Program Guidelines
Please review the following guidelines to help our program and your experience run smoothly for everyone. If a caregiver other than yourself brings your child to class, please have him/her review the guidelines as well. Keep in mind that each child attending the Parent & Child class must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver (e.g. twins require two adults). No older siblings are permitted.
Arrival Time
If you arrive before class begins, please wait in the lobby area. We have a shoes-off classroom so kindly remove outdoor footwear before entering the class. Prior to class start time, your session leader is busy preparing for class, so please try not to come into class beforehand. She will be happy to greet you and your child right when the session starts.
Behavior
Preschoolers are all learning appropriate social skills. They often experiment with their strength and their ability to control the environment. Pushing, hitting, grabbing and provoking—while unpleasant— are sometimes common at this age. We view these behaviors as normal for children in this age range and will work with parent and child to modify these behaviors. If an incident between children does arise, LePort Schools employs positive redirection and conflict resolution techniques rather than isolation. We do not have “time-outs” or “naughty chairs,” and we respectfully request that parents also not use these during their Parent & Child Montessori sessions. Your session leader will model positive discipline strategies to help resolve any conflicts. You might later talk to your teacher about ways to prevent future incidents. Please try to view these incidents as positive learning opportunities.
Toys from home
Please do not bring any toys into our classroom environments.
Cleaning Up
Most Montessori activities are self-contained units. After your child does an activity, please guide him to return it to the shelf so that it is ready for the next child, allowing him to do as much of the cleanup on his own that he possibly can. If he needs help, our approach is to slowly show him how to do it for himself rather than to doing it all for him. Showing young children how to clean up makes it possible for them to take better care of their surroundings and learn to take responsibility for their things.
Clothing
Please come prepared with a change of clothes for your child, as it is possible that he may get wet working with our water activities. We use water-based, washable paint in our craft activities, and offer aprons, as well.
Eating
Water is always available for both adults and children. During each class we will provide a snack gathering for all children (e.g. cheese and crackers). We do not allow children (or adults!) to eat or drink while working with the Montessori materials. Please make sure to let your session leader know if your child has food allergies and please leave personal foods at home. If you’d like to bring foods to share with the whole class at group snack., please make prior arrangements with your guide.
Bathroom
Please take your children to use the nearby bathroom before class starts, and at anytime during class that this becomes a necessity. If your child is still wearing diapers, we ask you to talk to your guide about “stand-up diapering” as your child will benefit from the independence this allows.
Cell Phones
Please show respect for your child’s Montessori experience by silencing your cell phone and not texting or checking messages during your Parent & Child sessions. If you absolutely must make a call during class time, please step outside to do so. (You may, however, use your phone to unobtrusively take pictures or videos of your child engaging with the Montessori activities.) Please also refrain from allowing your child to use your cell phone during class time, as this distracts your child from the variety of materials available to explore in the classroom and outdoors.
Illness
Please do not bring your child to class if he is sick. While a runny nose is fine if your child is otherwise healthy, excessive coughing and irritability are reasons to keep your child at home. Also, if your child has vomited, has had diarrhea or has had a fever less than 24 hours before class, please keep your child at home.
Facebook
Please join our closed Facebook group! As part of your enrollment, we invite you to join this private group dedicated to families of LePort’s Parent & Child programs. Your child’s session teacher will post pictures, share interesting news on Montessori education, notify you of upcoming events – and you’ll get to connect with other parents in the area who have young children.
Make-Up Classes
If you cannot make it to one class, we cannot guarantee a make-up class will be available, but you are welcome to contact your campus to discuss possible options. If you end up missing a number of classes or need to drop out, unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund or credit.
Administrative Questions
If you have administrative or enrollment questions, please call at or email at .
Program Questions
If you have questions or concerns regarding program content or procedures, please feel free to email
at @leportschools.com.