MOMI HAIS-WASC Self-Study by Montessori School of Maui

Montessori School of Maui  Self‐Study and School Improvement Plan  School Year 2010-11

Montessori School of Maui 2933 Baldwin Avenue Makawao, Hawai’i 96768

MOMI:  Self‐study

COMMITTEE PARTICIPANTS MISSION AND GOVERNANCE *Sheila Haynes ............................................................................... Parent, Board Member *Cate Stephens .................................................................. Former Parent, Board Member Dennys Eymard ...........................................................................................Board Member Cynthia Winans-Burns ................................................................................ Head of School Susan Bendon .............................................................................................Board Member STUDENTS *Susan Schmidt .............................................................................. Director of Admissions *Dheya Kealoha ........................................................................... Librarian, Former Parent DeBorah Hoopingarner ................................................................................Board Member Jolyne Rego ........................................................................................ Elementary Teacher Nicolle Franchot (SY, 2009/10) ........................................................... Elementary Teacher Joe Miles...................................................................................................................Parent Shannon Lickle .....................................................................Parent, Former Staff Member Michelle Winham.......................................................................................................Parent CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT *Jeffrey Friedman...................................................................................... Primary Teacher Anne Colletta ............................................................................................................Parent Dr. Heather Haynes Drood ............................................................. Parent, Board Member Melinda Lyle-Javier .........................................................................Middle School Teacher Kate Muleh (SY, 2009/10)................................. Language Arts Teacher/Primary Aftercare Judy Evans ................... Former Elementary Teacher, Current Student Support Specialist Reneʼ Anderson-Vorfeld...............................................Teacher, Accreditation Coordinator Cynthia Winans-Burns ................................................................................ Head of School HEALTH AND SAFETY *Cheryl Kaupalolo ................................................... Business Manager/Human Resources Dr. Keith Chumley.....................................................................................................Parent Andi Christie..............................................................................................................Parent Wendy Peterson ................................................................ Former Parent, Board Member Hidemi Hiraga ................................................................................................ Staff Member FINANCIAL RESOURCES *Cheryl Kaupalolo ................................................... Business Manager/Human Resources Sarah Bredhoff.............................................................................................Board Member Bart Santiago .................................................................................. Parent, Board Member Robert Pelletieri ............................................................Parent, Board President (2010/11) Roopa Akkineni (SY, 2009/10).................................................................. Primary Teacher Rebecca Judge .........................................................................................................Parent

MOMI:  Self‐study

HUMAN RESOURCES *Cheryl Kaupalolo ................................................... Business Manager/Human Resources Gloria DelRivo ..................................................................................... Elementary Teacher Sandra Guerard .................................................................................... Artist in Residence Meshay Dempsey .......................................................................................... Staff Member Rosalyn Caltrider ......................................................................................................Parent Klaus Simmer..................................................................... Former Parent, Board Member PHYSICAL RESOURCES (Facilities) *Keith Christie ................................................................................. Parent, Board Member *Paul Turner.................................................................................... Parent, Board Member Tony Akina ........................................................................................ Head of Maintenance Cheryl Kaupalolo..................................................... Business Manager/Human Resources Chris Smith ..................................................................................................Board Member Jeremy Baldwin............................................................................... Parent, Board Member Cynthia Winans-Burns ................................................................................ Head of School SCHOOL COMMUNITY *Erica White ............................................................... Parent, Former Elementary Teacher *Olga Nguyen............................................................................................................Parent Sue Schmidt.................................................................................... Director of Admissions Cheryl Kaupalolo..................................................... Business Manager/Human Resources Judy Sterling .......................................................................................................... Teacher Tulasi Dennis .................................................................................. Parent, Board Member Christie Churchill.......................................................................................................Parent Stephanie Smith........................................................................................................Parent Rebecca Judge .........................................................................................................Parent *Denotes Committee Chair

MOMI:  Self‐study

MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF MAUI SELF-STUDY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT DOCUMENT SCHOOL YEAR 2010-11

Table of Contents I.

PREFACE ............................................................................................................. 5

II.

PROGRESS REPORT .......................................................................................... 8

III.

SCHOOL MISSION AND GOVERNANCE .......................................................... 11 Mission Statement............................................................................................... 20 Board Members................................................................................................... 21 Board Committees .............................................................................................. 22

IV.

STUDENTS ......................................................................................................... 24 Student Support Services.................................................................................... 32

CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT........................................ 33

VI.

HEALTH AND SAFETY....................................................................................... 50

VII.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES.................................................................................. 56

VIII.

HUMAN RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 65 Administrative organizational chart ..................................................................... 74 Administrative/Staff positions .............................................................................. 75

IX.

PHYSICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................... 76

SCHOOL COMMUNITY ...................................................................................... 81 Five-year financial aid chart ................................................................................ 89 Five-year enrollment chart .................................................................................. 90

XI.

PRE-SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT ........................................................................... 91

XII.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ..................................................................... 107

Preface

PREFACE The Montessori School of Maui (MOMI) is situated on nine acres in the Makawao area

on the Island of Maui. Founded in 1978 to offer a Montessori alternative, the school was incorporated in 1982 and received its non-profit status in 1984. Initially started as a pre-school with eight students ranging in age from 3 – 6 years, the school now serves 223 children from toddler (18 months) through 8th grade (School Year [SY] 09/10). The Montessori School of Maui is dedicated to the Montessori tradition and method of education as developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. Its philosophy “respects and embraces the natural world and the panorama of cultures, knowledge, and the arts. It respects both the individual and the community while providing a well-rounded education emphasizing: intellectual, social, cultural, physical, creative, and moral development” (School Brochure). Our multi-age program is divided into four segments: Toddler Community (ages 18 months to 3 years); Primary Program (ages 3 years through 6 years); Elementary Program (Lower El 6-9, Upper El 9-12); and the Middle School, which we refer to – and will throughout this document - as the Adolescent Program (ages 12 years through 14 years). The school embraces a strong commitment to both environmentalism and sustainability, which is reflected in the actions and words of its students. The Primary and Elementary programs enroll the majority of children with the Toddler and Adolescent programs being much smaller. Children in grades 4 – 8 take the Stanford Achievement Tests and generally score in the 5th and 6th stanines except for grade 8 which fall in the 6th and 7th stanines (Spring, ʼ09 norms). Most children typically continue at local independent schools. The majority of graduates (96.6%) from the Adolescent Program attend the high school of their choice.

Preface

The school recently completed a portion of its expansion project, adding an Upper Elementary pod of three classrooms and a Multi-Purpose Building. In 2006, The National Association of Independent Schoolsʼ Leading Edge Program recognized MOMI as a leader in the Environmental Sustainability category. MOMI was awarded LEED Silver Certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program in 2009 for these new facilities, which incorporate environmentally responsible design features and materials. The Montessori School of Maui owns its land. The classroom and campus environments are aesthetically pleasing and spacious, complementing the natural setting. There are still plans to build a specifically designed classroom for the Adolescent Program. During the previous two school years enrollment has garnered a large amount of focus. The addition of one new Primary and one new Elementary class (SY 2008/09) were opened with the anticipation of sustained waitlists. As a result of the recent recession, the school has experienced lower enrollment than anticipated. This, in turn, affects the budget in all areas. External development and fundraising continues to follow proven, established patterns simultaneous with building a diversification of approaches to creating new revenue sources. Between personnel changes in the Admissions Office and Development Office spanning SY's 08/09 & 09/10, meeting enrollment and financial goals have been challenging. Located on the slopes of Haleakala in rural Maui, 67% of the student population is Caucasian. Asian and Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian constitute the next largest ethnic groups. The school is evenly divided by gender. The majority of school families have lived on Maui six years or longer, come from the Upcountry area, and identify themselves as Caucasian/European. Our families generally represent the middle to upper middle class demographic. (MOMI Parent Survey 2009-10) The teaching staff represent a mix of years at the school. Most are Caucasian, have

Prefaceâ&#x20AC;Š

7â&#x20AC;Š

from two to thirty plus years of classroom experience, and are credentialed with Montessori teaching diplomas at their respective age level (some have training in multiple levels). Of the lead teachers, 91% hold bachelorĘźs degrees, with 45% holding Masters Degrees as well. The Montessori pedagogy places the child at the center of their learning. An experiential/constructivist approach, children in Montessori programs develop a selfconfidence that prepares them for a life of collaborative interactions across all cultures. Curriculums vary and overlap at/between age levels through the main branches of civility, creativity, and responsibility. MOMI graduates are well prepared to face the certain variables of life.

Progress Report

II.

PROGRESS REPORT

Significant changes to the MOMI campus have occurred since the ʻInitial Visitʼ in 2007. The completion of Phase I of our Campus Expansion Project gave the school two new buildings (the Upper Elementary Pod of three classrooms and the Multi-Purpose Building that includes two classroom spaces, a commercial kitchen, a large gathering room and stage, and a large covered lanai), a new playfield, new “curbside” drop-off circles, and a new playground. Following the ʻInitial Visitʼ in October 2007, the visiting committee identified five key issues for the school to work on. The school has made significant progress in response to each of the issues highlighted. 1.

Plans to ensure that the schoolʼs organizational structure and practices remain aligned with its vision, mission and practices as the school grows. The school has multiple ways in which to ensure that organizational structure and

practices remain aligned with its vision, mission and practices. The annual Board/Staff Retreat addressed these very questions. In SY 2009/10 the mission statement was reviewed and discussed with the decision to update the MOMI Mission Statement and put a policy in place to review it every five years. This question was also addressed at the Teachers Retreat where the program and curriculum is reviewed and aligned horizontally across all levels and vertically throughout the school. Throughout the school year, at both our Teacherʼs meetings and Administrative meetings, the day-to-day events that impact the school are dealt with. The decisions made are related back to how they meet the mission of the school, as we do our best to ensure that we are always acting to serve the best interests of the child. At the end of each school year an in-depth review (including information from an All Staff Survey, or anecdotal questionnaire) takes place where all of the employees discuss the closing school year and suggest recommendations on how to best adjust the systems entering into the next year and future years. 2.

Increased funding streams to support, A. Faculty salaries and retirement benefits that effectively attract and retain teachers;

Progress Report

B. Additional professional development opportunities to support teacher interest and growth; C. The tuition assistance program to serve more students and increase levels of assistance. A.

Ensuring the strength of MOMIʼs faculty salaries and employee benefits are

directly addressed by the current Strategic Plan and will likely be a part of all future Strategic Plans. There is a Salary Scale in place. The current goal is to keep all employees salaries in the mid-range for employees with similar positions in HAIS schools. While the economy has led to the decision to freeze salaries over the last two years (09/10 & 10/11), the Board has often expressed its desire to get back to meeting or exceeding the aforementioned goal as soon as it is economically feasible. B.

Professional Development for teachers is ongoing with the use of specialists

that observe in their classrooms either annually or semi-annually. After observing, the specialists meet with the teachers to assist in professional growth by discussing, in roundtable forums, various teaching strategies regarding classroom management, techniques for learning differences, or specifics that both the specialists and the teachers deem important. MOMI has also contracted with a Montessori Consultant to observe classrooms, lead discussions regarding both Montessori Philosophy and how Montessori aligns with national standards, and act as a resource for teachers regarding practical issues that arise within a classroom setting. These consultations are set to take place twice during the current school year (SY 10/11) with the anticipation that the practice will continue. As the economy strengthens, we will reinstate the allocation of Professional Development Funds to each teacher. Such funds are directed toward specific professional growth opportunities as deemed advantageous per each individual and his or her professional goals.

In 2008-2009 MOMI awarded tuition assistance or scholarship funds totaling

$158,055 to forty-two students. In the current year (2010/11) that figure has grown to seventynine students receiving $231,485. The school has secured a ¾ scholarship for one of MOMIʼs students, fundraised specifically for tuition assistance to keep the reserves up, and intensified the focus on tuition assistance with the board.

Progress Report

Continue the in-depth review of the scope and sequence of the curricular strands between and across levels as a basis for delineating school-wide learning results. The review of the scope and sequence of curricular strands is an ongoing process

undertaken by the teachers, Department Coordinators, and Head of School. Working collaboratively both in teams of teaching levels and in teams of mixed levels, the teachers continue the process of aligning Montessori lessons and materials with the schoolʼs Learning Foundations (scope and sequence) to both strengthen the continuity of “like” levels (horizontal) and clearly articulate and enhance the common threads between the levels (vertical). Currently, the Language curriculum is complete and work is in progress on the Cultural Studies curriculum. The area of Mathematics will be focused on once the cultural realm reaches completion. 4.

Increased understanding by the board of their role in the fund development process. The School Advancement Coordinator recently led a board discussion, including a

digital presentation, addressing the fund development process and the boardʼs role in setting and meeting fund development goals in order to ensure the long term health of the school. 5.

Maintaining a manageable set of strategic initiatives annually in light of the schoolʼs very ambitious strategic financial plans. The Strategic Plan is a fluid working document that has been adjusted as needed over

time and will continue to be a living document. As the school heads into the next Strategic Planning process there is a greater awareness of the need for the Plan to be flexible. Setting parameters that allow for the need for flexibility by better prioritizing goals will assist all involved.

Mission & Governance

III.

Mission & Governance

Criterion: Your school has established a clearly stated mission, accepted by all constituencies, which reflects your distinctive purpose, beliefs, and philosophy. Your mission brings coherence to and lends direction to all aspects of school life. The governing body sets school policy which is consistent with your schoolsʼ mission, supports the achievement of student outcomes, delegates operational responsibility to the chief administrative officer, ensures fiscal stability through financial oversight and fund development, plans for the schoolʼs future and monitors progress in achieving strategic priorities.

The current mission of MOMI is as follows: The Montessori School of Maui proudly engages in Growing Global Citizens by providing a comprehensive curriculum from early childhood into adolescence that employs a collaborative learning environment to stimulate a student's critical thinking skills, cultivate an inquisitive mind, and to empower children to actively participate in the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century. In furtherance of this mission, MOMI promotes academic excellence, a love of learning, mutual respect, environmental awareness and responsibility, and individual accountability within a social framework. A committee consisting of the Head of School (HOS), staff, and Board members revised MOMIʼs mission in the spring of 2010. The revision was accomplished after a Fall 2009 Accreditation Retreat called the “MOMI Accreditation Café”. The purpose of the retreat was to consider the current mission statement and suggest revisions with the goal to create a concise, clear statement. Participants considered “what MOMI does” and how to express that in our mission statement. The generative discussion during the retreat produced valuable information that the committee was then able to use to revise the statement, which was brought to both the board and staff for comments and acceptance in April 2010. According to

Mission & Governance

recently adopted policy, our mission will be reviewed and/or updated every five years. The mission is currently stated on all published materials, as well as on our website. [MOMI Accreditation Café notes, Mission Statement Committee notes, April 2010 All Staff Meeting minutes, April 2010 BOD minutes]

MOMIʼs mission has always been pedagogically driven. At our core, we are a Montessori school. The importance of serving children in an environment designed to meet their developmental needs has remained consistent since the inception of the school. What has evolved is the articulation of the missionʼs tenet to prepare children for their time, place, and culture (the condition in which they live). This is achieved by consistently renewing the classroom, campus, and curriculum in light of global socio-economic and cultural changes. An example is the recent building of the schoolʼs new classrooms to reflect the ideals of a sustainable community. We also have more clearly articulated the school's mission in contemporary terminology; clarifying the program's continued focus on the development of 21st century skills. MOMI also maintains a consistent, quality faculty and staff with high retention/little attrition over the years. One major change in mission over the years has been the inclusion of toddlers through adolescents to the program. The mission is consistently supported when all policies, procedures and programs are viewed in light of the question, "is this in the best interest of the children?" All policies, procedures, and programs are held up in the light of the mission statement and any decisions made relating to them are based on whether they reflect the pedagogy of Montessori; if not, changes are made. For example, after realizing that resource classes were interfering with the three hour morning work cycle, the pedagogical decision was made to preserve the uninterrupted three hour work cycle by not allowing resource teachers in the primary classroom, and only allowing resource teachers in the lower elementary classroom after 11a.m. The mission is also supported by annual review of the schoolʼs programs. A whole

Mission & Governance

school assessment is conducted at the end of every school year on an individual basis with each staff member, and as a group that includes all staff members. MOMI uses the mission statement to guide all of its planning decisions. For example, the Campus Expansion Project (which has taken place over the past decade) was entirely guided by the mission of the school. The design of the classrooms, the inclusion of a multipurpose facility, land use, and the commitment to use sustainable materials in construction and design were all influenced by the mission statement. Students were included in the design process, as well as the building process. As the need to grow demanded occupancy of a bigger space, the school community pulled together and created the current campus because it met the criteria of what is in the best interest of the children while demonstrating the schoolʼs commitment to sustainability as reflected in the design. Areas of Strength: •

A clearly stated mission which supports the Montessori tradition and emphasizes the importance of nature, the environment and stewardship;

•

The physical campus is a strength that is drawn on daily in meeting the schoolʼs mission. Though the structures have changed over the years, the heart of the program has remained, and with the expansion, can now serve more students and families;

•

From the top down, MOMIʼs multifaceted community members contribute to the strength of the whole. o

A visionary Head of School and dedicated faculty and staff ensure the school's mission of “growing global citizens;”

The alumni demonstrate MOMIʼs mission by routinely moving on to schools of their choice where they act as “global citizens.”

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

Tracking of alumni and their participation in the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century;

Mission & Governance

•

Training of the staff and students in the use of technology and upgrades in equipment will more thoroughly prepare all learners;

•

Improving the education of the board members of the importance of their roles as ambassadors for the school and its mission;

•

Fulfillment of the mission will be further enhanced when the school realizes the goal of building a separate middle school;

•

The above stated areas for improvement tie in with the need for additional Development staff.

Governance of the School The Committee on Governance (COG) profiles the Board in relation to the Strategic Plan, and decides what strengths will be needed. It then looks at members of the school community and the community at large to find potential Board members with these attributes. Names are then presented to the full Board for review. Barring any reservations, these individuals are approached about serving on the Board. If agreeable, selected candidates are brought to the full Board for approval. All new members are required to participate in an orientation with the HOS, the COG chair, and the Board president. A tour of the school is conducted, and a Board binder with bylaws and Board procedures is presented and reviewed. In addition, Board calendars, ethics, and conduct are reviewed. All Board members are expected to attend an annual retreat and participate in the Board self-evaluation. Further Board member education takes place on an ongoing basis as necessary and relevant. The Board of Directors (BOD) follows Independent School Management (ISM) guidelines for strategic board committees. Per ISM guidelines, the BOD has a number of strategic standing committees essential for strong governance. Each committee's description and calendared tasks are outlined in the BOD handbook that is given to each member. These tasks may be adjusted as needed, but the general guidelines are in place to create continuity.

Mission & Governance

Committees are comprised of BOD members and Maui community members whose expertise relate to the task of the individual committee. [I.S.M. Practical Strategies for Private School Leaders; MOMI BOD Handbook] The BOD follows the ISM recommended committee calendar, which is focused on the overall responsibilities of each committee as it dedicates itself to carrying out the schoolʼs strategic plan. This calendar is utilized to schedule the major tasks of each committee, determine the sequence of tasks across months, and delineate the interaction and collaboration (if needed) between committees. For example, the Committee on Governance (COG) meets monthly, following a set calendar of discussion topics. They review the Board's composition and consider needed expertise based on current and future goals. The COG also distributes a Board self-evaluation every year, meets with the Executive Committee to discuss the Board retreat and membership, and reports at Board meetings. The whole BOD then meets monthly with the HOS and receives committee reports and holds generative discussions over any pertinent issues. MOMIʼs BOD structure has tremendously improved in effectiveness since following the framework of ISM. A Board self-evaluation form, completed annually, provides input and focus for the next annual agenda. This is an ongoing process of self-evaluation and improvement. In addition, each committee completes an end of the year evaluation and report that is submitted to the Executive Committee for review. [MOMI BOD Self-Evaluation Form] MOMI recently adopted an Anti-Bullying and Discipline Policy. It originated in the schoolʼs belief that each child has a right to be safe. The HOS, working in concert with human resources and department coordinators reviewed and revised the current policy as a reflection of the schoolʼs core Montessori pedagogy. This policy supports the schoolʼs mission by validating in writing what we do in the classroom. Discipline is based on a positive attitude

Mission & Governance

towards children. To this end, the staff models grace, courtesy, respect, and problem solving skills. Children are taught that MOMI is a peaceful school based on mutual respect, and that there is zero tolerance for bullying. The policy takes this one step further by stating our commitment to non-violent communication, spelling out our procedure for discipline, defining unacceptable conduct, and further stating our pedagogical focus on preventive measures to avoid such behaviors. The implementation of the policy demonstrates the separate roles of Board and Administration in that the Board hired the HOS in part to ensure safety on campus. The HOS, staff, and Administration developed this policy. The Board was not involved in formulating the policy, but it was done in furtherance of the HOSʼs responsibility to provide a safe campus. [MOMI Staff & Parent Handbooks] The HOS keeps the BOD informed through the monthly Head of School Report. BOD members also receive weekly memos informing them of campus events. The Head Support and Evaluation Committee (HSEC) is the Board committee most closely aware of the daily operations through its involvement with the HOS. The Finance Committee meets regularly with the Business Manager in regards to financial issues. There are also less formal communications through BOD meetings, e-mail alerts, an open door policy with HOS, Board involvement in committee work, and the annual Board retreat. As per the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Board primarily communicates its role and action taken to the broader school community through the HOS. When appropriate, Board actions are filtered through the HOS to the parent body and staff. For example, the Board sets tuition for the following school year, and the HOS communicates this decision to parents through the re-enrollment letter. The Board also communicates its actions taken through letters written in the Annual Report. Additionally, as per NAIS, several Board committees have non-board parent members. These include Development, Finance,

Mission & Governance

Building and Grounds, Capital Campaign, and the annual Gala Committees. Through these committees, the Board has an opportunity to directly interact with the broader school community. There are also informal opportunities for interaction as Board members are invited to all-school events such as Lei Day, athletic events, fundraisers, and the annual picnic. MOMIʼs Board has a plan, follows it, reviews it annually, and uses it to plan into the future. Specifically, the Executive Committee recently reviewed the current strategic plan and Board and committee obligations with the full BOD. This plan was created in May 2006 and covers planning through 2011. Within this 5-year plan are annual strategic markers set for each year of the plan. These markers set the basis for our committee work. We are currently in the 5th year of the plan and anticipate using the information learned from this accreditation self-study and the school improvement plan as a catalyst to begin the next strategic planning process for the 2011-2016 strategic plan. This information will also serve to inform our next long-range plan. The BOD depends on the HOS to evaluate the schoolʼs program. Curriculum development is promulgated by the HOS, and articulated to the Board through a curriculum section in the monthly HOS report to the Board. The HOS sets goals, and recently (Spring 2010) put out a survey to parents to determine program satisfaction. The Finance Committee reviews the schoolʼs budget, and creates a monthly budget for Board review. MOMIʼs finances are also audited on an annual basis. The HOS, Business Manager, and Finance Committee develop and monitor the schoolʼs resources and report to the Board. The Facilities and Grounds Committee works with the HOS and Business Manager to monitor the condition of the schoolʼs facilities, and reports to the Board. As described above, Board work primarily occurs in committee and with reports given to the full BOD for review and approval if needed. MOMI uses the NAIS "Trustee Handbook"

Mission & Governance

as a guideline. All Board members abide by the schools Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. The HOS has complete authority for faculty, staff, and curricular issues and keeps the Board informed. The HOS, Business Manager, and Finance Committee of the Board are responsible for developing and monitoring the school's resources. Working with the head, the Board sets annual goals for both the head and the Board. Annual evaluations assess the HOS and the Board conducts its own annual self-evaluation. The HOS compiles goals for the year and reviews them with the Head Support and Evaluation Committee (HSEC). HSEC compiles an evaluation summary of those goals at end of the school year and reports it to the Executive Committee, which then shares the results with the full Board in executive session.

The Board expressly supports the Head of Schoolʼs decisions and actions. Any disagreements are expressed and/or resolved internally on a committee or Board level. Once the HOS evaluation has been reviewed by the Executive Committee, and after conferring with the Finance Committee, the Executive Committee sets forth a proposal to the full Board relating to the review and renewal of the HOS employment agreement. This occurs by the end of the calendar year, six months prior to the beginning of the fiscal year and contract period, allowing sufficient time for budgeting purposes, as well as for review and reflection by both parties, should it be required.

Having a clearly defined mission statement, up to date by-laws, clear conflict of interest statements, and a solid strategic plan with measurable goals already contribute to effective policy making at MOMI. Other examples of policy making include the benefits policy, policies covering security, insurance coverage, personnel, admissions, financial aid, financial investments, and gift acceptance. All policy making would benefit from regularly scheduled review.

Mission & Governance

Areas of Strength: •

Strong leadership from the HOS, a highly competent Business Manager, and a strong administrative team who have brought long-term stability to the school;

•

A balanced and diverse Board of Directors add to strong governance;

•

Board effectiveness has been enhanced by adhering to ISM guidelines and by having Board members serve on committees related to their expertise;

•

Adhering to a strong planning document that focuses on the long term strategic impact of issues and decisions;

•

A Head Support and Evaluation Committee (HSEC) that confers with the HOS, without micro-managing “current event” issues.

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

A major gifts program that continuously cultivates donors;

•

Creation of an annual Board agenda focused on the schoolʼs planning document as well as an annual review on meeting that agenda;

•

Regularly organize MOMIʼs Board meetings around one major action item;

•

A plan in place for regular policy review would enhance the effectiveness of policy implementation at the school.

Attachments: 1. Mission Statement. 2. List of current Directors including affiliation (if any) with the school, professions, committee assignments, and terms of office. 3. Brief description of the governing bodyʼs organization including the committee structure, with a brief description of the work and purposes of each committee.

Mission & Governance

The Montessori School of Maui proudly engages in

Growing Global Citizens

Mission Statement: The Montessori School of Maui provides a comprehensive curriculum from early childhood into adolescence that employs a collaborative learning environment to stimulate a student’s critical thinking skills, to cultivate an inquisitive mind, and to empower children to actively participate in the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century.

What We Do: The Montessori School of Maui promotes Academic excellence A love of learning Mutual respect Environmental awareness and responsibility • Individual accountability within a social framework • • • •

More than just an approach to education, the Montessori Method is an approach to life.

Mission & Governance

MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF MAUI BOARD OF DIRECTOR COMMITTEES The Board of Directors is composed of not less than 7 or more than 23 directors. The Head of School is a non-voting member, as are Honorary directors. The officers of the Board include the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The primary purposes and work of the committees as defined in their charters is detailed below. Standing Committees. The standing committees shall be as follows: (1) Executive; (2) Finance; (3) Committee on Governance; (4) Head Support & Evaluation; (5) Development; and (6) Facilities and Grounds. Other committees may be established when deemed advisable by the President. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the corporation and the Past President. Not less than three members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any Executive Committee meeting. A majority of a quorum can make decisions on behalf of the Committee. The Executive Committee shall perform as needed, the usual functions of the Board of Directors in routine management of the affairs of the corporation during the intervals between meetings of the Board of Directors and shall have the authority to bind the Board for any financial activities no greater than $1,000.00. The Executive Committee shall report in writing all of its decisions and actions taken to the Board at each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. The President shall inform the Board of Directors of all actions taken by the Executive Committee. The President shall call meetings as needed. The President shall preside and shall have vote. The Executive Committee will recommend Head of School compensation based upon input from the Head Support & Evaluation Committee and the Finance Committee. Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer and at least three other members and the Treasurer shall serve as chair. The committee shall have the following duties: (1) recommend an annual budget to the Board; (2) recommend revisions in the budget; (3) prepare and review expenditure reports and presentation to each Board meeting; (4) employ an auditor, if deemed necessary, to review the financial position of the corporation; and (5) perform other duties assigned by the President or the Board. The Committee on Governance. The Committee on Governance shall consist of at least three members appointed by the Executive Committee. The Committee on Governance shall have the following duties: (1) develop a Profile of Board Membership over time; (2) cultivate appropriate individuals to produce a Board membership that conforms with that profile; (3) present a list of nominees for vacancies on the Board; (4) develop and maintain a Board orientation and training program; (5) spearhead the annual Board self-evaluation; (6) take lead in development of annual Board retreat; and (7) perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board. Head Support & Evaluation Committee. The Head Support & Evaluation Committee shall have the following duties: (1) recommend to the Board the hiring of the Head of School; (2) evaluate on an annual basis the performance of the Head of School; (3) be a sounding board

Mission & Governance

for the Head of School (the Head of School can consult with this Committee for input or direction); (4) interface between Boardʼs efforts to govern and administrationʼs efforts to manage (governance-operations linking unit; and (5) perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President of the Board. Development Committee. The Development Committee shall coordinate and organize the fund raising activities of the School. Fund raising activities shall include activities directed at the parent body, alumni and general public, major fund raising campaigns or drives which are ongoing and are intended to raise funds for projects, programs or asset acquisitions; and grants focusing on particular areas of mutual interest and benefit to the grantor and the School. The Committee oversees the Annual Giving Fund, Special Events, Tuition Assistance fund raising, and Capital Campaign fundraising for land purchase and campus expansion. Facilities and Grounds. The Facilities and Grounds Committee shall plan and build out the campus. The committee shall be environmentally conscious in the short and long range plans. This committee works closely with the Finance Committee.

Students

IV.

Students

Criterion: Your schoolʼs culture and the characteristics of the student body are consistent with the schoolʼs mission. Student activities and support services meet the needs of all students. The Montessori School of Maui (MOMI) provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum within the framework of a collaborative learning environment. Such a setting “stimulates a studentʼs critical thinking skills, cultivates inquisitive minds, and empowers children to actively participate in the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century.” The pedagogy, as developed by Maria Montessori and employed at MOMI, provides students with opportunities to develop a whole personality that includes wide-ranging interests and varying ability levels. Classrooms are multi-age groupings with up to three years represented in one space. The Toddlers range from eighteen to thirty-six months; the Primary students from three through six years; the Lower Elementary students from six through nine years; the Upper Elementary students from nine through twelve years; and the Adolescent students from twelve through fourteen years of age. A basic tenet of the Montessori approach, multi-age collaborative learning emphasizes an interactive process that leads to both academic success and social competence. Students develop the abilities of working cooperatively in setting and reaching goals, contributing ideas, listening to others, and respecting individual differences. Multi-age settings also allow for more true to life learning opportunities. In the absence of age segregation within an environment, the roles of followers growing into leaders evolve naturally in a progression based on increased skills, knowledge, and experience. [Mission Statement; Level Brochures; Admissions Packet literature]

Students

MOMI has a diverse school community. The school enrolls students from all of Mauiʼs socio/economic levels. The Tuition Assistance Program provides financial support to approximately one third of the families who attend the school. An outreach program from Kamehameha Schools, Pauahi Keiki Scholars, provides funding to three percent of MOMIʼs families. Diversity is also seen in gender and age groupings within classrooms. The aim is to have a balance in each of the three age levels in every classroom. The ethnicities represented in our student body (SY 09/10) are as follows: 67% Caucasian/European; 12% Asian; 9% Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian; 6% Hispanic; 3% African American; 2% Filipino; and 1% unaccounted for. There is no test as part of the admissions process, and most children are admitted to the school in their Primary (3-6) years. As such, the school is fortunate to have a student body made up of a diverse group of learners. In accordance with the Montessori approach, MOMI children are comfortable in the knowledge that there are, more often than not, several ways to approach a problem, and often several solutions to a single problem. Montessori classrooms are prepared learning environments designed to meet childrenʼs developmental needs. Because this approach focuses on both the design of the physical environment and the curriculum, children develop life skills as well as academic ability. Self-control, independence, and self-confidence are acquired through exercises in communication and real life activities as well as through the progressive acquisition of academic ability. These children, in a safe and caring environment, explore and challenge themselves as they develop into socially conscious human beings. They enjoy working as a community of independent learners. According to our mission, MOMI promotes “academic excellence, a love of learning, mutual respect, environmental awareness and responsibility, and individual accountability within a social framework”. Lessons are given to the very youngest of students on how to resolve conflicts peacefully. If children do not yet have words, the appropriate words are

Students

given to them to express emotions and needs. Adults on campus strive to model the kinds of interactions and communications – both to other adults and to all children – they want to see emulated by the students. Older children are engaged as helpers, or buddies, for younger children in activities ranging from reading stories aloud, walking a younger child back to class from the garden, or being the leader of a small group for the weekly Campus Clean-up. [NVC literature, buddy reading schedules, campus clean-up team leader schedule] Children with identified special needs are admitted on a case-by-case basis to ensure the school can meet the needs of an individual child while providing the best possible learning environment for all students. MOMI has a Learning Specialist who works with students with diagnosed learning needs. At this time the school is not in a position to afford a full-time counselor and the Head of School handles student counseling and guidance. Should additional evaluative measures be necessary, the Head of School meets with parents and follows the schoolʼs Student Support Program. The Student Support Program (process and policy) outlines the procedures for indentifying and working with student needs. The school maintains a list of learning specialists, psychologists, and physical and developmental professionals as options that parents can use to seek further help. However, no referrals are made to specific individuals or agencies. The school also engages the services of a child neuropsychologist and an occupational therapist to observe classrooms and provide feedback one to two times during the school year. This successful collaboration has led to early identification and an increased ability to meet student needs earlier rather than later. [Parent and Staff Handbook – SSP] A wide range of activities engage the children at all levels of ability and maturity, and make possible the Montessori goals of individualized work, timely progress, independence, and social awareness. While the Montessori School of Maui emphasizes project and research based learning, discrete academic lessons are a component of its well-balanced

Students

program. For instance, students receive lessons in how to create a graph or how to write a paragraph and then apply these skills in a research project. The school is dedicated to educational excellence for all its students. When students graduate from MOMIʼs Adolescent Program, they find themselves well prepared for high school. School years 2005-2008 showed steady increases in enrollment. The reputation of the school was bringing in new students with little advertising – mostly word-of-mouth. The school was in the process of its campus expansion and realized its completion in the summer of 2008. With this completion two new classrooms were opened: one Primary and one Lower Elementary. The two new classes were opened with the anticipation of sustained waitlists. As a result of the recent recession, the school has experienced lower enrollment than anticipated. The school year 2009/10 saw an attrition rate of fifty-four students over the span of the year. As this was a higher rate than MOMI has experienced in the past few years, and knowing that the economy has had an impact on the decisions made by some families, the school looked into the reasons families gave for making an alternate choice for their childʼs/childrenʼs educational experience. Of the fifty-four children not returning: ten were graduates of the Adolescent Program and moved onto high school; nine were Upper Elementary students who were accepted into Seabury Hallʼs Middle School program; twelve desired a more traditional program; eight cited financial reasons as the impetus for their decision; six moved off-island or to the mainland; two were asked to leave; and seven cited “other” as their reason to leave. Spring of 2003 saw our first Adolescent graduates. Student outcomes of academic growth can be seen in the number of MOMI students accepted into the high school of their choice. Since 2003 we have had fifty-nine students graduate from MOMIʼs Adolescent Program. Fifty-seven were accepted into the high school of their choice, with two accepted

Students

into an alternate institution. During their high school years MOMI alumni take leadership positions in student government, on sports teams, and in planning school-wide activities and fundraisers. They are consistently recognized by their teachers and school advisors as leaders, organizers, team players, and the “ones who can be counted on to get the job done while making it fun”. [HOS conversations with Seabury Hall teachers and administrators] An outcome of academic growth that is measured in a qualitative nature is the feedback from alumni, in which they tell us that their years as MOMI students comprise some of their fondest memories. Comments such as these were shared with the MOMI community at the newly instituted (SY 09/10) Alumni Panel – an evening event open to all MOMI families as a venue to inquire, through informal interviews and conversations, about the experiences, stories, and insights of former MOMI students. The school plans on offering this evening annually. The school’s alumni include parents, staff, and members of MOMI’s Board of Directors. Alumni news is shared with our school community via our website, Facebook, school newsletters, the Annual Report, and other publications. [Alumni Panel 2009/10] Resource classes and special interest areas that are integrated into MOMIʼs curriculum (art, nature, music, Spanish, Japanese, physical education, library, technology) support Howard Gardnerʼs widely accepted theory on multiple intelligences, concurrent with enabling students to work in their favored learning style. This approach gives students the opportunity to develop specific skills, and to apply the various disciplines to class projects and research. Furthermore, these avenues of study promote opportunities to ʻshineʼ outside the traditional linguistic and mathematical/logical perspectives, in favor of those that encompass the many ways in which a student can “show what they know”.

Students

In addition to the integrated opportunities, there are multiple ways in which students can include staff, parents, and extended families in sharing their culture, passion, or expertise in small group settings, or with the whole school community. Examples of these opportunities are culturally relevant presentations on stories, music, food, or traditions. Relevance is given to cultural research by studying the ethnic backgrounds within any given classroom. In SY 2009/10, Primary and Lower Elementary students researched their familiesʼ cultural heritages and brought relevant, interdisciplinary, and integrated components together in classroom presentations that included music, dance, art, artifacts, and preparation of favorite dishes. Montessori pedagogy emphasizes “grace and courtesy” at all levels. Significance is placed upon this area via lessons in the classroom, policies including dress code, discipline, and bullying, articles in newsletters, parent education programs, Non-Violent Communication (NVC) workshops, etc. An example of this is the development of a list of “Rights and Responsibilities” created by the children for their classroom community. Along these same lines, the student-led safety committee, spirit committee, philanthropy committee, and sustainability committee all include grace and courtesy components that foster civility, community awareness, and accountability. The expectations of student behavior are communicated through classroom meetings, in written policies in both the staff and parent handbooks, via classroom and whole school newsletters, and through face-to-face interactions between teachers and parents, teachers and students, administration and students, and administration and parents. MOMIʼs current co-curricular programs include studios such as baking, yoga, hula, ceramics, and music makers around the world, as well as sports teams, including crosscountry and basketball. Offered after the regular school day, these activities are a chance for students to enrich talents they already possess or explore new experiences. MOMI teachers, parents, past parents, or individuals outside the school community coach or teach these

Students

teams and studios. A sign-up form for each eight week studio session is distributed to Elementary and Adolescent students, with further information about specific studios available on the MOMI website. The instructor determines enrollment in an individual studio, with fees for the session paid directly to the instructor. The number of studios offered per session varies depending on instructor availability, schedules, and interest. Basketball and crosscountry are interscholastic sports teams that are open to participation by all eligible students. The school is pleased that cross country practice can occur on our own property, as the construction of the upper sports field was part of our campus expansion. Studios other than ceramics have been in operation for only one year and participation numbers are not available. The ceramics studio had been up and running for several years, and approximately 14% of MOMI students participate. Due to the classes filling up with current MOMI students, outside advertising has not been done. The sports teams (basketball and cross country) have averaged 9% and 10% participation respectively. Advertising for studios and sport teams is done through the schoolʼs Weekly Memo, classroom newsletters, MOMIʼs website, and word-of-mouth. Currently twenty-five percent of our students participate in the Extended Day Program. This percentage has held steady for the past three years. Primary aged children attend Extended Day in a Primary Classroom with a Primary trained teacher, allowing them to maintain the rhythm and consistency of their day. Elementary and Adolescent students check-in with the After Care supervisor and choose whether to participate in outdoor activities such as field games, or focus on classroom work not completed during the school day. Because of the recent campus expansion project, the school put a hold on its Summer School Program for several years. However, the Primary Summer School Program was reinstituted this past summer (2010). The success of the program had parents asking for an extension to the four-week program, and the school was able to add an additional week.

Students

MOMI students made up half the enrollment with the remaining half coming from the greater community. The school plans on expanding its summer program.

Areas of Strength: • • • • •

MOMI students develop as individuals demonstrating respect and responsibility to self and others; MOMI students learn in collaborative, child-directed, prepared environments – building upon their intrinsic drive to learn, lead, and participate; MOMI students possess the ability to communicate effectively with multiple age groups in a variety of settings; Students exhibit age appropriate cultural and ecological awareness, allowing them to be successful Earth stewards; All decision making at the school reflects on the question: What is in the best interest of the child?

Areas in Need of Improvement: • • • •

Communicate more effectively the rigorous academic standards of the MOMI curriculum to the community; Communicate more effectively the counseling and guidance services and protocols currently available for students facing emotional-social situations; Investigate feasibility and/or need of position of a school counselor; Increased visibility of Board of Directors at school community events.

Attachments: 1. List of all support services and co-curricular programs available to the student body.

Studentsâ&#x20AC;Š

Student Support Services Title Pediatric Neuropsychologist

Job Description Semi annual classroom visits and ongoing staff consultations from Dr. Ellen Caringer

Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Semi annual classroom visits and ongoing staff consultations from Kiegan Blake

Pediatric Optometrist

Annual classroom visit and ongoing staff consultations from Dr. Barbara Dirks

Tutoring

Weekly classroom support with Judy Evans

Co-Curricular Programs Name of Program After School Studios

Description of Program Ceramics, Ceramic Jewelry, Baking/Cooking, Hula, Hip-Hop, Yoga, Chinese, Martial Arts, Music Makers Around the World

Sports

Cross Country, Basketball

24â&#x20AC;Š

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT

Criterion: The educational program of your school is guided by the schoolʼs mission, the student profile, student outcomes, and the schoolʼs assumptions about how students learn. Resource allocation is adequate to meet the demands of the educational program.

The Montessori School of Maui teaches children from 18 months to 14 years of age using the Montessori approach to education. This inquiry-based methodology uses observation and the developmental needs of the child to guide the practice. Every classroom is a "prepared environment" that responds to these developmental needs. All Montessori prepared environments throughout the world ascribe to a set of commonly held tenets. These cornerstones are: Montessori materials, a multi-age mix of children, and a Montessori trained teacher in each prepared space. MOMI has these components and they are evident across the campus.

Curriculum Embracing a Montessori principle “follow the child,” each prepared environment from the Toddler Program through the Adolescent Program enables student experiences to build on successive levels of achievement, critical thinking, self-esteem, and civility. Our students are equipped with the skills to "actively participate in the rapidly changing environment of the 21st century." [Revised MOMI Mission Statement] By giving prospective parents an orientation that explains our methodology, they may choose if Montessori meets the needs of their family and child. Our teaching parallels each child's unique pace of growth and we work with all children, barring a physical or emotional challenge that our community is unequipped to support.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Our mission guides our practice. Its driving motivation is the question, "What is in the best interest of the child?" Curriculum opportunities root from a living systems model in which Earth Literacy, Academic Literacy, and Cultural Literacy are integrated, interdisciplinary, and relevant. MOMI uses a variety of instruments to achieve this objective: Learning Foundations – an ongoing revision of curriculum scope and sequence that aligns national standards and outcomes with Montessori practice at and between levels; Guidelines of Sustainability and Curriculum – a curriculum resource supporting the school's integration of built and natural environments; Montessori training manuals – a set of albums respective to age levels with an overlap, thereby maintaining a vertical alignment; current research, such as those found in periodicals or at presentations, aid the staff in keeping abreast to current information; and ongoing feedback with peer dialog. Curriculum within a program level is articulated most clearly through each teacher's Montessori training manuals. A vertical integration has been strengthened in recent years by aligning MOMI's Learning Foundations with Montessori lessons and materials. This occurs through scheduled time at teacher's meetings, scheduled work sessions, and during inservice days. A different set of tools is used to analyze student work and observe students in guiding curricular objectives and goals. Student and teacher collaborate in the shaping, doing, and assessing. Examples of these are rubrics, teacher observations/record keeping/lesson planning, student conferences (goal setting and evaluation), consultant visits, testing, student work samples, and project documentation. Working with multi-age groups in our nontraditional setting, these touchstones enable a continuous feedback loop of observation, presentation, record keeping, and planning. The curriculum at each level spans its respective

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

age range and children move through this progression at their own pace. Successes are quickly followed by increased challenges. Rubrics exist in each area for students to demonstrate application of skills using an integrated format. For example, a research rubric incorporates points on writing, reading, composition, mechanics, presentation skills, graphic design, and art. Effective use of the rubric thereby shows levels of problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, and creativity. When developmentally appropriate, tests are used to identify areas of strength and challenge, plan follow up support for students, and acknowledge trends within levels and the school as a whole. Recently it was noted that student scores showed a need to provide more practice in applying grammar, punctuation skills, and focus on spelling [March 2009, SAT-10 Tests] As children grow, their sense of environment expands from the small classroom/school community to the global community. A major component of this growing student community and orientation to an expanding sense of environment rests in the integration of environmental ethics, sustainability, and hands-on gardening within the continuity of MOMI's botany curriculum. These Earth Literacy outcomes respect the range of development at each age level. The earth is honored, studied, and explored by every age group at MOMI. The school strives to provide its students with an academic foundation that overlaps with a cultural, social, aesthetic, historical, and physical understanding that prepares them for stewardship of the world. Two learning outcomes of MOMI students are: an ability to think and problem-solve in a scientific manner; and the capacity to treat the environment and each other with responsibility and care. [Learning Foundations, Section 6] The Toddler experience is marked by an introduction to the school garden, observance and discussion of the environment, stories about plant growth, and classroom jobs such as watering and caring for plants. Primary children widen their knowledge with use

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

of botany cards that study parts of and types of a plant. Continued time in the garden incorporates an opportunity to plant seeds and to take responsibility in caring for this blooming life – watering, weeding, composting, and harvesting. Every interaction with nature is an opportunity for a spontaneous lesson with a deepening of understanding and respect. In Lower Elementary, students spend blocks of time each week with the school's organic gardener, working to blend garden-based learning (Earth Literacy) with the classroom curriculum: botany and zoology lessons from a language, geographic, and/or mathematical perspective (Academic Literacy). Individual learning blends with group projects in a classroom community effort that furthers the exploration and assimilation of botany concepts. The Upper Elementary curriculum provides the chance for more in-depth research projects and richer botany lessons. This is the developmental stage when knowledge gained in earlier years is intentionally applied in an integrated, interdisciplinary relevant manner. Internally, a vital component of the curriculum at this level is the teaching of the "seed to table" program whereby the children plant, care take, and harvest the food to then serve in the student-driven hot lunch program. The school benefits immensely from the numerous compost bins around campus. Daily, students see how the composting process works to turn old food scraps into new food that feeds the plants (which they sow) and subsequently feeds the school community. Beyond our school, produce grown in the garden, such as beets, can be packaged and marketed for a local heath food store at a negotiated price. [Mana Foods blog page, MOMI Hot Lunch Menus] Responsibilities increase with each age level, as do the experiences for learning opportunities. Our Adolescent students demonstrate age-appropriate mastery of subjects, such as deforestation. On an inter-island community level, students have applied their knowledge by propagating 1000 Aʼalʼii and Maiʼo seedlings to take on a service trip to Kaho'olawe. The following vignette highlights a dilemma the adolescents faced. In the fall of

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

2009 the Adolescent students planted seedlings of A'ali'i and Mai'o, which are native plants. Their goal was to grow one thousand plants. MOMI students would take five hundred plants to the island of Kaho'olawe for restoration work and the other five hundred would be donated to a school on the neighbor island of Molokai so those students would have the opportunity to help with restoration work. As the children learned, growing plants takes knowledge and practice, and the result was not successfully meeting the goal of growing one thousand plants. During class discussions the students decided to use profits from their business, The Koa Store & Bakery, to purchase plants. They acquired four hundred plants for the two Upper Elementary classes to take to Kaho'olawe, and five hundred for their Adolescent Program. The decision to purchase plants was not easy. First, the students had to acknowledge the fact that an important goal was not met. Second, a solution was required. Moving forward, the Adolescent students are planting new seedlings well in advance, doing some things differently in the process, and ultimately anticipate a different kind of great success this year! On the global community level, Challenge 2020 is an initiative that creates a forum for students to collaborate on a global basis to solve environmental problems. The participating schools are assigned an environment issue to research and develop possible solutions that can be implemented. The issue is examined locally, nationally and worldwide. The empowerment that students develop while doing collaborative research will help them take on larger tasks that they may encounter in the future. Students use technology to acquire information and work together. Some examples of these technological uses are: Skype, Ning, Wiki, and/or Voicethread.com. More broadly, a fundamental learning outcome the Montessori curriculum teaches and supports through all levels is the application of critical thinking. In February 2010, educator and international speaker Tony Wagner gave a presentation at MOMI in which he defined the art of critical thinking as essentially “asking the right questions.” Starting at the Toddler and

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Primary level, children are shown how to care for themselves and for their environment. Rather than being told what to do, they are asked the question, "What can you do about that?" From Elementary into Adolescence, questions and skills generated within the physical classroom can be explored and applied when taken to the greater campus – which we consider a living classroom. Examples include running the school's hot lunch program, researching energy pollution and going out to visit Maui Electric Companyʼs power plant, and managing the Koa Store and Bakery. At all points in this continuum accountability of completed work facilitates the efficacy of written curricular objectives and goals. To the greatest extent possible teachers design learning situations that use didactic materials which have what Dr. Montessori called the "control of error." A form of feedback from experience, this self-corrective learning tool is used repeatedly and provides a measure of auto-education that encourages the adult to give the help that is needed, but no more. A significant component of Montessori practice is observation. Every Montessori environment is host to an array of observers throughout the year – prospective parents, enrolled parents, outside professional consultants, etc. From a year-end employee dialog (SY 08/09), themes emerged showing a strong desire for staff-wide observations. During the SY 09/10, MOMI initiated a new program of collegial observations for each member to visit seven different classrooms [MOMI Staff Observations]. The program's two overarching intentions of enhancing curriculum development between/among levels and fostering improved professional relationships are in their nascent stage. Some staff took notes while others did not. Follow-up conversations between host and visitor happened on a casual basis, without any guidelines or specific areas of focus for discussion. These are areas of improvement for the program. As this program continues into the future, its maturity of reflective, critical

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

conversations, vertical and horizontal alignment of instruction, and generative discussion of best practice will strengthen curricular development, evaluation, and revision. Throughout the years, a familiar theme at our instruction and planning Teacher Meetings has been a reflection on the changing student in relation to the flux of culture. For example, a 21st century artist is likely to lean heavily on technology. In response, the use of computers and art software is a newly established program in the art curriculum. Four programs on three computers allow for drawing, painting, movie making, pasting, claymation (including sounds and text), manipulation, and cartoon animation. Both the Artist in Residence and the students evaluate and steer this new technology component. Although the teacher navigates, each relies on observation of progress, knowledge, enthusiasm, peer teaching skills, finished product, and general class feedback. Learning outcomes and written rubrics do not currently exist. This is an acknowledged area of development. Planning and revision occur gradually as confidence in the medium progresses. With a goal of incorporating computers and software in each area of the art curriculum for next year (SY 2010/11), this journey has been a learning curve for both teacher and students.

Areas of Strength: •

The Montessori scope and sequence is a spiraling curriculum from Toddler through Adolescence that promotes sharing between levels by students as both leaders and mentors;

•

Earth-based community awareness uses the whole campus as a living classroom to make materials and content culturally relevant;

•

The new Multi-Purpose Building is a venue to host speakers within and beyond the Montessori field. Focusing on 21st century skills, the school adheres to its Mission while networking with the greater island community.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

Shaping pedagogical conversations during meetings in a neutral way to enhance professional camaraderie;

•

School-owned computers that many teachers use are outdated with frustrating performance levels. Many teachers resort to using personal computers, which creates an adverse school-home workload scenario. Aspiring for substantial grants to underwrite campus-wide hardware upgrades requires more activity;

•

It is necessary that staff members be given technology and software training. Teachers, assistants, administration, and additional staff each have different job responsibilities that will be positively affected by adjusting to the digital interface that increasingly weaves together the many aspects of a successfully functioning school.

Instruction The curriculum at each level is designed to meet the developmental needs of the child at that particular stage. Its implementation is achieved through lessons given by the teacher and supported by the assistant. Resource teachers and specialists merge specific skills and focus with the classroom studies. For children through six years of age these lessons mainly occur individually. From ages seven to twelve the lessons are generally small groups with some whole group and individual lessons. At the Adolescent level, instruction is relayed mostly through group presentations. Resource classes in art, music, physical education, and foreign language begin at the Lower Elementary level. In the MOMI Parent Survey 2009/10, feedback was given for resource classes to begin earlier in the Primary curriculum. These disciplines are currently incorporated in the classrooms. Additionally, comments regarding the strengthening of quality and content/instruction in these curricular components were noted for both levels. Lastly,

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

expansion of drama-based experiences as a dedicated resource time was requested. As has been shown, garden is a resource program that canvases the whole student body. In the area of Earth Literacy, suggested lessons are given for each plane of development using the school's Guidelines of Sustainability and Curriculum. These lessons range from concrete/hands-on learning, to research projects, to opportunities for exhibiting work. Viewed differently – empathy (0-6 years old), exploration (6-12 years old), and social action (12-18 years old) – they fashion a global citizen who acknowledges his time, place, and culture. Water can be addressed using the concepts of overall water reduction, reduced wastewater, or water conserving landscape. For the young student, stories "can meaningfully introduce the topics...[as] one of the basic needs of all living creatures" [GS, 70]. If focusing exclusively on reduced wastewater, lessons might include planting vegetables in jars of water to examine root growth (taproot vs. fibrous root) [GS, 72], "a study of different plant and animal adaptations for catching and storing water; recording rainfall with a rain gauge; designing a water catchment device to use at school." [GS, 72] The Elementary students spiral Primary exercises to a deeper level of learning with more complex inquiry and challenge. They might take a field trip to a wastewater treatment facility, visit a reservoir or water plant, and research the history of local water management companies. Their exploration is a relevant investigation of local surroundings. Adolescents engage the concept with potential to affect immediate change. From researching water conservation and the Ahupua'a, to designing a water-saving garden or a fully implemented water-catchment system, the need for social action is demonstrated through attention, respect, and awareness for the conditions that influence our way of life. These children are imbued with a sense of civic responsibility.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Student involvement in the learning process is a pillar to the Montessori classroom. Mentioned in the Curriculum section, the control of error in the materials is a specialized characteristic of the Montessori approach that enables the students to correct themselves. The teacher uses observations, photos, and anecdotal notes to document student work. From this, the adult can adequately prepare subsequent lessons. Often an unscripted period of time will elapse between an initial lesson and its follow up. This time allows for the childʼs repetition leading to mastery. In addition to manipulatives, with their inherent control of error, from Lower Elementary through Adolescence students are given another tool – rubrics. Progressing to a greater degree of abstraction, the student and teacher use the rubric to collectively acknowledge intended performance expectations and ultimate assessment of work. A variety of outlets are available for teachers to plan instruction of curricular goals related to the Mission while following the developmental needs of each student. Venues for students to be heard begin with classroom meetings and stretch to student-committees. These forums give children experiences in governance, leadership, collaboration, compromise, and civility that reach from their small-classroom community through the larger campus community and beyond. Older students and adult members of the committees act as guides, mentors, and facilitators. Staff meetings follow a dialog format leading to discussions that are both reflective and forward-looking with the aforementioned driving question of the mission: What is in the best interest of the child? These meeting times that align instruction with curriculum include classroom team meetings, department meetings with lead teachers, individual meetings and all teacher group meetings with the Head of School (who doubles as Program Director), and one All Staff meeting every month that has built-in time for the various school-wide committees to convene and plan.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

At the beginning of the school year, all staff members set individual goals for each of three areas: personal, classroom, and school community. These goals challenge each staff member to pursue renewal and growth in ways most meaningful to him or her. Fulfillment of these goals is examined in one section of a year-end online staff assessment. This is complemented by a ʻWorld Caféʼ luncheon as the culmination for the school yearʼs open and honest dialog on curriculum goals and planning. [MOMI World Café, June 2009, 2010] A recent illustration of this combined effort was the school undertaking the large and complicated task of installing a photovoltaic system on campus (SY 09/10). The Board and Administration arranged for the construction and financing while the teachers integrated the new system into the curriculum as an opportunity to teach. Students at all levels experienced concrete and abstract learning about the system. In addition to visiting the local electric company's major power station, some students generated research projects about photovoltaic and alternative energy sources. The endeavor was felt to be consistent with MOMI's mission regarding interdisciplinary integration and sustainability. An ethic of the professional teacher is to stay abreast of current research and innovative teaching techniques. Professional conferences on island, inter-island, and on the mainland, when financially feasible, mix with locally sponsored international guest speakers, tutors, articles, videos, and websites to maintain this awareness. Doubling with its benefits for assessment, the school engages specialized consultants in occupational therapy, child psychology, and auditory/visual processing. MOMI embraces the notion that children learn differently and have multiple intelligences (Howard Gardner). These specialists are trained to see a child's strengths from a different perspective than a Montessori teacher. Consequently, curricular and instructional adjustments are offered on classroom design and instructional approaches. The strengthened awareness has a positive whole-class affect.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Recently MOMI hosted two well-attended events in partnership with the Maui Independent Schools Organization (MISO), HAIS, and Project 21. Acclaimed childpsychologist Dr. Michael Thompson visited in October 2009 and spoke about the pressured child. Educational-change leader Tony Wagner presented in March 2010 on the issue of 21st century skills. Both touched on current research that validated what MOMI teachers are currently doing and provided new instructional ideas that could immediately be adopted in one form or another [www.schoolchange.org]. Over the last several years, a variety of individual, level, and whole-school professional development opportunities have taken place. Since professional development is one of MOMI's most highly valued benefits, one challenge has been managing financial resources versus its beneficiaries. Due to budgetary constraints and a lower than anticipated enrollment, the expense of mainland travel for a few has been sidelined in lieu of sponsoring whole-school events. Ultimately, the hope is that this kind of professional development, which supports the teachers, can also serve as community outreach and parent education. In the fall of 2009, a teacher survey was administered to recruit feedback and ideas the Administration could evaluate [Online Professional Development Survey, August 2009]. Because we are a Montessori school, a request for maintaining Montessori consultants ranked high among the respondents. The school has and intends to continue this practice, especially in light of our pursuit of enriched alignment within and through the levels. All classrooms and resource programs are equipped with an annual budget to purchase and supply necessary materials in order to maintain the prepared environments. A learning area of the Montessori curriculum is care of the environment; this includes the maintenance and longevity of the materials. New classrooms naturally have a larger start-up cost (two began SY 08/09) and significantly expensive durable items are a separate budgetary category whose purchase is based on a prioritization of need.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Areas of Strength: •

All lead teachers are Montessori trained and practice a continuity of type, tone, and delivery of lessons;

•

Year-round access to the outdoor learning environment diversifies and strengthens curricular goals via the flexibility of instructional approaches;

•

Set times to observe, discuss, and develop cohesion both vertically and horizontally across the curriculum.

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

The need exists to explore and experiment with new ideas and ways of efficiently utilizing the standard workday for meeting types and times. A teacher-driven goal is to shift day-to-day business online, thereby allowing more time for pedagogical discussions;

•

Professional development is among the highest priorities for the staff. Inventive ways to maximize staff benefits and opportunities at manageable costs continues to be an important area of attention.

Assessment Montessori is a whole-system, integrated approach to education in which the elements comprising the complete methodology often serve multiple functions. In the area of assessment, nearly every tool mentioned in the curriculum and instruction sections are employed as assessment devices. Assessment along with observation, interpretation, and lesson planning serve as the Montessori teacher's baseline means of improving instruction and carrying out the curriculum. Assessment by the Montessori student is also included in this process. Increasing with age, self and peer assessment equip the child's developmental advancement from independence to interdependence.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Montessori methodology does not use grades as a measure of child learning. Rather, teacher record keeping, feedback from experience, goal setting and self-evaluation, the use of rubrics, and student-peer review are among the main ways both the child and teacher can effectively assess. For example, in the fall of 2009, third year Lower Elementary students made an oral presentation and were videotaped. When the video was replayed for each child individually, they reviewed a speaking rubric that encompassed looking, listening, and speaking. Continuous observations of students' use of the materials, involvement in activities, written recordings, and oral responses also offer insights into the assessment of how and what we know is being learned. At the appropriate age level, informal and standardized testing such as spelling tests, math reviews, and reading comprehension exercises are used to assess. Within and between levels, Elementary and Adolescent students frequently have opportunities to present research projects, book shares, and individual studies. Rubrics, as has been mentioned throughout this chapter, have evolved to serve as a guide for the child and a benchmark for the teacher. Student-teacher-parent conferences, held twice yearly, are formal times for the students to celebrate their achievements. These include a review of progress reports and work sample portfolios. Our outside consultants observe individual classrooms and follow this with generative department-wide discussions. An example of observational assessment takes place every day in the garden. Each garden session begins the same way; the class circles their garden bed while each child makes an observation out loud for all to hear. Repetition of this observation activity supplies the students an opportunity to discover the work that needs to be done. For instance, after the students of one class compared observable results of their rows of greens, during the next planting they all tried to concentrate more and plant the seeds evenly in a straight line (SY 2009/10).

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Assessment results must yield curricular/instructional revision and improvement. A Montessori consultant visited MOMI in Spring 2010 with a focus on the Primary through Elementary programs. Among her recommendations, two suggestions were given to a Lower Elementary teacher as an avenue to support students with follow-up to lessons using the Montessori materials – reading comprehension exercises and the creation of more self-study worksheets for the students to be guided in their learning process. In due course, by simply asking a student to explain a concept in his own words, the reading comprehension exercises offered a clear-cut assessment of skill. Likewise, the addition of more self-study worksheets was helpful to assessment in the weeks that passed. In the Art program, one lesson involved a process that required a challenging degree of abstract thought and manipulation. Adolescent students were asked to create threedimensional, paper geometric solids (e.g. cube, cone, obelisk). By observing the creation process, the teacher noted the students' lack of experience and awareness in the necessary procedures. Material was adjusted when presenting the next lesson and the construction process became clear to the students. Assessment of the process and final outcome included self-motivation, use of fine motor skills (a large range of ability), complete comprehension of the process, and a desired result. From observations of the initial lesson through the finished product, by following and adjusting to the studentsʼ abilities, the teacher was able to provide a more rewarding and successful curricular experience. For Elementary through Adolescent students, on-going revision of current rubrics with the development of new ones is necessary to improve instruction and assignments. Reviewing test results helps find deficiencies in instruction, just as revision and review of instructional effectiveness per student outcomes is seen in formal yearly assessments (Stanford Achievement Tests, Einstein Test, etc.). Finally, on-going student observations and student conferences clarify and refine curricular expectations, especially when reviewing

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

student work and noting improvement or lack of improvement that affects the direct development of lessons. With all of the assessment devices at our disposal, there are times when we find a child needs additional instructional support to meet curriculum goals. To that end, MOMI has an established Student Support Program (SSP) in which children who have been evaluated and identified with learning challenges receive additional academic support during the school day. The SSP initiates the process in which learning challenges can be identified and a student support plan formulated and implemented. The school utilizes screening tests with notes to use in meeting with parents. Beyond the classroom, it is valuable to have parent feedback play into assessment of the school. Among the themes gleaned from the MOMI Parent Survey 2009-10 was the need for staff and students to consider the way food is perceived and handled (e.g. nutritional content, sustainability, etc.) both from home and provided by the school. A potential outcome of this dialog would be an evolving of the hot lunch program and school store. The Adolescent students could plan to survey the student body regarding lunch and snack preferences as a part of their business marketing strategy.

Areas of Strength: •

The Montessori curriculum is clearly articulated in teaching albums that are aligned with the school's Learning Foundations (where completed), Guidelines of Sustainability and Curriculum, and rubrics (where appropriate);

•

Regular review by the teacher joined with a childʼs active self-assessment;

•

The commonality of Montessori trainings allow for diversity of individual personalities;

•

Use of SSP process to identify learning challenges and a support plan.

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

To fulfill the call for further development of affordable, timely, and wider-reaching student support, the school will investigate the feasibility of establishing a position of Curriculum Director;

•

Soliciting Montessori consultants for both the Toddler and Adolescent programs has been challenging. The school intends to further pursue this goal, and once established to consider a multi-visit agreement. Additional non-Montessori consultants for all levels folds into this goal.

Health and Safety

VI.

Health and Safety

Criterion: All members of your schoolʼs community are able to pursue the schoolʼs mission in a safe and healthy environment.

The Montessori School of Maui considers the safety and well being of its students, employees and the whole school community a priority. All employees are tasked with assuring the safety of MOMIʼs students. The Business Office ensures that MOMI follows all applicable Federal and State laws. They keep abreast of the laws by various means, including the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) and the National Association of Independent Schoolsʼ (NAIS) list serves and websites, government informational updates, webinars, seminars, consultations with the schoolʼs attorney, and information from the schoolʼs auditors. Compliance is further confirmed by regular inspections by the Maui Fire Department, State Department of Human Services, State Health Department, and building inspectors, in compliance with the applicable regulations. Following the current licensing laws, the student to teacher ratio is 6:1 in the Toddler class when all children are eighteen months or older. For the school year (SY) 2010/11, the Toddler program may include children fifteen months of age, which changes the ratio to 5:1. The Primary level classes of three through six year-olds have an adult to child ratio of 12:1. The same adult to student ratios used for our classrooms are followed in the before and after-school programs. These programs are located in suitable classrooms in easily managed areas of the campus. For the past ten years MOMI has staffed a teacherʼs assistant in every elementary class. This school year (SY 2010/11) the three Lower Elementary classes will share a teacherʼs assistant. The Upper Elementary parallels this practice.

Health and Safety

No children are left alone in classrooms without supervision. When traveling to the garden, Primary age children use a card system, and depending on age, an older “buddy”. As many as three may go at a time and give an identifying class card to the gardener. When ready to leave, the card is given back and the children return to their class as a group or individually with an older child acting as guide. The exterior gates are secured from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the exception of the gate directly next to the main office. This allows the children freedom and responsibility, encouraged by the Montessori method, while maintaining their safety. There is a schedule for playground coverage by employees. All persons who have playground duty have an assigned day, time, and zone of the play area to monitor. Responsibility for finding coverage due to absences is the responsibility of each individual. The written Montessori Emergency Management Plan (MEMP) details responses for various types of disasters and is easily accessible to all constituents via our website. A hard copy is also available in each classroom in designated emergency buckets. Preventable measures are outlined in both the Staff Handbook and in the MEMP. Children are taught how to be safe as a part of the curriculum. On an annual basis MOMI purchases school accident insurance for each student. To the greatest extent possible, the school uses licensed school buses for transportation of students. All students must return parent permission forms prior to each field trip. Because "going outs" (small learning excursions) are such an integral part of the Montessori methodology, the school occasionally uses parent drivers when the number of students participating is too small to make using a bus financially viable. All parent drivers must submit a copy of their driver's license and certificate of insurance. All drivers/chaperones receive written, detailed instructions on how to perform their duties as a driver or chaperone.

Health and Safety

The Head of Maintenance walks the campus every morning before the employees and students arrive, looking for, and correcting hazards or safety concerns. The members of the Safety, Yard and Maintenance Committee (SYM) meet monthly, and any employee may attend. SYM meetings are used for notification, review, and resolution of safety concerns. Concerns or procedures that need immediate attention are handled as quickly as possible. Safety concerns that relate to accidents are reported immediately on the schoolʼs Incident Report, a copy of which goes to both the Head of School and the Business Manager. Safety concerns may also be emailed directly to the Head of Maintenance and the Business Manager. Time is designated at each All Staff Meeting to discuss specific safety issues. At the end of the school year, the Business Manager compiles all incident reports, the whole school assessment completed by the Head of Maintenance, upcoming changes in laws or regulations, and changes in "best practices". Necessary changes to health and safety procedures, the Employee Handbook, and/or the MEMP are drafted. Depending on the type of revisions, and whether they are mandated, changes are shared with the Head of School and the SYM Committee for review before implementation. At the end of SY 07/08 a situation arose in which the school consulted the existing Emergency Plan for guidance on how to proceed. The situation revealed how outdated and inadequate the plan was. Revisions were immediately made to the Plan, improving it, but not to a sufficient level. A complete review was necessary. For the first half of SY 08/09 other plans were researched. Staff attended webinars, safety seminars, and consulted with the Red Cross and other safety organizations. Once a plan was drafted, it was rolled out to the employees for feedback. Incorporating feedback, the MEMP was implemented by the end of SY 08/09. The Plan continues to improve as issues arise. While the school considers the Plan a complete document, it can be easily upgraded as needed.

Health and Safety

Though the economic times are challenging, MOMI continues to fund the budget in areas that affect the safety of our community. Over 90% of our employees are trained in CPR and First Aid, and their training is kept current. At least one adult per class is trained in CPR/First Aid. We have a defibrillator on-site. All new employees are required to have a physical and TB clearance before beginning employment, and each individual is offered the opportunity to receive Hepatitis B immunizations. Emergency procedures are outlined in our MEMP. Ongoing training is a part of the monthly All Staff Meetings, and employees may be sent to seminars or classes for more specific training. The school receptionist is trained on the State health requirements for students and tracks the immunizations and TB test status of each child in the school's database. Special circumstances for students and staff (such as allergies) are noted in the database and easily accessible by the administrative staff. Hard copies of the Student Information Form are kept in each classroom; updates are sent by email. Medicine to be administered to students must be prescribed by a physician, and the guidelines in the Parent Handbook must be followed. Recommendations for therapists or other professionals may be given should a student's behavior or needs require assistance in a specific area. At times, a family may be required to seek outside help in order to retain their child's place in the school. MOMI does not refer families to a specific professional but may offer suggestions. To the greatest extent possible, all cleaning products are environmentally friendly and are the most effective, non-toxic products to safely use around young children and the environment. Janitors have a checklist of what to clean and the frequency. Their work is periodically checked by the Head of Maintenance. Maintenance maintains a list of current tasks and updates it daily. Items that may pose a safety hazard take priority. The Board of Directorsʼ newly formed Building and Grounds Committee (SY 09/10) will be involved in the

Health and Safety

process of long-term planning for building renewal, new buildings, and renovation. Since the school campus is fairly new, the issue of renewal is only now starting to present itself. Employee health and wellness is further taken into consideration by the benefits they are offered at little or no out-of-pocket cost. Full-time employees receive medical, dental, vision, and drug coverage. In addition, they receive Workmen's Compensation Insurance, life insurance, AD&D insurance, and both short-term and long-term disability insurance. Access is available through Independent School Management (ISM) for confidential assistance in dealing with a multitude of life stressors. After two years, employees receive benefits that can be used to build their retirement funds or to pay for additional healthcare among other options. Additionally, MOMI employees are allocated eight to ten (depending on years of service) personal days that can be used for various reasons. While meeting as a committee to focus on safety, discussions detailed items MOMI does well and areas that may need attention. This list was shared with the SYM Committee for their input. The following strengths and areas of need were agreed upon. Areas of Strength: •

Detailed scheduling that ensures the children are supervised safely at all times across all areas of the school;

•

Detailed Emergency Plan and the emergency buckets, containing food supplies, flashlights, emergency lists, and other emergency items that are positioned in every classroom and other key areas around the campus, reflect the importance we place on safety;

•

The school plans for even the most unlikely emergency situations.

Areas in Need of Improvement: While we did not come up with any "critical" areas of need, the following items did rise to the surface to be researched.

•

Health and Safety

Research more effective ways of notifying the campus community about an intruder, and determine better means of communicating during this type of incident;

•

Continue researching improved methods of contacting all school families as current phone tree system is proving limited in comparison to newer internet-based systems;

•

Looking into feasibility of installation of cameras by all exterior gates to extend campus wide security.

Financial Resources

VII.

Financial Resources

Criterion: The resources available to your school are sufficient to sustain the schoolʼs program and are effectively used to carry out the schoolʼs mission. The school engages in responsible financial planning and fund development, consistent with the schoolʼs mission, and designed to ensure the schoolʼs future viability.

Financial Planning: In 2006 the Board of Directors, the Head of School, and the Administration, developed a six-year Strategic Plan which includes a six-year Strategic Financial Plan. The Strategic Plan is reviewed annually using the Strategic Markers. Based on this yearly evaluation and other input, the Board decides when to initiate the long-range planning process. Currently, the Board is focused on ensuring the financial security of the school. Using the Strategic Plan as a guide, the school anticipates using information from the self-study as the foundation for launching the next Long-Range Planning process. The Development Committee is tasked with the advancement of the schoolʼs funds and takes its direction from the Board of Directors. The Development Committee recently completed a large Capital Campaign and is now focusing on major donor cultivation. In November of each year, the Head of School delivers a rough draft of the budget for the next school year to the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee uses this proposed budget to help make recommendations for tuition levels for the next school year. The Finance Committee presents its recommendations to the Board. The Board sets tuition for the following school year based on their review of the recommendations and information presented to them by the Finance Committee. In August or September of the current year, the Head of School presents the final proposed budget to the Finance Committee. Once the Finance Committee is in agreement

Financial Resources

with the proposed budget, it takes the budget to the full Board for approval. The Board then approves or sends the budget back to committee for further adjustments. Tuition increases are guided by the Strategic Plan and are essentially determined by the anticipated financial needs of the school in the upcoming year. To the greatest extent possible, the school aims to maintain or improve its programs while meeting its financial obligations. While competition is a factor in setting tuition, the main consideration is MOMIʼs internal needs. Tuition assistance awards are need based. Every child who qualifies receives a portion of his/her need funded: the greater the need, the greater the allocation. Currently, MOMI is not able to fund full need for tuition assistance. In the past, the Tuition Assistance Fund held a sufficient reserve to fund current levels at the time for six years without increasing the amount taken out of the annual budget. Due to the unusually difficult current economic climate, MOMI used two years of tuition assistance reserve funds to help sustain our present enrollment. The Strategic Plan calls for keeping all employee salaries at the median for the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS). In most years, the salary scale is measured against the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the HAIS survey numbers and adjusted accordingly. Due to under-enrollment, salaries have been frozen at SY 08/09 levels. The salary freeze will continue into SY 10/11. It is the schoolʼs intention to continue to achieve the HAIS median as enrollment increases to anticipated levels. MOMIʼs benefit package is also tied to common practices in HAIS schools. The Strategic Plan addresses necessary annual increases by designating more funds to the percentage received by each employee for the Cafeteria Plan. Employees may use these funds for retirement, their child's tuition, or medical insurance premiums. The Strategic Plan also allocates money to professional development. Tuition remission is an area of concern for

Financial Resources

numerous staff-community members. MOMI currently offers 10% tuition remission and allows employees to apply for tuition assistance. Some in the community feel this percentage should be larger. It is believed the schoolʼs compensation package has contributed to the hiring and retention of qualified employees, as is also the belief that MOMIʼs mission and work environment help to attract some of the best employees available. Of course, larger salaries and better benefits may make it easier to attract and retain qualified personnel. From an operational perspective the financial management structure of the school is running effectively. Set policies and procedures guide the financial management of the school. The Strategic Plan and Strategic Financial Plan have served to set a direction for the school to follow, as well as set a process to evaluate our progress. Long-term employees, in key positions, stabilize the school as a whole. MOMI encourages and supports Business Office employees to continue their education regarding best practices in schools. This has proven valuable in keeping the school up-to-date on current financial management issues. It is our belief that the schoolʼs financial resources are being managed quite well. We feel confident in the management of the schoolʼs financial resources. There is a need to create a succession plan for key employee positions (i.e. Head of School and Business Manager). Also needed is a detailed risk management plan. While neither of these would immediately improve the school's management of financial resources, they would help to ensure the continuity of operations should any key employee leave or should any unforeseen risk occur. MOMI is currently experiencing financial challenges. In 2007, when the school borrowed the money to build the Upper Elementary and Multi-Purpose Buildings, MOMI was in the midst of a very strong ten-year growth cycle. Classrooms were filled to capacity and there was a substantial wait-list that allowed the school to meet enrollment goals and raise

Financial Resources

tuition when necessary in order to accomplish and fund chosen tasks. The Board believed the new buildings were necessary. A look at bond issuance determined that MOMI could afford the payments with an increased enrollment that the new buildings would allow. However, the far-reaching economic crisis challenged the schoolʼs enrollment figures, as well as the anticipated tuition increases. Issues have been addressed by involving the MOMI community in the process. When the quandary became evident, in SY 08/09, the employees were approached and they came up with various areas/ideas in which we could substantially cut the budget during that year in order to save money. Seeing that further cost reduction efforts were required for SY 09/10, the community agreed to salary freezes; an avenue that would allow MOMI to realize the type of savings needed in order to balance the budget. The Board and the school community feel it is vitally important to preserve the program to the greatest extent possible through these trying times. The Strategic Plan continued to be a point of guidance and focus through all of this. The Board, Head of School, and Business Manager adjusted it as needed to maintain a balanced budget. A new, less aggressive plan to meet the bond payments will be tackled by (1) utilizing MOMIʼs savings and (2) positioning the school to cover the bond payments by tuition one year later than originally planned. The Board has also approved using more of the schoolʼs Tuition Assistance Funds in an effort to retain the families currently enrolled. As a whole, the school community is actively working to improve the income stream by adding revenue producing programs such as building rentals, and after-school studios that include non-MOMI students. At the same time, the administration has made every effort to keep the employees aware, informed, and engaged in the process of meeting the challenges MOMI currently faces.

Financial Resources

Increasing enrollment seems to be the biggest challenge to MOMI during these uncertain times. To maintain a basic level of financial health, enrollment needs to be stabilized at around 223 children. If the school can hold that number, a plan is in place to carry MOMI through this current climate. The more improvement seen on that number, the easier it will be for the community to recover. The increased enrollment will provide the funds needed to return to the Strategic Plan and continue to improve on what we do. The enrollment challenge is being actively addressed by increasing our marketing efforts. We are looking at more targeted marketing. With a newly created three-day program, a new summer program, enlarged after-school programs, and facility rentals, the income stream is both diversifying and increasing. The focus in the Development office is on cultivating major donors and continuing to pursue new grant opportunities. The Strategic Plan and the Strategic Financial Plan help protect the schoolʼs financial viability by giving the Board a distinct plan to follow. It can be fine-tuned as needed, and is a very good compass to guide the school. Over the last five years MOMI has been successful at building up financial reserves. These reserves are part of the Strategic Plan, and are proving to be invaluable to cushion the impact of the current economic climate. To further protect our financial viability, the school will continue to be conservative with tuition increases. Increases will occur as needed to cover the bond payments, ensuring the long-term health of the school. Budget cuts that avoid programmatic changes will be utilized as much as possible. The current Finance Committee is a strong board committee with highly knowledgeable members from different areas of Maui's financial community. Review processes, with checks and balances in place, guarantee effective financial management. The committee reviews the financial information monthly and assists in keeping the school pointed in the right direction. The committee is an important source of knowledge and support for the Head of School and the Business Manager during these challenging times. The

Financial Resources

Finance Committee keeps the board informed regarding the finances and potential ramifications so that the Board can make informed decisions.

Budget: To further the process of having a collaborative community at all levels, the Head of School seeks input from all of the employees (especially the Business Manager, Department Coordinators, Admissions Director, School Advancement Coordinator, and Events/Marketing Coordinator). They are asked to submit any ideas, needs, additions, or revisions to the current programs or budget items that they would like to see implemented in the upcoming school years. MOMI has a Strategic Plan and Strategic Financial Plan that prioritize the longterm financial sustainability of the school, as well as steps to ensure the schoolʼs stability and quality of its mission appropriate programs. In late October/early November, the Head of School works with the Business Manager to create a draft budget. This process uses the input gathered and follows the priorities established by the Strategic Plan and the Strategic Financial Plan. As this budget is used for setting tuition, there is often more than one scenario presented. The draft budget then goes to the Finance Committee, which makes a recommendation to the Board at the November meeting. If the Board requests other scenarios or wants to see further information, a special meeting will be convened in early December. Once approved by the Board, this draft locks-in the tuition and fees for the upcoming school year. During the summer, the Head of School and the Business Manager pull together the proposed final budget for approval. This budget is taken to the Finance Committee, which may recommend adjustments. The proposed budget is then taken to the Board in August or September for final approval.

Financial Resources

Monthly, approximately a week before each Board meeting, the Business Manager submits interim financial reports to the Finance Committee. If there are issues that need to be brought to the Board the committee will do so. Quarterly, the Finance Committee receives more in-depth financial reports. These are presented to the Board of Directors at the next meeting. The recently completed campus expansion project, specifically the Upper Elementary Classrooms, Middle School Classrooms, and Multi-Purpose facility, exemplify how budgeting and planning create valued student outcomes. This project was part of the long-range plan. With these new buildings, we are able to offer our current and future students the opportunity of continuing and completing the MOMI Montessori program through eighth grade. Prior to this projectʼs completion, the school was facing the prospect of not having enough classroom space to accommodate MOMI students transitioning into the next level without overloading the existing classrooms. Such classroom overloading would have compromised the quality of the program. Not only do the new classrooms allow for a more appropriate classroom space, the auxiliary spaces, such as the Multi-Purpose facilityʼs gym/stage, and kitchen have allowed our student programs to expand. The improved Friday Hot Lunch program, the recent adolescent Shakespeare production, and the ability for all students to have an indoor space for rainy day PE are among the many ways the project has improved the quality of the educational experience. A project of this size impacts the budget in many areas. This project required diligent attention to the budget process, as it required MOMI to put aside money for future bond payments while not impacting current programs.

Fund Development: It is the Board of Directorsʼ responsibility to create the Strategic Plan, the Strategic Financial Plan, and the Long-Range Plan. These plans set goals for the Fund Development

Financial Resources

program. The focus of these plans is financial stability, quality of program, diversity of the student body, quality of facilities, and organized long-term sustainability. The Board may adjust these goals at any time to ensure the schoolʼs financial stability. The Development Committee is made up of Board members, staff, parents and alumni. It is tasked with the advancement of the school's funds and takes its direction from the Board of Directors. This committee is responsible for the implementation of the Fund Development program. Due to budget constraints, the Development office is not adequately staffed. The department consists of a full-time Events/Marketing Coordinator and a part-time School Advancement Coordinator. The Development Committee works hard to support the Development office, however the Board, Head of School, and Adminstration know that this department needs a full-time Development Director and an assistant as soon as possible. The Strategic Plan, the Strategic Financial Plan, historical data, and current budgetary needs are used to establish priorities for the annual operating fund. Capital fundraising priorities are established according to the Long-Range Plan. There are various ways for the schoolʼs constituents to become involved in the Fund Development program. The Parent Participation program gives parents the opportunity to participate in events, projects, committees, etc. that support fund development. MOMI has a high percentage of parents who volunteer with events, marketing, and helping in the classrooms. The e-mailed weekly memo details opportunities for parent involvement. Employees sit on various committees that relate to developing the school. For the SY 08/09, 100% of staff and 97% of the parents and Board members donated to the Annual Fund. The Student Philanthropy Committeeʼs members include students and staff. The committee provides students the opportunity to become directly involved in activities that build an awareness of and encourage engagement in philanthropic endeavors. Areas of Strength:

•

Financial Resources

The Strategic Plan and the Strategic Financial Plan assist in protecting the schoolʼs financial viability by giving the Board a distinct plan to follow;

•

The Finance Committee has strong representation in the form of highly competent individuals from Mauiʼs financial community.

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

Continue seeking increased enrollment;

•

Create succession plan for key employee positions (i.e. Head of School, Business Manager);

•

Create detailed risk management plan.

Human Resources

VIII.

Human Resources

Criterion: Your school employs qualified personnel – administrators, teachers, and support staff – who support the schoolʼs mission, who engage in and support on-going professional development for themselves and others, and who work cooperatively to create an environment in which students can learn effectively.

The Montessori School of Maui (MOMI) has an organizational structure that emulates the collaborative nature of the Montessori philosophy. As a result of the current economic situation in Hawaii, the administrative team was recently downsized. The attached Organizational Chart illustrates “Current” (the administrative structure as it is now) and “Future” (where we hope the schoolʼs administrative structure will be in the near future) positions. Job descriptions are available for each position. Evaluation of the structure is ongoing and accomplished in various ways. The Board of Directorsʼ Head Support and Evaluation Committee evaluates the Head of School on an annual basis. The Head of School receives yearly goals from each member of the administrative team and performs an annual year-end assessment with each individual. In June, the administrative team meets to complete the Year-End Review of the schoolʼs practices, and during the summer, plans are made taking into consideration the effective division of labor and inter-relationships among the administrative team. During the school year, the administrative team meets weekly to evaluate the preceding week and to set plans of action for the weeks ahead. As part of the ongoing Strategic Planning, which includes a Strategic Financial Plan, the Board of Directors reviewed the Strategic Planning Markers for the year ending June 2009 (as of June 2010). By using these markers and other information, the Board determines how to proceed with ongoing improvements.

Human Resources

Because of the schoolʼs restricted budget and ranking of the school as determined by the markers, the Board decided to take the focus off of long-term planning and shift the focus to ensuring financial strength. With this change in focus, MOMI has begun the implementation of changes in the areas identified as those that needed to be addressed immediately, such as salary freezes and reduced tuition increases for the school year 2010-2011. These decisions were made utilizing input provided by the Head of School, key administrators and the Board. The Head of School and Business Manager presented the Strategic Planning process to all employees so that each would have knowledge of the current conditions as well as information as to what future expectations should be. Included in these discussions was a call to action that encouraged all employees to brainstorm ways of reducing expenses and increasing revenues. The school has an Employee Handbook that was created with the oversight of an attorney. The handbook is over 141 pages long and is posted on the MOMI website. The handbook includes all information, policies, procedures, and forms pertinent to personnel issues. These policies, procedures, and forms conform to all Federal and State Labor Laws. Every employee can access the handbook on the schoolʼs website from any computer. A hardcopy may also be requested. In place is an annual requirement for all employees to sign a document stating that they have read and understand the handbook. All changes are sent to employees via email and are updated in the online handbook as well as being inserted into the hardcopy versions. MOMI strongly believes in professional development for all its employees. Employees receive a Professional Development stipend that they may spend annually on professional development opportunities. Examples from SY 09/10 include a teacher and her assistant attending a four-week nighttime astronomy class that subsequently enhanced the classroom curriculum as well as led to the formation of a new school-community event (family stargazing

Human Resources

night); a teacher participating in a Microsoft Publisher workshop to improve her classroom newsletters; and all of the Lower Elementary teachers attending a science workshop at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center that influenced curriculum and instruction on a level-wide basis. With the schoolʼs general professional development funds in SY 09/10, MOMI (1) covered the cost of tuition for seven employees to take an online Montessori Classroom Leadership Course from The Montessori Foundation, (2) facilitated the attendance of all employees at the Maui Independent School Conference, (3) contracted Occupational Therapist Kiegan Blake from the Maui Center for Child Development and Dr. Ellen Caringer, Clinical and Neuropsychologist to observe the classrooms and provide feedback to the teachers, and (4) paid to have Non-violent Communication (NVC) classes offered to all staff on our campus. Additionally, this year MOMI commissioned Ramya Fernando, a Montessori consultant, for one week. Ramya observed the classrooms and provided invaluable insight. Recommendations made in meetings with the Head of School and the teachers clarified strategies to enhance the program within their classrooms. MOMI plans to bring Ms. Fernando back in the SY 10/11. The school strives to be a collaborative community when it comes to planning and decision-making. At the end of SY 08/09, employees attended an All Staff meeting in which participants reflected on the year completed and discussed areas for improvement. A consensus was reached on issues we felt needed to occupy our attention in the SY 09/10. It was decided that in order to nurture relationships between community members and to further the understanding as to how the classrooms function at each level, it would be helpful for all employees to participate in classroom observations. Over the summer an observation schedule was drafted. During SY 09/10 every employee visited seven different classrooms throughout the year. This practice will continue in the SY 10/11 with fewer observations, but more detailed parameters in reference to the focus of the observation.

Human Resources

Committees were formed around other program needs, and met during monthly All Staff meetings. These committees generated ideas to be considered by the school community (staff, Head of School, Administration, and faculty) for change and/or adoption. For example, the Sustainability Committee determined that the school could eliminate the majority of the plastic bags used on campus and created a process, with the help of teachers and the maintenance department, that allowed this important reduction to occur. Teachers typically address parent and/or student concerns at the classroom level. Concerns can be brought up during informal conversations, during the two student-directed parent conferences held during the year, or at an additional meeting requested by either the parent or the teacher. Concerns needing greater attention are brought to the Head of School. Meetings between the Head of School, the teacher, the student, and/or the parent are quite common. At these meetings, mutual agreements are frequently reached that address the concern. The Head of School also holds monthly Morning Coffees that focus on a specific topic. These are open to all parents, and with her Open Door policy, she is available for meetings with individual parents or students as requested. Our belief is that this process works well as it is progressive, proactive, and allows for most concerns to be handled at the appropriate level. Employees have multiple ways in which to voice their concerns: All Staff meetings, Teachers meetings, Department Level meetings, and/or in individual meetings with the Department Coordinator, the Human Resources Officer, or the Head of School. Employees may also complete an Incident Report that informs the Head of School and the Business Manager of an incident, accident, occurrence, or conversation. Employees have an understanding of the Grievance Policy in the Staff Handbook. The Head of School or Human Resources officer addresses concerns that cannot be met by the

Human Resources

immediate supervisor or Department Coordinator. The goal is to reach mutual agreements, however some instances can only be settled with a decision from the Head of School. This flexible and adaptable process works well in handling various concerns. One of the administrative teamʼs main goals is to assist the teachers' efforts to focus on student learning. The administrative team creates processes and forms that streamline required paperwork, handles problems that are not classroom related, helps with children whose behavior may prove disruptive to the classroom, facilitates weekly shopping trips for classroom supplies, maintains the stocking of general supplies, and makes certain the classrooms are cleaned and in good repair. Ways in which staff members interact with each other include: •

Monthly Teacher meetings

•

Monthly All Staff meetings

•

Weekly Dept. meetings – LE, UE, MS together; Primary and Toddler together

•

Committee meetings as needed, usually monthly

•

Once a month assistants attend the Primary/Toddler dept meeting (SY 09/10)

•

Level meetings – LE meets weekly

•

Dept. Coordinators – meet weekly with Head of School

•

Each teacher and resource teacher meets monthly with Head of School

•

Daily email interaction between all employees

•

August teacher and resource teacher meetings

•

Administration and Head of School have an open door policy, conversations happen when needed

•

Classroom Observations - seven a year (SY 09/10); three to four SY 10/11

•

Scheduled Lunch Dates - one or two a month

•

MOMI Book Club – one gathering per month (SY 09/10); continuing SY 10/11

•

Health and wellness opportunities: yoga, hula

Human Resources

Staff members communicate and interact with parents in numerous ways including the following: •

Monthly classroom newsletters

•

Phone tree

•

Weekly e-mail memos

•

Classroom orientations

•

Summer mailings

•

Student, teacher, and parent conferences

•

Journey and Discovery

•

Afternoon teas

•

Ladies night

•

Gentlemen's night

•

PTO Potluck and other campus events

•

Community workdays

•

Daily drop-off and/or pick-up

Staff members interact with students and other members of the community in numerous ways including the following: •

Board/teacher Café retreat

•

Kupuna (Grandparentʼs) Day

•

Sustainability, Earth Day, Fun & Fitness, Philanthropy, and Lei Day Committees

Teachers are the crucial component in fostering the schoolʼs mission of operating as a Montessori school community. They create classroom newsletters, submit articles for the MOMI newsletters, hold conferences, attend parent meetings, facilitate parent education opportunities, and participate in various professional development opportunities. Teachers assist at curbside drop-off and pick-up, supervise the playground, cover the assistant's breaks, and are present during extra-curricular activities.

Human Resources

Depending on the classroom level, teachers might coordinate and participate in field trips, campouts, the hot lunch program, the school store, service work trips to Kahoʼolawe, singing for seniors at winter holiday time, and various other community service projects including Flatbread Pizza night for the Philanthropy Club, food drives for the Maui Food Bank and Women Helping Women, and painting trash receptacles for the County Fair. They serve in a public relations fashion as role models for MOMI in the community. Teachers also participate in community work or outreach programs, such as Open Houses, and help with MOMI fund or friend raisers in various ways. It is evident that teachers take a very active role from their individual classrooms expanding to all areas of the school. The teachers and staff are a visible presence throughout the campus and they interact with all students. Every child knows that all teachers and staff will assist in any way needed. It is common for teachers who have never had a child in their classroom to address that child by name. MOMI teachers show an interest in continuing and expanding their professional growth. They might take classes at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center that often relate to culture and the arts or ViTech classes that are primarily computer related. The teachers actively seek ways to learn more about our islands; many of them have gone to Kahoʼolawe for service work. All of the teaching staff participates and/or presents at the Maui Independent School Organizationʼs (MISO) Annual Conference. They may also attend and/or present at conferences on Oahu or on the Mainland, as budgeted. Teacher participation contributes to planning the various Staff Development Days. Our teachers eagerly collaborate with the various specialized experts MOMI brings into the classrooms who help guide professional growth and enhance classroom management. MOMI has many ways of evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of the teaching, administrative, and support staff. For example, the assistant evaluation process begins in

Human Resources

August when personal, professional, and school-community goals are defined. Relayed to the Head of School, these goals are revisited throughout the year with the teacher to discuss progress and create a timeline for achievement. At the yearʼs end, both parties (teacher and assistant) complete an Assistant Evaluation form that encompasses daily work performance and goal review assessment. The form is forwarded to the Head of School for review before being filed in the Assistantʼs file. This is an annual standard for all teachers and their support staff. The same general process is used for all staff and their supervisors. Staff members perform their job requirements without micromanagement and with minimum oversight. They participate in monthly All Staff meetings, are active on various committees, and continually explore ways to improve the school, and share those ideas freely. The support staff also participates in ongoing Professional Development opportunities, supports the teachers and other employees whenever possible, interacts with the students, and follows the mission by relating to the students in positive and respectful ways. The staff understands that their role in community input is a vital part of the decisionmaking process. MOMI strives to give all employees the liberty of voicing concerns and sharing ideas. Staff members participate in the numerous conversations that lead up to final decisions. These conversations may occur at any of the various meetings or in private. They further demonstrate their understanding by following the procedures in the Employee Handbook. The schoolʼs strength in this area really rests in its interpersonal communications, and the active community involvement necessary to sustain a cooperative community structure. The Montessori method, and the respect it shows for all individuals and the Earth, regularly brings us back to best practices. By its very nature, this educational approach demands continual self-examination, and MOMI does all it can to foster the process and allow growth that occurs from such an examination.

Human Resources

Areas of Strength: •

Strong interpersonal communications and active community involvement that sustain a cooperative community structure;

•

Montessori methodology, and the respect it shows for all individuals and the Earth, regularly holds the community to best practices;

•

Educational approach demands continual self-examination.

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

Enhanced communication regarding administrative job descriptions;

•

Attention given to regularly updating staff regarding projects and tasks of the administrative team.

Attachments: 1. Copy of administrative organizational chart and job descriptions; 2. List of specific staff positions by full-time employees, or volunteers in the various categories as is appropriate to schoolʼs organization.

Human Resources

List of Specific Staff Positions Administrative Positions Title Job Description Head of School Accountable to Board of Directors; implements board policies; serve on board committees; direct schoolʼs daily operations; supervise all faculty and staff; oversee educational program and curriculum development; facilitate counseling/guidance for students; keep schoolʼs name before the community. Business Accountable to Head of School and, working with appropriate trustee Manager committees, manages resources of MOMI in support of students and employees. Responsible for planning, control, accounting and reporting of income, expense, contributed and invested funds of the school. Manage all activities designated as business office responsibilities including physical plant/grounds, risk management and insurance, transportation, employee compensation/personnel policies, facilities leasing, city, state and federal government compliance. School Advancement Coordinator must run an effective and ethical multi-faceted Advancement development program by maximizing the opportunities for giving, educating Coordinator the community on the needs of the school, and providing excellent donor recognition and stewardship. Work closely with the Head of School to insure fundraising objectives are mission-driven, clear, attainable, and periodically evaluated. Director of Admissions Director is responsible for managing all aspects of schoolʼs Admissions/ admission programs, including enrollment of new students, retention of Annual Fund current students, and development of marketing materials. Admissions Coordinator Director also manages parent participation program./Annual Fund Coordinator responsible for coordination and solicitation of prospective donors for annual fund campaign that includes, but is not limited to: board members, staff, parents, friends of Montessori School of Maui, grandparents, and alumni. Marketing & Marketing & Events Coordinator reports to Head of School and coordinates Events with Development and Admissions Offices to advance school priorities: Coordinator Planning and execution of communication and/or events that will enhance visibility and public perception of the school and support the admission, marketing, and development objectives of the school. Develops and produces periodicals, flyers, publications, website, press releases, and other media to connect constituency groups to the school and build support for the school.

Non-Teaching Staff Positions Work Category

Full-Time

Administrative Assistant/Receptionist

Business Office Assistant

Librarian

Maintenance

Part-Time

Physical Resources

IX.

Physical Resources

Criterion: The physical plant, facilities, and equipment enable your school personnel to effectively implement the school program. Applicable standards of public health and safety are met. Plans and schedules for preventive maintenance are implemented and updated regularly. MOMI proudly engages in ʻGrowing Global Citizensʼ. (Revised Mission 09/10) The MOMI facilities, grounds, and equipment reflect a focus on Earth-based education with multiage learning environments in classrooms (interior) and outside (exterior) areas whereby students can take on the responsibility of being Earth stewards. Classrooms are designed with abundant windows that create well-lit, ventilated spaces with minimal need for lighting or air conditioning. Easy access from all buildings is provided to covered lanais and outdoor areas. The campus includes three new Upper Elementary classrooms and a Multi-Purpose Building (MPB). All the new buildings received the LEED Silver certification, which illustrates a foundation in sustainable practices as described in MOMIʼs Guidelines of Sustainability and Curriculum. The buildings are designed and built using high-performance technology that results in toxic-free, energy-efficient, comfortable learning environments. The MPB provides a commercial kitchen allowing food preparation and service, a performance stage, two classrooms, bathrooms, and storage and utility rooms. In addition, the MPB provides MOMI with the ability to share its facilities with the surrounding community, including events such as guest speakers, educational seminars, dance or drama classes and performances, etc. The campus takes advantage of its beautiful location and natural environment by providing spacious, pleasing settings for the children. The campus includes a central garden, playground, ball fields, and abundant tree-covered spaces that provide excellent spots for studies, gardening, social interactions, and physical education. The use of recycled materials is evident in landscaping features, as well as the play

Physical Resources

structures for younger children. Circular drop-offs and ample parking areas provide safe and effective access to and from campus entrances and exits. Every June, year-end assessment meetings involve the entire staff. A review of the adequacy and needs of the physical plant are included. All staff have input in this with the final decisions being made by the Head of School. Immediate repairs and maintenance needs are met as necessary. The Board of Directors review larger, long-term needs (such as new buildings) during its normal planning process. Their normal planning includes a review or creation of the Strategic Plan, the Strategic Financial Plan, and the Long-Range Plan. The Board must approve new buildings, major changes to existing buildings, and/or large usage changes of existing buildings. The Head of School authorizes all other changes. There is a Safety, Yard, and Maintenance Committee consisting of MOMI staff. In addition, the Facility and Grounds Committee includes Board members and has a role in long-range planning. MOMI's health requirements are regulated by the State under the license requirements of Group Day Care, and Infant and Toddler Care Facilities. Both of these licenses provide broad guidelines for health and safety, with the final decision as to specific requirements and compliance being made by the State personnel who inspect the campus. The facilities are also inspected by the Fire Department, which also dictates specific health and safety issues on a case-by-case basis. The school has two licensed commercial kitchens that have specific requirements, and are also inspected by State officials. The school has not incurred any major or ongoing compliance problems with these agencies. The current long-term master plan was implemented in 2004 and included a major expansion to the schoolʼs facilities. MOMI has recently completed a building project consisting of an Upper Elementary Pod, the MPB, and other improvements. The project was notable for its emphasis on environmental concerns, earning the school a LEED Silver Certification that

Physical Resources

provides on-site educational opportunities as well as school pride. This project achieved much of the long-term master plan. The balance of the plan is either in process or on hold due to the economy. The completed areas have alleviated pressure on several of the schoolʼs classrooms, provided facilities for additional programs, and created room for future enrollment growth. Once enrollment increases, our priority will be the Adolescent Program building. The MPB could then permanently house the music program. We estimate this building will be needed within the next five years. (See attached plans and concept sketches.) Under consideration for long-range planning is a new Lower Elementary classroom to replace the current modular classroom and renovating that modular into a maintenance building. Building an Administration/Library building, a Toddler Care Realm, and constructing a barn are also under consideration. The priority and need to proceed with these projects has yet to be evaluated as they are in the concept stage of design. In comparison, more immediate plans to pave a basketball court on the playground will require fewer resources. This project might be implemented in the near term. There are a number of factors that can promote the achievement of these plans. A dedicated Board and staff will help these goals become a reality by responsibly funding these projects. Funding for ongoing maintenance of these proposed buildings needs to be considered in the planning of the projects. Both available campus space and existing project drawings work towards the likelihood of these projects reaching completion. Additionally, lower construction costs due to a “soft economy” may decrease the capital necessary to complete the plans. On the other hand, the “soft economy” may hinder a successful capital campaign to fund such projects. In the short term, the Board and staff may want a break from such campaigns and ongoing campus construction to focus their attention on other aspects of the

Physicalâ&#x20AC;ŠResourcesâ&#x20AC;Š

79â&#x20AC;Š

school, including new programs, increasing enrollment, and educating parents about Montessori pedagogy. Currently, renovation and maintenance funding for existing buildings falls under the operating budget and a Provision for Plant Renewal, Repairs, and Special Maintenance Fund (PPRRSM). If a project is over a certain dollar amount, it is paid for out of the PPRRSM Fund. Otherwise, the money will come out of the operating budget. On a relatively new campus there has been little need to use PPRRSM. A dollar amount to activate PPRRSM needs to be decided upon and an approval plan should be created. The Maintenance Department prioritizes maintenance and renovation tasks. During the academic school year, employees notify Maintenance and the Administration of repair needs within their classrooms, playground areas, walkways, or any campus area through e-mail or completion of an Incident Report. If emergency assistance is required, the Head of Maintenance or the Business Manager is contacted immediately. Major classroom and building repairs are carried out during the summer. These repairs are determined and prioritized by the Head of Maintenance during an annual walk through of the whole campus, referencing to-do lists provided by teachers or administrators before the last day of school. The lists contain tasks such as painting inside and out of classrooms, repairing shelves, replacing gutters, and other major repairs that cannot be done while school is in session. Other repairs take place during the winter and spring breaks, if they can wait, so as not to disrupt the classrooms. Notification of equipment repair or replacement is discussed between the Head of Maintenance and the Business Manager. Major equipment repair or replacement, i.e. riding mower and weed eater, is repaired or replaced after estimates are sought. A decision is based on cost factor and/or operational need. Minor repair or replacement, i.e. drills, skill saw, and extra blades, are purchased by the Head of Maintenance on an as needed basis.

Physical Resources

Janitorial requirements include, but are not limited to, classrooms cleaned thoroughly, all trash cans emptied, carpets vacuumed, floors swept and mopped, and counters wiped down and disinfected. All kitchen areas are thoroughly cleaned with all countertops wiped down and disinfected, sinks cleaned and cleared, and floors swept and mopped. Bathrooms are kept clean and sanitary with all toilets and sinks scrubbed and disinfected, trash emptied, and supplies well stocked. All of the above happens on a daily basis. Maintenance requirements include, but are not limited to, parking lot cleared of all debris, sidewalks clean and clear, thorough walkthrough of school campus done before school begins to make sure all branches, rocks, trash, and fallen palm leaves, etc. are cleared from sidewalks, walkways, and playground areas. The Head of Maintenance checks e-mails daily for repair requests that need to be addressed immediately. Daily maintenance also includes grounds-keeping, i.e. weed control, lawn trimming, pruning trees and hedges, maintenance of irrigation systems, and other minor building repairs. A maintenance database in the business office contains lists of what needs to be inspected and tracks those areas that need to be addressed. Examples of areas being tracked are: ceilings and floors that need to be inspected and repaired when required, and walls needing inspection for water damage, peeling or fading paint, etc. Areas of Strength: •

Buildings, grounds, and care shown by whole community to keep them in excellent condition for the studentʼs benefit.

Areas in Need of Improvement: •

Solidify the mandate of the Facilities and Grounds Committee of the Board;

•

Create a succession plan for key Administrators and the Head of Maintenance that includes information necessary for compliance to outside regulations that govern the school.

School Community

School Community

Criterion: Your school effectively informs and involves parents, other school constituencies, and the wider community in the life of the school. Student enrollment, including the admission process, financial aid, and record keeping, is consistent with the schoolʼs mission.

The Montessori School of Maui (MOMI) admission material is given to all prospective families. It accurately describes the school and is in alignment with the Mission Statement. The admission packet contains a prospective student application, tuition assistance information (including school policy, process, and other possible resources for additional tuition support), a tuition and fee schedule, a program description for each academic level, a history of MOMI, a brief biography of Maria Montessori, and, if applicable, a teacher reference report form (prior school information). As a result of the Committeeʼs research, we feel the application content is good and recommend a bullet form checklist of entrance requirements be inserted at the beginning of the packet. Another recommendation is to have current, updated student pictures on the cover sheet. In addition, it is highly suggested that we include the MOMI Mission Statement. The MOMI Parent Survey 09/10 indicated that 90% of respondents were extremely and/or somewhat satisfied (63.8%/26.7%) with the admission procedures. The Montessori School of Maui meets federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination. All school publications and website information available to the public contain our non-discriminatory policy. MOMIʼs non-discrimination statement: “The Montessori School of Maui is a non-profit organization. We are a non-denominational, co-educational school enrolling and providing education to children without regard to gender, race, nationality, ethnic origin or religious beliefs.” For example, prospective families are not asked for their

School Community

nationality, ethnicity, and/or yearly wages. Information regarding tuition schedules, tuition insurance, and/or insurance policies are communicated to parents in the application packet, the MOMI website, enrollment contracts, and pamphlets (available in the administrative offices). The MOMI Parent Survey 2009-10 reflected that 68% (56.1/12.1 extremely/somewhat satisfied) of the parents feel that information on tuition or tuition assistance is available on request. The Prospective Student Application includes four requirements for admitting students. The first is completion of the Prospective Student Application Form with submission of a fiftydollar non-refundable/non-transferable application fee. Next, a scheduled campus tour/orientation occurs, usually guided by the Admissions Director, during which Montessori philosophy, the schoolʼs history and policies, and questions from parents are shared. The parents then arrange a thirty-minute classroom observation. The last step is the Prospective Student Interview. This meeting allows the teachers to become acquainted with the prospective student to determine readiness for placement. Throughout the admission process, any special needs of the student are discussed and considered on a case-by-case basis. The admission process welcomes children from different economic and cultural backgrounds in order to provide a diverse school community. The MOMI Parent Survey 09/10 confirmed that 98% strongly/somewhat (83.8%/14.4%) agree that a healthy diversity of student, parent, family and teacher backgrounds are important for their childrenʼs learning experience. MOMIʼs Tuition Assistance Policy is as follows: •

To achieve economic diversity within the school;

•

The family carries the primary responsibility for funding tuition;

•

Tuition assistance awards are “need based” and are based on a

School Community

familyʼs financial strength; •

Confidentiality of all financial information and award recipients is guaranteed.

Each year the Head of School and Business manager appraise the process for policy review, contractual agreements, and published materials relating to financial aid, tuition, and enrollment. There are also weekly administration meetings that may include discussion on changes that need immediate attention. MOMI keeps a variety of records. The classroom teacher has her/his record keeping system in place for each student – lessons presented, the work a child needs to review, etc. The Administrative Assistant and Admissions Director handle the student database and official student records. The Business Manager keeps the financial records. Both the financial and official student records are stored alphabetically in a secure, locked filing cabinet. The current student records are organized by level in a locked cabinet as well. No record may leave the admissions office. MOMI has many programs especially designed to reach and involve the greater-Maui community. The school website gives information about the school and current and upcoming events occurring on campus. Advertised in print and radio, Open House events are held twice yearly. The Annual Report is a yearly summary of fiduciary spending and events occurring within a school year, along with acknowledgments of monetary and in kind gifts. It is mailed to community donors, parents – both current and past, and grandparents. In addition to being mailed, the Annual Report is handed out at school and community events. Copies are available upon request by any interested person. Our Journey and Discovery is an annual guided exploration of the Montessori environments and materials chronologically from Toddler into Adolescence. A recommendation would be to provide childcare and/or actively promote the event to the public

School Community

if finances allow. The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) generates the Holiday Fair. It is open during school with mostly parents and grandparents attending. For SY 10/11, the school anticipated our consideration of shifting the event to overlap a weekend, thereby accommodating a broader public attendance. Kupuna (Grandparentʼs) Day is a successful event that invites grandparents to spend time with their grandchildren in their classrooms and on the campus. Sending a “Save the Date” reminder earlier in the school year allows off-island grandparents extra time to plan on attending. An annual spring fundraiser mixes parents, grandparents, supporters, and the larger Maui community in a popular evening event. Historically a “gala” at various Maui venues, MOMI now intends to anchor the event in our Multi-Purpose Building with a different theme each year. Alumni Night is new event (SY 09/10), during which alumni share commentary on their Montessori experiences and answer questions from parents, students, and community members. We recommend advance advertising, parent participation opportunities for setup/attendance/tear-down, and free childcare. Similarly, MOMI has inaugurated a summer program (2010) for ages three through six. While a source of revenue, the summer program (much like a camp) is a good means of hosting children who normally do not attend the school. MOMIʼs Recycling Committee has entered several island-wide contests. We won the recycling phone book contest numerous years, and received recognition in the Maui News. The MOMI Student Philanthropy Club fundraises for local non-profits such as the Pacific Cancer Foundation, Women Helping Women, and the Maui Food Bank thus building ties/familiarity between the students and the greater community and the greater community to

School Community

our school. Lei Day is a year-end event that celebrates Hawaiian heritage and culture. Students share hula performances, chanting, garments, and accessories, with parents, grandparents, families, and friends in attendance. This culminating celebration allows all those in the audience to experience our beautiful campus and learn more about the school. MOMIʼs school programs, facilities, and events are made available to the outside community by word of mouth, print media, radio, and our website. The Head of School sits on the Board of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools and she works with other independent schools to bring well-known guest speakers to the island. MOMI was fortunate to co-host Michael Thompson in October 2009 and Tony Wagner in February 2010. Radio, newspaper, and e-mail advertisements attracted educators, parents, and community members from across the island. Having a new facility with enormous potential, utilizing the Multi-Purpose Building has been a learning experience for the school community. Caution is recommended as not to compromise the programʼs integrity – safety of the children, unnecessary issues, damage, etc. The main school-sponsored parent group is the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Its purpose is to provide a means through which parents, teachers, and administrators, can meet with each other and work together for the benefit of the students. Minutes from the monthly meetings are posted on the MOMI website. The discussions primarily focus on school needs and projects. The PTO assists in fund-raising activities and campus events that will enhance the school environment to benefit the children. Some regular events include the New Parent Breakfast, Welcoming Family Pot Luck, Family Movie Night, Holiday Fair, Kupuna Day, Staff Appreciation Luncheon, and any other assistance requested by the school or Board of

School Community

Directors. Numerous opportunities exist for parents to help in school-sponsored activities. The Parent Participation Form is included in the enrollment package. There is a requirement of fifteen hours of parent participation per year for every family. The Development Office collaborates with parents on opportunities to help with: fundraisers, special events, volunteering in classrooms, community work days, chaperoning both on/off-island field trips, assisting as a room parent, providing food for Teacher and All Staff Meetings, and purchasing/preparing materials as requested by the teachers. Support is available for families and children with special circumstances. This support may come from teachers and staff, other families, resource specialists, or outside services. Other MOMI families or staff that speak the language may accommodate families that are non-English speaking. For example we have parents and/or teachers that speak Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Swedish, and Japanese. Academically and socially, there are outside resources such as a Clinical Psychologist and an Occupational Therapist who observe classrooms and help identify possible special needs. A Student Support Program is in place to serve the child. Limited, on campus, tutoring is available, for an additional fee, for students with a diagnosed learning challenge. The degree of involvement and the effectiveness of communications between home and school are determined by a variety of factors. MOMI strives to use less paper, so many correspondences occur digitally. The MOMI Parent Survey 2009-10 indicated that 94% of the families rely on the e-mailed “Weekly Memos” and class newsletters for information regarding school happenings. Children enrolled in the Toddler and Primary programs are walked to their classrooms by a parent, establishing an exchange of communication between parent and teacher. There are also bulletin boards outside the classrooms that have printed flyers with information and

School Community

reminders. Elementary and Adolescent children tend to use the curbside drop-off option. Elementary students carry a homework folder to class that serves as a communication vehicle for parents and teachers. The school has a phone tree program in which students record a message containing pertinent information. Parents may call a classroom directly, leave a message with the main office, and/or e-mail the teachers directly. Communication channels continue to evolve as the school expands the physical campus as well as opens additional classrooms. The School Community Committee recommends the installation of “information boards” to be placed at strategic locations, such as the drop-off areas. Areas of Strength: •

The new LEED-certified Multi-Purpose Building allows for guest speakers and special events to be held on campus. This venue creates opportunities for educators, islandwide, and the broader community to collaborate and become familiar with MOMI;

•

The admissions process brings in children from different economic and cultural backgrounds to provide a diverse community, where all students are given the opportunity to experience what is stated in our mission statement;

•

The commitment to environmental awareness and sustainable practices in reference to our campus, island, and the planet is practiced, in part, by fundraising and philanthropy.

Areas in Need of Improvement:

•

Updated pictures and the inclusion of our Mission Statement in the Prospective Parent Packet;

•

Make the admission requirements easier to understand and complete; a checklist form should be included in the admission packet;

•

It is recommended that the Head of School attend the first PTO meeting of the year to

School Community

explain/discuss anticipated projects for the upcoming year and the processes/protocols necessary to achieve results; •

Provide childcare for evening and adult only events, to assist with and encourage greater parent attendance;

•

Consider adding a weekend day to campus events, such as the Holiday Fair, to allow for increased community participation.

Attachments: 1. Chart for past five years showing the total amount of financial aid awarded, the number of students receiving financial aid, the average aid amount, and the number of new grants; 2. Chart for past five years showing enrollment at each grade level, the number of inquiries, requests for applications*, completed applications*, new students, and attrition. * Information on requests for applications and completed applications is reflective of SY 2010/11. This information was not previously tracked in a digital format and was not accessible to the committee during its work. The importance of recording such information, and keeping it within the admissions office has become clear and tracking is now being established.

School Community

Five-Year Financial Assistance Chart (2006-2011)

Financial Assistance Trends Financial Assistance Awarded Number of Students Receiving FA

2010-2011

2009-2010

2008-2009

2007-2008

2006-2007

$231,485.00

$257,879.00

$158,055.00

$122,125.00

$104,990.00

Average FA Award

$2,968.00

$3,907.00

$3,763.00

$3,131.00

$3,088.00

Newly Enrolled Students on FA

School Community

Five-Year Admission and Enrollment Charts (2006-2010) Enrollment

New Students

Level Tod Pri L. El. U. El

09-10

08-09

07-08

06-07

05-06

09-10

08-09

07-08

06-07

05-06

12 72 51 41

Level Tod Pri L. El. U. El

12 78 62 44

12 85 60 53

12 69 56 51

12 69 56 44

12 28 6 3

10 36 14 9

10 18 6 4

9 27 6 9

10 16 3 5

M.S.

Last

Applications Requested Level Tod Pri L. El. U. El

This 5 48 8 6

M.S.

Last

Applications Returned 3

Attrition

Level Tod Pri L. El. U. El

This 3 22 3 3

M.S.

Acceptances

Level Tod Pri L. El. U. El

09-10

08-09

07-08

06-07

05-06

09-10

08-09

07-08

06-07

05-06

0 7 13 20

Level Tod Pri L. El. U. El

1 11 12 19

1 13 4 10

1 12 15 9

0 6 2 8

12 28 6 3

10 36 14 9

10 18 6 4

9 27 6 9

10 16 3 5

M.S.

Preschool Supplement

XI.

Preschool Supplemental Chapter

Philosophy The Mission Statement for the Montessori School of Maui is to provide "a comprehensive curriculum from early childhood into adolescence that employs a collaborative learning environment to stimulate a studentʼs critical thinking skills, to cultivate an inquisitive mind, and to empower children to actively participate in the rapidly changing environment of the twenty-first century." (Revised SY 09/10.) Our goals are the promotion of academic excellence, a love of learning, mutual respect, environmental awareness and responsibility, and individual accountability within a social framework. All aspects of the Toddler/Primary, Elementary, and Adolescent programs subscribe to this mission and goals. The Montessori paradigm is a living system of education based on the experiential learning of those involved. Realization of the mission and goals, within this paradigm, entails continual daily adjustments and refinements in all aspects of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. When the framework needs formal review and/or implementation, such as an Accreditation, a system of staff and Board of Director meetings lead to committee work that then brings a finished product back to the whole constituency for review and approval. Every employee completes a year-end assessment that includes discussion points on pedagogy meeting the school's mission, goals, and purpose. During SY 09/10, parents had a voice in the reflective process by completing the first online MOMI Parent Survey. It has not been decided if this vehicle will be used every year to tap parent feedback and participation in a review of the school's mission and goals. However, a host of additional forums, formal to casual, are available to parents for this purpose.

Preschool Supplement

The school community is welcome to take part in school outreach and education events that strengthen our program. For all levels, these include but are not limited to a formal Classroom Orientation, monthly newsletters, a curricular exploration known as the Journey and Discovery, PTO meetings, and individual or whole school classroom gatherings. The Toddler/Primary (T/P) recently created a ʻChecking-Inʼ evening at six weeks into the school year (SY 08/09). This forum allows parents to ask questions that have come up in their first few weeks of being at school, and allows teachers an opportunity to share Montessori philosophy while responding to questions.

Organization The Montessori School of Maui is a whole-school, community-driven organization that equally values the contribution of all staff members, departments, and constituencies. MOMI is truly the sum of its parts. All staff members share a key link in the chain of decision-making that leads to school improvement. The T/P department is an integral part of MOMI's viability as it is both the historical root of the school and the main branch for future growth. Retention of Toddler children moving into the Primary and Primary children who move into the Lower Elementary has been and remains at high levels. An independent school, MOMI's professional culture embraces a teacher's autonomy while anticipating alignment with school-wide performance expectations. Participation with admissions, classroom organization and management, professional staff relations, record keeping, and communicating with parents occur at all program levels. School policies are administered by the Business Office and listed in our Staff Handbook. Each year every employee is required to sign an agreement stating they have read and understood the handbook. Agenda items at various meetings throughout the

Preschool Supplement

year will reference sections of the handbook that reiterate the guidelines set forth and facilitate operations. Within the handbook the roles and responsibilities of all staff members are clearly defined. It also includes procedures for personnel supervision, operations, and evaluations. While all school forms necessary for staff use and documentation are available electronically, they are also incorporated in the handbook. The most commonly used documents are on hand in hard copy with the Administration. The T/P constitutes more than one third of the student enrollment. Developmentally appropriate practice is a hallmark of our daily work. We nurture a child's cognitive, physical, and social/emotional growth upon the foundation of Montessori pedagogy. Use of observation, peer consultation, record keeping, and conversations with parents give teachers information about, and access to a child's strengths and areas of improvement. It is respected and understood that children experience four developmental growth stages in a documented, similar fashion, but at their own pace and on their own timeline. A positive, stimulating atmosphere is the tone MOMI strives to set for its children, families, and staff. While recognizing that the progression of development has its share of challenges, and is individual for each child, we strive to provide for children a developmentally appropriate environment in which they find success. Great value is placed on the process of learning (the effort) rather than the product. This camaraderie is measured by happy people who enjoy coming to and being a part of MOMI.

Staff Adult-child ratios follow State licensing regulations for the respective age level. Each Primary classroom is capped at twenty-four children with one adult to twelve children. The Toddler environment may have ten children if there is one child below eighteen months. Once all children are eighteen months and older the number can be twelve. Again, two adults are

Preschool Supplement

present providing a 5:1 or 6:1 ratio. Physical facilities and specialized training effect the decision of enrolling children with documented special needs. For situations that arise during the year, MOMI's Student Support Plan is a guided process to follow. Yearly visits and regular communication with licensing personnel ensure the T/P department is in compliance. Every Toddler/Primary teacher holds a Montessori diploma for that age level. This is a universal requirement for an authentic Montessori school. In addition, each teacher holds a CDA, or Bachelorʼs Degree, with some also having Masters Degrees. Additional certifications per an individual's educational interest might also have been acquired. These credentials are standard employment requirements in adherence to State mandates. Montessori Toddler/Primary teachers are the link between the children and the environment that has been prepared for them. The program's content, the physical resources, and the interplay between child and adult are developmentally appropriate, and founded upon an atmosphere of sincere respect. A child is the product of his experiences and the Toddler/Primary strives for every interaction to be a thoughtful product of grace and courtesy. Therefore, when the numerous occasions of guidance and redirection are necessary, the inclination is to empower the child first with an ability to make a wise choice of behavior before resorting to an adult's suggestions. One element to this success is the Montessori approach to discipline. Rather than children conforming to an external authority, an internal discipline guides the children through the day. They learn what is right, wrong, peaceful, uncomfortable, etc. through their activity with materials and peer interactions. Even when the safety of oneself or others is being challenged, all efforts are made to guide the child first with a calm awareness of actions, reactions, and natural consequences. In keeping with the MOMI mission of ʻgrowing global citizensʼ, the school nurtures an

Preschool Supplement

appreciation for the diversity of cultures that account for our local culture, and the cultures of our larger world. Hawaiian culture naturally takes precedence, yet the demographic of our children, interests of the teacher, and spontaneous direction of studies all constitute valuable avenues of cultural pursuits. Often language, artifact, music, and food experiences prove to be the most successful means of conveying culture in a developmentally appropriate format. The spontaneous interests of children – “following the child” – is a classic tenet to successful Montessori practice. This young childʼs forming personality and the creativeness of the teacher in the use of both established and innovative techniques serve to entice the child in purposeful activities. In doing so, the skill of concentration is exercised. The T/P is currently comprised of four women and one man. A pleasant, professional relationship exists among the Department, which parallels the greater school at large. Value is placed on direct, honest communication. All staff members are trained in rudimentary NonViolent Communication through an NVC/Hawaii instructor. Professional development is a priority for the schoolʼs employees. A variety of options are available for staff to pursue – ranging from time for professional development to an annual stipend. Additionally, the school is constantly striving to provide sustainable opportunities that benefit staff, parents, and the larger Maui community of educators and residents. Partnerships with external educational organizations and relationships within the Montessori field have proven beneficial to maintain this high standard. Parents play an equally important role in their investment at MOMI. Their understanding of our school values, pedagogical practice, and the calendar of events serve to enrich their partnership. Communication occurs through monthly class newsletters, classroom events, periodic educational seminars, a weekly school memo, and daily face-to-face exchanges at drop-off and pick-up. Formal sit-down meetings occur twice a year and momentary meetings can be scheduled at any time. Each class promotes parent participation to varying degrees,

Preschool Supplement

as it suits the childrenʼs developmental needs and curricular agenda. Every Montessori environment requires a meticulous maintenance of the space. While the children have an active, curricular, role of keeping the classrooms in a clean and ordered fashion, the teaching staff and maintenance staff ensure the environments are in a safe and hygienic condition. There is an established routine of areas to maintain and a procedure for each. Communication between teachers and the Maintenance Department occurs via email, face-to-face conversations, a daily log of task requests, and monthly committee meetings.

Curriculum Formation of the personality is the one, distinctive direct aim of a Montessori T/P curriculum. This is achieved through purposeful activity – experiences that usually involve the hands, are attractive, and lead to focused attention. Such initial attention builds to deep concentration, repetition, a level of exactness and precision in performance, and the child feeling a measure of pleasure and satisfaction. Formation of self is synonymous with the establishment of independence. Increasing, developmentally appropriate levels of challenge enable a child to move from dependence, as an infant/toddler, to largely self-functioning in a range of lifestyle needs. As a child demonstrates greater levels of ability, activity choices grow. Developmental readiness, more than age, becomes the indicator for successive challenge. On-going record keeping, which includes evaluation of the child's progress, directly affects progression within the curriculum plan. With a mixed-age grouping and a multiple year experience in a classroom, a teacher gets to know the children and their learning styles. A teacher will model appropriate language, behaviors, movement, and performance. Rather than being told what to do in a given circumstance, a teacher will ask the child: "What can you do about that?" or "Is there another way to handle this situation?" By creating an

Preschool Supplement

atmosphere of critical thinking, that emphasizes communication, a T/P child is presented with multiple opportunities to make a choice. Repeatedly facing this kind of opportunity empowers the child to think, reason, question, develop ideas, and solve problems. All children are members of the classroom community and each owns a place in the social circle. Curriculum incorporates independent, small, and large group instruction. This occurs inside and outside, can be quiet or loud, and incorporate the use of large and small muscles. Depending on the activity – teacher/student planned or spontaneous per a child's interests and desires – attention is paid to the strengths and weaknesses of every individual. The T/P environments include key areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, and Mathematics. Culture is comprised of the values, customs, beliefs, relationships, morals, ethics, study of sciences, etc. Whether it is simply being in the moment, or materialized through objects, the cultural curriculum stretches across the entire program. The give and take between cognitive, social, language, and physical activities is both routine and creative. There is a general routine to the day, with the understanding that any given day can take a different path when following the childrenʼs interests and passions. MOMI exercises an integrated, interdisciplinary, relevant curriculum tied to the child's time, place, and culture. Three spheres of focus overlap: Earth Literacy, Academic Literacy, and Cultural Literacy. From this, every activity is a multi-cultural concept that originates with the child, and reflects the developmental needs of that child. Since young children absorb impressions from their surroundings without judgment or reason, peer teaching and collaboration have an equally important place as the teacher. In fact, multi-age groupings are a central tenet to all Montessori programs. An example of this integrated approach includes knowledge and appreciation for the arts as basic elements of daily activities. Work with a puzzle map of Africa might lead to an extension of replicating the map with paint, followed by a small or large group of music

Preschool Supplement

appreciation by listening to different African music styles. Maybe there is a book whose plot is the relationship of love among an African family (a universal plot) where the children can take turns role-playing the drama. One domain within the framework of Practical Life is ʻCare of Selfʼ. Activities that encourage good habits of health, nutrition, grooming, and safety, are represented in such activities as food preparation work, providing snack for the class, hand and foot washing, and displays of grace and courtesy. Performed for the joy and thrill of doing these real and purposeful activities, there is a high level of confidence for success from both the child and adult. Transitions between activities are important observation times for the T/P teacher. It is during these moments that the teacher receives valuable feedback. Whole class transitions are kept to a minimum, while there are ongoing transitions for individuals as they cycle through their choices of activities. There is a beginning, middle, and end to every chosen work. Some children handle transition times better than others, and often songs, finger-plays, or listening games prepare children for an upcoming transition. In short, the Toddler/Primary experience is one of joyful learning about oneself in relation to others. In laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning, the importance of providing a quality, value-based school experience is second to none. The Montessori School of Maui has a proven track record of supporting its youth in accordance to this century old approach.

Support Services A diverse learning style incorporated with unique needs guarantee an individualized learning path for every child. We use daily assessments of the needs and interests that children display to best prepare the environment – learning situations, its setting, and delivery.

Preschool Supplement

Observation is the Montessori teacher's key pedagogical tool. From observation, interpretation and analysis lead to measures of assessment as well as future lesson plans. Dr. Montessori was fond of saying that children are always telling adults what they need (developmentally). It simply requires an ability to understand. Sustained, regular documentation of performance and assessment is used to build a picture of each child's progress. Teachers maintain these records daily and keep them throughout a child's time at MOMI. The T/P teachers often engage in theoretical, philosophical, and practical discussions about different learning scenarios. Additionally, we share and borrow record keeping ideas that best suit an individual's comfort, while meeting professional job responsibilities. MOMI contracts specialists in occupational therapy and child psychology to observe all classrooms for anything of note. Generative follow-up discussions highlight individual children and circumstances so that department-wide knowledge can benefit the many. Montessori consultants are also important voices whose perspectives and insights are extremely valuable. Their knowledge, refined from both years working in the classroom with children and years outside working with educators, serves to both validate the work T/P teachers are doing and to give concrete examples of how to improve technique and fulfill the ideals of best practice. Ultimately, however, it is the teacher's daily interactions with a child that offer the most accurate opinion of a child potentially in need of additional services and support. Currently, a T/P teacher will bring concerns to the Head of School. The Head will then observe the child on different occasions and review teacher notes. The Head may again return to the class and attempt engaging with the child informally. Depending on the nature of the concern, an older child might take a Kindergarten Readiness Test. Now prepared, the Head of School and the teacher will schedule an appointment with the child's parents to discuss what the school has

Preschool Supplement

100

observed and relay its position. The intention is to find a common purpose and pursuit between the home and school that best supports the developmental needs of the child. Should the situation warrant, the school might suggest a further professional evaluation, providing a list of Maui-based professionals who specialize in working with young children and these specific needs. As mentioned in the School Community section of the self-study document, times arise when a family's native tongue is not English. In such cases, fellow parents or various members of the school will serve as translators when necessary.

Health and Safety Assuring the health and safety of all children at any educational institution is the lifeline to fulfilling its mission. By complying with, if not exceeding, State legal and health requirements with physically fit and psychologically healthy staff and facilities in proper, licensed-functioning order, MOMI provides its parents a reliable setting for the joint caretaking of their children. The members of the T/P staff all have immense contact time with children. Therefore, competence to work with children becomes an important pre-employment qualification. The interview process ensures the correct applicant is chosen. In time, all staff are versed and proficient in managing emergency contact information, knowledgeable of a child's medical conditions, capable of administering legally allowed first aid and CPR when necessary (97% of MOMI staff are CPR/First Aid certified, SY 09/10), and capable of teaching and directing the children through evacuation and safety drills. The teacher communicates with parents if the child is ill. Information on the health expectations of MOMI children is written in the Parent Handbook – available in hard copy and online.

Preschool Supplement

101

Adults walk T/P children to the classroom. It is has been observed that MOMI families display a respect and civility towards each other be it in the parking lot, around campus, or at the classroom door. Children are released to only an adult listed on-file (emergency pick-up) with the Administration. Parents inform teachers if someone other than a familiar face is coming at departure. If this person is unknown to the staff, an ID must be shown. Health and safety issues that affect a successful day at school also include safe areas between buildings and the open spaces, a secure campus with locked fences (at appropriate times), necessary child-provided garments for all types of weather – boots, raincoats, long sleeves, a change of clothes, etc. – and a well maintained facility in good, clean, working condition fitted with repair when necessary. Curricular materials T/P children use are cleaned collectively between children and staff, with repairs made by the adults outside of class time. Larger playground equipment is kept properly clean for its life outside, and is always in safe working condition. The Toddler environment has one working bathroom with two toilets and one sink at child level. A second sink is available for hand washing on the deck. The Primary rooms each have two bathrooms with a respective toilet and sink at a 3-6 year old average height. Additional hand washing facilities for adults and children throughout the campus are kept sanitary and functional. MOMI uses an Incident Report form to relay accidents, conversations, occurrences, or incidents that both directly affect a child and/or document a scenario for the school's records that might be valuable in a future situation. Incidents of abuse or neglect would be an example of this kind of internal documentation, which would also tag team State mandates on reporting. The Head of School, Business Manager, and involved staff with the respective incident are emailed the completed Incident Report.

Preschool Supplement

102

The Business Manager is MOMI's Health and Safety officer. That office is responsible for overseeing of the aforementioned topics, including the availability of sufficient first aid supplies, AED, and the safety and maintenance of school owned vehicles.

Food Services and Nutrition As in other areas, MOMI meets state and local guidelines for nutrition. The program is committed to earth-based learning. Aspects of environmentalism, sustainability, selfawareness, and group effect all enter into the practice of eating and serving food at school. Every class in the T/P Department has open snack available to the children for most of the morning work period. Quantity and type of food will vary between classes, but it is a suitable serving amount of healthy food. Since children provide, and often help to prepare, the food as a part of their learning, teachers guide the choices to those of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and other such foods without added sugar or fat: the more natural the better. Families receive a monthly snack calendar outlining food choices to be provided. The school provides calcium-enriched soymilk in addition to the morning snack and fruits, cheeses, crackers, or sandwiches for the aftercare program. All preparation, handling, and storage of the foods meet licensing codes. Yearly inspections occur in the fall. Students in the Adolescent program and Upper Elementary program run a Friday Hot Lunch program for a majority of the year. Although our licensed kitchens could technically serve lunch to every child and staff member on campus every school day, this focus is not a part of the current program. Interested families order lunches monthly. Again, the preparation, handling, storage, and delivery/serving of this food is done according to approved practice. All other times the children bring lunch from home. Each teacher guides parents to understand the value of a nutritious lunch, and one in which the child's independent setup, eating, and clean up are important points of attention.

Preschool Supplement

103

Parent Participation & Parent Education MOMI values parent education and participation. Parents are not relied upon to meet any class ratios, playground coverage ratios, or provide teaching on a regular basis. This said, parents have opportunities to be involved in several ways: classroom projects, sharing of expertise, PTO meetings, Parent Education events, and at home activities – as a child's education is not limited to school hours. All parents are required to complete a pre-enrollment process as part of the Prospective Student Application (PSA). This includes an application, deposit, school tour, classroom observation, and prospective student interview. The application packet literature comprehensively covers information about the school's program, including the philosophy and goals of a child's success at MOMI. The Admission's Office is always looking to improve the effectiveness of the PSA. Once admitted, all new and returning parents are expected to attend a classroom Parent Orientation that precedes the beginning of a new school year. T/P extends a generous amount of communication to its parents. Content is largely focused on themes related to the developmental growth of children through six years of age. Naturally, curricular events and concerns are also discussed. These exchanges may happen spontaneously at drop-off and pick-up, at scheduled meetings, during two formal student-led yearly conferences, in monthly newsletters, and via phone calls, notes, and e-mails when suitable. The MOMI Parent Survey 2009-10 indicated high percentages of parents feeling these venues of communication were extremely effective. The percentages ranged from 76% - 81%. Different avenues to increasing parent knowledge of the Montessori approach and program activities than those listed above may occur at any time, and are often led by the teacher's rapport with the parent and the parent's availability and interests. Toddler parents may join their child for lunch at scheduled times and attend an annual ʻYear in the Lifeʼ slide show. Primary classes offer a monthly Primary Tea in which parents are

Preschool Supplement

104

encouraged to spend thirty minutes casually using materials and experiencing the space with their child. A more formal Ohana Night takes place wherein the child presents lessons to the parent in the same fashion as a teacher does with the student. A similar event, Kupuna Day, has grandparents as guests. Additional opportunities for active involvement with the children are coordinated between the teacher and parent, pending interests, needs, and studies. Another means of contributing to the T/P experience is by assisting in the preparation of curriculum materials, being a guest reader, or acting as field trip chaperone. Giving time to activities that benefit the greater MOMI campus is coordinated through the Development Office. Scheduling and training are handled as needed with task-specific direction given by either an appropriate staff member or an experienced fellow parent. This effort falls under the Parent Participation requirement - each family is responsible for fifteen hours of contribution during the school year. The Administration, Development Office, PTO, department level, and/or any combination of school committees may offer events open to the parent body and larger Maui community. Whether the focus is on program, school improvement, community building, performance, or something beyond, parent presence is a statement of clear support for the child and recognition of their bond with the school. MOMI's new multi-purpose facility enables a large diversity of presentations and classes to reach a wide audience of interests, needs, and education.

Classroom and School Facilities All internal and external facilities adhere to State and local agency criteria. The Business Manager organizes annual inspections and documentation of compliance. The Board of Directors charts the course of facility construction. Various committees oversee the

Preschool Supplement

105

planning, financing, execution, and anticipated maintenance of new projects. Existing facilities serve the purpose intended by the Board of Directors, in sync with its pedagogical/program intent. Maintenance of all facilities and grounds on the MOMI campus are the responsibility of the Maintenance Department, with everyday help given by all employees. Facilities for hygiene and health are immediately available to every classroom in addition to strategic locations across campus. Their upkeep is part of the daily/evening janitorial routine. Each child has a cubby for personal storage, and it is easily accessible during any time of the day. A variety of areas are available for safe climbing, running, wheeled toys, etc. Each class has its respective outdoor space that may contain any number of these physical opportunities. In addition, the campus has several distinct playground areas that meet the needs of different developmental levels. Children may cross over into any such area of the campus, as adult supervision is widespread. Staff members recognize that children function well as individuals and in small or large groups. Opportunities are available for multiple varieties of interactions: adult/child; child/child; and older child/younger child. Early childhood learning is enhanced with feedback from experience. If, for instance, the entire floor is carpeted it is difficult to hear whether one is being gentle or rough in handling a chair. A hard floor provides feedback with the aid of sound. Utilizing this sensory experience, the child develops an awareness of body control, social affect, and care for furniture. With this in mind, every classroom has a developmentally appropriate mix of hard and soft surfaces comprised of cushions, rugs, mats, open spaces, cozy spaces, etc. These blend well with the suitable child-size furniture and materials. The outside environments also provide for wide-open spaces, flat spaces, hilly spaces, grassy areas, sand areas, and paved areas for wheeled toys or certain games.

Preschool Supplement

106

Finance Financial planning for each Toddler/Primary classroom is a part of the total schoolʼs operating budget. All elements of the Toddler/Primary program are itemized just as in the Elementary and Adolescent programs. As an established school, the program costs have been realized many years over and are now anticipated and budgeted by the Head of School and Business Manager. Each class is appropriated various budget categories from which necessary planned and unplanned expenses may be drawn. MOMI practices a universal community approach to budget. Economic fluctuations affect each class identically

School Improvement Plan

107