{"id":11021,"date":"2015-01-28T22:30:36","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T22:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/raintreemontessori.org\/current\/?post_type=avada_faq&p=11021"},"modified":"2016-11-01T15:28:37","modified_gmt":"2016-11-01T20:28:37","slug":"raintree-faqs","status":"publish","type":"avada_faq","link":"https:\/\/raintreemontessori.org\/current\/faq-items\/raintree-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"Raintree FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Raintree?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Founded in 1978 in a vacant church building surrounded by green fields and grazing cattle, Raintree is a private school which implements the Montessori philosophy of education. Raintree offers half, extended and full-day classes for children ages 3-6 years. In 1986 a full-day toddler class was added for children 18 months to age 3. And in 2012 two additional toddler communities were created. In 1992 Raintree expanded its program to included the elementary child, and now offers an ungraded Montessori elementary program for children ages 6-12. In addition to the regular program, Raintree offers a summer camp for both Raintree students and those in Lawrence and surrounding communities.<\/p>\n

Where is Raintree?<\/strong>
\nRaintree is located at 4601 Clinton Parkway on thirteen acres with five swimming pools, an outdoor amphitheater, mile-long running path, fishing pond, playgrounds, and gardens.<\/p>\n

At what age should my child begin?<\/strong>
\nThe best time for a child to begin attending a Montessori school is before the age of four and a half.\u00a0 The learning that takes place in a Montessori classroom is a cumulative experience, one year building on the skills learned in the previous one.\u00a0 Before the age of four and a half children go through stages as they develop called \u201csensitive periods\u201d in which they are able to learn a new skill almost effortlessly.\u00a0 The acquisition of language is an example of this.\u00a0 The sensitivity is transitory, however, and once gone, never returns.\u00a0 From that point on in a child\u2019s development, he must learn because he is motivated to do so.\u00a0 Therefore, priority is given on our waiting list to children who are younger than four and a half years of age.<\/p>\n

What about Raintree’s waiting list?<\/strong>
\nFor parents seeking to enroll their toddler or preschool-age child, the procedure is as follows:\u00a0 children are placed in the waiting list as soon as an enrollment application and registration fee arrives in the office.\u00a0 The child\u2019s name, birth date, program selection and date of application are recorded on the list.\u00a0 The name is highlighted if a child has a sibling presently enrolled in the program because priority is given to siblings.\u00a0 Each semester the names of those children who are old enough to attend are circled.\u00a0 As soon as a space is available parents are called.\u00a0 Please understand that while our confirmations are done on a first-come, first-served basis, we also strive for balanced communities so we pay attention to the ratio of girls\/boys and ages of children. Children never lose their placement on the list unless parents withdraw their child\u2019s name, and then re-enroll.\u00a0 Raintree is very careful in this process to be fair to every family.\u00a0 Please keep in mind that if your child\u2019s name reaches the top of the list, it may not stay there for the next term.\u00a0 Two factors can quickly alter that placement:\u00a0 sibling priority and children who are now eligible to attend who enrolled before your child.\u00a0 Children who are presently attending Raintree always have priority over a child not yet attending so a shift from a morning to an afternoon class\u00a0 is possible.\u00a0 We keep an \u201cin house\u201d waiting list for this purpose.\u00a0 After a child has been in our primary program, many parents want their child to attend our elementary program.\u00a0 For information about enrolling in the elementary program, parents should contact the office.<\/p>\n

Why is priority given to five-day programs in the primary?<\/strong>
\nBecoming part of a classroom community helps children feel secure.\u00a0 The consistency of attending five days a week helps the child to develop a work cycle, lengthens her attention span, deepens her concentration, develops her independence and ultimately builds self-confidence–all important building blocks for future learning.\u00a0 In addition, children who attend five days have more opportunities to interact with the other children in the classroom forming friendships more readily than a child who attends only two or three days a week.<\/p>\n

What are Guides, Communities and Children\u2019s Houses?<\/strong>
\nIn Montessori we refer to teachers as Guides, the toddler class as the Toddler Community, our preschoolers as Primary Students, and our primary classrooms as Children\u2019s Houses.<\/p>\n

How many classrooms does Raintree have?<\/strong>
\nThat\u2019s a long story!\u00a0 In 1999, we decided to design a four-classroom addition to our building because our waiting list was so long.\u00a0 In August of 2000, the survey crew began staking out the perimeter of the addition, but on the morning of the 10th of August, something happened that would change our lives forever.\u00a0 Our original building which housed five children\u2019s houses and one toddler community was destroyed by a devastating fire.\u00a0 Every table, every piece of equipment, every photograph was gone.\u00a0 For our family and our staff, many who had been with us since Raintree\u2019s beginning 22 years ago, it was the saddest day of our lives. What followed in just 11 days was nothing short of a miracle.\u00a0 Thanks to the support of our families, past, present and future (even those on our waiting list helped!) and the local public school board, we reopened in the vacant USD#497 building one mile east of our Raintree campus on August 21.\u00a0 The 2000\/01 school year was devoted to rebuilding our primary building and incorporating four new classrooms into the design. \u00a0Raintree\u2019s campus now has nine children\u2019s houses, three toddler communities, four lower elementary classrooms and four upper elementary classrooms in addition to a library, art studio and music room in the elementary buildings.<\/p>\n

Does my child have to be toilet-trained?<\/strong>
\nIt is not necessary for our toddlers to be toilet-trained, but it is a necessity for our preschool-age students especially if they attend a full-day program.<\/p>\n

What percentage of Raintree’s enrollment is full day?<\/strong>
\nAbout 75% of our preschool-age children spend the full day with us.<\/p>\n

How many children are in each classroom?<\/strong>
\nWe are licensed for ten children in our Toddler Community and 24 children in our Children\u2019s Houses. In the elementary, our accrediting agency the Association Montessori Internationale recommends 28-35 children per class.\u00a0 We average around 30 students in our elementary classes.\u00a0\u00a0 In a Montessori school all our classroom communities are multi-aged with attention paid to keeping an even number of boys and girls in each class as well as an even balance of ages.<\/p>\n

How many guides are in each classroom?<\/strong>
\nOur Toddler Community has one Guide and one Assistant except for the \u201cpeak\u201d times of the day (10:30-1:30) when three adults are with the toddlers.\u00a0 One certified Montessori Guide and one Assistant direct the learning of the children in each Children\u2019s House, however, a facilitator may be added to the classroom at the discretion of the Guide if a child with special needs joins the class.\u00a0 Raintree is a practicum site for the University of Kansas\u2019 Early Childhood Special Education program, and these facilitators are graduate students from this program.\u00a0 At the elementary level, one Guide and one Assistant direct the learning of the students.\u00a0 All our Guides hold certifications from either the American Montessori Society (AMS) or the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).\u00a0 Some have graduate degrees in addition to their Montessori certification.\u00a0 Most of our assistants have undergraduate degrees and some are also Montessori-trained.<\/p>\n

Is there any religious instruction at Raintree?<\/strong>
\nNo.\u00a0 The Raintree family is like a beautiful rainbow made up of families from different races, lifestyles, ethnic groups and religious orientations.<\/p>\n

My child has red hair. Will you accept him?<\/strong>
\nRaintree does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, hair color, shoe size or national origin.<\/p>\n

Do children celebrate holidays at Raintree?<\/strong>
\nHoliday celebrations are important in every culture especially to children.\u00a0 At Raintree children from other countries are invited to share their holidays with us.\u00a0 In a framework of historical significance especially at the elementary level, our celebrations are kept low-key.\u00a0 For example, in the primary, children do not dress up in costumes for Halloween.\u00a0 Instead a pumpkin is carved, seeds roasted and shared at snack.\u00a0\u00a0 At the elementary level, children celebrate Halloween by dressing in costume as someone from history or children\u2019s literature parading through the primary building introducing their character and telling something about their life.\u00a0 Birthdays are very special events at Raintree.\u00a0 At both the primary and elementary level, children celebrate their birthday by making their own birthday cake from scratch, sharing a portion with their friends and taking a portion home to their families.<\/p>\n

What kinds of foods are served for snack and lunch?<\/strong>
\nOur menu planning is based on selecting foods that meet necessary nutritional requirements and are attractive to children.\u00a0 Sugar is kept to a minimum.\u00a0 Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables are a big part of our diet.\u00a0 Special arrangements are made for children with food allergies.<\/p>\n

What types of communication are there between the school and home?<\/strong>
\nBesides the daily contact with staff, parents receive a school newsletter and a classroom newsletter about once a month.\u00a0 During the fall and spring terms Raintree conducts parent-teacher conferences.\u00a0 The Raintree bulletin board in the main foyer of the primary building near the office helps keep parents informed as do classroom bulletin boards.\u00a0 Raintree also holds parent nights, family get-togethers and other special events which help build a bond between the home and the school.<\/p>\n

What type of discipline do you use?<\/strong>
\nBecause self-discipline is an integral part of the Montessori classroom, disciplinary measures rarely need to be taken.\u00a0 Corporal punishment is never used, of course. Logical consequences, or redirection into new work is most often the answer.<\/p>\n

What is the Legend of the Raintree?<\/strong>
\n…a tree whose fruit is love, whose flower is self-fulfillment, whose ways are ways of pleasantness and whose paths all lead to peace.\u00a0 Luck, happiness, the realization of dreams, the secret of Life itself all belong to the one who finds the Raintree.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA child works to create the man he will become.\u00a0 An adult works to perfect the environment,\u00a0but a child works to perfect himself.”<\/p>\n

-Maria Montessori<\/p>\n

Why should I send my child to Raintree?<\/strong>
\nOur hope for each child who attends Raintree is that she develops a love of learning.\u00a0 We have carefully prepared our environments so that the children have many successes throughout their day.\u00a0 When children are successful, they feel good about themselves.\u00a0 Nurturing a child\u2019s natural curiosity and providing purposeful work for them to do fosters a healthy attitude toward learning.\u00a0 Whether a child is a toddler or an elementary student, opportunities for self-construction abound at Raintree.\u00a0 Children as young as two years-old can be found cleaning the leaves of a plant in the hallway with a tiny sponge, or as old as twelve feeding the fish at Raintree Pond.\u00a0 Children who have the benefit of attending a Montessori school are better equipped to handle the challenges they face in the future because they have been respected as contributing members of a community since they were very young.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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