Welcome to the Primary Room!

The Primary Room is for children ages 30-36 months through 5 years.

We strive to prepare a rich environment designed to meet your child's growing needs for independence, and concept development is provided in the Small Savers Montessori Primary classroom. A mixed-age classroom, Small Savers Primary generally ranges from ages three to five -- a traditional tenet of Montessori philosophy where younger children are encouraged to learn from older children, their teachers, and through their exploration.

Daily living exercises are designed to enhance independence, concentration, and coordination. Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, Science, Geography, and Culture areas of the classroom provide activities for exploration and repetition with a goal of mastery. Our Art areas of drawing, painting, cutting, sculpting, and gluing provide opportunities for developing a sense of creativity and freedom to express themselves through art.

Daily outdoor play is incorporated into both morning and afternoon schedules. Movement classes are offered by Power Tots and take place weekly (optional). A supervised naptime is scheduled from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm daily. Routine parent-teacher conferences are held to discuss your child's progress.

Primary Room Teachers

Communicating with your child’s teacher

You will find a special parent sheet next to the attendance record clipboard, which you can use to indicate any special events or changes in your child’s life. This helps us be supportive of your child during periods of change. Changes such as visits from grandparents, a parent on travel, moves, sickness or deaths in the family are noted here daily. Daily reports of your child’s activities are posted on the bulletin board or reported in individual notes to parents.

Wooden table and chairs with vase of flowers in Montessori preschool classroom

Primary Room Schedule

8:00 - School Opens

8:30 - 9:00 - Morning Snack

9:00-11:25 - Uninterrupted Montessori Work Cycle

11:30 - 11:50 - Lunch

12:00-12:45 - Outdoor time

1:00-3:00 - Rest Period

3:00 - 3:20 - Afternoon Snack

3:20 - 3:30 - Library Time

3:30 - 4:30 - Outdoor Play

4:30 - 5:30 - School Closed/Pick-up/Story time

Children are free to use the restroom at anytime of the day — we don’t do scheduled toileting times.

Schedule is subject to change due to weather or other unscheduled events. Primary students are allowed to enjoy free choice snack during the Montessori work cycle.

Arrivals and Departures

Please be sure to sign in your child each morning and out each afternoon. Our sign-in sheet will be used in the event of a fire as an attendance list, so, please be sure your child is represented appropriately. If your child is expected to be absent or late, please indicate so on the sign-in sheet, or telephone us by 9:00 am to let us know.

What to Bring

Your child will need one complete change of clothes (including shoes) and a jacket for emergencies. Children who are toilet training may need extra underwear and additional clothing during periods of frequent accidents. Bathing suits and water shoes are recommended for summer “water days.” Please remember to provide clothing appropriate for the season.

Parents may be asked to purchase classroom supplies at various times of the year. These supplies are crucial for the continued success of the educational development of the children in the classroom. For every $40 spent, an hour of volunteer time will be earned. Volunteer hours can also be earned to oversee the rest period during Team Meetings.

Morning snack is provided between 8:30 and 9:00. Morning snack varies between individual or group snack experiences. Afternoon or group snack is eaten together at about 3:00 pm. Depending on the snack being served, the children may be allowed to help themselves to additional snacks that may be set up on a table. 

Birthdays

We encourage birthday celebrations. On your child’s birthday, you may bring a treat to share for an afternoon snack. If you choose to bring something, please be sure it is relatively nutritious and avoid chocolate and nuts. Please read the ingredients to ensure that no peanuts were added and that they were not made in a factory that processes nuts. 

We usually sing The Earth Goes Around the Sun song. Each time the Earth goes around the Sun, you turn another year old. To help us see his or her development, please send a photo for each year, plus an early baby photo.

SONG:
The Earth goes around the sun,
[Child’s Name] goes around the sun,
The Earth goes around the sun,
And now [Child’s Name] is (one, two, three, four, five.]

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