Families considering joining our community at Our Children’s Center should complete an application:
Next, families register to attend a one-hour “Introduction to Montessori and OCC” information session. These sessions are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:00am, and the third Thursday of the month at 6:30pm. We provide a brief history of our school, an overview of Montessori philosophy, tour the classrooms to introduce the areas of learning and unique materials, and review the OCC Family Handbook. Attendance is required prior to consideration of applications to ensure that families are able to have a clear understanding our school, philosophy, and expectations and would like to move forward with the enrollment process.
After completing the introductory session, families may request to schedule an individual tour of the school and classrooms during our morning work cycle. This visit is primarily a silent observation, with the goal of seeing the classrooms without interrupting the students at work.
Enrollment at Our Children’s Center for the following school year begins January 1 for current families and alumni, followed on February 1 by families on our waiting list. Enrollment opens to the public March 1. Enrollment contracts (and demographic/financial aid information) will be emailed directly to each family indicating acceptance into our program. Enrollment will be considered complete upon OCC’s receipt of a signed enrollment contract and all applicable enrollment fees.
A waiting pool is maintained for current and future enrollment periods. We award the majority of our fall enrollment spots to children under 2 years old entering the Toddler Program and under 3.5 years of age for Primary so that as many students as possible are able to remain for two years in Toddler and the full three-year Primary cycle (including kindergarten), or at least two full years (prior to kindergarten).
During your visit to OCC, you will have the opportunity to observe our classrooms and meet our staff. Enrollment options will be discussed and evaluated to meet the needs of your child and family with respect to enrollment availability. Each of our programs have chronological age overlaps, allowing for enrollment decisions to be made with the primary focus on the child’s individual developmental needs. Although not mandatory, we strongly recommend that children enrolled in the Primary classrooms be toilet trained.
Information regarding summer sessions including dates, tuition, and fees, is made available in late winter, with registration beginning on February 1. Summer sessions are enrolled on a weekly basis and are open to current families, with any remaining spots allocated to OCC alumni completing Kindergarten through 2nd Grade. We do not typically enroll new Primary students in the summer. Occasionally there will be space for new Toddlers who are enrolled for the fall.