Otari Preschool – Waiting List Enrolment Packp. 1