About La Casita
Bilingue Montessori
 

592 Tennent Avenue, Pinole, California 94564

Tel: (510) 724-1724

LA CASITA’S MISSION

Our mission is to provide a unique bilingual learning environment based on the Montessori philosophy of education.  La Casita guides the child to learn about different cultures in the world and the role that appreciation of diversity and cultures in the world and the role that appreciation of diversity and cultural understanding play in promoting world peace.  Our environment also fosters fundamental habits, skills and approaches, which encourage a lifetime of creative learning.

La Casita, like the Montessori philosophy itself, strives to explore its physical environmental and human community using it as a resource for learning as well as a receptacle for its work.

La Casita employs cultural arts experiences through language, dance, cuisine and crafts.  This curriculum is combined with the study of geography, history, mathematics and science.  These subjects stimulate discovery and reflection and encourage the child’s appreciation for the world and his/her place in it.

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING

Our children learn rapidly and acquire so many diverse skills during their first years of life.  For this reason it is important to take advantage of this sensitive period by providing a prepared environment.  Children in their early years are ready to absorb everything that surrounds them.  This is perfect time to enrich the child’s appreciation of the bigger world through exposure to cultural differences, language, respect for the environment and humanity.  These experiences serve our children well as they mature from childhood onto the adult world.

Essential learning experiences provided at La Casita include the use of Spanish and English and exercises that encourage independence, self-esteem, responsibility, ability to concentrate, sense of order, respect for self, others and the environment and a joy in the learning experience.

ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Enrollment is based on space availability and staff determination that the child is ready for the program requested.  You must meet admission criteria and then your child may be given a four-week trial period to see if the program is suitable.  Criteria are as follows:

• Read and sign form for Parent Handbook/Guidelines and Polices.

• Complete interview with Director, teacher and child.

• Complete, sign and return all enrollment forms, including Enrollment Application, Tuition Contract, Physician’s Form, Emergency Card and all others.

It is the responsibility of the parent(s) to determine if our program can meet the needs of the child.  A four-week trial period will determine if placement is appropriate.

ENROLLMENT PROCESS:

Parents request information about the school.  A brochure, price list, summary of policies and procedures, and enrollment application is mailed to your home.

Once you have received and reviewed information, call and schedule an appointment to visit our school.  It is important that the teacher meet your child before an application is accepted.

An individual appointment must be made with the classroom teacher to answer any questions and review classroom policies and procedures.

Submit an Enrollment Application and make an appointment with our office to receive and go over enrollment packet, enrollment guidelines, Parent Handbook and contract.

A non-refundable $40.00 application fee must be submitted with your Enrollment Application in order for your application to be processed.  A $250.00 annual Building and Materials fee is due upon submission of your Tuition Contract.  (An Enrollment Application does not guarantee you child’s space in the school.  To ensure you child’s enrollment in the school you must have signed an approved Tuition Contract along with ALL applicable fees.)

La Casita does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex or nationality.

TUITION AGREEMENT

Tuition is payable in NINE monthly installments, September 1^st to May 1^st.  Payments are due on or before the first of each month.  A late fee of $25.00 is added to payments received after the tenth of each month.

A 5% discount is available for semi-annual payments, due September 1^st and February 1^st.

A 10 % discount is available for annual tuition payments paid in full at the beginning of the school year.  Payment must be made no later than September 5^th.

La Casita will provide at least 30 days written notice of any rate changes. 

The client shall sign a TUITION AGREEMENT and an ENROLLMENT APPLICATION including 1) current tuition rate 2) payment schedule 3) policies and 4) refund/withdrawal policies on or before the first day of the school year or the first day of enrollment, whichever is applicable.  One copy will be provided to the client upon request.

Monthly tuition is non-transferable and non-refundable as a result of illness, absence, or withdrawal from the program.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Withdrawals from the program are not permitted after the September 30^th deadline.  However, if you feel you must withdraw your child from the program after this date, you are required to provide the school with a 30-day written notice explaining the reasons for your request.  La Casita Bilingue Montessori School reserves the right to require that you fulfill your financial obligation to pay the annual tuition until the school is able to fill the space vacated by your child/children.  If your child is withdrawn from La Casita at the request of the school, the monthly tuition due will be calculated on a monthly pro rate basis and any other applicable fees will be reimbursed.

THE SCHOOL RESERVES THE RIGHT FOR DISMISSAL:

La Casita reserves the right to dismiss a child whose parent consistently does not follow school safety guidelines, which consequently lead to the potential harm of the child, other students or the school.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

La Casita follows the local public school calendar, with few exceptions.  We begin school the day after Labor Day each September, and we have two additional days reserved for Parent Conferences.  We do not take off days public schools close for teacher workdays.  School calendars are given to parents at the time of admission and at the beginning of each school year.  It is the parents’ responsibility to keep this calendar handy to know ahead of time when the school will be closed and when special events will take place.  The school is closed for two weeks during the Christmas holidays and a week for Spring Break.  (Please refer to calendar for specific dates).

LA CASITA AND THE FAMILY

One primary goal of ours is to provide a “home away from home” that will help the child socialize and still be close to the family.   The home and school must always work together. This can be accomplished in many ways:

1. Mandatory parent/teacher conferences are scheduled to discuss the child’s progress.

2. A parent observation time in the classroom is scheduled each year.

3. Student evaluations are written on each child at the end of the year.

4. A newsletter is sent out on a bi-monthly basis with informative articles on the school and general topics of interests to the parents.

5. Parent’s night includes speakers, information and discussions on Montessori principles, child rearing techniques and other topics.

6. Fieldtrips are scheduled to places of interest within the community.

7. Parents/guardians are required to ACTIVELY participate in the school for a total of 20 hours by the end of the school year.  (please see PARENT PARTICIPATION page 17)

8. You may call the school between 8:00 and 9:00 AM or after 4:00 PM.  At other times you may get our voice mail.  We will be happy to return your call as soon as we can.

9. Please understand that transitional periods such as drop off and pick up are extremely busy for our teachers.  Chances are they will not be able to speak with you at these times and you will need to schedule a more convenient time to speak with the teachers as needed.  Please understand that we cannot neglect the children during important transition times to discuss issues with parents.
   

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