Information Meetings, Tours and Classroom Observations
Attend an information meeting which includes a campus tour and classroom observation. Meetings are held in January.
Wait List Notification
A lottery is held at the beginning of April for the various openings. The office manager then calls lottery allocations to make an appointment for the enrollment paperwork to be completed.
Classroom Size
Primary classrooms have 26 children with 2 adults – the teacher and an instructional assistant. Currently, the class size for elementary school classrooms is 32 students with 2 adults. The Middle School program has up to 50 adolescents with 2 teachers and 1 instructional assistant.
Placement Decisions
Administration and teaching staff make placement decisions. The optimal dynamic in a Montessori class calls for a careful balance of age, gender and the diverse needs and contributions of the children. Please trust that we will make the best decision possible based on our knowledge of your child and the teachers' knowledge of their own classroom communities to create a balanced Montessori classroom. Placement decisions are finalized by June 30th.
Back-to-School Night
School starts the first week of August and Back-to-School Night is held the Monday before. Back-to-School Night postcards with all the details are mailed in the second week of July. Various logistical and community information – from the district, school and PTA – is disseminated and discussed, ie: final bus routes and class rosters are posted. Parents are then invited to go to the classroom(s) to meet the teacher, obtain supply lists, and verify/update enrollment paperwork. Due to the administrative nature of this event, Shaw Montessori’s Back-to-School Night is mandatory and is for parents only.
Supplementary Information
Before and Aftercare Program, After School Enrichment Activities and Intramural Sports
Various programs are offered for Kindergarten through 8th grade. The age range varies depending on the program. Preschool (3 and 4 year olds) are not eligible. For more information, please see “Programs & Services”.
School Calendar and Campus Schedules
The Phoenix Elementary Governing Board adopted a 180-day calendar, available on the District Calendars page. Please note that every Wednesday, except for the first and last Wednesday of the school year and the Wednesdays during AIMS testing, are early release days. Early Release impacts Kindergarten through 8th grade students.
Students in Kindergarten through 8th grade start on the first day of school. Returning preschool students start one week after kindergarten students and new preschool students have staggered start dates an additional week later. Pre-school students (3 and 4 year olds) dismiss mid-day; Kindergarten through 8th grade have a full-day schedule.
