FAMILIES WORKING WITH SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS WORKING WITH FAMILIES

A FAMILY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

The American Montessori Society is committed to promoting effective family-school partnerships through the following principles of good practice for member schools.

Both the American Montessori Society, and the families that it serves, recognize that effective partnerships are characterized by mutual respect, open communication, a shared commitment to collaboration, clearly defined responsibilities, and a common vision of the goals.

The School:

* Recognizes that its effectiveness in helping a child develop his or her potential is a function of its effectiveness in helping the family to do the same. * Fully presents to parents, during the admission process, its philosophy, program and practices, and encourages dialogue that assists parents in clarifying their expectations and goals for the child. * Keeps parents well informed through published policies, systematic reports, conferences, publications, and informal conversations. * Ensures that teachers and administrators are accessible to parents, model candid and open dialogue, and seek and value the parents' perspective on the child. * Offers and supports a variety of parent education opportunities, including the development of parent networks and suggestions of effective ways for parents to support the educational process. * Defines clearly how it involves parents when considering major decisions that affect the school community. * Actively seeks the knowledge it needs to work effectively with a diverse parent body.

The Family:

* Acknowledges that participation in the school creates an opportunity for collaboration with an extended community in rearing the child. * Selects a school by seeking an optimal match between the child's needs, parental expectations, and the school's philosophy, program, and services. * Supports the school's policies and procedures and is involved in the life of the school. * Values the school's perspective on the child. When concerns arise, the parent seeks information directly and consults with those best able to address the concern. * Provides a home environment that supports the development of positive self esteem, learning attitudes and habits, and social and intellectual competence. * Supports the stability and continuation of the school by fulfillment of such responsibilities as timely arrival and departure, payment, and promotion of enrollment. * Shares with the school any religious cultural, medical, or personal information that the school may need to serve the child and family best.

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The American Montessori Society (AMS) is a non-profit educational society founded in 1960 whose purpose is to help children develop their potential through the educational principles of Dr. Maria Montessori. This includes the following: developing Montessori programs, accrediting schools, granting credentials, encouraging research, organizing seminars and symposia, and promoting all other areas which relate to the dissemination of Montessori philosophy.