Does our family have to be Catholic?
You do not need to be Catholic to attend St. John the Baptist Catholic Montessori School.
Are there bussing options?
At this time there are not bussing options for students.
Do you have before and after school care?
Yes. Before care is from 7:00am to 8:35am and aftercare is from 3:30pm to 6:00pm. For more visit our Before & After Care program page here.
Do students use computers in the classroom?
Students do not use a computer or other device in the classroom until upper elementary. We view technology as a tool to support education. In upper elementary years students work on word processing skills, presentations, slide shows, movie making, etc. In the adolescent years, students engage in making and updating a website, fliers, marketing and design as well as all things Google.
What is a work cycle?
The uninterrupted work period (2.5 to 3 hours in the morning) is fundamental to the Montessori approach, which recognizes and respects individual variations in the learning process. Within the Montessori environment, the children need to have time to work through various tasks and responsibilities at their own pace.
In The Absorbent Mind, Montessori wrote, “…the child can only develop fully by means of experience within his environment” (88). Meaning that in order for a child to develop, he or she needs to have the chance to focus solely on the materials in the environment. She also wrote, “The essential thing is for the task to arouse such an interest that it engages the child’s whole personality” (206).
The work cycle, within a Montessori classroom, gives the child opportunities to delve into the work he or she is drawn to and become fully involved in the work.
What do assessments look like in a Montessori classroom?
We have a variety of ways students can show that they have mastered the material/curriculum they have been presented.
- Students take the MAP test three times a year (fall, winter, spring).
- Students can show that they have mastered their work in various ways:
- Through their work
- Teaching the concept to another
- Through creative expression
- By taking a “Show Your Mastery” with or without the material
How is the Catholic faith integrated into the day to day of the classroom?
There are numerous ways in which we live our faith.
- All staff model what is right and good, being a daily model of a virtuous life.
- All classrooms have a prayer table where the students gather to begin the day as well as where students can go to work out a peaceful solution to a situation.
- All Children’s House and elementary students have an Atrium time once a week. The Atrium was Dr. Montessori’s vision for giving the faith to the child. It is set up with materials that represent what the child will see at Mass and with opportunities to reflect on the words of Sacred Scripture. For more details see the “Atrium” page on this website.
- Every Friday students attend Mass. The first Friday of each month students also have an opportunity to go to Confession and enjoy time in adoration.
- Upper Elementary and Adolescent students have a weekly adoration time.