Dr. Montessori identified four “planes of development,” with each stage having its own developmental characteristics and developmental challenges. The Early Childhood Montessori environment for children age 3 to 6 is designed to work with the “Absorbent Mind”, “Sensitive Periods” and the tendencies of children at this stage of their development.

There are at least 4,000 certified Montessori schools in the United States and about 7,000 worldwide.

Children that have been in a Montessori environment typically are very flexible and adjust quite easily to the public school situation. They are generally better students and spend their time in more productive ways because of their self-direction and positive attitude toward learning.

Research proves that your child's highest level of learning takes place from birth through age 9. This period of development is when your child will absorb and learn more than any other time in his/her life. This is also the time your child will learn the joy of knowledge and the excitement of learning new skills. The gift of learning independent study skills in our carefully prepared class environment is an advantage when it is time for your child to move on.

Assignment to a school system is based on the county where your house is assessed. If the assessment of your house changes counties, then the school system assignment of your child(ren) also changes. You will need to enroll your child(ren) in your new school system. Consideration may be given to remain in your current school system. To fully explore enrollment options for your child(ren), please contact:

and 3 day programs are often attractive to Parents who do not need full-time care; however, 5 day programs create the consistency that is so important to young children and which is essential in developing strong Montessori programs. Since the primary goal of Montessori involves creating a culture of consistency, order, and empowerment, most Montessori schools will expect children to attend 5 days a week.

The Montessori system has been used successfully with children from all socio-economic levels, representing those in regular classes as well as the gifted, children with developmental delays, and children with emotional and physical disabilities. There is no one school that is right for all children, and certainly there are children who may do better in a smaller classroom setting with a more teacher-directed program that offers fewer choices and more consistent external structure.

Unfortunately no one body can accredit the Montessori element of schools, but there are state requirements for schools in genera. There are several Montessori organizations to which schools can belong. The two major ones operating in the United States are the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI, with a U.S. branch office called AMI-USA) and the American Montessori Society (AMS). Parents considering placing a child in a Montessori school should ask about the school's affiliation(s).

Children of The Retreat owners will attend schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District: Stone Lake Elementary School, Toby Johnson Middle School and Franklin High School serve the area. Parents are urged to confirm attendance and transportation to these locations with the school district. No. Homeowners are required to provide their own fire, liability and personal property insurance. The Association has its own liability insurance to cover the Common Area.

Children one year and older can attend full or part-time through kindergarten. Students can continue on in our before & after school care through age 10 or the fourth grade.

To increase their elective choices, students from smaller schools must travel to schools that offer academy and specialized courses. Since overall enrollment determines overall staffing, smaller schools have to limit the number of electives offered. Schools that offer fewer elective courses have difficultly offering enough sections in particular courses to enable a teacher to work full-time at a particular school.

In over-enrolled schools there is greater competition for limited positions in extra-curricula clubs and activities. For example, in over-enrolled schools there are fewer opportunities for students to assume leadership positions, participate in school plays, yearbook, newspaper or literary magazine. In a school with over 2,500 students, your odds of making the sports team are significantly lower than in a smaller school. Many more students are interested than are able to participate.

Exceedingly well! Guidance counselors and admissions officers from the area's most demanding private and public schools consistently report that our students excel in their new environments because of their knowledge base, their poise and confidence, and their eagerness to learn. We have a reputation for working with children to help them become "confident achievers.

you would expect, there are public schools in or near each community. There are also many private schools. Because Hawaii's public schools have historically tested far lower than most Mainland public schools in academic achievement, many parents opt to enroll their children in private schools. Changes are being made in the public school system and you should allow time to investigate for yourself and decide which would be the better choice for your children.

No. Although there are Montessori schools all over the world, all Montessori schools are not alike. Dr. Montessori's vision for children spread so quickly that soon the name "Montessori" became part of the public domain and could not be given a copyright. Differences in the quality of teacher-training, school standards, and adherence to the Montessori philosophy all affect the quality of a Montessori school.