Admissions - Rivendale Montessori School

			Admission Procedures for the 2006-2007 School year Rivendale Montessori School admits students of any economic and social class, racial and ethnic heritage, religious belief and family structure. We ask interested parents to observe the school and talk with the principal about your goals and expectations for you child. When the decision to apply is made, complete the application form and send it to the school with a non-refundable ¥10,000 application fee. Once the completed application form, authorization for request of student records or profiles from previous schools, and payment of the non-refundable application fee the interview process begins and an appointment is made for the child. Rivendale Montessori School has a specific approach to interviews which is often distinct from that of other schools. The purpose of the interview is not to judge the child or the family or to select the “best” students form a pool of applicants. Rather, interviews are designed as interactions to gain more information about the family and the child and to share more information about the school with the parents. The major focus of the interview is to determine congruence of values and goals between home and school. Secondarily, the interview helps to determine the readiness of he child for the classroom experience. When admitting toddlers or three-year olds, we will typically interview only the parents prior to making an admission decision. An interview/visit with the child is conducted later, once placement has been determined and shortly before the anticipated enrolment date. Depending on the age and readiness of the child we will have a teacher conduct a short interview with the young child before deciding upon admission. Parent interview The Principal or Admissions Director, who conveys a sense of the school as a whole, usually conducts parent interviews. If there are two parents in the family, both are asked to attend, emphasizing from the beginning the importance of all adults working in support of the child. The major emphasis of the discussion is to communicate the key principles of Montessori education at Rivendale. By exploring Rivendale’s program and the parents’ goals for their child, the interviewer and family are now reaching a final determination of whether there is a “good fit.” The interviewer helps to determine the “fit” or “match” by asking questions pertaining to the parents’ attitudes about discipline; their understanding of the importance of character development, not just academics; their dedication to time spent with their child; and their understanding of their child’s needs. Interview schedules are relaxed in order to encourage questions and extended conversation. Ultimately, the goal is for parents to make an informed choice for the right reasons. That kind of admission decision translates into families committed to the school’s philosophy and the continuity of its program. At the end of the interview, the Principal clarifies the remaining steps of the admission procedure. Interviews with toddlers through three-year-olds It is difficult to glean accurate information about a young child when interviewed in a new and strange setting. Much of the information about the child’s readiness comes from the parent interview. An interview is designed to gain information about the child. Since the Montessori emphasis is on developing a child’s potential, the interview should not used as a screening technique in which the young child is judged against a set of specific criteria. Interviews with young children are conducted one-on-one by a teacher in an age-appropriate classroom. In some cases, we may have several teachers interview a small group of children. Although the child is encouraged to separate from the parent, the parent should be invited to accompany the child if either demonstrates anxiety about the separation. Some of the things that we look at are: Small motor skills Language skills Does the child separate from the parent Does the child make eye contact Response to teacher direction Does the child show self-control Is the child a good match for the Montessori program Interview with a child four or older Much information can be learned from an older child in an interview. Unlike the younger child the older child plays a significant role in the decision making. For this reason, the interview includes a classroom visit whereby the child experiences the real life of the class and the teacher can observe the child within the context of the class community. Through one-to-one exchange, the teacher can assess strengths and weaknesses in skill levels as well as attitudes, behaviour style, and interests. Typically the interview will last from 1-2 hours and begins at 9:00am. Admission decisions Admissions decisions are made by administration and teaching staff. These decisions are based on an evaluation of the child’s school visit, school transcripts, and the needs of the existing class with regards to balance of age, sex and ethnic diversity. Parents will be contacted regarding our admission decision within two weeks after we have a complete application packet, completed interviews and transcripts (if applicable). If a position if offered to your child at this time, the ￥300,000 Enrolment fee and ￥200,000 building development fee are due. Upon receipt of a tuition deposit, we will hold a place for your child in our program and you will be contractually obligated for the year’s tuition. (The school will forgive tuition after a withdrawal only if we are able to replace the student withdrawn with another child of the same age and sex from our waiting list. Admittance is made throughout the year. If a place is not immediately available, you may wish to be placed in our wait group. The complete application along with the non-refundable ￥300,000 registration fee must be received prior to being put on the wait list. If it is our judgement that your child would have a difficult time in a Montessori environment, we will inform you immediately after the interview. If in reviewing applications, we feel that it is unlikely that we will find a place for your child, we will inform you at that time. Tuition and school fees must be paid before the students first day. Wait List: Because Rivendale sometimes experience attrition between enrollment and the start of school, a certain number of vacancies is anticipated. Therefore, after classes are filled, some students may still be accepted on a wait list. Letters to parents whose child is accepted on the wait list give a reasonable estimate of the likelihood of enrollment. If a space is not currently available, your child will be placed in queue on the wait list. When an opening occurs the faculty re-evaluates the student for admission. If the student qualifies for admission but space is not available, the applicant is placed in a waiting pool. Should an opening occur, all the applicants in the waiting pool are reviewed and an applicant is selected for the space. The priority runs as follows: currently enrolled students are offered the first spaces; qualified siblings of current students are offered the next spaces; qualified new applicants are offered the final spaces. Enrollment Enrollment is an annual process for every student in the school, both those who are returning and those newly admitted. Enrollment is a covenant between family and school. Parents make a legal commitment by signing a tuition contract. Other forms and records are also updated during enrolment. Returning Students Current students are given first priority for enrolment in the following year. Parents indicate their intention to enrol and submit a tuition deposit with a new tuition contract. This re-enrollment generally occurs in February or March. After the re-enrollment deadline, the school can accurately determine the number of spaces available for new children. Rivendale clearly informs current families that a place will not be reserved for a child who is not re-enrolled by the stated deadline. New Students New children are enrolled after returning students. Parents sign a tuition contract new families pay a one-time fee upon entering the school. Rivendale uses new-family fees for capital expenditures. Enrollment Policy: Rivendale Montessori School has an ongoing enrollment policy during the school year; a student may be admitted mid-year if space is available. If a student is enrolling for the fall semester, the Student Selection Committee represented by the Admissions office will notify the parent(s) and student of acceptance by mid- February (mid-October for students enrolling for the spring). We will not be able to offer an enrollment contract until all the required paperwork and the application fee have been submitted. The required paperwork does not reserve a space for your child. Contract: Once a contract has been tendered and you have been notified by phone of your child’s acceptance, we request that you return the signed tuition agreement, signed contract and remit the required Tuition and Fees. Upon receipt of the signed contract and enrollment fee, a space will be reserved for your child in the appropriate class. We will not be able to reserve a space should you not respond within the time allotted (two weeks after the contract has been tendered). In the case that the applicant is company sponsored, special payment arrangements can be arranged. Placement Decisions Placement decisions are made once all accepted students have been identified. The optimal dynamic in our classes calls for careful balance of age, gender and the diverse needs and contributions of the children. Teachers should be actively involved in placement decisions because they have intimate knowledge of their own classroom communities. However, the Principals involvement is also important for the broader view of the school’s population. Parent requests for a specific teacher should not be solicited; some parents, however, do have strong preferences for placement, and their input should be welcomed and taken into consideration. Sibling placement in the same or separate classrooms should never be arbitrary; parents and teachers know those siblings who benefit each other and those who do not. Children with special needs should be dispersed among the classes in order to ensure adequate teacher attention and contribute to the diversity of class communities. Placement decisions are communicated in writing to parents. Teachers can follow up with personal calls to each family, providing clear information about the orientation process and schedule.