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Frequently Asked Questions

What ages does Seneca Village Montessori serve?
Seneca Village Montessori serves children ages 2 to 6 years old. We offer Toddler, Preschool and Kindergarten Program. See our Programs page for more information.
What does a typical day look like?

A typical day at Seneca Village Montessori is filled with hands on exploration. We believe that children learn best by “doing”. Our day includes Harambee Circle (where we pull together for discussion, songs and affirmations), African Heritage Lessons, Montessori Work Cycle where little ones explore Literacy, Mathematics, Sensorial and Practical Life Activities, Outdoor/Indoor Play, Music & Movement, Arts & Crafts, Quiet Time etc…

Our little ones also participate in weekly Spanish Language Lessons, Gardening Classes, African Drumming Classes and Cooking Lessons.

How many teachers are in each classroom?
Maintaining a low child-teacher ratio is important to us so that we can give each child our undivided attention. At any given time, there will always be two adults present in each classroom. In our Toddler Classroom, there are two teachers and 12 little ones. In our Preschool & Kindergarten Classrooms, there are two teachers and up to 15 little ones.
Does my child have to be toilet-trained to attend Seneca Village Montessori?
No, little ones do not need to be toilet-trained to attend Seneca Village Montessori. We will meet your child where they are and support you with your toileting goals as needed.
Do you offer financial aid?
Seneca Village Montessori does not have a formal financial aid program. We do however accept all childcare subsides and voucher programs. Families using these programs and/or vouchers are offered scholarships to cover the remaining cost in base tuition.
Do you offer meals?
Seneca Village Montessori provides breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. We also provide water and fruit throughout the day. All meals and snacks are included your little one’s tuition.
Does Seneca Village Montessori follow the Department of Education’s calendar?
Seneca Village Montessori remains open for all 12 months of the year. Families can choose form a 10 month program (Sept- June) or a 12 month program (Sept- Aug). To accommodate families with older children, we try our best to align our calendar with the Department of Education as well as local private schools. Please see our calendar here.
What schools do children attend after Seneca Village Montessori?
Seneca Village Montessori remains open for all 12 months of the year. Families can choose form a 10 month program (Sept- June) or a 12 month program (Sept- Aug). To accommodate families with older children, we try our best to align our calendar with the Department of Education as well as local private schools. Please see our calendar here.
How do I enroll my little one at Seneca Village Montessori?
Interested families should book a tour. If no tour dates are listed, feel free to Contact Us and request a visit. Once you have visited the school, you can complete our online application on our Apply page.
How many spots are available?
Each year is different. We give currently or previously enrolled families priority for their currently or previously enrolled children as well as their siblings. Once all of our Seneca Village Montessori families have had the opportunity to enroll, we typically have 3-7 spots available for new families.
Why is an African Centered approach to education important?

Black students continue to be exposed to many negative interpretations of what it means to be Black. The distinctive purpose of African Centered Education is to develop self-consciousness, self determination, positive self-concept, a sense of Africa as it applies to the upliftment of the community, and an understanding of Africa as it to applies to personal growth and development. It is the overall goal of African Centered Education to offset the pervasive educational challenges caused by cultural amnesia and self hatred.

  • The African centered school experience provides a sense of freedom and confidence.
  • The African centered learning experience fosters an intellectual maturity earlier in life than might otherwise have taken place.
  • Daily African centered interactions prepare students for global citizenships as they develop the skills to deal with all types of people with a clear awareness of “who I am and where I am from.”
  • African centered instructional models develop critical thinking skills and provide the tools for advanced synthesis, and research analysis.
  • The intellect and cognitive skills developed from African centered learning experiences translates through all things and throughout life.
What is the Montessori Method?

The ​Montessori method is a unique educational approach that nurtures a child’s intrinsic desire to learn. Montessori focuses on the whole child—her cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Montessori is designed to help all children reach their fullest potential at their own unique pace. A classroom whose children have varying abilities is a community in which everyone learns from one another and everyone contributes. Moreover, multiage grouping allows each child to find his or her own pace without feeling “ahead” or “behind” in relation to peers. The Montessori method:​

  • Fosters the growth of functional independence, task persistence and self-regulation
  • Promotes social development through respectful, clear communication and safe, natural consequences
  • Contains a large variety of materials for the refinement of sensory perception and the development of literacy and mathematical understanding
  • Offers opportunities for imaginative exploration leading to confident, creative self-expression

According to Dr. Amos Wilson, the Montessori system “has been demonstrated to provide a viable approach to education of African American children. It can produce high levels of academic and cognitive achievements of children that have been exposed to the program. This is due to the fact that Montessori method achieves a good match between children’s cognitive capacity and the educational materials used by the program and the individually paces self correcting choices made by the children in interaction with their teachers.”– Awakening the Natural Genius of the Black Child.

What does Montessori learning look like?
In a Montessori environment, children learn by exploring and manipulating specially designed materials. Each material teaches one concept or skill at a time, and lays a foundation from which students can comprehend increasingly abstract ideas. Children work with materials at their own pace, repeating an exercise until it is mastered. The teacher may gently guide the process, but her goal is to inspire rather than instruct. Throughout the classroom, beautifully prepared, inviting curriculum areas contain a sequential array of lessons to be learned. As students work through the sequence, they build and expand on materials and lessons already mastered. And all the while they are developing qualities with which they’ll approach every future challenge: autonomy, creative thinking, and satisfaction in a job well done. Montessori classes place children in mixed age groups, forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones.

Still have questions? Contact us.