"The International Montessori Academy of Wilmington is an invaluable resource to children, parents and the community. The school is sensitive to the needs of each individual child, as well as each individual family."
- Primary Program Parent"Education is a natural process carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences in the environment."
- Maria Montessori"We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being."
- Maria Montessori
Parent Cooperative
Overview
The Academy recognizes that, in order for the Parent Cooperative to succeed, it needs active support from every family. Continuing Parent Education about the Montessori experience is critical to the success of the Academy and is not an option. You may ask the question, what is this continuing parent education about? Well, the Academy requires that all FAMILIES understand and embrace the Montessori philosophy and principles. The fact that you have enrolled your child(ren) in our Academy indicates a part of this support. It means that each family is committed to learning more about Montessori methods and curriculum. It also means a commitment to support and help maintain all aspects of the Academy programs.
The Academy expects its families to recognize that home and school work together in synchrony to insure each child’s healthy development and happiness. Often that help and support is exemplified by the extra time a family may put into Academy maintenance, events, programs, and any Academy related need.
Parent CO-OP Fees and how the Parent CO-OP Works:
The reason Co-op is in place is to aid parents' participation in their child's education through various jobs. This may involve jobs that take place within the school or outside the school. There is a fee associated with each job. The $200 Co-Op fee that is part of TMAD's Enrollment package is paid back to those families who do Co-Op jobs. When the job is done a receipt, for re-imbursement of any items purchased as well as hours spent working on the activity, is submitted to the Co-Op Coordinator.
There is a folder labeled with the Coordinator’s name on the lobby desk and that is where you put your receipts, along with your filled in Co-Op Reimbursement Form. (You received a copy of this form in your summer packet for your use/to make copies and this form is also available on the site in the documents & forms page or by clicking here.) The Coordinator will then refund you the dollars for cost of materials plus dollars for the cost of your labor. S/he has a list which details the dollar amount per labor hour/per job type. Of course you won’t get scale for your labor, but you will get lots of thanks and appreciation from the faculty as well as from the other families who will enjoy the benefits of your labor. Your TMAD teachers will be submitting enough requests during the year to keep you busy and to allow you to earn your dollars back if you want to.
Please review the Co-Op jobs often to ensure that you start early to receive your funds back for the year. As staff members, we plan to reach out as much as possible to our parent base for assistance. rules for co-op fee's· Each family pays a required Co-Op fee (the same for each family) as insurance that parents will become involved and supportive of our Academy programs. · It is the family's responsibility to record and submit documentation (Co-Op Reimbursement Form) of participation. This form with receipts (if applicable)(see below) should be placed in the co-op folder. Upon receipt re-imbursement will take place within a 30 day period.· The calendar year for return of your co-op fee starts in September and concludes the end of May. At the end of that time any remaining co-op balances will be used towards completion of jobs that are remaining left over from the academic school year.
Please contact Karen Pontrelli, Director concerning Co-op issues.
Rules for CO-OP Fee's:
- Each family pays a required Co-Op fee (the same for each family) as insurance that parents will become involved and supportive of our Academy programs.
- It is the family's responsibility to record and submit documentation (Co-0p Reimbursement Form) of participation. This form with receipts (if applicable)(see below) should be placed in the co-op folder. Upon receipt re-imbursement will take place within a 30 day period.
- The calendar year for return of your co-op fee starts in September and concludes the end of May. At the end of that time any remaining co-op balances will be used towards completion of jobs that are remaining left over from the academic school year.