MAINTAINING SCHOOL EXCELLENCE

PARENT VOLUNTEERS

Volunteer service time is a source of providing necessary support and services. Your involvement gives you connection with the community that is guiding and nurturing your child. You gain the opportunity of getting to know your child's friends, their families, and the staff.

Each family is required to give a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer time per year.

Purchasing Needs*

• Food Items - snack, food prep, etc.
• Office Supplies - copy paper, pens, paper clips, etc.
• Costco/Sam's Club - paper towels, cups, Ziploc bags, etc.

Classroom Volunteer

• Recess
• Washing Dishes
• Substitute Assistant Teacher (may become a paid position after volunteer hours are fulfilled)
• Help with Special Projects
• Help Make Classroom Materials

Special Talents

• Carpentry
• Sewing
• Gardening
• Painting
• Computer/Technology
• Electrical
• Plumbing

Parent Support

• PTO Involvement
• Spring Fair

Year Long Commitments (fulfills volunteer obligations for year)

• Board Member of PTO
• Spring Fair Coordinator
• Auction Coordinator
• Recess Duty 1 time per week
• Class Laundry 1 time per week
• Washing Dishes 1 time per week

An individual Parent Volunteer Sheet is kept in the sign-in book behind each child's sign-in sheet. You are responsible for recording your volunteer hours on the log sheet. You will be billed for any unfulfilled hours on your last statement for the school year. You may buy out your unfulfilled volunteer commitment at $20 per hour.

PARENT / TEACHER ORGANIZATION (PTO)

PTO is a non-profit parent support group. Their primary purpose is to support the school through fundraising and community building projects. We urge you to join this group in an effort to become an involved parent and help your child succeed. The PTO's mission is:

• to provide support and service to the students, families, educators, and community of St. Nicholas.
• to bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of students.
• to develop between educators and the community such united efforts that will secure for all students the highest advantages in physical, emotional, and social education.

SPRING FAIR & AUCTION

This is a fundraising carnival-like event that usually includes a silent auction and is planned and presented by the parents to raise funds for play yard improvements and maintenance. All parents are expected to participate as per their contract.

• Participating in planning and preparing for Spring Fair and the Auction counts toward Volunteer Hours.
• Working the day of Spring Fair and the Auction counts toward Volunteer Hours.

COMMUNICATION

Every Thursday communication from the school goes home to all of the parents. All school newsletters, classroom newsletters, snack calendars, and reminders go home at this time.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

St. Nicholas Montessori School Administration strongly discourages gossip and encourages the immediate and direct approach to resolving situations.

• Parents with concerns or questions regarding their child need to go directly to their child's teacher.
• If the concern persists the parent may contact the administrators and set up a conference.
• Parent, teacher, and administrators will work together to bring a resolution of the concern.
• If no resolution can be reached the enrollment contract may be terminated.

TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

St. Nicholas Montessori School encourages and promotes continued professional growth and development for all staff. All staff are trained in first-aid, CPR, HIV, and report any sign of child abuse or neglect to CPS. Head Teachers hold Montessori certifications and participate in STARS education program, sponsored by DSHS.

To assure excellence and quality for our children the school provides teachers:

• Funding for memberships in professional organizations.
• In-service training within our school environment.
• Paid release time to attend professional conferences.
• Paid release time to observe other school environments.

ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIPS

St. Nicholas Montessori School is staffed with certified teachers that earned their certifications from training programs approved and accredited by Montessori Accreditation Commission for Teacher Education (MACTE) which is recognized by the Federal Bureau of Education.

St. Nicholas Montessori School is approved by the Washington State Board of Education.

St. Nicholas Montessori School is licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services.

St. Nicholas Montessori School is a member of the following professional organizations:

• North American Montessori Teacher Association, NAMTA
• Pacific Northwest Montessori Association, PNMA
• National Association for the Education of Young Children, NAEYC
• Washington Federation of Independent Schools, WFIS

GOVERNANCE OF THE SCHOOL

St. Nicholas Montessori School is owned and directed by Mrs. Carol Fisher and her husband, Doug.

HISTORY OF ST. NICHOLAS MONTESSORI SCHOOL

St. Nicholas Montessori School was founded in 1979 by Lois Skanse. Lois had just completed the Montessori correspondence course from St. Nicholas training center in London. She named the school after the training center and St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. At that time the school was located at St. Matthews' Episcopal Church in Auburn. Lois' husband was the priest at St. Matthews. In 1980 Carol Fisher began teaching at the school. In 1981 Susan Ennaro became involved with the school. Carol and Susan purchased the school from Lois in 1981 when Father Skanse was transferred to Guam. The school continued to operate at St. Matthews until December 1986 when the Fishers and Ennaros purchased the property at the school's current location on Military Road. As the school grew, it became evident that expansion plans were eminent. Carol operated a classroom off campus for two years while preparations were made. During the summer of 1994 major changes took place at St. Nick. The old house was torn down to make way for the parking lot. The modular building that now houses two primary classes was brought in. A new septic system and drain field (now the meadow), fire hydrant, bio-filtration system to handle the paved parking lot, and an addition to the existing building completed the project. Four years later, in 1998, the second property (that now houses the elementary program) was purchased. In June of 2002 Susan Ennaro retired and the Fishers became sole owners of the two properties.