Application Requirements

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS - ALL LEVELS

  • Tour of the school
  • Parental observation of the classroom in session if new to the school, or changing levels

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS  BY LEVEL

Level Age Other Qualifications

Toddler

18 to 36 months
  • Walking independently

Early Childhood

36 months to
age 6
  • Verbal
  • Responsive to adult direction
  • Cooperates with others in a group setting
  • Manages toileting independently (no pull-ups) unless lack of training is due to medically diagnosed condition
  • Children are considered kindergarteners if 5 by September 1

Elementary

Age 6 by September 1 of 1st grade year
  • Documented ability to benefit from program
  • Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and respectfully with adults and fellow classmates
  • Attendance in a Montessori school through kindergarten year is preferred

Junior High

7 – 9th grade
  • Documented ability to benefit from program
  • Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and respectfully with adults and fellow classmates

ACCEPTANCE/PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

At all levels, we attempt to balance age, gender, family commitment to Montessori education in future years, and the diverse needs of our student body in admitting children.  Parental request is considered, but cannot always be accommodated, given the need to balance the classrooms on multiple parameters. Placement decisions are made by the Admissions Committee.

Toddlers are admitted on a space available basis throughout the year with preference given to children at the younger end of the age range because they are able to more fully experience all the benefits of the program.

At other levels, admissions decisions for the next school year are made in March but students in our wait pool are admitted mid-year if space is available.

New Early Childhood students are considered for admittance according to the following priority:

  • Students from our Toddler program
  • Siblings of currently enrolled students
  • New students according to space available for their age, gender and the order (date) in which they applied.

At the Elementary and Junior High Levels these additional factors determine priority: 

  • Current WMS students
  • Siblings of currently enrolled students
  • Students from other Montessori schools
  • Students without Montessori experience according to space available for their age group

Attendance in the WMS Early Childhood Program does not guarantee admittance to the Elementary Program, nor does attendance in the WMS Elementary Program guarantee admittance to the Junior High Program. The suitability of the program for the child will be re-evaluated at each level.