Santa Cruz Montessori

Parent Education

The administrators and faculty of Santa Cruz Montessori work in partnership with parents to provide an education that meets the needs of the whole child.

In order to assist parents in this partnership role, we offer parent education programs throughout the year. The main purpose is to provide information on the principles of healthy child development, so that parents can develop their own parenting styles. It also provides a forum in which parents can discuss their views, concerns, and experiences with other parents who have similar goals for their children.

Included in this program are classes in positive discipline, Montessori in the home, the Montessori curriculum, family life, and social, emotional and moral development on all levels, from the very youngest children through adolescence.

Through these and other topics, we share with parents the obstacles to and joys of responsible parenting.

Parent Participation

In addition to the classes, parents share in the life of the student by attending parent-teacher conferences, open houses, and program meetings. Classroom observations and discussions with teachers further involve parents in their child's experience at school.

Santa Cruz Montessori has a parent participation program where parents volunteer 20 hours per year (10 hours per year for single parents). Parents volunteer in many ways including parent work days, chaperoning class outings, service on our Board of Directors, volunteering at social functions throughout the year, helping in the classroom, and participating in class plays. During the 2006-2007 school year, Santa Cruz Montessori families contributed more than 8,500 hours of work to the school and contributed thousands of dollars of in-kind service to the school from mechanical engineering and computer troubleshooting to bus driving.