Care Providers/Guardians must read this page and submit their acknowledgment, name, signature, and date below.
Once this form is submitted, a PDF is auto-generated with your signature and provided to the school for your child's records.
Policies and Procedures
In an authentic Montessori environment, we use an educational method that supports and addresses the nature of the child. The heart of the child is not a theoretical construct, but it is based upon Maria Montessori's detailed and lengthy observation of the child.
Maria Montessori believed that all children are born intelligent; they simply learn in different ways and progress at their own pace. The Montessori approach to education is intentionally designed to recognize and accommodate diverse learning styles.
Our Mission
We are committed to nurturing each child’s full potential—socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically—through fully implemented Montessori pedagogy. Guided by developmentally appropriate and educationally sound principles, we aim to serve children and families with compassion and integrity. Through our dedication to peace and meaningful learning, we strive to create a more humane and harmonious world.
Our Vision
To cultivate a joyful, connected community where children thrive through a whole-child Montessori approach, families are engaged partners, and lasting relationships are fostered well beyond graduation.
Ages
Mountain Montessori is licensed for 40 children per day, ages 2.5 years to 6 years. The license allows for 20 children per classroom per day.
Applying to the Program
Each family interested in applying to Mountain Montessori must fill out an application and pay a $25 application fee. This can be done on our website at www.mntmontessori.org. A completed application is the only way to be considered for future openings. We do not offer a waitlist per se. As openings arise, we review our applications on file. We offer parents the opportunity to visit the classroom and talk to the staff during Open Houses provided twice a year in November and February.
We have a rolling admissions policy, but most of our openings are for September. If we feel your family is a good fit with our program and we have a spot, we will contact you to see if you are still interested in your child attending.
Attendance and Hours
Regular attendance is essential to success within our Montessori program. We offer a 5-day program, and we would like to ask that you recognize the benefits of your child being in the classroom during their scheduled school days. Regular school hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Extended Hours allow for 3:30 - 4:30 pm each day. Holidays are listed in the Mountain Montessori Enrollment Agreement and our School Calendar.
- Absence: If your child is absent, we request notification by text or email by 9 am that day.
- Tardiness: School begins at 8:30 am. A teacher will be present in the parking lot from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to escort the children from their cars to the school. After that time, you will need to park and text the classroom iPad. A teacher will come out to the parking lot and escort your child into the school classroom. This disrupts your child’s routine and the children already involved in their academic day. If tardiness becomes a noticeable pattern for your family, we will ask you to consider a program that better suits your family’s needs.
- We ask parents to sign up for consistent drop-off times with 10-minute windows at 8, 8:10, and 8:20. We expect all children to be present by 8:30 am.
- Second Programs: We believe it is not in the best interest of any child to be enrolled in more than one care situation at a time. We kindly request that you commit to Mountain Montessori for all care, as confusion can occur for a child if they are in two different settings. Our goal is consistency, and if a child is with another provider when they are not at Mountain Montessori, the result is two sets of rules, two sets of friends, and two sets of expectations. This can cause developmental issues within the Montessori curriculum.
Birthdays
At Mountain Montessori, we acknowledge a child’s birthday with a Celebration of Life. On or near the child’s birthday, we ask parents to schedule this event with the Director. The parent is requested to send one photo for each year your child has been alive (e.g., newborn, 1, 2, 3, etc.). At 11:15 am, we light a candle, and the child walks around the line with their photo. Parents are welcome to attend line time via Zoom or in person and will be asked questions by the teacher about each year – “was he walking at 1?”. Our goal is to keep the focus on the child’s life. You are welcome to send in a special snack for that day which we will serve after lunch. It cannot be homemade, as State regulations prevent us from serving items that do not come from an FDA-approved kitchen.
Clothing
- Children should come to school in comfortable play clothes that they can move quickly in at all times. We try to use smocks during messy activities, but practical play clothes are recommended. Each child must bring a complete set of extra seasonal clothes in a zip-lock bag. The bag and clothing must both have the child’s name in a permanent marker or sticker. These are either kept at school or returned to parents when and if used. If we use them during the day, we kindly request that you replace the extra set of clothes the next day.
- Each child must have a pair of slippers at school. These remain at school. We'd like to ask you to purchase slippers with a hard surface and minimal decoration (Acorn Slippers and Foam Treads are some examples). Practice having your child put on and take off slippers before the first day of school. For the playground, we strongly encourage sneakers or soft-soled shoes that are easy for the child to put on and take off. Velcro makes your child’s day a lot easier.
- Weather changes quickly in Colorado; we go outside EVERY DAY! Please ensure your child is equipped with waterproof boots, mittens, hats, snowsuits, and possibly an extra sweater. All of these should be labeled. If the weather becomes extremely cold or excessively hot, the staff will make a safety decision to stay inside.
Communication
Our program thrives on excellent communication and collaboration. Please call the director for emergencies, text with items that require a time-sensitive response, and email with less urgent concerns/questions. You are also welcome to schedule an appointment with the Director for a face-to-face conversation if desired. Your child’s teacher’s first responsibility is the care and safety of all children. Since we are a small school, we ask that talks be set up for when the teachers are not actively teaching or “on duty.” Even a “quick” question in the parking lot can distract a teacher enough to endanger the children in their care. Therefore, curbside and entryway conferences are discouraged. These times are not enough time to give you the undivided attention to your concerns that your family deserves.
We also send a daily email every school day utilizing a software program called SchoolCues. You are asked to register for SchoolCues and download the app on your phone for accessible communication. If you don't get your email, please let us know. Emails from parents are also encouraged as a means of communication.
Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences are held in the fall to address the child's social and emotional adjustment. A second conference will be held in late spring to address academic growth and your child's social and emotional growth. These conferences are listed on the school calendar; there are no classroom hours scheduled on these days, and they cannot be rescheduled for other days. Conferences are scheduled utilizing the School Cues app. The conference can be in person or virtual.
Discipline
Our school's philosophy encourages “respect for myself, respect for others, and respect for the environment.” Staff utilizes ‘Positive Discipline by Dr. Jane Nelson, which can be found at www.positivediscipline.com. We also follow a peace curriculum that allows children to resolve conflicts with their peers with a teacher as a facilitator. The teacher may also need to address one child’s behavior, specifically when the child is given a “time-in” or asked to stay by the teacher. The behavior is then addressed with the child and the teacher. Physical punishment is never an option.
Recurring discipline situations or serious “acting out” that is harmful to another child or disruptive to the class environment will require an immediate conference with parents, the teacher, and the Director. The school promotes teamwork with parents on matters of discipline. Families are expected to partner with school staff in developing strategies for managing behavior in the classroom and at home. If the problem persists, Mountain Montessori will refer the family to community resources such as an early childhood consultant or an early childhood mental health consultant for additional support. In the Vail Valley, we have access to support systems through Early Childhood Partners and private specialists that may be required to support our efforts. If this cannot be done in a manner acceptable to the school and the parents, finding a program that better fits the child's needs may be necessary.
If families are unwilling to participate in the referral process, the child may be dismissed from the program. NOTE: When a child becomes aggressive toward other children or staff members to the point of physical contact injury, parents will be notified for immediate child pickup. Mountain Montessori staff reserve the right to physically separate (carry or pick up) a child from a dangerous situation until pickup has occurred.
Emergencies (other than illness)
Mountain Montessori maintains a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response plan to ensure the safety and well-being of all children and staff in the event of various types of emergencies. This plan is reviewed and updated annually and as circumstances change. All staff are trained on these procedures before caring for children and retrained immediately when updates are made. Documentation of all drills and trainings is maintained in accordance with state licensing requirements. Drills include Shelter-in-Place, Lockdown Procedures, Active Shooter on Premises, and Hazard Preparedness.
Our classroom was designed to allow us to identify where children are at all times visually. We also take attendance at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. The staff is instructed to count continually during transitions and on the playground to ensure the whereabouts of each student. However, even with these precautions, some incidents may still fall outside our control. The following procedures have been established:
- Lost Child: The Director is notified immediately, and staff will conduct an immediate and thorough campus search. The parent or emergency contact is alerted to the situation. Police are notified if the parents or emergency contacts cannot be located.
- Blizzard: In the event of a blizzard, teachers will stay with the students, and the Director will be responsible for maintaining a safe environment and food if needed.
- Fire: The classroom has a fire evacuation plan in place when the alarm sounds. One teacher leads the children to the meeting place outside as the Director surveys the entire classroom and checks attendance before and after the notice. If we cannot return to the facility, we will notify parents via School Cues mass text to pick up their child at Avon Self Storage, 850 Nottingham Road, Avon, CO (970) 373-4580.
- Building Evacuation: If asked to vacate the building, we will escort the children to Avon Self Storage, 850 Nottingham Road, Avon, CO, (970) 373-4580.
- Care of children with physical disabilities is designated to the co-director to assist these students safely. We will then utilize School Cues to send a mass text to parents to notify them of our whereabouts.
- Each scenario includes steps for evacuation, communication, supervision, and family reunification.
Continuity of care will be maintained by staff until all children are reunited with their families. All children's records (emergency contact information, medical authorizations, enrollment documentation) are stored on the Director's password-protected laptop, with regular cloud-based backup and a secure external hard drive backup stored off-site. In the event of an emergency, the Director (or designee) will retrieve the device or access cloud-based backups. If internet access is unavailable, the information is stored electronically on classroom password-protected iPads. Staff records (qualifications, training, health forms) are similarly stored digitally on the Director’s device and backed up regularly.
Fee Schedule
The one-time Application Fee due with the initial application is $25. The annual registration fee is $225 for new families and $125 for returning families. Tuition is determined in the spring before each academic year. None of these fees is refundable. The monthly fees from September to May are as follows:
Invoices will be sent electronically each month. Please provide the school with a valid email. Tuition is due on the first of every month. If tuition is not received by the fifteenth of the month, a 5% late fee will be assessed. Auto-draft payments are made on the 5th of each month and are the preferred payment method.
Field Trips
Currently, Mountain Montessori does not offer “off-campus” field trips. We will not be transporting children in a private vehicle for school outings.
Filing a Complaint
If you would like to file a complaint about childcare, the Division of Child Care at the Colorado Department of Human Services can be reached at (303) 866-5958. The address is 710 S. Ash Street, Denver, CO 80246.
Group Guardian Meetings - FAMILY NETWORK
Guardian meetings are held four to six evenings a year. These meetings are held to familiarize parents with the Montessori philosophy and environment and create a sense of community. They can also be used to discuss parenting issues. These meetings are essential in getting to know each other and supporting one another in raising children. We'll meet at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards.
Illness/Accidents
Young children frequently become mildly ill. Preschoolers experience a yearly average of six respiratory infections and can expect one to two gastrointestinal diseases each year. Deciding whether to keep your child home can be a difficult decision. Considering your child's well-being, the well-being of the other families enrolled in our program, and the staff’s health would be best. If your child is not 100%, sending them to school can often mean they are more vulnerable to severe illness. Their immune system is lowered, and they become sicker. Rest is the best means of recovery for a child. IMMUNIZATIONS are also vital in keeping the entire community well. Annual flu shots and COVID-19 vaccinations are essential for maintaining overall health. Please refer to the chart below for guidelines and recommendations from the State of Colorado Health and Human Services:
| SymptomDisease |
Exclusion from school is necessary. |
| Diarrhea (stools are watery, and frequency is twice what is usual) |
Yes. Until 24 hours symptom-free. |
| Chicken Pox |
Yes-children with uncomplicated chicken pox may return on the sixth day after the rash start or until blisters are crusted. |
| Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) |
Yes – until 24 hrs. after treatment. If your health provider decides not to treat your child, a note is needed to be re-admitted. |
| Coxsackie Virus (Hand, Foot, Mouth disease) |
Yes - this is highly contagious. |
| Fifth’s Disease |
No – a child is no longer contagious once the rash appears. If you are knowingly exposed, please keep the child home until the rash appears. |
| Strep Throat |
Yes – until 24 hours after treatment, the child must be fever free for 24 hours. |
| Head lice |
Yes – until 24 hours after treatment. |
If your child has a runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, stomachache, or headache, please keep them home. If someone in your household is ill, we kindly request that you consider keeping your child home.
If your child becomes ill or injured at school, we will first contact the parents and then emergency contacts if that is unsuccessful. A staff member will stay with an unwell child in the office until you arrive. We'd like to ask you to respond immediately so staff members can return to their duties. Help us keep our environment healthy by keeping children home if they have a fever, vomiting, or discomfort for 24 hours. Your child must be well enough to resume a regular Montessori day, including outdoor play. Our staff reserves the right to call parents and ask them to collect their child if, in our opinion, they arrive at school sick.
Our Montessori curriculum includes the use of restaurant-quality glassware and real-life materials, such as child-sized knives, which may pose a risk of lacerations to your child. We provide safety training in prevention, and all staff will be certified in CPR/First Aid. Below is a list of our procedures when we have a clean-up of broken materials:
- The closest staff member immediately approaches the area and reassures the child.
- All children are removed from the area within a safe, generous radius. CHILDREN MAY NOT CLEAN UP GLASS.
- One adult is solely responsible for cleaning the materials and environment thoroughly.
- All breakable hazards are immediately removed from the school and placed in the dumpster outside in the parking lot.
All health problems must be noted on the child’s information sheet. The school is required by Colorado law to keep an updated State of Colorado Immunization Certificate on every student. The link is on our registration page if you need a blank Immunization Certificate. This must be in the child’s file before the child may start school. It must also be kept current. A child may be asked to be withheld from school until their health records are completed. For this reason, there is no “break” on tuition when the child cannot attend. We require a minimum annual update to immunizations.
Mountain Montessori is required to report all communicable illnesses to the Eagle County Department of Health, in accordance with the State Department of Public Health and Environment regulations.
As a private school, Mountain Montessori requires all students to be fully immunized against certain diseases. This policy is in place to protect the health and safety of all members of our school community, including those who are medically vulnerable. We do not accept non-medical exemptions. Documentation of up-to-date immunizations must be submitted before enrollment and kept current throughout the school year.
MEDICATION - Staff shall dispense Prescription medication only with a completed medication form, signed by a parent and a physician, including the physician’s phone number. These forms are available from the staff. Medication must be in the original container bearing the original pharmacy label, which includes the RX number, name of the drug, date filled, physician’s name, child’s name, and dosage instructions. NEVER send the medication in the child’s lunchbox or backpack. Hand the medication directly to the staff. All medicines are kept in the office and dispensed by personnel trained in first aid and medicine administration.staff shall dispense Prescription medication ONLY with a medication form filled out by the parent and signed by a physician with the physician’s phone number. These forms are available from staff. Medication must be in the original container bearing the original pharmacy label with the RX number, name of medication, date filled, physician’s name, child’s name and dosage instructions. NEVER send the medication in the child’s lunch box or backpack. Hand the medication directly to staff. All medications are kept in the office and are dispensed by personnel trained in first aid and the administration of medicine.
Mountain Montessori is committed to administering medication to children safely, in accordance with state law, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) rules, and the Colorado Nurse and Nurse Aide Practice Act (CRS 12-255). All staff administering medication complete the state-approved medication training and annual reviews with the Colorado Health Care Consultant (CHCC). All incidents or errors in medication administration are documented and reported to the director and the CHCC. The event is reviewed for corrective action and retraining if necessary.
Lunch and Snacks
Children are to bring their lunches with water bottles to school daily. The lunches remain in their cubbies before lunchtime. If refrigeration is required, please pack the lunch with a cold pack. We cannot accommodate 40 lunches a day in our refrigerator. We also cannot heat lunches. Lunch must provide 1/3 of the child’s daily food needs. Please refrain from sending candy or soda to school. Parents give an individual a snack each day. Please place the snack in a separate bag marked with an “S.” This is helpful to your child during the day.
Non Discrimination
Mountain Montessori admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, gender identity, religion, family structure, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities made available at the school. We do not discriminate in the administration of our educational policies, admissions, or school programs.
This policy applies to all aspects of school life. Mountain Montessori complies with all applicable federal and state laws, including Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Age Discrimination Act, and the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA).
Personal Belongings and Sharing on the line time
Children must leave jewelry, money, candy, soda, costumes, and toys at home. Items are often lost and can also be a distraction during our time in the classroom. We have four letters posted on the calendar each month. Children may bring items that start with those four letters all month. We will then share them online. Only during that time are children allowed to bring items from home.
Pick-up at the end of the day
- Children are to be picked up at the west side of the school between 3:00 and 3:30 pm each school day if they are not enrolled in the after-school extended hour program. We'd like to ask you to be patient as we escort your child to your car. Please remain in your vehicle as the teacher safely walks your child to your automobile. We believe this is the safest way to protect the children in the parking lot. Cell Phones are restricted from being used at this time of day on campus! If your child is not enrolled in the extended hour program from 3:30-4:30 pm, picking up after 3:30 pm results in a substantial late fee being added to your tuition bill the following month. The cost is $15 after 3:30 pm and $15 every 5 minutes. We will text you at 3:30 pm if you are expected and have not arrived. There is no maximum fee per occurrence. The Director will remain with that child until a parent or emergency contact arrives. If tardiness becomes a noticeable pattern for your family, we will ask you to consider a program that better suits your family’s needs.
- If your child is enrolled in the extended hours program, your child will be picked up at the west side of the school between 4:00 and 4:30 pm each school day. We also ask that you be patient as we escort your child to your car. Please remain in your vehicle as the teacher safely walks your child to your automobile. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CELL PHONE USE at this time. Pick-up after 4:30 pm will result in a substantial late fee on your tuition bill the following month. The cost is $15 after 4:30 pm and $15 every 5 minutes after that. There is no maximum fee per occurrence. We will text you at 4:30 pm if you are expected and have not arrived. The Director will remain with that child until a parent or emergency contact arrives. If tardiness becomes a noticeable pattern for your family, we will ask you to consider a program that better suits your family’s needs.
- Mountain Montessori will not release a child to anyone without written authorization from the child’s legal guardian. Staff will also require identification from the person picking up your child if we do not recognize that person. The parents will submit a registration form to the school to identify those individuals who are authorized to pick up their children. Staff will still require identification and the family code word from that person if they are not easily recognized. The pickup person must be 18 years old.
- If your child is not picked up at the scheduled time and we cannot reach you or your emergency contacts, then the Director will remain with your child until 5 pm. After 5 pm, if we have not heard from you or an authorized connection, we will have to contact Child Protective Services of Eagle County at 970-328-8840. Child services will then take over care of the child.
- If there is a reasonable belief that the authorized individual is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, leaves with the child, and is operating a motor vehicle, then the program must immediately report such to the police or social services. The school must still call law enforcement or social services if the individual leaves with the child and is not using a motor vehicle.
Sign In/Sign Out
Our program utilizes Transparent Classroom to document carpool pick-up and drop-off. For security purposes, each child must be signed in each morning and signed out when picked up via the Transparent Classroom app on your phone. The director or staff must use that list to ensure each child is present and has been picked up. The classroom and playground are given a security sweep to ensure that every child has been accounted for at the end of the day.
Special Needs Children
Mountain Montessori welcomes the opportunity to work with children with different needs, provided this is in the child's best interest. Accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be made.
Suspected Child Abuse
The law requires staff to report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse to the county Department of Social Services or the local law enforcement agency. If parents feel the need to report suspected child abuse, they can do so by calling Child Welfare at (844) 264-5437.
Toilet Learning
All children enrolled at Mountain Montessori must be fully capable of utilizing the bathroom. We understand that all children experience accidents, and we will provide safe and dignified assistance to each child who needs help. However, children who consistently have accidents and are not fully toilet-trained will not be able to continue attending Mountain Montessori. Please do not send pull-ups with your child, as we will not use them, even for naptime.
DAYTIME CONTROL
- Independent Use of Toilet: The child can independently recognize the need to use the toilet, communicate this need, and make it to the bathroom without accidents.
- Clothing Management: The child can independently manage their clothing, such as pulling pants up and down and properly securing fasteners (e.g., buttons, zippers).
- Hygiene: The child can wipe themselves effectively after using the toilet, flush the toilet, and wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water.
ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT
- Minimal Accidents: The child has minimal to no daytime accidents, and if accidents occur, they are rare and typically happen under unusual circumstances.
- Self-Care During Accidents: The child can recognize and communicate the occurrence of an accident and either manage the clean-up process independently or seek appropriate assistance from an adult.
Visitors
Visitors must check in with a staff member and sign a posted sheet indicating the date of their visit, the purpose of their visit, and the type of identification they used. All spontaneous visits are discourageable, but observation by appointment is encouraged.
Video Viewing
Mountain Montessori does not use television or videos within the classroom.
Withdrawal/Termination from the Program
Mountain Montessori requires written notification from parents or guardians at least three months before a child departs from the program.
If Mountain Montessori must withdraw care for any reason, parents will be given a three-month advance notification. If the school determines the child has social, emotional, or behavioral issues, then every effort will be made to work with the family and a team of specialists to support the child's growth. If the school determines that this program is not a good match for the family and their child, every effort will be made to help them find an alternative program that meets their needs.
Reasons for dismissal from the program include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to provide health/immunization and other records within 30 days of enrollment or on an annual basis, or
- Failure to pay tuition or other charges (with no payment plan established), or
- Failure of the program to meet the needs of the child, or
- Your child constitutes a safety or legal hazard to themselves, other children, or staff (see “Discipline Policy”).