2023/2024
Amy Montessori
Student Handbook
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Amy Montessori School! It is our pleasure to be a part of your child's first educational experience. We believe in educating the "whole" child through academics, social growth, emotional maturation and development of daily practical life skills.
At Amy Montessori, we believe that to educate a child takes teamwork of parents and teachers. Please feel free to contact us or your child's teacher at any time with comments and/or concerns. Also, on a regular basis check your red folders (located at the front desk/ child's backpack) and stay on top of emails from our office for important information.
Within this handbook, you will find a wealth of information. Please review and keep for reference throughout the school year. If you have questions or need additional information, please call the office at 262-784-8817.
With gratitude for your trust in us,
Christine Danneman
Admission and Enrollment
School Hours
Monday thru Friday
Before Care (7:30am-9:00am)
Morning: approx. (9:00am-12:00pm)
Extended Days (9:00am-3:30pm)
After Care (3:30pm-5:30pm)
Admission
We admit all children regardless of race, color, religious background or ethnic origin. Our preschool program is designed to serve children 2 1/2 years through 6 years of age. All children must be independent in the bathroom before starting school.
Children in our Early Childhood Program (2 1/2 thru 4 y.o) must enroll for a minimum of three mornings (9:00am-12:00pm) a week with the option of adding one to five extended days (12:00pm-3:30pm). Children in our 4 & 5 Kindergarten Program must enroll for Monday-Friday mornings with the option of adding one to five extended days.
Enrollment
Upon enrolling your child into our program there is a $75.00 non-refundable enrollment fee for all students plus half of your first month's tuition. These payments are non-refundable. These fees, a completed application, plus all medical and related forms must be turned into our school office before your child starts school.
Tuition
Tuition payments are determined by the number of days the child will attend for the year and divided into nine equal payments. These payments need to be in the school office on or before the first of each month. Yearly or semester payments are gladly accepted.
Before And After Care
Before and After care payments MUST accompany schedules and be in to the school office before the first of the upcoming month. If the last day falls on a weekend, a day we are not in session, or if you are on vacation, payment must be made in advance. We accept checks, cash and cc and we will gladly issue a receipt upon request. If you would like an end of the year statement for taxes or your flex spending account, please see the office.
Late Policy
It is important that your child(ren) be picked up at the end of their enrolled program time. Jr. K morning program: 12:00pm/ EC morning program: 12:00 noon. Extended day (full day): 3:30pm and After Care Program: 5:30pm. After one warning/or and repeated occurences $1.00 per minute will be charged. If you are going to be late due to an emergency, as courtesy, please call the school office. Leave a message if no one is available.
Withdrawal
If you are going to withdrawal your child from our program, a two week written notice is due to the office. Amy Montessori School also reserves the right to terminate enrollment for reasons such as: child is not fully bathroom independent, the child demonstrates extreme discipline/behavior problems, or is causing harm to other children or failure to adhere to our policies stated in this handbook.
Refunds
No tuition credit is given for absence due to illness or vacation. Registration fees and your first half month tuition payment are non-refundable.
Records
Please complete and return all your child's forms to the school office prior to the first day of attendance. Be sure to alert us of any changes to these forms, e.g. telephone numbers, address change, persons allowed to pick up your child, etc.
School Supplies
Each student is required to bring school supplies on or before the first day of school. These will be shared throughout the school. Please see the office for a complete list. Teachers may post "wish lists" during the school year.
Child's Personal Items
Extra Clothing: Please send a change of labeled clothing and place in a gallon size ziploc bag with his/her name written on the bag. These will be kept at school and be returned at the end of the year.
Backpack: Please have your child bring a backpack to school on a daily basis to transport papers and school related items.
Extended Day: (12:00pm-3:30pm): If your child is staying for our extended day program, please bring a lunch in a labeled bag or box. Each child must bring a fitted crib sheet and a small blanket. A pillow and one stuffed toy are optional. These items will be kept at school, so please label them with your child's name.
Winter Clothing: See outside play
Donations
Amy Montessori gladly accepts monetary and supply donations throughout the year. We are a non-profit organization and will be happy to provide a receipt for tax purposes.
Attendance/Absences
Absences
If your child will be absent from school, please call the office before 9:00am to report the absence. If you leave a voicemail message, please state the name of your child and teacher along with the reason for the absence.
Drop off & Pick up
These guidelines and schedules have changed due to Covid.
JR. K class
*Important!!! ALL Jr. K drop off and pick ups will be at a separate door on the east side of the building- directly across from the fenced-in playground.
Drop off between.... 8:50am-8:55am
Pick Up between.... 11:50am-12:00pm /those children staying full day, afternoon sessions end at 3:30pm/ after care starts at 3:30pm- ends at 5:30pm
Recess: 11:00am-11:20am
Early Childhood-class
At main front door
Drop off between....8:50am-9:00am
Pick Up between... 11:50am-12:00pm /those children staying for a full day, afternoon sessions end at 3:30pm/ after care starts at 3:30pm- ends at 5:30pm
Recess: 11:25am-11:45am
Early Childhood-class
At main front door
Drop off between... 9:05am-9:15am
Pick Up between....12:05pm-12:15pm /those children staying full day, afternoon sessions end at 3:30pm/ after care starts at 3:30pm- ends at 5:30pm
Recess: 11:48am-12:04pm
Extended Vacation
If your family will be taking an extended vacation, please see the office.
The following policy pertains to those absences of three weeks time or longer.
To hold your child's spot in the class we must pay half month's tuition paid before leaving. If we do NOT receive this payment, we cannot guarantee there will be a spot when your child returns to AMS.
School Closings
At times it might be necessary for Amy Montessori to close school due to inclement weather. We will send emails as early as possible to notify you of any school closings. We will also post closings on TMJ 4 www.wisn.com
Communication
Contacting the school
If you would like to contact the school please refer to the address, phone and fax number and website address:
16945 W. North ave.
Brookfield, Wi. 53005
262-784-8817
fax:262-784-7250
www.amymontessoribrookfield.com
School information/ "news" is sent to our families via email. Please make sure that the office has your most current address.
Student Directory
As a convenience to our school families, we provide an "all school directory". This directory includes student names, parents' names, email address and phone number. If you would NOT like to be included in the directory, please inform the office by the first week of school. These directories will be sent electronically after the school year has begun.
Red Folders
To communicate and distribute information to our school families, your child will have a red folder. These folders will travel and to and from school in your child's backpack. The office manager will use these to communicate office matters. These should also be used to send in tuition payments.
Health & Safety
Medical Forms
It is mandatory that ALL children who attend school have the required medical forms turned into the school office. There are three required medical forms; Child Enrollment Health History/ Health History and Emergency Care Plan, Immunization Record, and Child Health Report. These forms can be filled out by the parents with the exception of the Child Health Report which must be filled out and signed by your child's doctor. It is important that these forms are kept up to date, so when your child has their yearly appointment and receives immunizations, please inform the office of these updates. If you change doctors or your child develops any allergies again please inform the office.
Allergies/Dietary Restrictions
If your child has any allergies to food or the environment please indicate this on your child's medical forms and also verbally communicate this with the office and teachers. If your child has severe allergies to foods such as peanuts, you might want to bring in your own snack each day or provide a supply. If your family abides by specific food restrictions, please indicate this on the medical forms. Each classroom is provided with a list of allergies and food restrictions.
Snacks
As part of providing a healthy environment for your children, and to comply with the Department of Children and Families/ US Department of Agriculture, the following options may be brought in for snack. We encourage you to sign up monthly.
Beverage: Water
Snacks:
Fresh cut fruit (apple/applesauce, orange sections, bananas, CUT grapes, berries)
Fresh cut up veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli)
Cereal or Pretzel mix
Whole Grain crackers
Whole Grain dry cereal
Graham crackers
Granola bars or bites (no peanut butter)
Mini Bagels
Quick Breads (banana, zucchini, no nuts)
Pretzels
Mini rice cakes
Mini muffins
Raisins or dried fruit
Yogurt
String cheese or sliced cheeses
Due to allergies, refrain from bringing peanut butter or items that contain nuts for snack.
Please do NOT bring in.... cookies, brownies, fruit snacks (items with a lot of sugar/ frostings/ icings) OR salty greasy snacks (such as potato chips, Doritos, Cheetos, etc.)
Illness at School
Your child's health is a matter of major importance to us. We want to protect your child and the other children in our program. As a school, we take necessary precautions to avoid exposing the children to unnecessary germs and contaminates. Children who appear ill or show any symptoms of being ill, you will be contacted to pick up your child as soon as possible. If your child contacts any communicable diseases such as possible. If your child contacts any communicable diseases such as pink eye, lice, measles, mumps, chicken pox, or scarlet fever, you must report it to the office as soon as possible.
If your child contacts any communicable diseases such as pink eye, lice, measles mumps, chicken pox, or scarlet fever
you must report it to the office as soon as possible.
Should I send my child to school?
One of the problems most often confronting parents of school-age children occurs when a child complains of not feeling well on a school day. A decision must be made as to whether the child stays home or goes to school. Here are some guidelines we use at Amy Montessori: These policies may have changed due to covid.
Stomachache/Vomiting/Diarrhea
Consult your doctor if your child has a stomachache which is persistent or severe enough to limit your child's activity. If vomiting occurs, keep your child home until your child can keep his food down for 24 hours after the last incident.
Fever
A fever is a warning that all is not right with the body. No child with a fever 100 or above may come to school. Do not allow your child to come to school until he/she has been fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.
Rash
A rash may be the first sign of an illness, such as chicken pox or measles. A rash or "spots' may cover the entire body or may appear in only one area. Do not send your child to school with a rash until you have a doctor's note saying it is safe to do so.
Cold/ Sore Throat/ Cough
If your child has a "heavy" cough and cold they should remain home even if there is no fever. If your child complains of a sore throat and there are no other symptoms then they can come to school. However, if white spots appear in the back of the throat (which may indicate strep) or there is a fever the child should remain home and a doctor consulted.
It has been recommended by the Center for Disease Control that children starting at the age of six months may start to receive flu vaccines. You might want to consider this preventive measure for your child in Fall/ Winter.
Practice healthy habits at home. Washing hands properly, sneezing into your elbow not hands, using a tissue and not placing hands in nose, mouth or pants.
If your child requires medication to be administered during the school day, please see the office for a medication form.
Parking Lot
When dropping off and picking up your child from school, please use caution and be extra careful in our parking lot. At pick up and drop off times the parking lot is very full and active. The east side drop of the parking lot is very full and active. The east side of the parking lot is for entering and the west side of the parking lot is for exiting. We ask that you move in and out of the lot slowly and be aware of children and adults walking to and from cars to the building.
Please do not park your car in front of the school. Always park in a designated space and check around your car before backing up (this goes for uber drivers as well). We ask that when you pick up or drop off your child you leave school immediately to open up parking spaces for other families. Thank you.
Cell Phones & Technology
In our age of technology and the rampant use of cell phones, I want to to take a moment to familiarize everyone with our policy. In order to protect the rights of all, we ask there is no filming and/or photography at AMS without knowledge and consent from staff/administration. We work very hard here at AMS to provide all of our children with a safe environment that respects everyone's rights and privacy.
Dress
School is a time for exploration through all the senses. This means the children can and will get messy. Please dress your child for exploration. Clothing should be easy for the children to take down and pull up for restroom use. Shoes need to be appropriate for outside play. Please label all clothing.
Outside Play
Children will be going outside every morning, weather and scheduling permitting. If the temperature at the time of going outside is 10' and higher, the children will play outside. Please send your child with the appropriate outerwear everyday. In winter months, please send a jacket, snow pants, mittens (not gloves), hat and boots all labeled with your child's name. AMS will provide all students with an XL ziplock plastic bag ($4.00 per student required) to keep winter clothing in. This will help children and teaches stay organized. If your child wears boots to school, please send a pair of shoes for the classroom.
Emergency Plan
In order to prepare our children for an emergency, fire and tornado drills are executed on a monthly basis. Fire evacuation routes are posted within the school Lock down drills are also practiced.
Positive Guidance
We believe that discipline/guidance is the process of teaching children self control in order to "practice" future independent living skills. Teachers will often redirect or sit them in a "time out" if behavior is inappropriate or disruptive. If the behavior continues the teacher will notify parents.
Evaluations/Conferences/Curriculum
Evaluations
Children are evaluated throughout the year to measure their individual progress. The information gathered during this process helps the teacher "target" areas of development. These written evaluations will be reviewed at your child's individual parent teacher conference.
Conferences
It is important to evaluate our students and observe their progression in the classroom. Twice a ear the teachers invite parents to sign up for a morning conference time to discuss these evaluations. An evening conference may also be offered. Our conferences are scheduled for 10 minute time periods. Our teachers work very hard to stay on time for everyone's benefit. Please arrive a few minutes early for your specified time. If you are late for your conference it may need to be rescheduled. Also, this is a time for you and your child's teacher to share feelings and thoughts about how your child is doing. Please find childcare for your children so we can focus on sharing their progress with you.
Schedules
Early childhood (2 1/2- 4)-
staggered drop offfs/pick ups and recess.
Morning schedule (9:15am-12:15)
9:05-9:20 Welcome children
9:15-9:45 Individual shelf work/ free choice
9:45-10:15 Group Time (calendar, weather, special person/birthdays, demonstration of new materials and art projects, thematic and academic group lessons)
10:15-11:00 Academic Time (teacher corner instruction: reading math-phonics-writing, practical life area, sensorial area, geography, science, art and snack)
11:00- 11:40 Group Time (science, songs, large motor movement, finger plays, thematic lessons)
11:40-12:00 Outside time (weather permitting or inside large motor activities)
12:00-12:15 Organize to leave (empty cubbies, get on coats, etc)
Dismissal of morning children
4 & 5 Kindergarten Daily Schedule (9:00am-12:00)
8:50-9:05 Welcome children
9:00-9:30 Warming up (individual work/ free choice)
9:30-10:00 Group (calendar, weather, class jobs, special person/birthdays, demonstration of new materials and art projects, thematic and academic group lessons)
10:00-10:40 Academics (teacher table instruction, reading-math-writing- practical life area, sensorial area, geography, art and snack)
10:40-11:10 Group (wrap up of the day, writing the news, pledge of allegiance, count down to goof off day, large motor movement, etc.)
11:10- 11:25 Journal time
11:30-11:50 Outside time (weather permitting or inside large motor activities)
11:50-12:00 Organize to leave/ Dismissal of morning children
* Schedules are an estimate and are subject to change based upon daily curriculum
* French classes will also be weaved throughout the morning curriculum
Events and Holidays
The first Day of School
The first day of school is an exciting time for parents and children. In order to keep the morning running smoothly we ask that you please take any photos or video outside the building to avoid distraction. Separation anxiety can be an issue for many children (and parents) entering school for the first time. When the teachers open the door we ask that you say your good byes and not enter the classroom or linger. This is ultimately easier for your child as he/she can focus on the classroom. Be positive, telling your child to have a good day, and explain when you will be returning to pick them up. If you have any concerns about your child during the day, feel free to call the office at 262-784-8817.
Volunteer Parents
If you would like to volunteer to help in your child's classroom, please talk to your child's teacher. We do ask that helping parents take a brief "training" session before they help in the classrooms. We also ask that when you come to help you find alternative care for younger siblings. Our teachers depend on your help, if you are unable to keep your commitment, please find a substitute.
School Celebrations
The holidays are special times for children. We celebrate many different cultural holidays throughout the school year. Celebrations are scheduled so that all children, no matter their weekly attendance, will be able to partake in a party. If you choose to not have your child partake in a celebration, you are welcome to keep your child home that day. A "sign-up" sheet for helpers will be posted on your teacher's bulleting board shortly after the start of school. Those parents interested in assisting can sign up at that time. Please only sign up to assist on days your child will be in school.
Birthdays
Birthdays are very special in a child's life and we want to make them super special at AMS! On your child's birthday (or as close to the day as possible) we will celebrate together in our group time. This includes a special "earth traveling around the sun" song as well as the traditional Birthday song sung by his/her classmates. Each child will receive a special Birthday crown to wear the entire morning/day. If you wish to bring in a special treat for the class to enjoy (such as cupcakes or muffins) we would be happy to incorporate that into the celebration. Please talk with your child's teacher if you have any questions.
Welcome Day
We invite all registered school families to our WELCOME DAY ON MONDAY AUGUST 23rd for a short visit. This is the time to bring your child to his/her "new" school and classroom. Teachers will have the classrooms all ready for the first day of school. Find your child's cubby, coat hook, bathrooms and meet the teachers. Please bring your school supplies including a change of clothing and any outstanding forms that need to be turned in the office.
Evenings with Mom and Dad-
Dads will be invited to a Dessert with Dad and moms will be invited to a Spring Tea with Mom. Please join AMS teachers and staff for a fun evening with your child. This is a wonderful opportunity to see your child's classroom and enjoy a treat. We ask that you stop in any time during these hours for a short visit (we suggest about a 20-minute visit to allow a smooth transition for all of our families).
These evenings are special for you and your AMS child. Please make other arrangements for brothers and sisters. Also, although our teachers will be present, this is meant to be time for you and your child, and is not intended as a time to conference with the teachers.
Picture Day
As a memento of your child's year at school, we have a professional photographer come to take individual pictures of the children. The individual pictures are then placed in a group composite of each class. Parents have the option to order prints of their child's individual pictures and or the class composite. You are in no way obligated to order any prints, but we do ask that all children have their picture taken for the classroom composite. If you do not want your child to be in the class composite, please inform the office.
Picnic/Graduation
One of our great traditions at Amy Montessori School is our end of the year all-school picnic/graduation ceremony. Our last week of school rounds off with our annual picnic starting at 9:30am and ending at 12:30pm. We gather at Wirth Park and enjoy games, food and a wonderful performance of songs by the AMS children. Please sign up to bring a dish to pass and perhaps consider helping with a game or craft. Your whole family is invited. A small fee per person is due to cover the cost of sound equipment, hot dots, party supplies and the rental of the picnic area. Children need to be chaperoned by parents. More information will be posted closer to the day.
Fundraisers
In order to provide your child with updated classrooms and materials, it is necessary to have school fundraisers. Scholastic book orders are available monthly. Our school has an online account where you can order from the month's selections and pay with your credit card. It's easy and provides you with a great opportunity to stock up with great children's books Our school earns bonus points for dollars spent. The teachers are able to then select books and teaching materials for their classrooms. We also launch fundraisers that vary from year to year. Presently, we are raising money for our outdoor play area. We thank you in advance for your support and generosity to all of our families who participate in our fundraisers.
Community Projects
It is very important to teach our children the importance of sharing with those less fortunate. Often at Thanksgiving we collect non-perishable food items for a local food pantry; and at Christmas we collect new hats and mittens for children in need...this is a wonderful learning experience of giving to and helping our community.
THANK YOU!