“As we observe children, we see the vitality of their spirit, the maximum effort put forth in all they do, the intuition, attention and focus they bring to all life’s events, and the sheer joy they experience in living.”
– Dr. Maria Montessori
SCHOOL UPDATES
President’s Week – School Closed
CMS will be closed February 17-21 for President’s Week.
Father’s Night
Come See What Your Student is Working On
This special evening is a wonderful time for students to show their father’s the daily work they do in class. See the following schedule:
Owl’s: February 26, 6:00–7:00 PM
Eagle’s: February 27, 6:00–7:00 PM
Re-enrollment Starts March 1
Re-enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year at Country Montessori School begins on March 1st, along with enrollment for our exciting Summer Camp program! We are incredibly grateful for the wonderful families that make up our CMS community and we look forward to the opportunity to continue supporting your children in their learning journey.
At CMS, we take pride in offering an authentic Montessori education, where children develop independence, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning. Our carefully prepared environment fosters curiosity, critical thinking and collaboration, ensuring each child is nurtured at their own pace. Whether continuing in the school year or joining us for summer, CMS provides an enriching experience that supports your child’s academic, social and emotional growth. We cant wait to embark on another year of discovery, learning and community together!
AMS Conference – School Closed 3/14
Child Care Available
Each school year the CMS teachers attend The American Montessori Society’s Annual Conference. CMS promotes professional growth opportunities for our teachers and staff. As an AMS Pathway school of The American Montessori Society (AMS), we are required to complete ongoing education. AMS offers many workshops for the teachers to attend. The teachers bring back new ideas and knowledge that is beneficial to their classrooms and students. School will be closed on Friday, March 14th.
If you would like to sign up, please let email susank@countrymontessori.org Full-day is $50. Child care is open from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. Please note that arrival times remain the same, with 7:30 – 8:30am being the window for drop off. CMS enrolled students only.
Deadline to sign up: Friday, March 7th.
Update to FACTS (RenWeb) Parent Portal Login Screen
FACTS (RenWeb) Family Portal login screens are being updated in preparation for the upcoming release of Multifactor Authentication (MFA), which is rolling out gradually.
Here’s what’s changing:
The login process will be divided into two steps. First, you’ll enter your District Code: CO-CA; then on the next screen, you’ll provide your Username and Password.
There is no impact on the ability to log in, and existing credentials will remain the same.
Cooler Weather
Just a reminder, if you are sending your child(ren) to school with jackets, sweaters or sweatshirts, please make sure you have labeled them so they can make it home! ! If you are missing a jacket or sweater, please come and check out the Lost and Found in the office.
Parent Participation Hours
This is a reminder regarding your CMS Parent Participation hours requirement. If you have completed participation hours but have not logged them into RenWeb, please do so.
Have you participated in:
Holiday Crafts
Car Magnet (5 hours!!) 1 per family
Laundry
Grocery shopping
Holiday pet sitting and MORE!
ADD THOSE HOURS!!
Each family is required to provide 20 hours of service per school year. Single-parent families are required to provide 10 hours. Families may elect to pay $25 per hour of service ($500) in lieu of providing participation hours. Any hours not completed will be billed out at the rate of $25/ hour.
Any materials purchased for the classroom participation opportunities can be reimbursed – simply submit a receipt with your name. If you choose not to be reimbursed for these items, the value of the purchases counts towards your service hours at a rate of $25/ hour.
HOW TO ADD COMPLETED HOURS TO RENWEB:
Log into your Family Portal on RenWeb (District Code: CO-CA)
Select – Family – Family Home
Click + “Add” next to Service Hours
Input date service hours were completed
# of hours
Select a description from the listed options
Verified By – teacher or class you helped
The Importance of Punctuality in Early Childhood Program
Punctual arrival at school is essential, particularly at Country Montessori School (CMS), where we emphasize that CMS is a school, not a drop-in daycare facility. In Early Childhood, establishing a routine, greeting peers, and engaging with the morning schedule are developmentally crucial practices. These foundational elements help young children build social skills, independence, and familiarity with structure, all of which contribute to a successful academic experience. Furthermore, arriving on time minimizes disruptions, fosters responsibility, promotes a strong work ethic, and ensures that students receive essential information at the beginning of the day. In the long term, punctuality instills respect for teachers and peers and prepares students for future professional expectations where timeliness is paramount.
Class begins promptly at 8:30a.m., with arrivals scheduled between 8:15 and 8:30a.m. To ensure a smooth start, please make sure students are in their classrooms by 8:30; we want to avoid arriving in the parking lot at that time. If you arrive after 8:30a.m., we ask that you kindly park and wait with your child; a staff member will escort late students to class. We appreciate your support and cooperation in helping us create a productive beginning to each day! Thank you!
Signing Your Early Childhood Student In and Out – MANDATORY
As a reminder, please sign your student(s) in and out when dropping off and picking them up each day. This can be done directly through your CMS App and is a requirement under California State Child Care Licensing regulations. Your cooperation is essential to ensure we remain compliant with state requirements. We appreciate your support and assistance in maintaining these standards. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Ladybug, Bumblebee and Dragonfly Student Arrival Time
Class begins promptly at 8:30 and morning arrivals are from 8:15–8:30. Please pull through the driveway and a staff member will greet your student. Arrivals end at 8:30. Dismissals for full day students are from 2:30-2:45p.m. Please pull through the parking lot and a staff member will put your student in your car. When leaving the parking lot please exit right. We appreciate your support of having your student in their classroom on time and your cooperation.
Elementary Arrivals and Dismissals
Class begins promptly at 8:30 and morning arrivals are from 8:15–8:30. All elementary students should be dropped off curbside. If the curb is full please come through the parking lot. This will assist with not blocking the driveway as well as traffic on Monte Vista Road. Dismissals are from 3:00-3:15p.m. Eagle students dismiss from the parking lot and Owl students from curbside. If the curb or parking lot is full, use the alternative. We appreciate your cooperation.
CMS Apparel Available
We are excited to offer some CMS Apparel options for both students and families. We are offering: CMS shirts, hats, and hoodies for kids, and polo, shirts, hats, and hoodies for Adults. Please fill out 1 form per order. Items will be billed in Renweb. Please note that you will be able to submit another order right after you hit “submit”.
Safety Guidelines in Parking Lot
Our priority is safety, and it takes all of us to work together. When dropping off or picking up your student, please do not reverse or pass other cars; we appreciate your support. When you exit the driveway, please ensure you turn right.
New Families – Set Up FACTS (RenWeb) Access
All new families need to sign up for their FACTSMgt (RenWeb Parent Portal) access. Please use the following link; click here. You will select Create New Family Portal Account. Enter your email address, and the district code is CO-CA.
Once you create your family portal account, you can see the school directory and access the RenWeb portal, where you will find report cards and other relevant school information.