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General Info
    Hours of Operations & Parental Visits
      Happy student The school is open from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

      If you have a child enrolled in the school, you are invited to make short visits to the school at any time. If you would like to observe a class at length, please schedule this in advance with your child's teacher to ensure there are no conflicts with planned clasroom activities.
    Birthdays and Holidays
      Please consult with your child's teacher in advance for suggested birthday and holiday treats. Due to State regulations, all treats must be purchased commercially pre-packaged or from a bakery. Home-mde items may not be served. We enjoy celebrating your child's birthday with a special activity, and family members may be invited to attend.

      Throughout the year, Forest Park Montessori observes the traditional American holidays within the classrooms. Some holidays will be celebrated with special activities or projects. We welcome families to share additional traditions with us as a learning experience.

      Parents receive a School Calendar advising of schedule days and times that the school is closed. In addition, the school is closed during the last week of August.

      Holidays and the weeks that the school is closed are included in the quoted tuition rates, and full tuition is charged for months with holidays.

    Daily Routine
      MEALS: All Extended Day Program students will have a light breakfast between 7:00am and 8:00am. All other students should have eaten before arriving at school. Snacks are furnished mid-morning and mid-afternoon for all students attending class.

      A nutritious hot catered lunch will be served daily at approximately 11:45am. Children are encouraged to eat a healthy variety of foods. Menus are distributed at the beginning of each month. Pork is not served, and vegetarian lunches may be requested.

      Other dietary restrictions may require that the child be provided with his/her own lunches and snacks, to be heated and served by the teacher. Any special food provided for a child must be clearly marked with the child's name.

      REST TIME: Our younger children are required to nap or rest each day after lunch for approximately two hours. Children who reach 4 years of ages prior to January 1st are scheduled in full day classes. Parents may request a nap time for these children.

    Transitions
      TOILET TRAINING: Children are accepted in our Infant and Toddler programs without regard to toilet training. You must supply diapers and wipes.

      Toilet training is a cooperative endeavor between home and school and we will be happy to work with you when your child is ready. Training pants may be used at school when your child indicates an interest to use the bathroom.

      CLASSROOM TRANSITIONS: Transitions to older groups are usually scheduled at the discretion of the Director. You will be advised as to when your child can be expected to change classes. Some children will first make brief or part-day visits to the new classroom.

    Enrichment Programs
      Our extracurricular activities are offered at various times during the year. These may include field trips, music lessons, art classes, dance, and learning a second language. The types of programs may vary when different activities become available to us. Details about our Enrichment Programs are available in the school offices. Most of the programs require an additional fee.

      Any field trips will require the parent to sign a form in advance. It is important to do so, because if a child does not have an approval form, the child will not be allowed to participate.
    Emergency Closings and Procedures
      Information regarding early closings because of power failure, heavy snow, or unforeseen circumstances will be reported to you by a staff member as soon as a decision has been met. A message on our answering machine will be used for unusual closings.

      We will periodically schedule emergency drills. Practice drills are documented. Evacuation plans are posted in classrooms and other strategic areas of the school. The staff is informed or proper procedures.

      In the event that the school is declared unsafe, all children will be evacuated to our emergency shelter. The staff will notify parents as soon as possible. A notice will be posted at the school with further information and the location of the emergency shelter.
    Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
      The law requires that we report any incident of suspected child abuse or neglect. Forest Park Montessori staff are mandated reporters under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch 23, paras 2051 et seq.). This means that all employees are required to report or cause a report to be made to the child abuse hotline number (1-800-25-ABUSE) whenever they have reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be abused or neglected. We may be directed by the state's child protective agency not to notify the parents of the report as part of our legal obligation.
    Cleaning and Sanitation
      The children and staff keep our facility and classroom environment clean. Both the staff and the children engage in frequent hand washing to promote cleanliness. The staff disinfects changing tables after diapering, eating areas, cots, and classroom materials when necessary. The school has a yearly scheduled week for major clean-up, repair and renovation.
    Clothing
      Please dress your child appropriately for an active day. Indoor gym shoes are preferred. Children should bring a complete set of extra clothing and/or extra underwear and pants and replace these promptly as needed. All clothing, shoes and other belongings should be clearly labeled with your child's name.
    Lost and Found
      Lost and Found items are held by the Director. Unclaimed items are given to charity on a regular basis. We will attempt to return items if they are marked with your child's name.
    Conferences
      Conferences are scheduled once a year in the Fall. Please respect the time allotted for your appointment. Additional conferences may be set up at a mutually convenient time when either you or your child's teacher feel it necessary.

      Please remember that regular class time is reserved for the children to interact with their teacher. This is not the best time to discuss your child's progress at length.

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16 Lathrop Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 771-8337