ORIENTATION
A parent-child orientation will be held during August. This orientation is better known as the Ice Cream Social. This meeting allows the parents and the child to meet the staff, review the upcoming year, and ask questions.
Parents will be notified by mail of the exact date and time. All are strongly urged to attend. This meeting time is also a good way for your child(ren) to meet his or her classmates.
CLOTHING
Play clothes are encouraged – simple, washable, sturdy, and easy to manage. Sneakers or rubber-soled shoes are recommended.
Parents must provide warm outer clothing for children to wear on the playground. Children will go outside if weather and temperatures are conducive. In the winter, children should wear long-sleeved shirts or sweaters to school. The classroom temperature is usually kept at about 68 degrees.
Check your child’s extra clothing each month to see if clothes need to be replaced or a larger size needs to be brought to school.
We recommend allowing your child to select his/her own garments to wear to school, within limits. This can best be done with parents the night before school.
For Preschool families: When selecting pants for children, check to see if the child can fasten and unfasten them without help. Overalls are not recommended. Children should always try the zipper or buttons on a coat. Some zippers and buttons are frustrating for the children and are even difficult for an adult to manage. Please do not send your child to school with a coat that has a broken zipper or is missing buttons.
Diapers and pull-ups are not allowed at school. We are willing to risk an accident, so send your child in underwear.
ITEMS FROM HOME
Please leave all toys, stickers, fantasy books, workbooks, purses, felt pens, candy, gum, etc. at home.
PARENT CONFERENCES
Individual conferences between parents and teachers will be scheduled twice a year. There will be a sign up sheet for families in the Fall and Spring. The purpose of each conference is to acquaint the parents with their child’s teacher and to promote dialogue between parents and teachers for the benefit of the child. Any additional conferences that the parent or teacher deems necessary may be made by appointment at any time through out the year.
INQUIRIES
Please avoid questioning your child’s teacher about your child before or after class if in the presence of your child. At the beginning of class the teacher is obligated to focus attention on the children or to complete teacher preparation. Please feel free, however, to call and leave a message or to speak to the teachers after class about any helpful information you may have concerning your child’s health, attitudes, etc.
SNACKS
Wholesome snacks are provided on a daily basis for the children. Parents are encouraged to volunteer to bring snacks for all the children to enjoy. Snacks expose the children to interesting and appealing foods, especially those originating from a different country. Please let your child’s teacher know if you are interested in bringing a food item and remember to ask about any food allergies that the children may have.
We recommend you send items such as fruit (bananas, apples, grapes), vegetables (carrots, celery, cucumbers), crackers, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or muffins. Please do not send food containing sugars, food coloring, or an excess of salt or preservatives. If you have any questions about what type of snacks to send you may ask your child’s teacher for suggestions.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
GENERAL GUIDELINE: It is imperative that arrival and dismissal times be closely adhered to. The time before class is vital for teacher preparation to ensure a smooth and productive day. We ask that you arrive no earlier than five minutes before the start of class and pick up your children promptly at the conclusion of your selected MHMS program. Promptness in a child’s life is very important! Tardiness can be very disruptive.
Children are not allowed to walk by themselves from the parking lot to the classroom. Parents must walk with their child to the door of the school where a teacher will greet each child.
We ask that parents do not come into the classroom to talk to the teachers before class. After class, the teachers are usually available for questions. All special daily communications should be written down and given to the greeting teacher. Verbal communications are easily misunderstood or forgotten. You may also call and leave a message.
We encourage parents to allow their child the opportunity to hang up his/her own coat and to walk into the classroom under his/her own power (not carried in). Please have your child walk (not run) to the door so that s/he is calm upon entering the classroom. And please, remember to take your child to the bathroom before class!
At departure, parents must meet their child at the classroom door. No child will be allowed to walk alone to the parked car.
NOTE: In the event, that your child(ren) will be picked up from school from someone other than your or your spouse, we require a written note when your child first arrives at school. The note should state the name and description of the person whom you desire to pick up your child.
We will not allow any child to ride in a car with a person we do not know and of whom we have not been previously notified.
ILLNESS
If your child contracts a contagious illness (other than a cold), please inform Meeting House Montessori School so that the other children’s parents may be advised.
Children with fevers of 100° or higher, earaches, vomiting, or diarrhea at school will automatically be sent home. A child who has had any of these symptoms the previous day or night should not be brought to school. When recovering from a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, a child should be kept home for one full day after the symptoms subside.
Please note that we go outside as often as possible so please consider keeping your child home when your child is not feeling well. This type of playtime may only make your child feel worse or prolong their illness.
In the event that your child contracts chicken pox, a common illness amongst school aged children, Doctors advise us that it is safe for a child to return to school only after all the pox have scabbed over.
Only prescription medication may be given to children during the program if accompanied by a doctor’s note, this includes aspirin, antihistamines, vitamins, etc.
ABSENCES
Parents are requested to notify MHMS staff by 8:00 a.m. if your child will be absent. We do not have make-up days or refunds for illnesses or absences. We base our budget on the tuition from each student and need a guaranteed amount to meet our expenses.
Elementary Absentee Policy:
It is expected that children in grades one through four attend school for a minimum of 180 days per year per Department of Education requirements for the state of New Hampshire. School starts at 8:30 and ends at 3:30 for our Elementary students. It is expected that your child be on time and attend our program consistently. We want to see every child be successful and reach their full potential while attending our program.
If your child is ill, please call/email the school every morning and provide us with a Doctor’s note upon their return.
Extended absences (vacations) or illnesses will be handled on a case by case basis. We encourage you to schedule vacations during our scheduled Holiday breaks or summer vacation. Extended illnesses will be discussed in conjunction with parents and healthcare providers to ensure that academic progress is maintained for the individual student, while also meeting medical needs.
Frequent unexcused absences will result in the following:
- Discussion with the Parent/Warning
- Removal from our Program
- Reporting to DCYF
We feel that education is paramount to a child’s development, and we uphold Department of Education rules/regulations regarding the educational opportunities of students in New Hampshire.
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding our policies and/or procedures.
Thank you,
Meeting House Montessori School Administration
STUDENT WORKS
Students will be provided with a MHMS tote to facilitate in the “taking home” of completed works, lessons notes and/or other teacher/parent communications on a daily basis. Please bring the tote home each day and return it empty the next morning.
BAD WEATHER CLOSURES
The school will be using channel 9 WMUR’s television program/website as our primary source for announcements regarding MHMS’ cancellations and delays.
BIRTHDAYS
Children’s birthdays may be celebrated on the actual birth date or the closest school day to it. Parents may bring simple treats that are easy to manage. Beverages, ice cream, candy, and icing are not allowed.
If you are planning a home party for your child, please do not hand out invitations in school. Likewise, if your child is attending a party after school, please do not send gifts to school with your child. We feel that these situations can be upsetting for those who are not invited and can create hurt feelings and sad children. It would be more appropriate to mail invitations and plan weekend parties.
HOLIDAYS
Halloween is celebrated at our center in a non-scary way that is age appropriate. The children will have the opportunity to share their costumes at our Halloween party. We will also be focusing on the season of Autumn.
Thanksgiving is a time when the value of thankfulness is brought to the children’s consciousness by helping them become aware of the needs of other people in the world and sharing from their own bountiful lives.
Christmas/Chanukah are times in which stories and experiences are presented that embody the true spirit of giving and sharing. The traditions of Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa are explored.
Easter is celebrated by observing “new life” which is so prevalent in the Spring.
FIRE DRILLS
Fire drills are held on a regular basis for the safety of the children.
TUITION REFUND POLICY
The tuition agreement is a financial commitment. The school relies on these commitments in planning and budgeting for the academic year. Sometimes families experience changes that cause them to withdraw a student. The contractual form signed during enrollment states that the school requires 30-days’ notice prior to withdrawal. Tuition is due during this 30-day period, regardless whether the student actually attends classes. The withdrawal form used to provide the 30-day notice is on our website under admissions.
CHILD RESTRAINT POLICY
Our program does not practice any type of child seclusion or restraint. A student that is having a difficult time adhering to the rules or who has lost control (such as a tantrum) will be asked to find a space within the classroom, play yard, gym, etc. to use while regaining self control. After the student is calm, he or she is encouraged to return to the work or activity of the class. If that method is not effective, the student will be brought to the Director’s office to for one-on-one supervision while he or she tries to regain control. If visiting with the Director is ineffective, then the school will call the parents to pick up the student.
TEACHER MISCONDUCT POLICY
Teacher misconduct at our school is a failure to uphold public trust and maintain high standards of ethics and behavior. Examples include, but are not limited to, inadequate performance, physical or verbal abuse, and drug and alcohol abuse. In our employee handbook, the school sets forth the expectations for staff members. Once misconduct is identified, we apply the following sequence of actions: oral warning, written warning, second written warning, and termination.
BULLYING POLICY
Our school is committed to providing a caring, friendly and secure environment for all students so they can learn in a safe environment. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our school. Students are encouraged to report bullying to a teacher or the Director. We also invite parents and staff to report any suspected bullying to the Director. Any incidents of bullying will be dealt with promptly and effectively.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
FIRST DAY AT MEETING HOUSE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Prior to your child(ren)’s first day of class, please bring the following, clearly marked with your child’s name:
- Two current pictures of your child – Preschool Only
- A change of clothes
- Slippers
Preschool families: Should your child be hesitant to leave you when taking him/her to the classroom, you may come into the room with him/her for five minutes, and only if you feel it necessary. Almost always a child will transition within minutes after a parent has left when s/he becomes involved with the interesting activities in the school. If your child continues crying more than 15 minutes after you have left, we will call to inform you.