One area we like to emphasize to parents is that we are a School and not a Daycare. There are several things that set us apart from a traditional daycare including: our highly-trained teachers, a comprehensive AMS curriculum and classroom routine, student progress reports and biannual parent-teacher conferences, a 5-day school week and an 11 month school calendar with scheduled holiday and summer breaks. Our daily schedule mirrors a “traditional” school schedule and we have inclement weather school closures when necessary. Our school policies include: a sick policy, attendance policy, behavior policy, and a conduct dismissal policy. We have expectations of on-time drop off and pickup. We do not have rolling admissions, but we do have opportunities for enrollment 3 times a year in Toddler House and twice a year in Children’s House (August/January). Enrollment options are based on availability.

Our lead and co-teachers hold Bachelor’s degrees and have earned their Montessori training in addition to their education. Our assistant teachers have completed or are in the process of completing the Montessori Assistant Teacher training. We are dedicated to Professional Development and regularly take workshops, trainings and attend the Montessori Conference each year. You can read more about our teachers on our website: trianglemontessori.org/about-tma/faculty-staff

We’re currently on step 6 of a 10-step process for the AMS Pathway to full accreditation. The American Montessori Society provides guidance to help our school sustain the high standards of a Montessori education. Accreditation by AMS is the highest level of recognition a Montessori school can achieve, and an indicator of the quality of education your child will receive at Triangle Montessori Academy.

Yes! There are several opportunities for you to join us. We have social events, gardening day, story time and much more. We are passionate about educating our families on Montessori philosophy, Positive Discipline and developmental milestones.In addition, we will be holding Parent Information meetings on various topics dedicated to supporting our TMA community. It is very important for the Child, School and Family to create and maintain a cohesive triangle of care. trianglemontessori.org/parents/calendars-events

The Montessori curriculum is a multi-aged, three-year cycle, which means your student will spend up to 3 years in the same classroom. This allows the child to develop a deep connection with the teachers, their classmates, and the materials. They enjoy being leaders in the classroom during their 3rd year and the mastery of lessons prepares them for their next plane of development. We encourage parents to keep their children in the classroom for a full three-year cycle for the ultimate benefit of a Montessori experience.

The Montessori classroom is a beehive of activity, but contrary to popular belief, it is not a place of chaos or free range. It’s quite the opposite! We practice Grace and Courtesy, order, concentration, coordination and independence. The children have freedom within limits. Our classrooms are separated into areas of study: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Culture. The materials on the shelves are “works” and not toys. The materials are purposeful, and the children learn how to use them as intended. The students work closely with the teachers to receive lessons and to choose their works. The older children create work plans and follow through with their daily tasks. The joy of learning, process over product and intrinsic reward are the goals in a Montessori classroom.

Our school offers a traditional Montessori curriculum as well as weekly Spanish lessons, music and movement, yoga, gardening and a cooking curriculum. All students participate in food prep in the classroom as part of the Practical Life curriculum. Additionally, once a week, the Primary students enjoy more in-depth cooking projects based on the country they are studying. Toddler children also participate in cooking activities and often make bread for morning snack. All children are invited to food tastings as part of the cultural curriculum.

We require all 3 year olds to be potty independent before we can enroll them into the Primary program. This means, the children are able to take care of wiping both bowel movement and urine after they go and only occasional accidents. If the student does have an occasional accident, they should communicate it with the teachers and change their clothes independently in the bathroom.

You can read more about the educational journey on our website: trianglemontessori.org/about-tma/your-childs-journey

Our Toddler Program is 18-36 months old, 5 days a week, with options for a half-day or full-day schedule. The Primary Program is 3-6 years old, with a full-day schedule 5 days a week. We do not offer ½ days or a shortened week for our Primary Program. Our Lower/Upper Elementary Program is 6-12 years old and is a full-day program, as well.

Please check out our program options here: trianglemontessori.org/admissions/tma-tuition

KINDERGARTEN INFO: Please note: If you are enrolling as a 5-year-old, we prefer the children to have at least one year of Montessori primary classroom experience before they are considered for their Kindergarten year of our Primary Program. However, we will accept a child who is displaying characteristics of a Montessori learner. NC requires kindergarten students to be 5 years old on or before August 31 of the school year. Kindergarten students have several enrichment activities at TMA. In addition to their capstone year in the Primary program, students will also participate in pull-out activities as a Kindergarten cohort. These will consist of group lessons supplementing in-class studies and will focus on core subjects of language, math, writing and science. Lessons will support where each child is developmentally while also encouraging working in small and whole group settings. As part of the program, students will receive an individual subscription to Scholastic Let’s Find Out and Science Spin. Activities will also tie-in to monthly field trips chaperoned by TMA Primary faculty. Lessons are held every Wednesday and Friday afternoons in our outdoor classroom environment or within a classroom based on weather.

Our Lower/Upper Elementary Program is 6-12 years old and is a full-day program. While all students are welcome to apply, we prefer the students joining LE/UE to have experience in a Montessori classroom setting (most preferably the Primary Program) as that is a sequential building block for the many advanced lessons using Montessori materials that LE/UE students will encounter daily. Students with previous Montessori experience will be given priority in the waiting pool, but we will accept students without Montessori experience who demonstrate the characteristics of a student ready to learn in our environment. The LE/UE Program goes on several school field trips throughout the year as an extension of the classroom curriculum and they are the Leaders for the younger children at our school. You can often find them reading with, gardening with or helping mentor the students in the Toddler and Primary classrooms. Please see the info here: trianglemontessori.org/admissions/lower-upper-elementary

Our students spend a great deal of time outside.

We are lucky to have beautiful, shaded, natural play areas on both campuses, with the Cary campus playground covering almost 2 acres. The children have an hour of recess time, gardening time, lunch (on occasion) and outdoor learning outside. The aftercare program spends most of the time outside (weather permitting) allowing an additional opportunity for outdoor fun.

Our Cary campus includes outdoor organic raised garden beds and fruit trees, and the students are encouraged to harvest the fruits, vegetables, and herbs to use in cooking or snack. We love for parents to join the gardening committee and be a part of outdoor lessons specifically designed for us by our Gardening and Sustainability Curriculum Coordinator. Read more about our outdoor time here: trianglemontessori.org/about-tma/tma-gardens

Once you have toured our school and we feel that your family’s educational journey aligns with the Montessori philosophy, we will ask if you would like to join the waiting pool. We do not add families to the waitlist before a tour. If you are interested, there is a $100 non-refundable application fee per student to join the waiting pool for one calendar year.

Once a spot becomes available, we will notify you via email. We will then invite your child to come to TMA to spend 30-45 minutes in a classroom where they can explore the environment and we can observe them. If the observation is successful, we will then reach out via email to offer your child a spot at TMA. We ask that you let us know within 48 hours of our email if you want to enroll or have found another school. Once you have accepted the spot, we will ask that you pay the $600 enrollment fee to secure your spot for admission. The enrollment fee is a one time fee for all new families. This is a non-refundable fee and enrollment can not be deferred.