Admissions Process
Admissions Process
Thank you for your interest in Montessori School of Westminster!
We would love the opportunity to show you our beautiful grounds, stimulating classrooms, and Montessori method of teaching.
Interested parents are invited to visit the Montessori School of Westminster. It is very important to us that you, as a parent, visit the school prior to filling out an Application for Enrollment for your child. Our preferred visit for you is called a “classroom observation”; it provides a time for you to visit one of our classrooms to see the typical activities of our students as they go about their daily work. The classroom observation is a required step in our admissions process and will help you determine if the Montessori School of Westminster is a good match for your child and your family. To learn more about admission to the Montessori School of Westminster, please contact the Office of Admissions at 410-848-6283. Our Open House schedule and online attendance registration for these events are available here: Open House form.
Middle School enrollment is limited to students with sufficient experience in a Montessori environment.
| Admissions Process | |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Observation |
| Step 2 | Application |
| Step 3 | Parent and Child Classroom Visit |
| Step 4 | Signed Tuition Payment Agreement |
| Admissions Process | |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Observation |
| Step 2 | Application |
| Step 3 | Parent and Child Classroom Visit or Shadow Day for student entering as a 5-year-old |
| Step 4 | Assessment for student entering as a 5-year-old |
| Step 5 | Signed Tuition Payment Agreement |
| Admissions Process | |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Observation |
| Step 2 | Application |
| Step 3 | Shadow Day |
| Step 4 | Assessment |
| Step 5 | Previous School Records Requested/Received |
| Step 6 | Signed Tuition Payment Agreement |
| Admissions Process | |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Observation |
| Step 2 | Application |
| Step 3 | Shadow Day |
| Step 4 | Assessment |
| Step 5 | Previous School Records Requested/Received |
| Step 6 | Signed Tuition Payment Agreement |
Parent education is a hallmark of an MSW education
Understanding the principles of the Montessori philosophy and its use in our classrooms are key to the successful partnership between the school and its parent community. In order to meet these goals, a number of parent education events are scheduled throughout the year. Your attendance at these and other extra-curricular events is expected. To ensure you receive notice of school events, families must commit to good communication practices with the school. This includes a careful reading of email notices via our MSW Updates; attention to the articles, roster updates, and other information in the school bulletin entitled “The Innovator”; and, prompt replies to all letters, forms, and notes in your child’s weekly take-home Blue Bag or any other communications from the classroom. Additionally, it is critical to the effective operation of the school that family members be mindful of response dates and RSVP requests from the Administrative offices and classrooms.
acre campus
of our Teachers are
Montessori-certified
Montessori-certified
year established
The Montessori School of Westminster accepts Applications for Enrollment throughout the year
The Montessori School of Westminster accepts Applications for Enrollment throughout the year for the subsequent academic year and the current academic year, if space is available (see Rolling Enrollment & Current Year Admissions, below). Applications from students new to our school are dated and grouped into a wait pool considered each year after the date noted for open enrollment – March 1st. Applicants will receive written notification from MSW after March 1st as to their acceptance to the school for the following academic year. If insufficient space exists in our programs to accommodate the number of applications received, the applicants will be so advised and given the opportunity to remain on a waitlist for possible placement. Applications for Enrollment from new students are considered after those of returning students, siblings, and the children of staff members.
All Programs - What Families Need to Know
Application for Enrollment
The process of enrollment is predicated upon the receipt of an Application for Enrollment to MSW along with the payment of the applicable fee.
Emergency Cards
For the safety of the student, careful records are maintained to determine who can pick up students from the school. This information must be provided to the school by the enrolling family.Financial Packet
Families who submit an Application for Enrollment will receive from our Office of Finance a financial packet detailing payment plans and other necessary information about ways to streamline the tuition payment process.Health Evaluation
Any and all conditions which affect the child must be disclosed to the Montessori School of Westminster as requested on the Application for Enrollment. All enrolling families must complete and return to our offices a series of state-mandated forms designed to evaluate the health of the child. Additionally, the vaccination record is requested. The enrolling child’s doctor must complete the child’s medical record for return to our offices.Information Packet
Families considering enrollment for their child at the Montessori School of Westminster should request its formal packet of information regarding the school, its programs and practices. In addition to our current Tuition Rate Sheet, the packet contains the Application for Enrollment. The packet is available in hard copy format for mailing to the homes of potential students or in digital form for emailing. To request this packet, please send your email with your contact information to our Office of Admissions or call 410.848.6283 -X104.Kindergarten
At MSW, the kindergarten requirement is fulfilled by students participating in our Primary program for children of ages three through the kindergarten level. Because the Montessori curriculum is predicated on multi-age classrooms and, for the most part, three-year phases, the most beneficial application of this form of education includes your child’s attendance from age three in this level. For most students who are age five by September 1st of the school year, they are considered kindergarten-aged students at the Montessori School of Westminster; however, students are evaluated individually in regard to promotion to the next level in our school, the Lower Elementary level. Students in the Primary program for their kindergarten year are required to attend MSW for a full day from 8:30 AM until 3 PM.Montessori Transfers
Students transferring from another Montessori school are given preferential consideration when applying to the Montessori School of Westminster.Observations
In addition to providing useful insights to prospective families, observations provide information about a child’s progress to current families of enrolled students. Observations are required for families seeking admission to the school and recommended throughout all program levels at the Montessori School of Westminster. An observation can be scheduled by contacting our Administrative offices at 410.848.6283. The observation process for a family includes time spent watching the typical activities of your child’s work period, normally during morning hours, followed by a one-on-one opportunity to speak directly with your child’s Montessori guide.Parent & Child Visit
Sometimes, we have not met a child whose parents have submitted an Application for Enrollment to the school. This normally occurs for our youngest students who are not required to participate in a “shadow” visit. As part of our admissions process, we ask one or two parents to escort the child to MSW for a very short, pre-arranged visit in a classroom with one or more members of our administrative team such as the Head of School and the Director of Admissions plus a faculty member. This short visit has two purposes: It allows us to meet a child we haven’t previously met before we finalize admissions decisions, and it allows us to speak with parents about their expectations for enrollment and ours. Our expectations for the child are completely age-appropriate. We watch to see how the child reacts to the prepared classroom at a time when no other students are present in it. This visit can be scheduled after the Application for Enrollment is submitted to the school.Parent Handbook
The MSW Parent Handbook is a valuable resource for all families who have applied to the Montessori School of Westminster, and review thereof, is required for admission to the school. It contains policy and procedural statements, general school information, and faculty and staff biographical data and contact information. You will find it on our Forms page.Parent Volunteer Commitment
The Montessori School of Westminster is a non-profit school. Because the cost of operation is considerably more than is collected in tuition, all families are required to either pledge to serve thirty (30) hours of Parent Volunteer Commitment time per year or pay a $450 PVC fee. The PVC commitment is prorated for midyear enrollees. Parent participation is integral to the functioning of the Montessori School of Westminster. Without it, the school would lose its sense of community, and tuition would increase dramatically. Every moment parents spend participating makes our school stronger for the student. All jobs parents do are jobs we would otherwise pay someone to do, thus spending thousands of additional dollars. PVC work is defined as those projects that the Montessori School of Westminster staff requests. The PVC administrator keeps track of PVC hours by PVC report forms. Families use the honor system to report PVC hours. Materials used in PVC projects can be dealt with in one of two ways: Families can fill out an expense request to be reimbursed for money spent; or, families can report PVC hours at the ratio of one PVC hour for every $15 spent. Other materials donated to the school are still viewed as donations (e.g., books donated to the school are a donation, not a PVC project). Projects and expenses must be approved in advance by MSW staff members. We understand families are very busy and may not be able to commit additional time to volunteer work, which is why we also have the PVC fee option available. Your decision regarding your PVC commitment will be made a part of your Tuition Payment Agreement (TPA), your contract for payment to the Montessori School of Westminster.Rolling Enrollment & Current Year Admissions
Applications for current enrollment are accepted year-round. If space exists in the appropriate program for the prospective student, and all requirements for enrollment are fulfilled, the student will be considered for immediate admission to MSW. Children who reach age two are eligible for admission to our Beginnings program upon the date of the second birthday—they do not need to wait until the beginning of the next academic year. Current year admissions to the Beginnings program are accepted through March 15th.Transportation
Transportation services are available for students Kindergarten through 9th grade. Pick-up and drop-off locations are located at the Reisterstown Crossing, Finksburg Plaza and 140 Village Shopping Center. Spaces on the bus are limited. Please complete the Transportation Form if you are interested in using this service.
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