The Multi-Age Classroom
Discover how mixed-age groups build collaboration while children follow individual learning paths.
Community, collaboration, and respect
The Montessori School of Hamilton supports the growth, development, and transformation of every child by fostering community collaboration and respect for the dignity of others.
Thomas Edison said of the method: “I like the Montessori method. It teaches through play. It makes learning a pleasure. It follows the natural instincts of the human being . . . The present system casts the brain into a mold. It does not encourage original thought or reasoning.”
Why a Montessori classroom is non-competitive
For the learning process to achieve maximum results, it needs freedom. In our classrooms children are free to move and to choose. Each Montessori child is encouraged to follow what interests him most and to work and learn at his own pace and level of understanding, with no interruptions. That is what makes the classroom noncompetitive: no pressure, no stress, and no time limits. Each child is guided through their own natural pathway of development individually. This differs from a traditional classroom, where children are treated as a whole and expected to learn and keep up with the group. Montessori children receive individual lessons while still retaining group sessions at no extra cost, made possible by hands-on educational materials given to each child individually. The materials allow a varied pace of advancement that accommodates all levels of intellectual ability. Fast learners are not held back, and slow learners are not pressured to keep up. Progress is measured against each child’s own ability and advancement, not compared to other children. A cooperative atmosphere rather than a competitive one is encouraged in every classroom.
Explore this approach further
Benefits of Montessori
Learn why hands-on materials, freedom of choice, and self-paced progress serve every kind of learner.
Admission Steps
Walk through applying, touring, interviewing, and enrolling for the school year.
Contact Admissions
Ask about space, age requirements, or anything not covered here.
Joining our circle
Come join our unique circle of friends and families at The Montessori School of Hamilton.
Students are enrolled for the school year beginning in September. Applications are accepted through March, beginning with registration for current students in late January and open enrollment in mid February. Once the admissions application and fee are received, acceptance letters are issued within two weeks. Acceptance into Hamilton Montessori depends on space, age, and priority given to children already in the program as well as siblings. If space is available, exceptions permit a child to start at any time during the year.
We try to make the admissions process as easy and short as possible. State law does require parents to complete a number of mandatory forms, and the school needs that information on file before the child enters. A copy of the Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers issued by the State of New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Youth and Family Services is on file for your review at your convenience.
Admission Procedure
1
Submit your application
Return the completed application, together with the $55.00 non-refundable application fee, to the Admissions Office. This fee helps ensure your child’s placement in the program for the year.
2
Schedule a tour and interview
The school will contact you to schedule a tour of the school and arrange an interview with the director and members of the Admissions Committee.
3
Receive your enrollment agreement
Upon acceptance, the applicant will receive an enrollment agreement.
4
Complete enrollment
Once the agreement is signed and all applicable fees are received by the admissions department, the school commits itself financially to ensure the child’s placement for the year. See the Terms of Admission for details.
Payment options
Option A
Payment in full by July 1 entitles you to a 5% discount on full-time programs only.
Option B
50% of tuition is due by July 1; the balance is due by January 31.
Option C
10 monthly payments for the academic school year only. The first tuition payment for September is due August 1, ending in May.
Option D
12 monthly payments for the academic year and Summer Fun Program.
Payment Schedule
Plans C and D include a $10.00 service charge per payment. Payments are due promptly on the first of the month. A child can be admitted for the school calendar year or for the school calendar year and summer. Payment plans coincide with each enrollment agreement for a 10- or 12-month period, made in ten or twelve equal monthly installments. The options above show the different schedules and incentives available.
Admission fees and deadlines
Application fee
$55.00 non-refundable application fee, submitted with the application for admission, to insure your child’s placement in the program for the year.
Annual and activity fees
Due by August 1: $45.00 annual fee for educational periodicals and literature, plus $55.00 activity fee to cover materials and computer technology.
Family assessment fee
$90.00 one-time fee.
Admission Fee
An application fee is required with enrollment. This is a non-refundable processing fee that is non-transferable.
Activity Fee
An activities fee covers materials and computer technology.
Annual Fee
An annual fee covers educational periodicals and literature.
Security Deposit
A security deposit is required to complete enrollment for the year; the assessment is $1,100.00. Students enrolled are required to secure a deposit. The security deposit will automatically roll over to the following year’s security deposit. It will either be refunded at the end of the child’s cycle in the program or allotted towards the tuition of the student’s final year of attendance. Notice of intent to withdraw prior to the completion of a cycle will forfeit the security deposit.
Financial Commitment
Families should be prepared to commit to the three-year development cycles and to allow the child to complete the entire three years of each cycle. That is ideally preferred, but ideal may not always be practical, so the school accommodates transient families and other uncontrollable circumstances; unless otherwise noted, students are enrolled for the entire academic year and summer if applicable. Families are held responsible for keeping the terms and conditions of the yearly financial obligation to the school. Once enrollment is complete, the school commits itself financially to ensure the student has a place in the Montessori educational program for that entire year. Since tuition payment is the basis for running the school and funds salaries, supplies, and capital improvements, tuition is not refundable and the obligation to pay full tuition may not be cancelled — either through absence or dismissal by the school, or by withdrawal by the parents for any reason, at any time through the year.
Admissions Policy
The Montessori School of Hamilton admits students of any race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin to the rights, privileges, programs, and activities made available to students in the school. It will not stand for racism or discrimination of any kind. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and other school-administered programs.