The Applegarden Montessori School

"The first essential for the child's development is concentration. It lays the whole basis for his character and social behavior."
Maria Montessori

General Information

Location

The Applegarden Montessori School is located in a charming single-family dwelling on the property of the Montclair Presbyterian Church. We are 4 blocks from the Warren Freeway and one-half mile from downtown Montclair. We are located directly on a bus line. Parking is available in the Church parking lot next door to our school.

 

Click here for a map with location and driving directions.

Parent Involvement

We have an annual school-development fee of $300. Parents deduct this fee from any tuition payment when they have completed twenty hours of service for the school. This work may be professional or other services such as construction, sewing, school site development or substituting for a sick teacher. Parents are also invited to volunteer additional time sharing their talents with the school by attending a class session and sharing a special skill or interest. We hold several parent meetings throughout the year on topics related to Montessori and childhood development. Guest speakers are often invited to meet with parents. In addition to regular parent meetings, we have special social events at school such as:

  • picnics
  • a Halloween party
  • a Holiday Party
  • a Parents' Night
  • a Mother's Day Tea
  • a Kindergroup Parents' Dinner (prepared and served by our kindergroupers!)

These are announced in a monthly newsletter. And, as a matter of course, parents are always encouraged to observe in the classroom.

School Preparation Days and Vacations

To ensure a developed Montessori curriculum, our staff devotes one day a month (not including vacation days) to preparation of the environment. Childcare is offered on most of these "teacher workdays."

There is no school or childcare on:

  • national holidays
  • the week before Labor Day
  • the week following Christmas Day
  • or during the month of August

Registration

Please send the registration form and the fee for the program(s) of your choice. We will contact you prior to enrollment. Following confirmation of your child's enrollment, you will owe one full tuition installment and the school development fee. At that time you will receive a Parent Handbook and enrollment materials. Make checks payable to: The Proludium Corporation. Send to our school's business office at: 5667 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA 94611.

For Registration Form Click Here.

Payment for Services and Withdrawal Policies

School year (September through mid-June) tuition and childcare fees are paid in 10 monthly installments. A deposit of one full tuition installment is due at the time your child is accepted for enrollment. It pays for the final month of the school year. The remaining nine installments are due the first day of each month, September through May. Special fees are charged for our summer programs. Adequate written notice to the school business office is required to make a withdrawal from any school program. June 1, 2009, is the final date notice may be received by the school with regard to school year or summer school withdrawal. Summer or school year tuition deposits (due in March) are credited only with one month's advance notice by June 1st, 2009. After October 1st, 2009, one month notice only will be required to withdraw a child from a school program until February 1st, 2010. After that date no withdrawal from the school year programs is accepted. Registration and school development fees are not refundable.

Fees and Hours

School Year Programs: September 2, 2010 to June 15, 2011

Registration Fee: $50
School Development Fee: $500

Parent Education Program Fee: $75 (due 10/1/10)

Sibling Discount: 5% reduction per child

Preschool Program 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
M - F $960/mo. or $9,600/yr.
Preschool Program 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
M - F $640/mo. or $6,400/yr.
MWF (limited availability) $512/mo. or $5,120/yr.
Extra school sessions $11.85/hr.
Kindergroup (Ages 4. 5 - 6) 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
M - F $134/mo. or $1,340/yr.
Preschool Program with Full-time Childcare 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Option a:  (9 hrs./per day maximum) school days only $1,570/mo. or $15,700/yr.
Option b:  (9 hrs./per day maximum) school days plus 19 teacher workday and vacation childcare days

 

$1,727/mo. or $17,270/yr.

Registration in the above full-time "Option b" program entitles your child to care for 4 days during Christmas vacation, on most teacher workdays, and on 7 midwinter and spring vacation days for no additional charge.

There is no childcare provided August 1 through September 3, December 24 through 31, or June 14, 15, or 16.

Part-time Childcare is available 8:00 - 8:30 a.m., 1 - 1:30 p.m., & 4:30 - 6 p.m. only
Scheduled in advance $9.50/hr
Unscheduled $10.50/hr.

 

Daily Schedule

8:00-8:30 Early morning childcare. Children are inside with teacher helping to set up or choosing activities.
8:30-8:50 Arrival. Outside play time Children are playing as their classmates arrive.
8:50-9:10 Slippers on. Optional greeting circle: calendar, weather, singing, news.
9:10-9:20 Optional small groups. Work time begins
9:20-11:10 Work period. Children choose activities. Directress and assistants help out as needed. Spontaneous small groups and individual lessons occur. Children prepare and serve snacks. Stories may be read to individual children or to small groups. Directress and assistants chart children’s activities, write in journals.
11:10-11:15 Clean-up time.
11:15-11:30 Second circle.
11:30-11:35 Shoes on. Morning staff breaks begin as afternoon staff begins arriving.
11:35-11:50 Outside time.
11:50-12:15 Wash hands. Lunch. Either inside or outside, depending on the weather.
12:15-12:30 Clean up from lunch and play time.
12:30-12:45 Story time. Nappers go down for rest.
12:45-1:00 Outside time. Morning class goes home.
1:00-1:50 Kindergroup. Outside or inside art and play for all other non-nappers.
1:30-2:00 Afternoon class arrives. Outside play time.
2:00-2:20 Slippers on. Greeting circle, optional small groups, or begin work period.
2:20-4:00 Work period. Children choose activities. Directress and assistants help out as needed. Spontaneous small groups and individual lessons occur. Children prepare and serve snacks. Stories may be read to individual children or to small groups. Directress and assistants chart children’s activities, write in journals.
4:00-4:15 Clean-up time. Closing circle with story time. Shoes on and prepare to go home.
4:15-4:30 Outside play time. Afternoon class goes home.
4:30-4:45 Outside play time. Afternoon staff breaks begin.
4:45-5:00 Wash hands and enjoy childcare snack.
5:00-6:00 Children go home throughout this hour. Children play with blocks, dolls, dollhouse, and other traditonal toys, usually inside.

Open House Dates and Classroom Observations

We invite you to visit our school on the following Sundays in 2010 from 2 - 4 p.m.

  • September 12
  • November 7

Please call us at 510-339-9666 to arrange appointments to observe our classrooms at other times.