How enrollment works
Get in touch
Call (814) 237-1585 or email occmontessori@gmail.com. Tell us your child's age and the days you need. From there, we set up a time for you to see the school. OCC is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, admissions, and employment.
Tour the room
See the classroom your child would join and meet the teachers who run it. Watch how the room is arranged, how children move through their work, how the adults speak to them. Ask about the age group and what a typical day holds. Families often say the visit is what helps them decide.
Enroll and settle in
Complete enrollment, then plan a first week that suits your child's routine. At OCC, we aim to enroll not only a child but the family. Families are welcome at the school's social and community-building events. If a place is not open yet, ask to be added to the waiting list for your child's age.
What to have ready
Most families gather the enrollment forms first, along with a health form and immunization record. Emergency contacts and the names of people authorized to pick up your child are also needed. Check with the office about anything else your child's age group requires.
Pack a full change of clothes that stays at school, labeled with your child's name. Outdoor gear should match the season, since children go outside in most weather. Nap items and a comfort object from home help a child rest.
Before the first day, decide who drops off and who picks up. Tell the office the names of everyone authorized to collect your child. Let your child's teachers know how you would like to hear about the day.
The first weeks
The first days are often shorter, easing a child into the room. A familiar object from home can stay close through the morning. A teacher greets your child by name at the door. You can call the office during the day to check in.
At pickup, teachers tell you how your child ate, slept, and played. They will mention what went well and what was hard. Most children settle within a few weeks. Ask your child's teachers about anything you want to follow up at home.
children from 6 months through 6 years
Hours7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday – Friday
What families ask
What about tuition?
Ask about current rates when you call or tour. They depend on your child's age and schedule.
What ages do you take?
Children from children from 6 months through 6 years.
Can we visit before deciding?
A visit is how most families decide. Children can come along and spend time in the room they would join, so the choice rests on what you see.
What should my child bring on the first day?
Families usually pack a change of clothes and a comfort object, all labeled with the child's name. Outdoor gear for the season and nap items may also be needed. Your child's teachers will tell you what the room keeps on hand.
How do you handle the first weeks?
The first days are often shorter, with a familiar object from home nearby. A teacher greets your child by name and stays close through the morning. At pickup, teachers tell you how your child ate, slept, and played, and how the day went.
What does a typical day include?
The day is built around arrival, play and learning, meals and rest, and outdoor time. Children move through the room at their own pace, choosing work the teachers have set out for them. Pickup closes the day, with a word from your child's teacher about how it went.
How will I know how my child is doing?
Parents usually hear about the day at pickup, when teachers share how your child ate, slept, and played. You can also call the office during the day to check in. Ask your child's teachers how they prefer to stay in touch.
Do you offer part-time or flexible schedules?
Schedules differ by age group and by which openings we have, so the office walks each family through the pattern their child would follow. Call or email with your child's age and the days you need, and we will tell you what is open.
What if there is no place right now?
Families can ask to be added to the waiting list for their child's age group. The office will let you know when a place opens.
What should I ask on the tour?
Ask about hours, meals, and how pickups work. Ask how the first weeks are handled and what your child's day will look like. The office and your child's teachers can answer what the program offers.