Primary Program
The Primary Program is guided by Montessori-credentialed teachers using a full complement of Montessori materials. The classroom is designed to offer choice for hands-on exploration following each child’s interests, learning style, and pace. Our program provides a balanced focus of promoting independence and concentration while learning friendship skills and the joys of feeling part of a harmonious group.
Curricular areas include Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, Geography and Cultural studies, Science and the Arts.
In the Primary program children are exposed to individual, small group, and large group activities that allow them to build their minds, strengthen their bodies, and expand their hearts. The teachers work as guides to help each individual child progress at a comfortable pace. The children are excited, self-motivated and engaged.
A peek into a Primary classroom mid-morning might reveal two children peeling and cutting vegetables as part of the group’s snack, an older child reading to a younger one, a child building her own story with the movable alphabet, children counting together into the thousands, others creating their own art and music, while yet another waters the plants that he noticed were dry.
The children develop a deep sense of ownership of their own learning and create strong and lasting bonds with their classmates.
Schedule
Parents and/or caregivers of 3- and 4-year olds may choose 3, 4, or 5 mornings per week. The primary program is from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with the option of extending their day to 3:00 p.m.
Children in Kindergarten (ages 5 and 6) attend school five days per week. Kindergarten is part of the mixed age group, ages 3 to 6, giving them the opportunity to be leaders and helpers.
Please note: Friday dismissal is at noon for all Primary and Kindergarten children with the option to sign up for After-care.