Educational Programs

Casa Montessori
The Casa Montessori classroom creates a learning environment for young children enabling them to acquire new skills through exploration and manipulation of classroom materials. The children are free to choose their own work and set their own work pace. This method has proven to enhance the children’s independence and the desire to reach their maximum individual learning potential. The classroom age ranges from 2.5 to 6 years, which provides the children with the opportunity to learn from each other by observing and asking questions. The teacher’s job in the classroom is to foster and satisfy the curious minds of her students. The areas of study include: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Culture and Art.

French
The Casa children have french tuition in the mornings throughout the week where they are introduced to vocabulary, salutations, songs and stories.

Music
The children have music class once a week where they are introduced to the classical composers, percussion instruments, songs and rhythms.

Physical Fitness and Play Time
A healthy mind needs a healthy body. The Casa children have one and a half hours of outside play every day. On days when the weather does not permit outdoor playtime the children use the gym. The school has also integrated a skating program that runs through second term. Once a week, the children are bused to the local skating rink where Instructors with ‘Breakaway’ teach them to skate.

Academic Evaluation
There is a strong emphasis placed on the academic standings of our students. Academic progress is charted daily and progress reports are given to parents twice a year.

Homework
A gradual introduction of homework begins in our Casa classes. Once a child is reading they will be given a reader to take home nightly. In addition, extra worksheets will be sent home if extra work is needed.

Field Trips
The Casa children go on two excursions off campus. (i.e. a farm and Center Island ) In addition, special guests come into the school to speak and do demonstrations for the children. (i.e. TSO, Lenny Graf, Fire Dept., Police, Humane Society etc.)

Program Details

Food

• Children bring their own lunches
• Snacks are provided: morning, afternoon and after school (fruit, vegetables, crackers and cheese)
• Starting in October the school has Friday Pizza Day lunches

Parental Involvement

• The school wishes to have a 2:1 ratio field trips We ask that parents sign up to help.
• We need lace-up volunteers at the skating rink
• Parent observations are in November
• Parent/teacher interviews are in December