Choosing a school for a young child starts with a long list of questions. For its 2024-25 Private & Independent School Guide, Noozhawk put many of them to our Head of School, Brian Cogswell.
Your child chooses the work, and the work gets done
Brian started with the principle our classrooms run on: “The child is free to choose their work, but the child is not free not to work.” A teacher's job is to inspire. A child's job is to choose work out of genuine interest, at the pace that is right for them. Given that freedom, Brian said, children often take on challenges far bigger than a teacher would propose, from long reports to huge square root problems.
Class sizes that fit each age
Each group is sized for the age it serves. When Noozhawk asked, our youngest infants, from three months until they walk, were usually in a group of six to eight. Walking infants were in a group of eight to ten. Toddlers had two classrooms of 12, and Primary had two classrooms of 24.
Our Primary and Elementary teachers are AMI-trained. Our infant and toddler teachers have Montessori training as well as the required Early Childhood Education courses. In the classroom, children learn with self-correcting, hands-on Montessori materials rather than screens.
You meet the teacher before anything is decided
Enrollment is rolling and depends on availability. Families start with a tour, then apply. When a place opens, we arrange a visit for the teacher, your child, and you. Our faculty and staff then decide whether the classroom can meet your child's needs, and we let you know. Tuition for each age, and scholarship information for Primary and Elementary, is on our tuition page.
Time together, without a crowded calendar
We know young families are busy, so we try to balance time together with not asking too much. The Back to School Waffle Brunch opens the year, and the End of School Year Picnic closes it. In between come Halloween Trunk or Treat, Parents Night Out, the Winter Performance, and the Move-a-Thon.
The health and safety of our community is central to all of it. Our entire staff is trained in the Standard Response Protocol, which every Santa Barbara County emergency responder uses.
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South Coast Montessori
