School starts promptly at 8:30 am (8:10 am for AP). In a Montessori environment, students need three hours of open, uninterrupted time to choose independent work, become deeply engaged, and repeat this work to their satisfaction; therefore, your children must arrive at school on time. Being five or ten minutes late may seem like a minor issue, but it disrupts the rhythm and flow of the entire Montessori classroom. If your child needs to arrive before 8:15 am, they must join the Before School program or participate in the breakfast program that begins at 8:00 am.

Since Toddlers’ school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and requires a consistent schedule, late arrivals are strongly discouraged. Toddlers arriving after 8:30 a.m. will not be admitted without special permission from the Lead Teacher.

Morning Drop-Off

Because our parking lot is so busy, patience and caution are required. Please drive slowly and be careful when entering and exiting the parking lot. There is also street parking on 18th St. and Juneau Ave.

Parking Tips

• Parking Maps are available on the website.
• Arrive early in winter! Snow build-up limits parking spaces and narrows the street. Parking during the winter months will take extra patience and time. Plus, you will need extra time to help your child remove winter attire once in the building.

Children’s House through the Adolescent program can be picked up from inside the building at 3:30 pm. AP students will be dismissed to 17th Street at 3:30 pm. Upper Elementary students need written permission from their parent/guardian to be dismissed to 17th Street at the end of the day. Please email Executive Director, Ms. Tracy.

• Doors in the office will be closed until 3:25 pm.
• Classroom doors will be closed until 3:30 pm, when children may be picked up by their parent/guardian.

Pick-up time for 3-year-old children is 11:30 am unless your child is enrolled in the CHECK program. The all-school pick-up for students is at 3:30 pm unless your child is in the Afterschool program. Students in K4-8th grade should be picked up no earlier than 5 minutes before dismissal unless an excuse is provided to school staff at the time of pickup. Picking your child up early may impact their attendance record.

Upper Elementary students only may be released to the 17th Street Gate at the end of the day with written permission from a parent to Ms. Tracy. Parents can email Ms. Tracy to communicate to the school if they would like their older child released from 17th Street. Children’s House and Lower Elementary children are not allowed to exit 17th Street (even with parent permission) unless they are escorted by an older (Upper El or Adolescent) sibling. 

If your student is missing school due to frequent early pick-ups, you may be contacted by the School Social Worker and a conference may be scheduled to discuss your child’s attendance record and problem-solve.

Children who are sick require the special attention that being at home provides. Children cannot be permitted at school with any of the following:

• Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea – within the previous 24-hour period
• Draining rash
• Eye discharge or pink eye
• Sore throat
• Communicable diseases, such as head lice, ringworm, etc., require treatment (see Main Office for exact details and processes)

When Illness Occurs at School