Your Most Common Questions Answered
What is included in the tuition cost?Everything. All costs for the year are included in the annual tuition fee. This includes all supplies, snacks, specialist classes, field trips, etc. No additional fees will be collected throughout the year.
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Does my child need to be toilet trained?Yes. In order for our program to function at its best, all children must be fully toilet trained. This requirement also applies to new enrolling students who participate in WMS Summer Camps.
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What specialist classes are offered?Included in tuition are French, Yoga and Music classes. Students attend each class once a week for half and hour with a Specialist Teacher in our Specialist Room.
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How much time do you spend outside?We spend about 30 minutes in outdoor play time daily for Half Day students and 1 hour for Extended Day Kindergarten students.
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When can my child start?You may apply for a September start in the year that your child turns three years old. For instance, if your child will be three in 2022, you may apply for the 2022 September start date.
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When can I submit my child's application?WMS accepts applications year round. We reccommend families submit their application about a year in advance.
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What do parents say about your program?Through personal cards, heartfelt words and testimonials, we know that parents fully support our staff and our programs. Read some of our Parent Testimonials below.
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Do the children go on Field Trips?Students in our Core Montessori Program go on two to three field trips a year. Students in the Friday Enrichment Program go on several additional field trips to expand on their learning outside the classroom. The cost for these trips is included in tuition.
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Will my child ever work in groups or is it all individual work?Children choose how they want to work throughout the day. There is time to be together as a whole class group, time to work in small groups or partner groups and also the opportunity to choose to work individually.
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How does my child actually learn in the Montessori classroom?In our student-centred classrooms, children are free to develop at their own individual pace that fits their specific strengths, challenges and interests. One-on-one lessons with a teacher and daily activities are targeted to each child's interest making the learning perfectly tailored to each student.
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How well do children transfer to "traditional" classrooms after a Montessori Three Year Program?Research shows that Montessori children are very well prepared for later life academically, socially and emotionally.
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Will a Montessori Program challenge my child academically?Children graduating from the WMS program often not only exceed the prescribed learning outcomes and core competencies, but also have strong concentration skills, refined work habits, are self-motivated and reflect a true love for learning. These skills will serve them well as lifelong learners.
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How do teachers motivate the children?Every moment in the Montessori classroom is thought out and structured to engage students actively in the learning process. Teachers guide the children to delve more deeply into the areas of study that they are currently interested in and lead them to new ideas.
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How would you describe a Montessori child?Children in our classrooms are confident, self-directed learners. They are independent, careful, thoughtful, curious, creative and joyful. Students are constantly learning through inquiry which means that they are asking the big questions and searching out the answers. Montessori classrooms do not focus on reward or punishment as a means of motivation. Rather, they nurture a love of meaningful learning activities and inner focus and discipline.
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I'm concerned that my child won't get into our preferred school if he completes Kindergarten at WMS.The majority of our families apply to schools with a Grade One intake.
The intake of your desired school is something that families need to consider before applying to WMS. If you are looking for a school with only a Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten intake, then unfortunately, WMS is not the school for you. |
What schools do children usually move on to after WMS?It varies. Our students transition into our Montessori Elementary Program, private schools, religious schools, French Immersion and local public schools.
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Do I have to pack a snack for my child?No, you don't. A healthy organic snack is provided for all students at any point during their day at WMS.
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What is the classroom environment like?Our classrooms are full of natural light with large windows on three sides. The bright, inviting colours mixed with the traditional Montessori learning materials make WMS the ideal place for children to learn and grow in their home away from home.
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Do you have any pets in the classroom?
Our classrooms house a variety of pets. Each one has a chinchilla and a gecko. Chinchillas are the softest mammals. The children participate in grooming (brushing) and feeding them - refilling pellets and giving the occasional goji berry treat. We enjoy chinchilla parties every couple of weeks. This is a highlight for us just as much as it is for Ash and Belle. We meet in the Specialist Room (an enclosed space). It gives the chinchillas some time to run around and enjoy some playtime. We also have Izzy, our Giant Madagascar Day Gecko and Deigo, a Lepoard Gecko. Deigo, occasionally comes out of his desert habitat and joins us in the classroom. The cages are cleaned daily by staff. Children wash their hands with soap and water after handling pets.