FAQs – Forest Hills Montessori School

Forest Hills Montessori School
67-04 Austin Street , Forest Hills, NY 11375

Dress Code & Personal Possessions

As the children work within the “dressing frames” in practical life and watch other children managing their own clothing, their skill and desire to be independent increases. It is important that all indoor and outdoor clothing be chosen with this goal in mind and that you encourage independence at home.

Please have your children dress in practical clothes that they can manage on their own. Pants with elastic waists are preferred until they can manage more difficult fastenings. Overalls are suitable only if the children can fasten and unfasten them independently. Check shoe laces to see that they are long enough and have tips.

Be sure shoes have non-slip soles that are safe for running. Boots, ah boots…..we strongly recommend shoe boots (which fit directly over the socks) since these seem to be the simplest for children to manage by themselves. Your child may keep a pair of slippers at school to wear after taking off his/her shoe boots. Boots that fit over the shoes should be big enough to slip on easily. Plastic bags over shoes may help children to get boots on and off by themselves. Please label all outer clothing with your child’s name and attach mittens to their coat sleeves.

No umbrellas or long scarves.

Boys:
1st – 6th grade:
Grey pants, white shirt, navy blazer or cardigan, red tie, dark socks and shoes.

Girls:
1st – 3rd grade:
Jumper, white “Peter Pan” blouse, navy blazer or cardigan, navy, white or red socks or tights.

4th – 6th grade:
Jumper or kilts, white button down shirt or turtle neck, navy blazer or cardigan, navy, white, or red socks or tights.

Arrival & Dismissal

School begins at 8:45 A.M. Children will be greeted between 8:45 and 9:05 A.M. Please be prompt. It is often difficult for a child to walk into a class in full swing and your late arrival pulls teachers out of the classroom.

Say goodbye to your child at the door unless you have a message to convey to the teacher. This helps avoid congestion and encourages independence in undressing.

The morning session ends at 11:45 A.M., and the afternoon session begins at 12:30 and ends at 3:15 P.M. The Full Day session is 8:45 to 3:15. All children must be picked up by that time and dismissal begins ten minutes before the hour. Please be prompt. It is often distressing to a child to be the last one picked up and it can interfere with the teacher’s other duties.

Call the school if you will be late. Also, let us know if you have to pick up your child early so that she or he can complete his or her activities and prepare to leave in a relaxed manner.

Before & After School Programs

This program is run by the school teachers and is not part of the school tuition.

Before School

The early hour is from 7:45-8:45 A.M.

After School*

The after school program is from 3:30-6:00 P.M.

*Children, who are not picked up by 3:30 P.M., will go to the after school program.

Contact

The direct phone for the extended program is 718-275-3102.

Sick Days

It is important that your child comes to school well rested and in good health. Please let us know if your child will be absent for more than two days due to illness or family plans. If he/she is sick with a contagious disease, let the school know so that we can inform other parents.

In case your child contracts a contagious disease, the school must be notified at once. Notification will be sent, by the school to all parents whose children have been exposed to a contagious disease in the classroom.

If your child has a fever or cold, please DO NOT send him/her to school where he/she may expose others. We will send home any child who in our estimation is ill and should not be in attendance. Students too sick to go out for recess or participate in Physical education classes are usually too sick to be at school.

Please notify us when an absence occurs. Call by 9:00 A.M.

It is imperative that parents give the school the name of another member of the family, or friend, who can be notified in case of illness or accident. Provision for this is made on the health form. This information must be current.

Parties

If parents wish to have their child celebrate a birthday in school, this may be done by calling or sending a note to the teacher so arrangements can be made to eliminate any type of competitiveness within the class. We request that you send in cupcakes or cake and a special drink.

At home parties do have an influence on the social and emotional tone of the class. In the interest of helping us create a happy group environment, we suggest that you follow these guidelines when planning a party.

Invite
Have your child invite his/her entire class to a class party.

Or all the boys to a “boys only” party or all the girls to a “girls only” party.

By inviting “boys only” or “girls only” individuals do not feel rejected whereas excluding one or a few children results in individual hurt and group disruption.
Planning
Program the party in keeping with children’s level of maturity and interests.
Arrange
Arrange a close chaperonage and supervision of all activities at all times.
Time
Be explicit about the time the party will end.

Recess

Outdoor recess and play are a necessary part of a school day. A romp in the brisk air is refreshing, gets the blood circulating and makes the rest of the more sedentary day easier.

We expect children to play outdoors for a short time, except in very inclement weather. Be sure your child is properly dressed in cold weather.

Upper School (Grades 1-6)

ASSIGNMENTS

In case of absence due to illness, requests for homework should be made by 9:00 A.M. However, teachers will not be able to provide homework until the close of the day. Please request homework only when the absent child is well enough to do the work. No advance assignments will be given for children who are absent on extended vacations.

Homework is not given for the sake of busy work but should be tailored to the child and his/her needs. To make the homework program of maximum value to the students, the following outline is offered to parents as a guide to planning with their children.

PURPOSE OF HOME STUDY

To master through review and practice materials presented in the classroom.
To develop the ability to attack and resolve new problems using learned skills or techniques and applying individual resourcefulness.
To develop efficient work habits in planning and executing a variety of tasks.
To help teachers and students plan for individual strengths and weakness.

Parents can assist the school in achieving these goals in the following ways:

By providing an appropriate place for study:
a) A room away from distractions.
b) A working space with good light where appropriate materials may be kept.
By taking an interest in assignments:
a) Playing work or math games, etc.
b) Encouraging discussion of topics and projects of special interest to the student, suggesting possible sources of information, sharing knowledge and sharing enthusiasm.
c) Discussing books parents have read and found interesting.

It should be understood by both student and parents that homework assignments are the responsibility of the student. If parents find they are becoming too involved, it is advisable to speak to the child’s teacher. Homework time should not be a stressful time for the student or the family. Close communication between home and school can be helpful.

By planning with the students a regular time for study which fits in with family commitments. This time should be respected by both the students and the family.
By making reading for pleasure, part of daily life.

Students who work conscientiously but who are unable to finish the assignments within a reasonable time should take the responsibility for discussing their problem with their teacher. A child must not spend every waking hour engaged in school work. Play is an integral and essential part of every youngster’s development.

TESTING

Both formal (standardized) and informal tests, written and oral are used to assess the student’s progress. We are concerned not with numerical or letter grades but with how well a student is learning. Frequent informal testing is more reliable in helping both student and teacher assess progress than one standardized test given at the end of the year.

A standardized test is given at the end of the year and is regarded as just one item in the accumulated evidence of a child’s academic development. To review the results of such test you are welcome to make an appointment with the Director.