FAQ

All lead teachers at Undercroft Montessori School have college degrees and are certified through AMS or MACTE accredited Training Centers. Montessori teacher training is a rigorous two year process. The average tenure of our faculty is 11 years at Undercroft, and we are proud of our extremely low turnover.

Our typical class size in our early childhood level is twenty students. Our typical class size for elementary and middle school classes can range from 23 to 28 students. Dr. Montessori recommended class sizes of 25 to 35 students to better facilitate peer tutoring and grouping.

There are two certified teachers in each early childhood and elementary class, and three in the middle school class, thus the teacher/student ratio is 1:7. In most classes both adults are Montessori certified guides. In the early education classrooms, serving children ages 3-6, the youngest children usually go home or to the nap room at mid-day, after which the ratio drops to approximately 1 to 7.

Undercroft celebrates a diverse, multi-cultural environment. It was founded as a non-sectarian school. If religious discussion occurs, it is in the context of a book or historic or cultural subject being studied. Children are taught to be respectful of others, including others’ religious views.

Students work on developing skills in all areas of the curriculum until they can demonstrate proficiency. Undercroft utilizes a variety of assessments to determine whether proficiency of a concept has been achieved, including observation, rubrics, portfolios, and, to a lesser degree, tests. Montessori guides are specifically trained in the art of observation as a means to assess student progress and growth. Parents receive progress reports at the end of each semester, with parent/guide conferences at mid semester, two times a year. Nationally normed assessments in reading and math are administered three times each year for students in 3rd through 8th grades.

Montessori instruction is individualized, allowing children to advance through each strand of the curriculum at their own pace. Children excelling in a particular area may advance according to their ability and motivation and it is not unusual for students to work a full year or more in advance of their grade level.

The prepared environment, with its full range of developmental options serving a multi-age group, given the number of hands-on, open ended explorations implicit to the materials, accommodates a wide range of intelligences and learning styles. A learning specialist on staff serves as advisor to the guides, and assists them in making appropriate modifications and accommodations for students with learning differences. A speech and language pathologist and reading specialist are available on campus to provide additional support, should parents choose it for their children, based on faculty recommendations.

Undercroft works hard to develop close relationships with families. Parents have many opportunities to get to know their child’s guides well and participate in a variety of class, level and school-wide activities throughout the year. Social gatherings allow families to get to know other families in their child’s class. Parent education events are hosted throughout the year to help parents understand the Montessori approach and curriculum. School-wide events, like Fall Festival, Folks’ Day, and our All School Picnic and Concert are great occasions for families to enjoy at school. There are many opportunities for parents to volunteer, and the Community Building Committee (similar to a PTO) organizes activities and volunteers throughout the year. As a non-profit organization with a governing Board of Directors, parents are members of the organization, and as such, are welcome to attend Board meetings and participate in annual elections of the directors.

Guides send weekly email updates, with highlights about what is happening in the class. Photos are posted in the school record keeping system, helping parents get a glimpse of the activity taking place in the classroom. Parent/guide conferences are schedule twice a year, and progress reports and standardized test results are shared twice a year. In addition, school-wide communication includes weekly email updates; quarterly newsletters, flyers and announcements delivered via children’s take home bags, and the parent portal on our website.