ADMISSIONS
January 6, 2022
Dear Scripps Montessori Families,
We want to thank everyone for all of the efforts you made over the holiday to keep safe and to test prior to returning to school. It is because of you that we were able to open and stay open all week. We know how important high quality schooling and childcare is to our families. Our
ultimate goal is to remain open. To do this, we are being advised by the County to take additional precautions.
Precaution #1: COVID PCR Testing
Tomorrow, (January 7, 2021) we will be sending home athome COVID-19 PCR tests for every child currently enrolled at SMS. The purpose of these tests is to identify the extent to which we have any positive, asymptomatic cases in our community. These are nasal swab tests that can be completed at home by a parent.
• Please register with lab-fast.com before completing the test.
• Please follow the directions and complete the test Monday morning (January 10, 2021) prior to coming to school.
• Please write you child’s first and last name on the Ziploc bag and place the vial back in the Ziploc.
• Please return the sample at the time of drop off.
• All tests will be sent to the lab Monday morning for analysis.
• Results will come back by the end of the week.
If your child did not return to school this week but is ready to return on January 10, 2021, you may complete a test Monday morning at drop off.
Precaution #2: Managing Positive Cases and Close Contacts
The County has asked us to articulate a clear policy for how we will prevent and respond to outbreaks within classroom communities. Since we opened in 2020, our main methods of preventing outbreaks has been keeping the children in socially distanced pods, implementing social distancing practices in the classroom, and wearing masks. In the event that we identify positive cases in our community, we will need to identify and quarantine close contacts.
How would we define a ‘close contact’ at Scripps Montessori School? The answer to his question depends on what program the children are in.
Elementary: In Elementary, the children sit and work at their individual desks or on mat in small groups on the floor. It is relatively easy for us to identify which children have been in close-contact. If your child was working in a small group with a child who has tested positive for COVID, they will be considered a close contact and must isolate for a minimum of five days, be symptom free, and provide proof of a negative Antigen test.
In the event that the classroom has multiple identified positive cases, all children will need to quarantine for a minimum of five days. After five days, if children are fully vaccinated and we have available staff and they submit a negative antigen test, we can reopen the classroom. Unvaccinated or immune-compromised children will need to remain in quarantine for a minimum of ten days. Zoom instruction will remain available for the mandatory class-quarantine period.
Primary: In the Primary and Toddler classrooms, the children are encouraged to work at their own tables or mat and we strive to maintain social distancing. However, younger children have a greater degree of movement in the classroom.
If a child test positive for COVID, we will do our best to work with teachers to determine who is a close contact. However, if we cannot determine who was a close contact, we will need to quarantine the classroom for a minimum of ten days. Primary Classrooms will go to on-line instruction (via Zoom). Toddler classrooms will remain closed until the end of the quarantine period.
The ultimate goal of these guidelines is to keep the total amount of virus circulating in our community, and the risk of exposure, low. We will use these decision trees to help us determine if classrooms can remain open and when children who have been exposed to the virus can return to school.
Precaution #3: Travel is Discouraged
We have another long weekend coming up where families traditionally travel. However, the County is strongly discouraging ‘travel’. The risks of exposure from travel need to be determined on a case by case basis (i.e. because of how we travel or where we travel). If you plan to travel, please contact the office to discuss isolation and quarantine requirements prior to returning to school. Some families, for example those traveling by plane, will need quarantine for a minimum of seven days, complete a PCR test on day 5, and submit a negative result before returning to school.
Again, our goal has and always will be to remain open, offering in-person instruction and care for our families. We are hopeful these precautions will help ensure the safety for all children and staff.
Thank you for your support,
Ms. Ciara
O
July 2, 2020
Dear SMS Families,
We want to thank you all for completing our Soft Reopening Survey. The information you shared about your desire to enroll in the summer and reenroll in the fall was immensely helpful in establishing a plan to reopen. Given the information we received from our families and our staff, we have determined a plan to re-open the school July 20, 2020. Our plan involves opening one Toddler classroom, three Primary classrooms, and two reduced-sized Elementary classrooms. I will be contacting families who expressed interest in June/July start dates about re-enrollment. This process may take me a few days to complete.
Below is a detailed list of steps we will be taking to ensure the safety of our children and our staff:
1. Smaller Class Sizes • Primary and Toddler classrooms will have 10 or fewer children per group. • Elementary classrooms may have up to 12 children. • For the month of July, children who are in the same program and from the same families will be in the same classroom. • Children may not visit other classrooms or mingle with other children. Consider each classroom a quarantining home—a place for students to be together without outside exposure. • Classrooms may not mix on the playground. We will create a schedule for each classrooms to have its own time on the playground.
2. Staffing • Prior to return to work, teachers will be asked to take the COVID-19 antibody test. This will help us to determine level of initial exposure of the staff to the virus. • Prior to each work day, teachers must report on symptoms and have their temperature checked. • In order to limit exposure, teachers may not travel from classroom to classroom. • Each teacher(s) must stay with their students throughout the day, including to supervise lunch. • A dedicated staff member will give breaks to classroom teacher. This staff member will supervise the children outdoors while the Guide takes a break. • All staff will wear masks throughout the day. • In addition to frequent hand washing, staff will have access to hand sanitizer to use in between lessons with children. • Based on responses to the survey, we will not be able to safely offer aftercare during the month of July. Once we have our day program up and running, we will re-evaluate aftercare for August.
Cleaning • Materials may be limited/restricted in class to better keep up with cleaning. For example, we put away food preparation materials in the practical life area. • Classroom materials will be disinfected throughout the day, especially those materials with high usage. • Materials that come into contact with bodily fluids will be removed for disinfecting. • A designated staff member will be on-site throughout the day and will disinfect high use surfaces while the children are on the playground. • This staff member will also disinfect handholds and the slide after each class has used the playground. • The classroom will be disinfected thoroughly at the end of every day by the teacher in their rooms. These cleanings include materials, tables, chairs, handles, doorknobs, faucets, etc. • Finally, several parents noted concerns about the virus spreading through the ventilation system. We do not have a central air system; each classroom has it’s own air conditioning unit.
Nap • Children who nap should bring a clean sheet and blanket on Monday in an extra-large ziplock bag. • Each child will have their own assigned mat. • Mats will be socially distanced. • Each day, the assigned mat, sheet and blankets will be stored in the child’s own ziplock bag. • At the end of the week, sheets and blankets will be sent home for cleaning and mats will be sanitized.
Drop Off / Pick Up • Parents MUST remain in the car during drop off. Parents will not be allowed inside the building or closer than six feet to the teachers. • Parents and children must wear masks at drop off and pick up. • Three designated staff will assist during drop off. These staff will take each child’s temperature. • Staff will escort children to each classroom’s entrance. • For half day pick up, the lobby doors will be locked. Please knock and a staff will walk your child out through the front lobby. • For full day pick up, parents should follow the same routes as they did for drop off. Staff will escort children to the car. Parents must get out of their car, receive their children, and buckle them in before pulling away.
Health Inspections & Policies
Masks • Fabric face masks must be worn at drop off and pick up. Some parents expressed concern about their children’s resistance to masks. This resistance may be because some styles of
masks tug on children’s ears. Parents may want to consider purchasing masks that can be tied behind head / neck (click here to see an example). • Staff will be required to wear masks when with the children (or around each other). • Children in the Toddler classrooms will not be asked to wear masks during school. Their masks will be removed and placed in side pocket of lunch box until the end of the day. • Children in the Primary classrooms will be encouraged to keep their mask on while inside to the best of their ability during school. • Children will be allowed to remove their masks when working, eating snack or playing outside. Hand Washing • Children will wash their hands upon arrival to school. • Children and staff will wash their hands every 30-45 minutes throughout the day. • Children will also be prompted to wash hands before eating, after being outside, after using the toilet and anytime their hands are in their mouths.
Physical Distancing • Each classroom will practice physical distancing to the best of their ability. Tables will be assigned per child and placed 6 feet apart. Children will gather their work from the shelf and return to their assigned table to work. • Our goal is to maximize outdoor time as much as possible. Teachers will invite children to have circle time outside, eat snack outside, and rotate working in the garden. • In addition: While San Diego County is under Shelter in Place, we expect families to be physically distancing too. Beyond attending work and visiting the grocery store, families should stay home in order to continue their care at our school.
Snacks • Children must bring in their own lunches, snacks, and water bottles (clearly labeled with their names). In addition, we ask parents to supply cutlery (spoon and fork) each day in the lunch bag. • Snacks should be in a separate snack container in the lunch box, labeled “snack”, so the child knows what to pick out at snack time (and doesn’t eat too much). • We will also not be able to offer the Ki’s lunch service this summer. Sunscreen • Parents must apply sunscreen in the morning, prior to arrival at school. • If parents would like sunscreen re-applied after lunch, they must send ‘face stick’ style sunscreen that is clearly labeled with their child’s name.
COVID Policy • Children do not need to be tested or the virus to return to school. • Children who are exposed to the virus through a family member must be quarantined for 72 hours minimum and will need a physicians letter to return to school
• Children who fall ill with COVID symptoms must be quarantined and may not return to school until cleared by a physician. • Classrooms with a confirmed case of COVID-19 must be quarantined for a period of up to 14 days
O
Dear Parents,
Thank you for your interest in Scripps Montessori School. We will be happy to answer any questions that arise about our program.
The Montessori classroom is a social community concerned with the total development of children in a relaxed atmosphere. Each child sets his own pace, follows his interest, is freed of criticism and competition.
Dr. Maria Montessori, at the turn of the century as a neurologist working with children, set out to discover how the learning process develops. Her observations over many years, aides by her perceptive genius, brought about the innovations for which she is renowned. Her discoveries give us a different view of the child. She credits him with higher powers of learning than imitation. She founds spontaneous activity of the intellect to be inherent in his nature, and as a normal part of development it needs nourishing.
The Montessori School is uniquely able to assist the child as he struggles to attain his potential. He is offered a carefully graded series of experiments of a sensorial nature at first, which greatly broadens his interest. At his level he is introduced to geography, botany, music, foreign language, art, mathematics and part of daily interest until he himself unlocks the secrets of reading and comes to an awareness of the function of mathematical processes. For him new activities are not only a challenge but also a delight. Positive attitudes towards a lifetime of learning should belong to childhood.
We strongly urge you to become better acquainted with Montessori principles by reading some of the books on this sheet. Our goal for your child entails giving him a positive attitude toward school, through an excellent foundation of creative learning. Attitudes and confidence develop while he is yet in formation will serve him throughout his lifetime.
You are welcome to make an appointment to tour a classroom to see the unique Montessori learning environment.
Sincerely,
M. K. Newton
Ciara Concepcion
Directors
O
TUITION SCHEDULE 2024–2025
o REGISTRATION FEE: (Non-Refundable)…………………………………….………….. $375.00
o FULL DAYS (8:30am- 2:30pm / per month)…………………………………………….. $1325.00
o HALF DAYS (8:30am-12:00pm/ per month)………………………..……………………. $1105.00
o EXTRA HALF DAYS………………………………………………………….…………… $29.00
o EXTRA HOURS (Available from 7:00am-6:00pm)
Before 8:30am and after 2:30pm (per hour)…………………………………….….……..…… $6.00
o Toddler Program ONLY: (18 months to 2 ½ years) 3,4,5 Day Programs
• Full Day(8:30am-2:30pm) Five Days -$1535 / Four Days -$1480 / Three Days – $1325
• Half Day(8:30am-11:30am) Five Days – $1310 / Four Days – $1260 / Three Days – $1155
o Annual Insurance Premium……………………………………………….…………………. $95.00
o Monthly Security Fee:…………………………………………. Per child $25.00 per Family $40.00
o A $375.00 non-refundable registration fee per family is due at the time the application is submitted.
Our tuition is paid annually. Above is the monthly payment, tuition is a yearly one. Equal monthly
payments are due by the 1st
. Payments are not affected by vacation days, closures, holidays etc.
This fee is not applied to any part of the tuition. The class placement list is made in the order which applications and
registration fees are received and the discretion of the Administrator. To maintain the quality of the program and to
remain within the regulatory guidelines, it is necessary to limit the size of our sessions. Your name will be placed on
a waiting list when enrollment is filled. Scripps Montessori School is a private school dedicated to academic excellence
in early childhood education. It is NOT a daycare center! Extended care is provided as an additional service of the
school, not as its primary function. Scripps Montessori School follows the San Diego City school calendar.
Tuition payments are due on the first school day of each month. First and last installment tuition payment is due on or
before the child’s first day of school. If a child is not in attendance for whatever reason and the tuition payment is not
received, that child’s space will be filled by our waiting list. Back tuition payment and repayment of the registration
fee would reinstate the enrollment provided there was sufficient space available. There is a $40.00 late fee for payment
received after the 6th of the month. Enrollment will not continue unless this fee is paid. Early arrivals and late
departures shall incur extended day changes. Delinquent accounts will be carried not more than 15 days beyond the
due date before enrollment is terminated. Your child has space reserved for the school year. School expenses are not
significant diminished by a child’s absence.
Regretfully, no tuition allowances can be made for a child not in attendance. One month written notice is expected for
withdrawal. Refunds are made only upon business transfer. Students are accepted on a tentative basis, pending a
determination of suitability of the program for the child and the ability to adjust to the group environment.
Enrollment of your child assumes compliance with and support of the policies stated in the Scripps Montessori School
Handbook, as well as the tuition policies stated above.