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Think critically, Work collaboratively, and Live responsibly.Trillium springs MontessorischoolFamily handbook9213 Beatties Ford roadHuntersville, N.c. 28078980-343-9442*Like us on Facebook at Trillium Springs Montessori School
Table of contentsCover pageTable of ContentsWelcome!Montessori PhilosophyCurriculum and InstructionEnrolling Your ChildThe Montessori Classroom EnvironmentOpening School TipsArrival and Dismissal ProceduresAnnual AssessmentsAttendance RequirementsBirthday CelebrationsCafeteria InformationChange of Address/Telephone numbersCMS Student Rights, Responsibilities and Char. Dev. ss CodeEmergency DrillsEmergency NotificationField TripsFour-Year Old HoursGetting a Message to Your ChildHealth Room OperationIllnessInjuriesLabeling Personal ItemsLearning 41515161616161616171717172
TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT’D)Lost and FoundMedication ProceduresReport CardsSafe School ProceduresSnacksSuppliesToysTransportationTSM Parent Teacher Association (PTA)Tuition and Transportation FeesVolunteersWeather Related Closings1717181818181819202020203
Trillium Springs Montessori SchoolFamily Handbook2015-16Welcome to the Trillium Springs Montessori School family!. The school staff welcomes and invites you tobecome a part of our growing school community. There is a spirit of excitement and enthusiasm sharedby our school community as we begin our inaugural school year together.This handbook is provided as a ready reference of information that will help you become an active part ofyour child’s education at Trillium Springs Montessori School. Please take time to review the handbookwith your child so that you become familiar with the many resources available to help your child succeed.The TSM staff is proud to welcome you and to have the opportunity to work with your child this year.“To consider school as a place where instruction is given is one point ofview. But, to consider the school as preparation for life is another.”-Maria Montessori
Montessori PhilosophyThe Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. MariaMontessori, is a child-centered educational approach based onscientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. Dr.Montessori’s Method has been time tested, with over 100 years ofsuccess in diverse cultures throughout the world.It is a view of the child as one who is naturally eager for knowledge andcapable of initializing learning in a supportive, thoughtfully preparedlearning environment. It is an approach that values the human spiritand the development of the whole child – physical, social, emotional,cognitive.Curriculum and InstructionEarly Childhood (Prek – K): Montessori students learn through sensorymotor activities, working with materials that develop their cognitivepowers through direct experience: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling,touching and movement.Lower Elementary (1st – 2nd); Montessori students continue to organizethinking through work with the Montessori learning materials and aninterdisciplinary curriculum as they pass from concrete to the abstractthinking. They begin the application of their knowledge to real-worldexperiences.5
Enrolling Your Child Students must be registered in a CMS school. CMS registered PreK-K students must complete the Lottery Process. CMSregistered 1st – 2nd grade students must complete the Transfer Process. Students applying for the Montessori school’s Pre-K program must be 4years of age and Kindergarten students must be 5 years of age on or beforeAugust 31st in order to be considered. Students entering Pre-K and Kindergarten do not need previous Montessoriexperience. Children whose parents are interested in enrolling in the 1st – 2nd gradesshould be currently enrolled in a public or private Montessori program. All rising 1st – 2nd grade students will be interviewed prior to admittance.6
The Montessori Classroom EnvironmentTeachers take much care in arranging the classroom with opportunities forworking independently, working with a partner or working in a small group. Ourclassrooms are orderly and well-cared for by staff and children. Each classroom iswell supplied with Montessori materials which are displayed for immediate use bymembers of the classroom community.Environments where there is much independent work require an underlyingstructure set up with the teacher’s vision of what works for his/her particulargroup of children. The physical organization of the classroom is essential forfacilitating children’s freedom to choose work and to move about, as they choosebehavior that is appropriate for work in their classroom.Each child comes to school with a good understanding of what is proper behaviorand each child makes a decision and choice of how to behave. We encouragebehavior that shows respect for other people in the classroom as well as respectfor all materials. We hope to help each child realize a positive self image as ahuman being with the growing potential for becoming a contributing member ofour school and world society.Montessori did not agree that rewards and punishment are always the answers topositive behavior. Our modeling of appropriate behavior, asking children toreflect on the impact of their decisions on others, and redirecting the child as heexperiences decision-making situations will lead to pride in one’saccomplishments without always receiving a tangible reward.Work on independence and concentration begins in the primary grades with fourand five year olds. It is essential that our children have this opportunity topractice working independently and making choices. In addition, if we offerworthy learning opportunities and set up environments that target each child’sdevelopmental interests and meet his needs (both at home and school), we willexpect to see more focused work and positive behavior choices.7
Opening School TipsThe first six weeks of the school year will be an important time for your child toadapt to the Montessori philosophy of learning. During these first six weeks, ourteachers will be helping your child learn how to work as a respectful member ofour school community, develop the art of concentration, work independently,become familiar with classroom and school procedures, and learn to help others.This will take time and school-wide focus. As a parent/guardian, you play a majorrole in helping your child have a successful beginning school year experience. Youcan help your child by following the tips listed below: Pre-K and Kindergarten Staggered Entry: Each Pre-K and K student hasbeen assigned a specific day to begin school to allow teachers to providemore attention to our new students. By the 6th day of school, all studentswill be in attendance. This staggered schedule will enable us to bring insmall groups of the younger students and help each child adjust to theMontessori approach to learning. Once your child begins school, he/sheshould attend every day. Staggered entry dates will be sent to parents ofPre-K and K students. Classroom and Cafeteria Visitation: We request parents/guardians torefrain from visiting the classrooms and cafeteria until after the first 6weeks of school. (We will post the exact date on the website.) This willallow your child six weeks to become adjusted to the classroom/school andto develop the independence necessary to be a successful learner in aMontessori school. Beginning that week, parents are welcome to visit ourclassrooms. Be sure to call the school 24 hours in advance to arrange yourtime. Upon arrival please sign in and get a visitors pass.8
Escorting to Classroom: Parents/guardians are welcome to escort theirchild to the classroom on their first day of school. Beginning on the secondday, please refrain from escorting your child to the classroom. Your childwill be greeted at the bus lot, car rider/van rider areas each morning bystaff members who will supervise each child on the way to class.Montessori learners take pride in their independence within the schoolenvironment. Communicating with Teachers: Our teachers will gladly make anappointment before or after school hours to schedule a conference.Questions and/or concerns may be addressed at any time by email. Everyattempt will be made to contact the parents within 24 hours.9
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURESSchool day begins at 8:00 a.m.Students can enter the building at 7:45 A.M. Please do not drop off your children before 7:45 A.M. asstaff members are unavailable to supervise children. Breakfast is available from 7:30 to 7:50 A.M. IFyour child is eating breakfast, they may report to the cafeteria as early as 7:30 A.M. Students must be inthe cafeteria by 7:50 A.M. to eat breakfast. All students are required to be in their classrooms ready tobegin the instructional day at 8:00 A.M. Students arriving on campus after 8:00 A.M. are considered tardyand must be checked-in by a parent/guardian at the main office before going to class. The importance ofstudents arriving on time is emphasized. Late students lose valuable instructional time that cannot berecaptured when “beginning of the day” routines are missed. Please make arriving on time a familypriority.Student Dismissal Time is 3:00 PMTrillium Springs Montessori staff members work diligently to ensure your children are dismissed safelyeach day and use the mode of transportation communicated by parents. Staff members carefullycoordinate and supervise dismissal time. In order to keep students safe, parents who are picking up theirchildren should remain in the carpool line. Parents are not allowed to wait for students in the lobby ortake children out of the carpool line as classes pass through the lobby at dismissal. This creates anunsafe situation for your children. Please remain in your car and wait patiently in the carpool line.Avoid Early Dismissal/Transportation ChangesThe instructional day ends at 3:00 PM. The expectation is that students remain in class until 3:00 PM tomaximize the instructional day. Early dismissals are disruptive to the whole classroom and interfere withstudent learning. Please avoid picking up your children early. We realize that situations come up whereyou have to pick up your child early but please be advised that students will not be called out of theclassroom after 2:15 p.m. Please make every effort to schedule appointments before and after schoolhours or during school breaks.(Did you know that checking your child out just 10 minutes early each day results in your child missing 30hours or 5 days of instruction?)The staff at Trillium Springs Montessori takes the responsibility of keeping your child safe at all times veryseriously. At dismissal time, it is important that we know how you, the parent/guardian, want your childtransported home. Therefore, teachers will follow the regular afternoon transportation plan that you haveset in place for your child unless the office receives written notice from you. Transportation planscannot be altered based on information from your child. Parents must contact the school office inwriting by note, fax, or e-mail before 1:00 PM for transportation changes. We cannot accepttransportation changes by phone. The school will only release students to a parent or to the person(s)listed as approved to pick up your child in an emergency. Others will not be allowed to pick up your childfrom school. The school has the right to ask for picture identification before we release a child to anyadult.ANNUAL ASSESSMENTSOur students will be given CMS assessments aligned with state standards in reading, writing, and math.Reading 3D will be used to assess each child’s ability to recognize letters, sounds, and read fluently.Kindergarten and up students will participate in Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing.10
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTSAttendance is RequiredResearch indicates there is a clear relationship between good attendance and academic achievement.Students are required to attend school every day, arrive on time, and stay until the 3:00 PM dismissal.Children who arrive late miss valuable directions from their teacher and tend to have difficulty focusing ontheir work at the beginning of the day. Each year all schools in North Carolina are rated according to thepercentage of students who attend school regularly. Records will be maintained and efforts will be madeto communicate with parents regarding absences, truancy, tardies, and late afternoon pick-up.How can you most help your child succeed academically?Make sure your child arrives on time and attends school everyday.Excused AbsencesAbsences from school are excused for illness, religious holidays, death in the immediate family, andeducational opportunities (prior principal approval required). When a child returns to school, parents arerequired by law to notify the school of the reason for the absence by e-mailing the school secretaries,Tara Lucas (tara.lucas@cms.k12.nc.us) or Michelle Smith (michelled.smith@cms.k12.nc.us.) Copy yourchild’s teacher on the e-mail. You can also send a written note to your child’s teacher or call the schooloffice at 980-343-9442. Reminder: ALL absences will be recorded as “unexcused” until a written note isprovided stating the appropriate reason for the absence.Please notify the school if your child will be absent three or more consecutive daysTardiesStudents are considered tardy when they arrive to school after 8:00 A.M. Students who arrive after 8:00A.M. must be escorted to the office by an adult to sign in and receive a tardy pass.For a child to be counted present, he/she must be here in school until 11:30 a.m.In the event of an emergency requiring your child to leave school early, please come to the office and tellthe secretary that you need to sign your child out early. The secretary will guide you through the signingout process. Office staff will call the teacher to send your child to the office for dismissal. For safetyreasons, parents are not allowed to go directly to the classroom to get a child. The teacher will onlyrelease a child after the student has been called from the office. If returning on the same day, pleasetake your child to the office to sign back into school.Revocation of Magnet AssignmentIn 2010, the School Board passed Policy JCA, Section VII: Guidelines for Revoking Assignments toSchools other than Home School. It reads, in part: “A student may be reassigned to his or her homeschool if the student: has an excessive number of absences, tardies, early dismissals, and/or is nottransported from campus in a timely manner after the end of the school day or after-school activity.”Educational LeaveEducational leave is considered to be an activity that cannot be replicated at another time, such as,hearing the President speak, or a parent or sibling receiving a civic award. If your child needs to beabsent from school to attend such an event, you’ll need to complete an “Educational Leave RequestForm” in advance of the absence. The form will be submitted to the principal for approval/disapproval.11
Attendance PolicyAs a general practice, CMS requires a note from the parent(s) to excuse up to three (3) days of absencesacquired by the student(s). Policy also provides for principal discretion to modify the number of days astudent can be out of school without a doctor’s note. Trillium Springs Montessori has established aspolicy in that when a student is out of school for five (5) consecutive days due to illness/injury, the sixthday will require a doctor’s note for the absence to be excused. It is in the child’s best interest to seemedical attention in the event an illness/injury keeps them out of school for five (5) or more days. If astudent acquires ten (10) non-consecutive absences due to illness/injury, the eleventh absence willrequire a doctor’s note for the absence to be counted as excused.BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONSEach child will be recognized and celebrated on the day of their birth. Our teacher team will establishTSM rituals at a later date.Birthday invitations – If you want to mail out birthday party invitations, please do not ask the school foraddresses as we will not release that information. A student directory will be completed at a later timethat will share this information IF the parents have consented to it. The school staff/teachers will not beresponsible for handing out birthday invitations unless the entire class is invited.Should you choose to provide a special snack for your child’s birthday, it will most likely be eaten in thecafeteria during lunch time. In keeping with good nutrition and healthy food choices, snacks such as fruit,cheese, or veggies would be appropriate. We do not serve cake, ice cream, cupcakes, candy, ordisplay balloons. Parties, balloons, sweets, and favors are reserved for out of school celebrations.Suggested snacks are listed on page 18.Your child’s teacher may communicate to you other birthday routines during the fall parent meeting.Birthday Book DonationAnother birthday tradition we have at Trillium Springs Montessori is for parents to celebrate your child’sbirthday with the donation of a book to the media center collection in honor of your child. Our mediaspecialist will provide specific guidelines for selection of titles.CAFETERIA INFORMATIONApplying for Free/Reduced MealsComplete an application for meal benefits. This Free/Reduced Lunch application is available on-line orfrom the school. Go to: CMS homepage schools menus documents meal application Students will need to pay full price for cafeteria meals until the lunch application is processed. Only one application needs to be completed per household. You may apply for meal benefitsanytime during the school year. Return the completed application by mail to CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES. You will be notified by US Mail when your application is processed. For additional instructions on completing a “Family Meal Application”, call Child Nutrition Servicesat 980-343-6325 or email lunch@cms.k12.nc.us.Cafeteria AccountA child or parent can put money into the cafeteria account at any time during regular cafeteria hours (7:30AM to 2:00 PM). Prepayment for school meals may be made by the week, month, semester, or the entireyear. Parents are encouraged to pay in advance and reduce the need for daily handling of money withyoung children. Payment may be made by cash, check, or PayPams. All checks should be made payableto Trillium Springs Montessori Cafeteria.12
Cafeteria HoursBreakfast is available from 7:30 – 7:50 AM. Car riders need to be in the cafeteria no later than 7:50 AMto eat breakfast. Students arriving to school on a late bus will be allowed to eat when the bus arrives.Lunch is served during your child’s classroom assigned time.Cafeteria Meals and MenuStudents may purchase lunch in the school cafeteria each day. Monthly menus are available on-line onthe CMS homepage Cafeteria Menus. Students may select one (1) entrée, two (2) sides, and milk tobe considered a complete school lunch. The minimum requirement for a lunch meal is an entrée and oneadditional item. The additional item may either be a side item or milk. The menus follow the nutrientbased guidelines established by the USDA and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, assuring mealsaverage no more than 30% of their calories from fat.Cafeteria Meal CostsBreakfast is provided at no cost for all students through the Universal Breakfast Program. The cost of acafeteria lunch is: PreK is 1.90 ( .40 reduced price) for students. Extra milk is .60. K-6 is 2.15 ( .40 reduced price). Extra milk is .60.Free/Reduced Lunch InformationTo get free or reduced price meals for your child(ren), you must complete a Family Meal Application andmail to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Child Nutrition Services, P. O. Box 668847, Charlotte, NC 282668847. Incomplete applications will not be approved. Only one application needs to be completed foreach household.
Trillium Springs Montessori School Family Handbook 2015-16 Welcome to the Trillium Springs Montessori School family!. The school staff welcomes and invites you to become a part of our growing school community. There is a spirit of excitement and enthusiasm shared by our school
