Admissions

Columbia Montessori School operates as a stable and safe community in which our young friends can develop and thrive. As such, all families must tour the school and apply before being admitted. You can easily request a tour online. 

Some of our classrooms are able to admit on a rolling basis while others are limited to openings on our waitlist, and the time of year. We do our best to accomodate the needs of our community while also maintaining the stability of our classroom environments.

Overview

CMS maintains a first-come, first-serve enrollment policy with priority given to siblings of children already enrolled. CMS does not give priority to families based on race, sex, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. CMS does not enroll children on a drop-in basis. Prior to enrollment, families are required to observe in the assigned classroom and meet with the Executive Director.

Full-time enrollment is required for the Infant and Toddler programs. Full-time enrollment is preferred for the Pre-Primary and Primary program; limited morning-only slots are available for students attending part-time.

Waiting List

When class enrollment is full, families may ask to be put on a waiting list until a spot is available for their child. Current families who are expecting or wish to enroll an additional child are encouraged to let the office know as soon as possible to ensure their name gets added to the wait list.

CMS asks that parents submit a nonrefundable deposit to guarantee a spot in the chosen CMS classroom. This fee is equal to one-half of the monthly tuition cost for the child’s class. This deposit is entirely optional, but we cannot guarantee the spot will be held open if a deposit is not submitted. Deposits will be applied to the child’s first month of tuition and parents will receive a reduced invoice for that month.