CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The Montessori School of Sanford is a parent/board run school, therefore, each family is asked to volunteer 20 hours a year to help in some capacity of school operations.

There are many different areas in which you may volunteer. You are a vital part of your child's educational experience at MSOS, so please use your time and talents to help strengthen our school community! We need volunteers to:

  • Organize special events
  • Help with fundraising
  • Keep our playground neat, clean, and safe
  • Run copies for teachers
  • Help with lunch
  • Do a special lesson on something that interests you - like gardening or photography
  • And much more!
All teachers along with the office staff have suggestions and needs and will be glad to share ways you may help.

It is the parent's responsibility to log their volunteer time in the green notebook at the front desk. Each spring, hours served will be posted in order for you to make sure you have met your family commitment. Children's House parent volunteers that work in the classroom must have a current TB test on file.

SCHOOL NEWS

Board President April Montgomery applied for a Quality Enhancement Grant on behalf of our school. The Lee County Partnership for Children rewarded MSOS with this grant! Thanks April! A representative from LPC will be working with Tomeka, Cindy, and Miss S to make sure we are exceeding the standards set by the state of North Carolina for childcare facilities. This collaboration will make our programming even better!

DOWNLOADABLE FORMS + HANDBOOK

Click here to download a copy of the Parent Handbook (248kb).

Click here to download a copy of medical forms (832kb).

Click here to download a copy of the travel permission slip (248kb).

Click here to download a copy of the emergency contact form (1020kb).

LEARN MORE ABOUT MONTESSORI

Below is a list of helpful links and a chart that illustrates what sets Montessori apart from other schools.

www.infomontessori.com
www.ami.edu/usa/international.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmPlinEUzSo
www.michaelolaf.net
www.kingstonmontessorischool.com/moreinfo.html

Montessori vs Traditional

The Montessori Program is based on self-direction and cooperative activities that help a child to develop a strong self image, high levels of academic and social competence, and the confidence to face challenges with optimism.

FOCUS AREA

MONTESSORI

TRADITIONAL

Goal
Goal is to foster a love of learning.
Goal is to master core curricula objectives.
Teaching
Child-Centered
Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other.
Teacher-Centered
Most teaching is done by the teacher and collaboration is an alternative teaching strategy
Work Cycles
Values concentration and depth of experience supplies uninterrupted time for focused work cycle to develop.
Values completion of assignments; time is tightly scheduled
Child's Leadership
Child learns to share leadership egalitarian interaction is encouraged.
Hierarchical classroom structure is more prominent.
Self-Care
Care of self and environment are emphasized as integral to the love of learning.
Less emphasis of self-care, spatial awareness, and care of the environment.
Child's Participation
Child is an active participant in learning; allowed to move about and respectfully explore the classroom environment; teacher is an instructional facilitator and guide.
Child is a more passive participant in learning; teacher has a more dominant, central role in classroom activity.
Classroom Make-up
Multi-age classrooms allow teachers, students and parents to develop supportive, collaborative and trusting relationships.
Same-age/or skill level grouping; one-year cycles can limit development of strong teacher, student and parent collaboration.