How We Communicate With Our Parents
Communication between parents and school is a vital component of your child’s education. At Community Montessori we make every effort to keep you informed of your child’s progress and important school events.
School-Initiated Communication
Back to School Night provides parents with an opportunity to get an overview of their child’s program. This event is held during the first few weeks of school. Information is given on schedules, classroom expectations, homework, special subjects, curriculum, volunteer opportunities and communication with the teacher. Please see the school calendar for this year's date.
The Buzz, Buzz Bits and all school newsletters are published bi-monthly.
Classroom Newsletters are published by each teacher with pertinent information about the class, upcoming events, areas of study, and general class progress and needs.
Duplicate Copies of newsletters and other important information can be requested for parents who live in separate residences. Please provide the teacher with self-addressed, stamped envelopes if mailing of copies is required.
E-Communication: All newsletters can be received electronically rather than hard copy. Please request through the office.
Parent Library: There is a Montessori reading material shelf in the school library. You are welcome to check out these materials.
Parent/Teacher Conferences are held in the fall and the spring. The specific dates will be published in The Buzz one month prior to the conferences. Parents are to stop into school to sign up for their conference time(s). Additional conferences can be requested by the parent or teacher during the school year. In addition, please see the school calendar for this year's dates.
Parent Visitation Nights are held in the fall and the spring, the week before Parent/Teacher conferences. This is an opportunity for your child to show you what they are currently working on in class. The evening is not directed by the teachers. It is a time for you and your student to interact with the classroom materials. Please see the school calendar for this year's dates.
Parent Directory is a listing of phone numbers and addresses of each family (who give permission) here at Community Montessori. The directory also includes class lists, staff information, school, and office hours. It is distributed each fall, one copy to each family.
Report Cards are given out three times during the year for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Progress during the school year is discussed at the fall and spring Parent/Teacher conferences.
All School SIT-PTA and Parent Education Meetings are scheduled several times throughout the school year. All school meetings provide a forum where current issues are discussed and/or programs for parents are offered. Parent education meetings provide information on the Montessori method and parenting. Please see the school calendar for this year's dates.
Parent-Initiated Communications
Principal and office contact information is published in every Buzz and the Parent Directory
School Office -The school office is open Monday-Friday 7:30-4pm when school is in session.
Teachers - Phone calls to teachers are welcomed any time a parent has a question or concern regarding a student’s situation. Teachers will make every effort to return these calls as soon as possible.
Classroom Visitors’ Policy
Parents and visitors may observe Oct. through April at Community Montessori. As a focus school we receive a steady flow of classroom observers from the community who are interested in learning about our program. Additionally, parents of students frequently observe in the classroom. Consequently, there are visitors in the classroom for the majority of the school year.
In order to maintain the integrity of the learning environment with the heavy volume of visitors each week, we require the cooperation of our classroom parents and visitors on the following matters:
• Please schedule your classroom visit in advance with the office.
• Parents and visitors are to observe quietly so as not to interrupt any student or staff member.
• Parents and observers are to be seated in the observer’s chair; please refrain from moving about the classroom.
• If parents or visitors have questions or comments concerning their observation, please schedule an appointment with the current classroom teacher or the principal.
• Parent visiting nights are scheduled twice during the school year to allow parents and students an opportunity to interact with the classroom materials.
Everyone’s cooperation will allow each class day to be productive and without interruption.
Alumni Visitors’ Policy
Once a part of Community Montessori, always a part of Community Montessori—we miss our alumni and love to see them and catch up. In fact we all love to see them so much that frequent or long visits actually disrupt the learning environment for current students and staff. For this reason the following policy is in place:
• Prior arrangements must be made with the classroom teacher
• Visits should be limited to 30 minutes of class time before or after lunch and can also include lunch and play time
• If children are dropped off without a scheduled appointment, they will not be allowed to stay for a visit but will need to make arrangements for another day