Dear Parents,

Castle Montessori remains clean and remains a safe and virus-free facility!

As our country and the world continues to monitor and stay abreast of the day to day news about COVID-19, we want our parents and staff to know Castle Montessori School is also staying informed at the Federal, State, County and City levels of our government.  We are also receiving the latest updates from the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) and following the guidelines set forth by the Texas Health and Human Services.   At this time, Castle Montessori Schools is OPEN and continues to provide services to families who need our care.

Each classroom is equipped with two restrooms, and an additional sink for hand washing. Our classrooms are disinfected throughout the day, between meals, outside time, and various activities. Additionally, our campuses receive a deep clean on a daily basis from restrooms, floors and furniture, to the individual materials on the shelves to ensure the school is thoroughly sanitized. Parents are more than welcome to send wipes for use in the classroom if they wish to contribute to keeping our environment safe and clean for their little ones.

A few precautions to reduce risk of infection are as follows:

• wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60%alcohol)
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• cough and sneeze into a tissue and throw it away, or cough and sneeze into your upper shirt sleeve, completely covering your nose and mouth
• wash your hands after sneezing, coughing, and blowing your nose
• avoid close contact with people who are sick

In the event that you or your child has cold-like symptoms, please help us to protect others by:

• staying home while you are sick
• avoid close contact with others
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands
• clean and disinfect objects and surfaces

If you or someone you know is sick with a fever of 100.0 or higher, has a cough, or trouble breathing, please seek medical care and be sure to inform your doctors about recent travel along with any other symptoms you are experiencing.

For additional information regarding the virus, and how to keep yourself and loved ones safe please use the following resources:

• Texas Department of State Health Services https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

Thank you,

Castle Montessori Schools

Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. Montessori developed many of her ideas while working with mentally challenged children. Her first school, La casa dei bambini, was opened to working class children in the slum neighborhood of San Lorenzo in Rome. Her approach was characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological, physical, and social development.

View this short video to learn more about the Montessori philosophy and teaching principles.

Our schools offer a genuine, Classical Montessori curriculum delivered by a group of world-class, AMS/AMI certified Montessori Directresses (teachers) in newly built, modern facilities equipped with comprehensive Montessori learning materials for our children. Castle Montessori schools are operated with the highest standards of excellence to ensure each child receives the very best education. We are a school born from a spirit and force of parents and Directresses who believe in the Montessori principles and support a child/family-centered environment. We want our children to grow into autonomous, caring, responsible citizens, life-long learners and problem-solvers. Our school is a place where all are encouraged to ask questions, broaden their understanding of themselves, and the world around them. To see what really makes Castle Montessori Schools different, view this video and see for yourself.

The quality of Montessori education that your child will experience is directly related to the knowledge, understanding, and inherent ability of the classroom Directress to effectively create a rich and comprehensive environment. As such, all Primary Directresses at each of our schools is certified by at least one of the following

• American Montessori Society (AMS)
• Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
• A training center recognized by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education Commission (MACTE)

Directresses who have been certified by any of the above have undergone an extensive and thorough training program whereby they have made an extraordinary commitment in time, effort, and finances to become certified. These dedicated professionals are trained to recognize and meet each child’s individual needs using the Montessori philosophical principles and techniques. Schools that commit to assembling a Faculty of AMS, AMI accredited Directresses are dedicated to the creation of a premier atmosphere which allows their students to reach personal and academic success throughout life. At all Castle Montessori schools, you will find each Primary Directress’ certificate posted in the hallway outside their classroom. We feel this is a very important standard. We also encourage and support as much training our Directresses may want to pursue. It just makes us a better school and enriches the lives of the children. We also require that ALL staff be trained yearly in CPR and First Aid.

Yes, uniforms are an important part of our school. The dress code/uniform policy has been established to help create a positive school climate. Uniforms emphasize standards of neatness in grooming, uniformity in our school’s image, and pride in our school. As such, it is important that each child arrives in his/her proper uniform with the exception of scheduled, non-uniform days. School shirts and cardigans are embroidered with the school name and may be purchased through your Castle Montessori school. The skirts, pants, socks, and shoes may be purchased by the parent in accordance with the Uniform Policy from any place. Please refer to the Uniform Policy in our Enrollment Package for more information.

Yes, we like to give every child the opportunity to be successful in our school and we do admit children who have not had Montessori previously. We have often observed children coming from other child care facilities to adapt readily to a Montessori-based classroom environment. If, in the best interest of the child, we feel he/she would not be successful in our school, we inform the parents as to why we don’t feel it would be the best place for the child and we help the parents to find a place that would be more appropriate.

As parents of children who have had first hand experience in this transition, we find that they are very successful and demonstrate higher level of performance while adapting to a new environment. It is a new situation, with a new set of rules and once they learn what the expectations are, they adapt readily and become high performers. Academically, children are well prepared for any other type of school setting. Montessori education gives children the gift of “the love of learning” and it enables children to continually ask questions and seek answers.

Yes, all Castle Montessori schools are “nut-free”.