How to get into public Montessori later on

[Anonymous]

We got our lottery result and my daughter didn't get into Robert Goddard Montessori as a 3-year-old. (She's 95 on the waitlist, so it's unlikely she'll make it.) We'll try again next year, but I believe I read in some posts that more spaces tend to open up for kindergarten.

It's my understanding that to start at kindergarten, she needs to have had past Montessori experience. So where should I be trying to get her into preschool for 2018? (We're set for this fall as a 3-year-old.) I've been looking around and there are several Montessori schools in the area with varying prices. Are there any that are "better"? Are there any that Robert Goddard won't accept?

And is it even true that there's a chance that she'll be able to get into Robert Goddard later on with Montessori experience, or are we pretty much out of luck?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got our lottery result and my daughter didn't get into Robert Goddard Montessori as a 3-year-old. (She's 95 on the waitlist, so it's unlikely she'll make it.) We'll try again next year, but I believe I read in some posts that more spaces tend to open up for kindergarten.

It's my understanding that to start at kindergarten, she needs to have had past Montessori experience. So where should I be trying to get her into preschool for 2018? (We're set for this fall as a 3-year-old.) I've been looking around and there are several Montessori schools in the area with varying prices. Are there any that are "better"? Are there any that Robert Goddard won't accept?

And is it even true that there's a chance that she'll be able to get into Robert Goddard later on with Montessori experience, or are we pretty much out of luck?

Thanks!

If you don't make it into the 3 year old program, it IS much harder to get into the 4 year old program. You are correct that you may have better chances going to a different Montessori school and then try transferring for kindergarten. I would contact Prince George's County "Pupil Accounting and School Boundaries" to find out if there are any private Montessori schools that are not accepted, although I am under the impression that any accredited Montessori school is sufficient to transfer from. One Montessori school I had toured a few years ago that seem good was called Christian Family Montessori in NW DC. The prices were also much more affordable than other Montessori schools.

[Anonymous]

What the above pister said is correct. Several years ago we had one child in the 3 year old program and wanted to have our older child in the same school. We enrolled the older child at Julia Brown Montessori for a year and then transferred him into the 1st grass at Robert Goddard. Not sure if the process has changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What the above pister said is correct. Several years ago we had one child in the 3 year old program and wanted to have our older child in the same school. We enrolled the older child at Julia Brown Montessori for a year and then transferred him into the 1st grass at Robert Goddard. Not sure if the process has changed.

Did you have to go through the lottery? How did you like Julia Brown Montessori?

[Anonymous]

I am the 03/31/2017 10:16 poster. You will have to apply for the lottery no matter which grade you apply for, but it will be easier to get into the higher grades past Pre-k 4, because not as many people are applying due to the lack of prior Montessori experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What the above pister said is correct. Several years ago we had one child in the 3 year old program and wanted to have our older child in the same school. We enrolled the older child at Julia Brown Montessori for a year and then transferred him into the 1st grass at Robert Goddard. Not sure if the process has changed.

Did you have to go through the lottery? How did you like Julia Brown Montessori?

So, we have twins that will be in Kindergarten September 2017. We had them in Julia Brown Montessori (JBMS) for 2 years but this current school year, we transferred them to another pre-K school at a non-Montessori school. This school has a good MD-state accredited K program which we had intended to keep the kids in this coming year and transition them back to JBMS for 1st grade (JBMS has a "Juniors" class which is 1st-3rd grades). However, we are interested in going into the RGMS lottery for next year (rising 1st grade for Sept 2018). How long do they have to be in a full-time Montessori program to transfer? Do they have to be in the full year or can they transfer in halfway through the school year? Anyone know? JBMS is not as convenient for us and doesn't have some of the advantages of our other private K program, but if we need to put them back in JBMS early to have a shot at RGMS, we'll do it. I'm not sure how likely we could get into the rising 1st grade class next year but we hope that with 3 years of lottery and hopefully not as many kids in upper grades having the Montessori background to transfer in, that we'll have a chance over 3 years.

I will be calling JBMS back to talk to them and will also contact the "Pupil Accounting and School Boundaires" office mentioned above, but if anyone else has any anecdotal evidence, I'd appreciate hearing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What the above pister said is correct. Several years ago we had one child in the 3 year old program and wanted to have our older child in the same school. We enrolled the older child at Julia Brown Montessori for a year and then transferred him into the 1st grass at Robert Goddard. Not sure if the process has changed.

Did you have to go through the lottery? How did you like Julia Brown Montessori?

So, we have twins that will be in Kindergarten September 2017. We had them in Julia Brown Montessori (JBMS) for 2 years but this current school year, we transferred them to another pre-K school at a non-Montessori school. This school has a good MD-state accredited K program which we had intended to keep the kids in this coming year and transition them back to JBMS for 1st grade (JBMS has a "Juniors" class which is 1st-3rd grades). However, we are interested in going into the RGMS lottery for next year (rising 1st grade for Sept 2018). How long do they have to be in a full-time Montessori program to transfer? Do they have to be in the full year or can they transfer in halfway through the school year? Anyone know? JBMS is not as convenient for us and doesn't have some of the advantages of our other private K program, but if we need to put them back in JBMS early to have a shot at RGMS, we'll do it. I'm not sure how likely we could get into the rising 1st grade class next year but we hope that with 3 years of lottery and hopefully not as many kids in upper grades having the Montessori background to transfer in, that we'll have a chance over 3 years.

I will be calling JBMS back to talk to them and will also contact the "Pupil Accounting and School Boundaires" office mentioned above, but if anyone else has any anecdotal evidence, I'd appreciate hearing.

Just an FYI- Sibling preference does not apply in the case you are describing so even if one of your twins got in there is a good chance that the other may not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What the above pister said is correct. Several years ago we had one child in the 3 year old program and wanted to have our older child in the same school. We enrolled the older child at Julia Brown Montessori for a year and then transferred him into the 1st grass at Robert Goddard. Not sure if the process has changed.

Did you have to go through the lottery? How did you like Julia Brown Montessori?

So, we have twins that will be in Kindergarten September 2017. We had them in Julia Brown Montessori (JBMS) for 2 years but this current school year, we transferred them to another pre-K school at a non-Montessori school. This school has a good MD-state accredited K program which we had intended to keep the kids in this coming year and transition them back to JBMS for 1st grade (JBMS has a "Juniors" class which is 1st-3rd grades). However, we are interested in going into the RGMS lottery for next year (rising 1st grade for Sept 2018). How long do they have to be in a full-time Montessori program to transfer? Do they have to be in the full year or can they transfer in halfway through the school year? Anyone know? JBMS is not as convenient for us and doesn't have some of the advantages of our other private K program, but if we need to put them back in JBMS early to have a shot at RGMS, we'll do it. I'm not sure how likely we could get into the rising 1st grade class next year but we hope that with 3 years of lottery and hopefully not as many kids in upper grades having the Montessori background to transfer in, that we'll have a chance over 3 years.

I will be calling JBMS back to talk to them and will also contact the "Pupil Accounting and School Boundaires" office mentioned above, but if anyone else has any anecdotal evidence, I'd appreciate hearing.

Just an FYI- Sibling preference does not apply in the case you are describing so even if one of your twins got in there is a good chance that the other may not.

Thanks for that heads up. That's important to know.

[Anonymous]

To answer your question about how recent does your child's Montessori experience need to be in order to qualify for transferring into a public Montessori, this is the email from Robert Goddard about registering:

Congratulations! Your child has gained admission to the Montessori Program at Robert Goddard. Please call the school at 301-918-3515 to schedule a time to register. You must bring the following Mandatory documents at the time of registration:

BIRTH CERTIFICATE
UPDATED SHOT RECORD
PROOF OF RESIDENCY (DEED, lEASE)
2 UTILITY BILLS WITH YOUR ADDRESS
TRANSCRIPTS FROM CERTIFIED MONTESSORI SCHOOL ATTENDED THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

In order to attend the Montessori Program your child must be enrolled in a certified Montessori Program this school year.

Thank you!

--- The school added bold to that last item so I think they mean it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To answer your question about how recent does your child's Montessori experience need to be in order to qualify for transferring into a public Montessori, this is the email from Robert Goddard about registering:

Congratulations! Your child has gained admission to the Montessori Program at Robert Goddard. Please call the school at 301-918-3515 to schedule a time to register. You must bring the following Mandatory documents at the time of registration:

BIRTH CERTIFICATE
UPDATED SHOT RECORD
PROOF OF RESIDENCY (DEED, lEASE)
2 UTILITY BILLS WITH YOUR ADDRESS
TRANSCRIPTS FROM CERTIFIED MONTESSORI SCHOOL ATTENDED THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

In order to attend the Montessori Program your child must be enrolled in a certified Montessori Program this school year.

Thank you!

--- The school added bold to that last item so I think they mean it.

I'm the PP who asked. Thank you so much. That's good to know as we make plans for K next year. We may be switching back to JBMS for K after all.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the 4/12 8:56 post. It will be easier to lottery in for the higher grades due to the reason stated. Several years ago my daughter got in through the lottery in 3rd grade. She had attended Julia Brown Montessori prior.

Another note, you have to lottery into the public Montessori schools through PGCPS not transfer. I remember years ago reading that if a family moved from another county, they were allowed to have entrance into a like school. This does not apply in the case where a parent chooses to send their child to a private school then decides to try to transfer later, there is no preference provided.

The sibling preference has special requirements too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the 4/12 8:56 post. It will be easier to lottery in for the higher grades due to the reason stated. Several years ago my daughter got in through the lottery in 3rd grade. She had attended Julia Brown Montessori prior.

Another note, you have to lottery into the public Montessori schools through PGCPS not transfer. I remember years ago reading that if a family moved from another county, they were allowed to have entrance into a like school. This does not apply in the case where a parent chooses to send their child to a private school then decides to try to transfer later, there is no preference provided.

The sibling preference has special requirements too.

Thank you for this. My younger child got in through the lottery, my older child has just started a Montessori program. How was the transition into the new school?

[afua]

I plan to enter my son into the lottery for entrance into 7th year at Robert Goddard Montessori. He has always attended a private AMI Montessori school. Does ANYONE have ANYTHING to share with me about the school beyond the upper elementary experience?

[Anonymous]

My son attends Robert Goddard Montessori and is in pre-K. The school gets smaller at the middle school level. As time goes on, people move or change schools, so there is attrition.

I've heard generally positive reviews from friends with older kids. By middle school, they are pretty focused on preparing them to be able to transition to high school, with many families trying to be ready to test into Roosevelt... so I think the Montessori-ness of the school probably wanes at 7th and 8th grade, as mainstreaming to high school is on the horizon. Something nice I've heard from other parents is that the middle schoolers are kind to each other ... they help the younger kids and are aware of their leadership status in the school. They have all been in school with each other since they were 3 or 4, so it seems to moderate some of the painful behavior of that age group.

[Anonymous]

afua wrote:I plan to enter my son into the lottery for entrance into 7th year at Robert Goddard Montessori. He has always attended a private AMI Montessori school. Does ANYONE have ANYTHING to share with me about the school beyond the upper elementary experience?

My kids attended Goddard middle school. Unfortunately the middle school teachers had a falling out with the principal and quit en masse a few years ago. That principal has since left. The replacement teachers are not nearly as good. Well, the English and Science teachers were okay. It was the Math teacher who was absolutely abysmal. The school did not replace the History teacher so the other three teachers had to step in to teach History.

If the Math teacher has been replaced with someone more qualified, then I would consider it.