Tips and Tricks for Children’s House Families

Welcome to Bridgeview Montessori School Children’s HOuse!

The comprehensive Parent Handbook and parent orientations are certainly wonderful resources for you to use as you learn about our school. However, here are some additional pieces of information for you to know about the Bridgeview Montessori community. This list is organic; please let us know if you have additional tips to share once the year begins. Thank you.

• PARENT NOTICE BOXES are color-coded to your child’s classroom. Please check them when picking up your child. These are one of the key ways we communicate with parents. They are available daily at your child’s dismissal door.

• Please know that every Friday (or Thursday if we have a holiday), we send BRIDGEMAIL via our Constant Contact email system. This is a very important email to check each week. You can find upcoming dates, updates about goings-on in the classrooms, and important reminders. Don’t miss it.

• You should have received a yearly calendar this summer. Please keep this handy. You can also access it here.

• Dress your child in clothing they can take on and off independently. For example, belts are difficult, and mittens are easier than gloves. Layers also work best. Some children can manage the clips on overalls, and some are still learning. Your child is encouraged to keep a sweatshirt or sweater in his/her hall cubby as well.

• We strongly suggest sneakers in the fall and spring and boots in the winter for our playground. Sandals, crocs, mary-janes, etc. can get filled with the small gravel that covers a portion of the space. There is nothing worse then wasting recess time taking rocks from your shoes.

• Students wear plain, well-fitting slippers while in the classrooms. Backless slippers are not ideal. These classroom slippers stay at school; however, teachers may send them home over a vacation for a wash and repair. Parents have found good deals at Target. L.L.Bean also offers some good choices. CROC-type shoes or other “indoor shoes” are often good choices as well. Please avoid character slippers, big-headed slippers, and light-up slippers. In a traditional Montessori classroom, we dress so as not to distract from the work.

• To reduce paper use, students are encouraged to bring two cloth napkins in their lunchboxes -- one they use as a placemat and the other they use as a napkin.

• All of our classrooms are NUT FREE. You will receive a separate notice with some substitution ideas.

• We ask that our Children’s House students have a lunchbox but not a backpack. There is little need for them to bring larger items back and forth from school. A recyclable canvas shoulder bag is perfect.

• We ask that Children’s House students have a labeled refillable water bottle.

• Please pack a morning snack separately from your child’s lunch.

• If you child attends After Care, we ask that you pack an After Care snack as well.

• Because we value independence and self-care, we ask that all lunch packages be easy for your child to open, thereby making your child responsible for his/her lunch. Teachers are certainly on hand to help, but children love the independence of setting out their own lunches.

• In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, we encourage families to think about waste-free lunches, reusable containers, etc. Both https://bentgo.com and https://bentology.com have reusable products for you to consider. If your child has a lunch box system that works, please DO NOT go out to buy something different. Our suggestions are only suggestions.

• If your child is pre-Kindergarten age and participates in our afternoon work and rest period, please send a blanket and one small stuffed animal for the rest portion of the period. These will stay at school with the rest mat and will be sent home periodically for washing. The stuffed toy should NOT be a special friend that your child needs at home each night.

• Because we enjoy our outside recess even in cold weather, we suggest that you keep a second pair of snow pants at school in the winter months. Bargains can often be found early in the season.

• Parents may choose to use PARENT NOTICE BOXES for distributing birthday invitations. However, if you are only inviting a portion of the class, we suggest that you use the US mail or emails that you will receive after the school year has begun. Students should not distribute invitations in class.

• Please have your child keep toys, jewelry, and stuffed animals at home (other than the stuffed toy that stays with the rest mat, see above). Students should not bring money to school.

• Please follow the parking and drop-off/pick-up directions that you will receive at Children’s House orientation. PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AND WITH EXTREME CAUTION IN OUR PARKING LOT! Thanks.

• LABEL EVERYTHING! Our Lost and Found is located in the lobby. We also periodically put pictures of lost items in our weekly newsletter, BRIDGEMAIL.

• Oh, and LABEL.

  If you have not already, please read our Parent Handbook. This will provide a more detailed explanations of policies and procedures.