Mission
To provide quality Montessori education in an environment that encourages a child’s love of learning and respect for self, others, community and the world.
What is a Charter School?
Charter Schools give parents alternative educational choice from the traditional system. A Charter School is a public school that is allowed to run relatively autonomous of the existing public school system. They run under a charter, or contract, issued by a public entity such as a local school district or State Public Charter School Authority (SSMCS is sponsored by the SPCSA). In return for the school’s autonomy, the school is held to strict accountability of academic and financial performance, and meeting specified goals within it’s charter.
What is Montessori?
Note: The following essay is excerpted from The Montessori Way by Tim Seldin and Paul Epstein, copyright 2003 by The Montessori Foundation.]
Each Montessori school is built upon the educational legacy of Dr. Maria Montessori and her influential work, which began nearly one hundred years ago. Since 1907, the year of her first school, children and adults have engaged in an approach to learning that addresses all aspects of growth: cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual. In Montessori schools throughout the world, children develop the habits and skills of lifelong learning. Guided by teachers trained to observe and identify children'’s unique learning capabilities, children learn in educational partnership with their teachers. Because children'’s interests are heard and honored, Montessori students develop confidence and become self-directed. A powerful learning formula emerges as a result of this self-directed, self-initiated orientation to learning. When interested, a child becomes self-motivated. Self-motivation leads to becoming self-disciplined. When self-disciplined, a child engages in a process of mastery learning and fully develops his or her potential. Dr. Maria Montessori called this a '“normal'” approach to education.
We call this The Montessori Way. The Montessori Way refers to: the knowledge of how children naturally learn; a curriculum based on that knowledge designed for the developmental needs of infants, toddlers, three-to six- year-olds, elementary, middle, and secondary students; a method of instruction involving learning how to observe and how to develop learning environments in which teachers challenge each child to extend fully his or her unique style of learning; a profession; a school characterized by calm, orderly, focused, and respectful learning behaviors; and, a person named Maria Montessori.
Each Montessori school is built upon the educational legacy of Dr. Maria Montessori and her influential work, which began nearly one hundred years ago. Since 1907, the year of her first school, children and adults have engaged in an approach to learning that addresses all aspects of growth: cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual. In Montessori schools throughout the world, children develop the habits and skills of lifelong learning. Guided by teachers trained to observe and identify children'’s unique learning capabilities, children learn in educational partnership with their teachers. Because children'’s interests are heard and honored, Montessori students develop confidence and become self-directed. A powerful learning formula emerges as a result of this self-directed, self-initiated orientation to learning. When interested, a child becomes self-motivated. Self-motivation leads to becoming self-disciplined. When self-disciplined, a child engages in a process of mastery learning and fully develops his or her potential. Dr. Maria Montessori called this a '“normal'” approach to education.
We call this The Montessori Way. The Montessori Way refers to: the knowledge of how children naturally learn; a curriculum based on that knowledge designed for the developmental needs of infants, toddlers, three-to six- year-olds, elementary, middle, and secondary students; a method of instruction involving learning how to observe and how to develop learning environments in which teachers challenge each child to extend fully his or her unique style of learning; a profession; a school characterized by calm, orderly, focused, and respectful learning behaviors; and, a person named Maria Montessori.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the school located? 1841 Whitney Mesa Drive, Henderson, NV 89014.
Is there tuition? There is no tuition for grades 1-8. There is no charge for the 1/2 day of kindergarten sponsored by the State. However, our extended full-day kindergarten program has a monthly fee of $375 (8-installments), and $100 non-refundable registration fee.
How old must my child be to enter Kindergarten?
State law requires that children be 5 years old on or before September 30th of that school year.
Are students required to wear a uniform? Uniforms are not required but there is a dress code.
What is the student/teacher ratio? Classrooms will have approximately 30 students with a licensed teacher and a support teacher in each.
Where do I go to register my child? Please visit the Enrollment section of our website for more information regarding registration and to obtain a student registration form.
What time does school begin and end? Students will begin their day at 8:15 am and end at 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Does the school provide bus service? No, parents must provide their own transportation to and from school.
Will there be a lunch program? Students bring their own healthy lunches from home, or can participate in ‘The Lunch Crew’ hot lunch program.
Is there a Before- and/or After-school program? A before and after-school program is currently provided for our SSMCS families and will continue as long as there is enough interest for the program to sustain itself.
Are you regulated by the state of NV or Clark County? SSMCS is state sponsored charter school but must follow all regulations by the state, county and city.
Will there be any school fees? There will be an orientation and technology fee, and may be other school fees to cover additional expenses for field trips, special student activities, etc.
What are teacher credential requirements? All public school teachers must have a Nevada teaching license. As a public school, we are required to have licensed teachers, Montessori certification is a preferred qualification.
Is there tuition? There is no tuition for grades 1-8. There is no charge for the 1/2 day of kindergarten sponsored by the State. However, our extended full-day kindergarten program has a monthly fee of $375 (8-installments), and $100 non-refundable registration fee.
How old must my child be to enter Kindergarten?
State law requires that children be 5 years old on or before September 30th of that school year.
Are students required to wear a uniform? Uniforms are not required but there is a dress code.
What is the student/teacher ratio? Classrooms will have approximately 30 students with a licensed teacher and a support teacher in each.
Where do I go to register my child? Please visit the Enrollment section of our website for more information regarding registration and to obtain a student registration form.
What time does school begin and end? Students will begin their day at 8:15 am and end at 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Does the school provide bus service? No, parents must provide their own transportation to and from school.
Will there be a lunch program? Students bring their own healthy lunches from home, or can participate in ‘The Lunch Crew’ hot lunch program.
Is there a Before- and/or After-school program? A before and after-school program is currently provided for our SSMCS families and will continue as long as there is enough interest for the program to sustain itself.
Are you regulated by the state of NV or Clark County? SSMCS is state sponsored charter school but must follow all regulations by the state, county and city.
Will there be any school fees? There will be an orientation and technology fee, and may be other school fees to cover additional expenses for field trips, special student activities, etc.
What are teacher credential requirements? All public school teachers must have a Nevada teaching license. As a public school, we are required to have licensed teachers, Montessori certification is a preferred qualification.