Planning Ahead

Every parent wonders and worries about how their child will handle change. Montessori methods, our classroom environments, and the wholistic approach to child development intrinsic to Shrewsbury Montessori School helps make these transitions much easier. There are many changes children face throughout their academic lives:

• leaving parents for the first time to attend school
• coming back to school each new year
• starting a new milestone program
• leaving Montessori and going to a traditional school

We understand the challenges these transitions present to you as parents as you help your children adapt to change. We offer a great deal of support at Shrewsbury Montessori School as part of our program and our wholistic approach to education and child development. We can help you as you decide to make or not make a change and prepare your child for the transition.

First Day of School

We believe one of the best ways to help your child leave you on the first day is to empower them to make those first steps on their own. Parents drive up to the school where they are met by the teacher's aide. Parents are asked to remain in their cars while the aide opens the car door to greet your child.  Parents give quick happy goodbyes and your child is led to the classroom where his teacher awaits.

Both campuses (Shrewsbury and Auburn) use a Phase In Schedule the first week of school to help our youngest new children ease into becoming students for the first time. This Phase In Schedule starts with short one-hour intervals gradually expanding to the students' normal schedule by the second week of school.

Returning to School After Summer Break

Both campuses (Shrewsbury and Auburn) again use a Phase In Schedule (longer intervals for older returning students) to get everyone used to being back at school.  For returning students who have not stepped up, this is a mild transition returning to the same classroom with the same students and teachers.  There they are expected to help any new students to the program.

Stepping Up

One of the most exciting experiences at Shrewsbury Montessori School is when a child realizes he/she will be stepping up! This is when a child will step up from Children's House (age 3 through Kindergarten) to our Lower Elementary program (First Year through Third Year)and when a child will step up from our Lower Elementary program to Upper Elementary program (Fourth Year through Sixth Year). 

Stepping up is a milestone experience that means new teachers, a new classroom, and more extensive curriculum. Before this important milestone, we encourage families to attend program events with their child to see what the next program is all about. This includes Projects Fair, French Play, Sixth Year Experience, Spring Musical and more.

We also schedule Step Up Day in May which includes a visit to next year's classroom. Students meet their teachers and are re-acquainted with old classmates who have already stepped up. These students help each new student get acclimated to their new environment - one of the many advantages of our multi-age classrooms.

Shrewsbury Montessori School 55 Oak Street Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 01545 Phone: (508)842-2116  Fax: (508)845-2491

Copyright © 2009

Montessori Children's House of Auburn 135 Bryn Mawr Avenue Auburn, Massachusetts 01501 Phone: (508)832-9262