A selection of art created by The Montessori House children is now on display at the Cresskill Public Library.  The children created the art using traditional Montessori “metal insets.”  These beautiful pictures exemplify the children’s wonderful creativity and skills, and we are thrilled to have them displayed for all – especially you and your children — to enjoy!  We hope you’ll visit soon (a great snowy-day activity).  

Cresskill Public Library
53 Union Ave, Cresskill, NJ 07626
201-567-3521

Hours
Mon., Wed,., and Thurs.:  10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tues., Fri., and Sat.: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.   

The Montessori House is closed again  today, Friday, February 14th.  (Happy Valentine’s Day!)

The school is closed next week, and will reopen Monday, February 24th.   Enjoy the winter break!

If there is any change in our plans, we will provide an update on school closing as follows:

1. Here in NEWS on the website.
2. Via the phone message at 201-816-8343.
3. Via e-mail to our 2013-14 parents and teachers.

Generally, for the most up-to-date information,  PLEASE CALL 201-816-8343.

The Montessori House is closed today, Thursday, February 13th.

We expect the school will re-open on Friday February 14th.

If there is any change in our plans, we will provide an update on school closing as follows:

1. Here in NEWS on the website.
2. Via the phone message at 201-816-8343.
3. Via e-mail to our 2013-14 parents and teachers.

Generally, for the most up-to-date information,  PLEASE CALL 201-816-8343.

The Montessori House is closed today, Wednesday, February 5th.

We expect the school will re-open on Thursday, February 6th.

If there is any change in our plans, we will provide an update on school closing as follows:

1. Here in NEWS on the website.
2. Via the phone message at 201-816-8343.
3. Via e-mail to our 2013-14 parents and teachers.

Generally, for the most up-to-date information,  PLEASE CALL 201-816-8343.

The Montessori House is closed today, Monday, February 3rd.

We expect the school will re-open on Tuesday, February 4th.

If there is any change in our plans, we will provide an update on school closing as follows:

1. Here in NEWS on the website.
2. Via the phone message at 201-816-8343.
3. Via e-mail to our 2013-14 parents and teachers.

Generally, for the most up-to-date information,  PLEASE CALL 201-816-8343.

The Montessori House is closed today, Wednesday, January 22nd.

We expect the school will re-open on Thursday, January 23rd.

If there is any change in our plans, we will provide an update on school closing as follows:

1. Here in NEWS on the website.
2. Via the phone message at 201-816-8343.
3. Via e-mail to our 2013-14 parents and teachers.

Generally, for the most up-to-date information,  PLEASE CALL 201-816-8343.

The Montessori House is operating on its normal schedule today, despite the snow.  We’ll dismiss at the normal time (11:15 a.m. for the morning session, 3:00 p.m. for the afternoon session). 

After school, Piano and After Care will proceed on the normal schedule today.

Parent who wish to take children home early may do so following the standard procedure: park, ring the bell at the front door, and we’ll invite you to come to the top of the stairs to receive your child.  Note, because of winter clothing, and the likelihood that other parents may also come early, you may have a slight wait until your child is ready — please be patient.   In addition, after 2:45 p.m. we may ask you to wait in car line to pick your child up at normal dismissal.

If your family is interested in exploring a scholarship (a.k.a. financial aid) at The Montessori House for the school year starting September, 2014 (2014-15 school year), now is the time to start the process.

First, you apply to The Montessori House: please have a look at our Timing and Tips for 2014-15 Admissions.  If you haven’t visited the school, we suggest you call us to arrange a tour for yourself (we recommend you come for a tour during the school day without your child, if possible).  Please call us at 201-816-8343 to arrange a time.

Starting now you can prepare your scholarship application on-line through School and Student Services by NAIS.  Your application needs to be completed before February 12, 2014 (for scholarships for the school year starting September, 2014).

Scholarships are provided by The Friends of Montessori Foundation, and they consider your financial need as well as the depth of their own resources when making scholarship decisions.

Generally, The Montessori House, in January, 2014, will offer your child a place for enrollment, and ask you to commit with a $750 Reservation Deposit.  You’ll hear about your scholarship (if any), at the same time we ask you sign an Enrollment Agreement and complete your tuition deposit (about mid-March, 2014).  Note, the award may be subject to verification of information you submitted; for example receipt and evaluation of 2013 tax returns that you may not have sent to SSS/NAIS before March.

If Friends of Montessori Foundation cannot meet your calculated need, then you may choose to withdraw and receive a refund of your Reservation Deposit.  However, if the Foundation meets your need (or determines that you have not demonstrated a financial need), then you would not be eligible for a refund if you decide to withdraw.

Of course, before deciding to reserve a place for your child, you can wait to hear from the Foundation regarding your scholarship.  But, without a reservation in place, by mid-March we may have filled up your preferred sessions for 2014-15.

Feel free to contact us by e-mail (admissions@themontessorihouse.com) or by phone (201-816-8343) with questions.

The Wall Street Journal had a fun article on school lunches, and how parents cope with the rules different schools have.  Several of the rules will resonate for Montessori House families whose children pack a lunch for school.   Some of our rules include:

• No nuts — no ground nuts (e.g. peanuts) or tree nuts (e.g. walnuts, pecans, filberts, almonds, etc. )
• No drinks (including drinkable yogurts)
• No sweetened foods (no candy, cookies, cakes, fruit roll-ups, etc. )
• We can reheat food (in a microwave), but do not cook food or thaw frozen food (in other words we microwave for no more than 1 minute).

We do take issue with the reporter’s endorsement of lunchboxes that come with many components — “bento-style” lunch “systems”).  We’ve found that these lunch “systems” simply occupy too much space.  Normally we have four (4) children  at a table for lunch, but when a child has an expansive “system” of boxes, etc. they require twice as much space, so at a table for four we can fit only 2 normal lunchboxes plus one lunch “system”, or only two children with such a lunch “system”.  Consequently we recommend parents stick with a regular lunch box or bag that requires a normal amount of table-top space.

The day after we announced the addition of Yoga to our after-school programs,  we read in the Bergen Record about “Yoga for kids in North Jersey”

(Our menu of  after-school instructional programs includes: Piano, Violin, Chess and Yoga.)

The article summarized some interesting studies:

* In a survey from 2004 to 2007 at a Boulder, Colo., school, 4th- and 5th-grade students reported fewer instances of bullying after two weeks of yoga instruction. After the yoga classes, students said incidents of being hit by a classmate dropped 55 percent. The students also reported a 57 percent increase in the ability to control their own anger.

* The journal School Psychology Review published an article in 2005 that found that a group of students with attention problems were able to focus more on their work after yoga instruction. Before yoga, the problem students were able to stay “on task” only 65 percent of the time, compared with their peers who could focus for 85 percent of the time. During the yoga instruction, the problem students were able to focus as much as their typical peers.

* A 1991 article in the Journal of Asthma found that yoga training was helpful in treating children with asthma, increasing pulmonary function and exercise capacity. A follow-up study two years later found that benefits remained, with the children having fewer symptoms and requiring less medication.