Portage Montessori School - North Canton, Ohio

What makes the school different? On the surface, PCMS is different because the children remain with one teacher for three years in a mixed age class, and that teacher teaches all subjects except gym. The children spend most of their time working in small cooperative groups, mastering the curriculum. There are many more hands-on materials in the classroom than you might find elsewhere, and the children have free access to them on the shelves. Looking deeper, it is different because the main emphasis is on the social development of the child. The primary goal is for the child to become an independent learner who treats others with kindness and who acts responsibly in all situations.

Who can attend? Students from any of the six districts in the collaborative are eligible to apply. That is, students from Jackson, Lake, Plain, North Canton, Canton City, and Canton South attend our school.

Is this school just for special students? No, this is a public school open to all students. Average students do just fine. Gifted learners do very well, as they can zoom ahead. Students with mild learning problems usually do well, as we are able to make some accommodations for their needs and provide some special education services. Self-control, self-motivation, and an ability to filter out distractions ARE necessary for success here, as the children are working in small groups most of the day, and are free to talk and move about the room as they work.

Can children enroll at any age? No. It is best for a child to enroll as a preschooler. Children who have attended other Montessori preschools are welcome and make an easy transition to our preschool and first grade. Special care must be taken when enrolling an elementary child after first grade, especially one who has not been in Montessori school before. It is often very difficult for children to adjust to the high degree of self-control, responsibility, and independence that is required for success in a Montessori classroom. We do not accept students into our third grade, although on occasion a student may enter at fourth or fifth grade. Students are not accepted after fifth grade.

How do students get to school? Most school-age students ride buses provided by the school district from which they come. Preschool students may be transported by parents, or, depending on the school district they live in, they may be transported by bus.

Do you have daycare? No. The North Canton YMCA is nearby, and many students attend before and after school programs there. We do not sponsor any daycare program.

How much does it cost? This is a public school sponsored by the six districts in the collaborative. Kindergarten, elementary, and middle school children attend free, as in any other public school. There is a tuition charge for preschool, currently about $2520 per year, payable monthly. Financial aid is available through Headstart.

How can I enroll my child? First, determine if your child is eligible to attend by reading the information on this website, or by contacting the school. Then, call the school to arrange a visit (330 966-1912). When you visit, you will be given information on enrollment, tuition for preschoolers, and waiting list details.

Portage Collaborative Montessori School is a cooperative effort of staff, parents, and students of six Stark County, Ohio, school districts: Canton City, Canton Local, Jackson Local, Lake Local, North Canton City, and Plain Local. It is based on the principles of the Montessori method and exists as a public educational alternative which values and is committed to serving a widely diverse population with varying needs and aptitudes. The purpose of the Portage Collaborative Montessori School is, in the words of Dr. Maria Montessori, "to educate the human potential" by means of a scientifically prepared environment which provides a wide variety of equipment and materials, employs a multi-sensory approach to learning, and frees the child to choose activities according to individual interests, abilities, and talents, within certain limits.

The Primary Program

Our Preschool/Kindergarten Program

Three, four, and five year-old preschoolers and kindergarten students attend mixed age classes daily for a three-hour morning or a three-hour afternoon session. Kindergarten students attend free, as in any other public school. There is a tuition fee for three and four year-olds.

In the Preschool/Kindergarten program, much emphasis is placed on the development of the child's personal responsibility and independence in the classroom. This applies to using materials and to showing respect for the people in the environment, both staff and students. Children choose their own materials from open shelves filled with self-correcting materials and work at their own pace. Over time, the children develop a learning community in which they are able work for extended periods of time in deep concentration with few interruptions.

Activities in the classroom are grouped into five main areas:

PRACTICAL LIFE - These activities help the child develop organizational, fine-motor, and large-motor skills. They involve care of self, care of the classroom, exercises of grace and courtesy, and refinement of physical movement. The child cuts, pours, polishes, sorts, tucks-in chairs, washes tables, rolls rugs, ties laces and says please, thank you, and excuse me. The child is gaining control of his physical environment and his movements in it. He is also learning to work with others in a peaceful manner.

SENSORIAL - These materials help the child fine-tune her senses: hearing, sight, touch, smell. The child practices classifying and ordering sounds, colors, smells, textures, sizes, and weights. The ability to sense differences in objects and classify by a variety of characteristics helps the child develop keen senses and patterns for organizing information in her mind.

MATHEMATICS - Montessori math materials are hands-on, self-checking materials that have been carefully developed to allow the child to experience abstract math concepts in a concrete way. Through independent work with a wide variety of colorful materials the child learns the concepts of number, symbols, operations, basic facts, and geometry.

LANGUAGE - This work includes oral language development, writing, reading, the study of grammar, creative dramatics, and children's literature. Children develop basic skills in reading and writing by working with sandpaper letters, moveable alphabets, and other hands-on materials.

CULTURAL SUBJECTS - The classroom also offers the child a wide variety of materials and activities to study history, geography, science, music, art, and physical education.

The Elementary Program

The elementary program is divided into two levels, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary. We have three lower elementary classes with first, second, and third grade students in each class. Our two upper elementary classes are for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. There are usually about 24 students in each class, with one teacher and one classroom assistant.

Lower Elementary. In the lower elementary class, first, second, and third grade students work together in small groups and individually to complete their work. Some work is specifically assigned by the teacher for a child or group of children, other work is chosen freely from the shelves according to the child’s interests and abilities. At any one time, there will be many different activities going on, and most children will be using manipulative materials along with paper and pencil. Most lessons are given to small groups of children at a special lesson table. At times, the whole class gathers for a group lesson or activity. The children are responsible to budget their time to complete their assigned work and chosen work according to the class guidelines. While working, the children talk quietly and move about the classroom as needed to accomplish their goals. Older children are responsible to guide younger children and provide positive role models.

Upper Elementary. In the upper elementary class, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students work together. As in the lower elementary, the children work individually and in small groups, moving about and talking quietly as they work. Although there are still many manipulative materials, these older children spend much more time researching in books, writing, and creating project presentations. Science and social studies, in particular, are studied through independent research. The teacher may give a brief introduction to a topic, then the children seek out information from a variety of resources in the classroom, the library, and on the computer. Budgeting time wisely and working independently are crucial skills, put into use continuously as deadlines for both chosen and assigned work may extend over days or even weeks. As in Montessori classrooms at all levels, a warm community feeling is fostered as the older children provide positive role models and guidance to the younger children.

THE CURRICULUM

The curriculum is a combination of special Montessori topics and perspectives carefully blended with the standards set by the State of Ohio. That is, we teach what is taught in public schools all over Ohio, but we approach it differently. We use an integrated curriculum, global perspective, and many hands-on materials.

Integrated Curriculum. In a research style of learning, elementary children work in small groups on a variety of projects which spark the imagination and engage the mind. Lessons given by the teacher direct the children toward activities that help them to develop reasoning abilities and life skills, including mastery of basic skills (reading, writing, math) and cultural knowledge (science, social studies, music, art). The day is not divided into small segments for the various subjects. Rather, the day is divided into two 3-hour work cycles. The children work independently for extended periods of time on specific skill development and on larger work that integrates those basic skills with cultural study. A program of extended work periods under the guidance of one teacher sets the stage for a fully integrated curriculum.

Global Perspective. Elementary age children have a natural desire to understand the universe and find their place in it. We help the child know the universe by guiding him to look outside himself to the whole world, to the long line of people who came before, and to those who will come in the future. The lower elementary child studies the countries, continents, and oceans of the world. He looks at how people have met their fundamental needs for food, clothing, and shelter in all areas of the world over the span history. And he considers how plants, animals, and people are dependent on one another in the web of life. Only then is he ready to study his own country, state, community, and time period. By studying the rest of the universe first, and then his own little corner of it, the child is able to find his place from a global perspective.

The Middle School Program

The middle school class at PCMS is a unique blend of Montessori philosophy and traditional academia. It is intended to be a two-year bridge between the Montessori elementary years and formal high school education.

The middle school year is divided into five thematic cycles. These cycles are each approximately six weeks long, and they integrate the given theme into all of the disciplines of study. Since it is a two-year program, seventh and eighth graders work both cooperatively and collaboratively during Natural World (the Sciences) and Social World (the Humanities). Grammar and vocabulary studies are separated into two courses (one for each grade level), while mathematics is grouped based upon individual readiness and mastery. Types of activities target all of the learning modalities, and they are balanced among individual, small group, and class projects, lessons, and/or activities. Additionally, there is a great emphasis on individual student accountability, organization, and responsibility for work while also fostering the development of a community within the classroom and the need to mutually respect, support, and honor one another.

Each day begins with a Community Meeting. This is followed by a literature discussion with the whole class. The independent work cycle in the morning is two hours long. Students must plan their work and be accountable to both a planning partner and the class for the work that will be accomplished that day. During the morning work cycle, math lessons are given. Lunch at the middle school level lasts one hour; this allows for the socialization process to take place with minimal infringement upon academic work. After lunch, thirty minutes are devoted to Personal Reflection through journal writing focusing on social, emotional, and physical growth and issues important to adolescence. The afternoon work cycle is also almost two hours long with a special emphasis on small group work, class lessons, an class activities that need uninterrupted time to be accomplished.

After each learning cycle there is an "in-between week" called Immersion Week. Studies show that this allows the adolescent mind "to rest and recover," as well as the chance "to start over" at the beginning of a new learning cycle. During these weeks throughout the school year, students have the opportunity to literally become immersed in extended activities such as community service projects, service learning or internships, musical performances, and participation in an end of the year Adventure Trip. Often it is in these moments that some of the best memories are made and the most learning occurs; the world is opened up to the adolescents as they are given a chance to see outside of themselves, to experience new challenges, and to offer a helping hand to neighbors.

Program Coordinator -- Jane Reifsnyder

Dean of Students -- Doreen Culver

Secretary -- Lisa Groves

Speech Therapist -- Karen Hill

Cafeteria Aide - Val Beaupre

Custodians - Dave Hupp and Ron Meleg

Teachers

-- Primary AM/PM-- Diane Meuche

-- Primary -- Jane Reifsnyder

-- Lower Elementary -- Sandra L. Martin

-- Lower Elementary -- Jan Oravec

-- Lower Elementary -- Kim Rimmele

-- Upper Elementary -- Julia Gallik

-- Upper Elementary -- Georgia Quinn

-- Middle -- Michelle Wadley

-- Physical Education -- Scott Snyder

Intervention Specialist

-- Susan DeNoi

Teacher Assistants

Primary

-- Tracy Evans

-- Mary Ronske

-- Laura Solomon

Lower Elementary

-- Julie Heighway

-- Tammy Shimko

-- Kathy Paquette

Upper Elementary

-- Gayle Dorto

-- Amanda Meuche

Portage Collaborative Montessori School

What Is Montessori?

Early in the twentieth century, Dr. Maria Montessori, Italy's first woman physician, developed educational materials and methods based on her belief that children learn best by doing, not by passively accepting other people's ideas and pre-existing knowledge. It was an innovative learning idea and means the active personal pursuit of many different experiences: physical, social, emotional, cognitive. With the materials Montessori devised, an environment in which such learning takes place can be created.

Montessori believed learning should occur in multi-age classrooms where children at various stages of development learn from and with each other. Her developmentally appropriate approach was designed to fit each child instead of making each child fit the program. Its success with children from all social strata and those with special needs has attracted wide interest.

Montessori teachers know that children learn more by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting, and exploring than by just listening. They create dynamic, interactive learning environments that encourage each child to reason, cooperate, collaborate, negotiate, and to understand. The goal for teachers as well as students is the development of an autonomous individual, competent in all areas of life, not merely someone with the "right" answers.

Please go to the following links for more information:

American Montessori Society

http://www.careguide.com/ams/method.html
http://www.careguide.com/ams/faq.html

Cobb School Mission Statement

http://www.cobbschool.com/Mission%20Statement.htm

Gloucester Montessori School

http://www.tidenet.com/GMS/FAQ.html

From a reference book:

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g2602/0003/2602000384/p1/article.jhtml