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Q1. Is Buena Vista becoming a charter school or a private school?
Q2. What qualifications will teachers at Buena Vista Montessori School have?
Q3. Will students still take the CSAP evaluations?
Q4. What are the other ways students will be assessed? Are there "Montessori" assessments?
Q5. Will I need to pay for my child to attend the Buena Vista Montessori School?
Q6. Will Buena Vista still have a half-day Kindergarten class?
Q7. My second and fourth grader already attend
Buena Vista. Will they go into a Montessori classroom or will they have to go to another school?
Q8. What happens if I live in or move into the
Buena Vista area, but don't want my child/children in a Montessori classroom?
Q9.
Why is previous Montessori experience preferred when requesting admission to the
Lower Elementary (grades 1 - 3) and Upper Elementary (grades 4 - 6)?
Q10. I’ve heard Montessori means kids can do whatever they want. Is this going to be another one of those free-for-all schools?
Q11. How does
my child transition from Montessori to "regular" school, whether that is to
middle school or a personal move that causes the child to be moved to a
different area?
Q12. How does Montessori accommodate children with special needs?
Q13. How does Montessori accommodate children who are working significantly above or below their grade level?
Q14. I’m interested! What do I do now?
Q15. I want to home-school my child until 1st grade. Can he/she join the Lower Elementary Montessori classroom at that time?
Q1. Is Buena Vista becoming a charter school or a private school?
A. No. Buena Vista will remain a District 11 neighborhood school. Like all D11 schools, students from anywhere in Colorado Springs may apply for a permit to attend
Buena Vista. The school will serve neighborhood children as well as act as a "magnet" for others in the area who want a Montessori education for their children.
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Q2. What qualifications will teachers at Buena Vista Montessori School have?
A. Teachers in the Montessori classrooms will be certified by an accredited Montessori training program as well as be certified by the Colorado Department of Education.
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Q3. Will students still take the CSAP evaluations?
A. Yes. Students at Buena Vista will participate in all state-mandated assessments. Students will also receive traditional "progress reports", the same as other D11 elementary school students.
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Q4. What are the other ways students will be assessed? Are there "Montessori" assessments?
A. Students will be assessed by a variety of means such as teacher observation and the child’s performance with educational materials and on projects. The students may also do self-evaluation, as each student needs his/her own sense of progress and accomplishment. Such evaluation may include the student keeping a record or a journal of his/her own progress and learning experiences.
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Q5. Will I need to pay for my child to attend the Buena Vista Montessori School?
A. There is NO FEE this
year for preschool-5th grades. Primary Montessori will have a
fee next year (2007-2008).
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Q6. Will
Buena Vista still have a half-day Kindergarten class?
A. Beginning in 2006-2007, there will be only Montessori Kindergarten, which will be a full-day program, from 8 AM to 2:30 PM.
Primary Montessori also includes 3&4 year olds that attend from 8 - 10:50
AM.
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Q7. My second and fourth grader already attend
Buena Vista. Will they go into a Montessori classroom or will they have to go to another school?
A. Students living within the
Buena Vista attendance area have the choice of staying in the traditional
program or moving into the Montessori program. If a second or third grade
child has no previous Montessori experience and wants to enroll in the
Montessori class, the parent should schedule an appointment with the principal
to discuss this option. With the current plan, as the Montessori implementation
continues over the next several years, traditional classes will be phased out
leaving only the Montessori model
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Q8. What happens if I live in or move into the
Buena Vista area, but don't want my child/children in a Montessori classroom?
A. The plan to change from traditional to Montessori calls for adding only one or two additional Montessori classrooms each year. There will still be traditional classrooms during this transition period. Therefore, depending on the age of your child, there may be a traditional classroom at Buena Vista for him/her. If not, there are still many choices available to you on the Westside, including Midland Elementary's International Baccalaureate program, Washington Elementary's Core Knowledge program, and Whittier Elementary’s traditional elementary program. You can find the right choice for your child/children in School District 11.
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Q9.
Why is previous Montessori experience preferred when requesting admission to the
Lower Elementary (grades 1 - 3) and Upper Elementary (grades 4 - 6)?
A. There are over 300 PUBLIC Montessori schools in the US. The experience of these schools has consistently shown that if there are too many "non-Montessori" children in a classroom, it decreases the effectiveness of the method for all the children. Simply put, Montessori students learn from a very early age that learning is THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, not the teacher’s. They learn to become self-directed at a very young age. The older the child, the harder this concept is to teach. However, the research also shows that it is possible for about 10% of the classroom population to be children without previous Montessori experience. They can be integrated into the classroom successfully if they have the personal, behavioral, and academic skills to do so. If you believe that you have one of these children, please contact the principal directly for a consultation.
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Q10. I’ve heard Montessori means kids can do whatever they want. Is this going to be another one of those free-for-all schools?
A. Absolutely not. Students move about the classroom choosing developmentally appropriate, hands-on teaching materials with which to work, and replace them when finished. Because students are working on different activities at the same time, sometimes people think it looks "unstructured". But really, Montessori students are each working at their own level and at their own pace, and the teacher is always there as the facilitator. He/she is responsible for creating the learning environment, setting work expectations with each student, and providing individual and group instruction. Montessori education seeks to develop autonomous, competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers. Montessori provides an environment and method that encourage internal self-discipline. The child actively participates in learning. They also learn through productive interaction and activities with peers and the teacher. The teacher assesses each student regularly and ensures the student works with materials in all the subjects.
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Q11. How does
my child transition from Montessori to "regular" school, whether that is to
middle school or a personal move that causes the child to be moved to a
different area?
A. After transitioning from a public Montessori elementary program to a traditional middle school, research has shown Montessori students rank high in the following areas: using basic skills, being responsible, showing enthusiasm for class topics, following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively, asking provocative questions, and adapting to new situations. Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they've been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem-solvers who can make appropriate choices and manage their time well. Encouraged to exchange ideas and discuss their work freely with others, such students' good communication skills ease the way in new settings. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a positive sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, noncompetitive activities, help children develop strong self-images and the confidence to face challenges and change with optimism. In addition, the integrated curriculum developed around the Montessori philosophy is rigorous and aligns with Colorado State standards. It encompasses language arts, mathematics, science, history and geography.
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Q12. How does Montessori accommodate children with special needs?
A. The Montessori classes will be served by social workers, gifted and talented, special education resources, speech therapists, etc. similar to other District 11 elementary schools. The program will work with its proportional share of students with disabilities as any other school, and in many cases has the potential to serve children with learning disabilities well. The order in a Montessori classroom and the respect shown each child offers security and self-esteem for the child with a disability.
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Q13. How does Montessori accommodate children who are working significantly above or below their grade level?
A. There are many benefits to the multi-age grouping found in Montessori classrooms. Younger students observe and learn from older ones. The older students mentor and model academic and behavioral standards for the younger ones. Close attention is paid to individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses, so if a student is ready for more challenging work, he or she is allowed to move ahead. And if a child needs more help in a certain area, the teacher will give that student the assistance that he or she needs. Each child is taken from where they are, to as far as they want to go, in a non-competitive atmosphere. Students are also encouraged to work collaboratively in pairs or small groups to foster greater achievement and teamwork. They are taught to take pride in striving to achieve their personal best.
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Q14. I’m interested! What do I do now?
You may visit the school if you wish; please call first to arrange a time. Applications are available at the Buena Vista office. It is recommended that you fill out your application as soon as possible. If you live outside of the
Buena Vista neighborhood, you will also need to submit a permit application. These are also available at the
Buena Vista office. If you are interested in financial assistance, please speak directly with the principal.
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Q15. I want to home-school my child until 1st grade. Can he/she join the Lower Elementary Montessori classroom at that time?
This would depend on space
availability and your child's learning skills. The kindergartners from the previous year will move up into the Lower Elementary, taking up the available spaces for that classroom. However, there may be a slight chance that your child could integrate into the classroom, if there were space available (see above Question: "Why do children have to have Montessori experience?"). The best way to ensure that your child will be in the Lower Elementary class is to enroll them in preschool. These early years form the basis for the motivation and academic skills your child we need to be successful in the elementary Montessori classroom.
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