Admissions and Enrollment Policy

We are pleased that you are considering Community Montessori School for your family. This policy outlines the

process/procedures for enrollment into the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Adolescent programs. Applying to

CMS is a multi-step process and requires families to plan time to complete each required step.

Applications will be reviewed after CMS receives:

● A campus visit by family and child(ren);

● A completed enrollment application through Transparent Classroom;

● Payment of the nonrefundable $100 application fee;

● Supporting records or information requested by CMS; And

● Any student visit, observation, or family meeting, if required, for the applicable program.

CMS seeks families who understand and support our mission and Montessori approach. We accept applications

for the following programs:

Casita Community: 

Children enter the program between 15 and 20 months of age once they are stable walkers. Families who have completed the application process but have not been placed in the Casita Community by the

age of 20 months are moved to the applicant pool for the Children’s House.

The Children’s House: 

Children enter this program between two years and ten months and three years and six months of age. At this age, prior Montessori school experience is not necessary. Children must be fully

toilet-independent and able to dress/undress independently.

Elementary: 

This program serves children ages 6 to 12 (equivalent to grades 1 through 6).

● Prior Montessori school experience is preferred for the Early Elementary program, serving children ages

6 to 9 (the equivalent of grades 1 through 3).

● Prior Montessori school experience is preferred for the Upper Elementary, children ages 9 to 12 (the

equivalent of grades 4 through 6).

Adolescent Community: 

This program serves youth ages 12 to 15 (equivalent to grades 7 through 9). Prior

Montessori school experience is preferred.

CMS’s mission is to provide authentic Montessori education in a nature-rich environment that cultivates collaboration, curiosity, love of learning, and respect for oneself, others, and the world. This mission guides enrollment and placement decisions.

When space is limited, priority may be given to:

● Currently Enrolled Students Continuing Into The Next Program Level

● Younger siblings of children currently enrolled in our Elementary and Adolescent programs.

● Returning CMS Families

● Applicants With Prior Montessori Experience, When Relevant To The Program, and

● Other Priority Groups Approved By CMS

Priority status does not guarantee admission, placement in a particular environment, or placement with a specific

Guide.

Admission and placement decisions also consider:

● Available Space

● The Child’s Age And Developmental Readiness

● Classroom Balance

● Program Expectations

● The Child’s Educational And Social-Emotional Needs, and

● CMS’s Ability To Support The Child Successfully.

If there is no immediate opening for a child, the application will be placed in the appropriate waiting pool.

Casita Community Waiting Pool Admission is offered on a rolling basis as space becomes available. CMS will review the waiting pool and offer available spaces to eligible applicants based on program readiness, classroom balance, enrollment priorities, and the needs of the school community.

Applicants who are not placed before aging out of the program may be moved to the applicant pool for the next

program level.

Children’s House Community Applicant Pool

Children new to CMS typically begin at Children’s House at the start of the school year. Midyear admission may be considered when space is available, and the placement is appropriate for the child and environment.

Elementary and Adolescent Applicant Pools

Midyear admission may be considered when space is available, and CMS determines that the student can

transition successfully into the program. Applications for a future school year will remain in the appropriate

applicant pool for that enrollment cycle.

When CMS offers a family an available space, the family must accept or decline by the stated deadline. If the family declines the offered space because they prefer to wait for a later school year, the current application will be closed. To be considered for a future year, the family must submit a new application and pay the applicable nonrefundable application fee, currently $100.

Declining an offered space does not preserve the family’s original application date, waiting-pool position, or

enrollment priority for a future year.

CMS may make an exception when the offered start date, program level, schedule, or placement differs materially

from what the family requested. Any exception must be approved in writing by the Executive Director.

Once the application and all required supporting information have been received, the CMS Admissions Team will

review it.

In addition to the enrollment priorities described above, CMS may consider:

● The Balance Of Beginning-Cycle, Mid-Cycle, And Full-Cycle Children In Each Environment

● Previous Enrollment At CMS

● Siblings Currently Enrolled At CMS

● Prior Montessori Experience

● The Child’s Developmental, Academic, And Social-Emotional Readiness

● The Needs And Balance Of The Classroom Community

● CMS’s Ability To Support The Child Successfully

This list is not exhaustive, and no single factor determines admission.

Sibling priority applies only when the family is in good standing with CMS, required tuition and fees are current,

and an appropriate space is available.

CMS does not accept requests for placementin a specific environment or with a specific Guide. Placement

decisions are made thoughtfully by the Admissions and Academic Teams based on the child’s needs, classroom

balance, and the well-being of the learning community.

Once a family has signed an enrollment or re-enrollment agreement, tuition obligations begin on the date stated

in the agreement, even if the child begins attending later for personal reasons.

A family may hold the child’s space by continuing to pay tuition and all applicable fees until the child begins

regular attendance.

A reserved space may not be used for occasional or drop-in attendance. Any request to change the agreed start

date must be submitted in writing and approved by CMS.

CMS may accept, decline, waitlist, or defer an application based on the information available and the needs of the

child, program, and classroom community.

Families will be notified of the admission decision and any next steps through email.

An offer of admission must be accepted within seven calendar days of the date the offer email is sent. If the required enrollment agreement, payment, or other enrollment steps are not completed within that time, the offer may expire, and the space may be offered to another family.

Community Montessori School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, or gender, disability, or age in providing educational services, activities, and programs. Community Montessori School complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), as amended, which incorporates and expands upon the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and any other legally-protected classification or status protected by applicable law.