The resulting three-dimensional collages embody the natural imagination and unique sensibility of each child.  Each reveals what they like and dislike, what fascinates them, what they connect with and to.  More importantly, the project was simply a ton of fun.

This is just the beginning…
The individual collage boxes will be assembled into a larger collaborative sculpture.  This assembly will be painted black, in homage to Nevelson, to reveal the formal characteristics of the assembled objects.   Last year’s project illustrates the idea.

A big THANKS to all the parents that helped out with the project.

Enrollment priority:

• Priority 1 – Students already in the Montessori program are automatically enrolled (This includes children who are out of the Bremerton school district that are already enrolled);
• Priority 2 – Siblings of students already enrolled in the program;
• Priority 3 – Students within the Bremerton school districtare next in line;
• Priority 4 – Students out of district (not previously enrolled in the program) will be enrolled next.

Remember, it is important to notify the district right away if your child will not continue in the Montessori program.  There will likely be a waiting list for the program and it will help with load balancing and classroom student distribution.

Class sizes

There will be two Montessori classrooms in the 2012-2013 school year, each with target class size of 24 to 25 students.  There are, however, no guarantees for class size.  Since the program is small, and enrollment may vary considerably between grade levels, it may be necessary to have greater or fewer students in each class.  The general goal is to have the optimal, target class size stated above; however, it is possible for a classroom to have up to 30 students.  It was not determined if the program will accept most students who enroll into the program and increase class size, or if a cap will be placed on the number students allowed to enroll and establish a waiting list.

Load balancing
(student distribution between classrooms)

The student and grade distribution between the two Montessori classrooms are not finalized at this point and won’t be until the enrollment process for the program is complete.  (Note that Liza has decided to take kindergarten to second grade students.  The to-be-hired Montessori teacher will take the higher grades.

• FAQ’s about Montessori at West Hills
  • Getting started?
  • Selection criteria and prioritization for the program
  • Enrollment
  • What’s different about Montessori education?
  • What’s different between this program and other Montessori programs?
  • Are you considering Montessori education for your child?
  • How the BMPA supports the Bremerton Montessori Program…

• Contact information
  • Find us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact us

• About Montessori
  • Montessori history
  • Other sites
  • Wikipedia

• How to get involved
  • Volunteering
    • Security checks
  • In-class volunteers
  • Arts & crafts
    • Art project documentation (recurring)
  • Fundraising
  • Event planning
    • Graphics and resources
  • Donations
    • Non-profit status and donations
    • Needed items

• Newsletters (recurring)

• Follow-up on class events (recurring)

• Calendar (recurring)
• About us
  • 2011-2012 leadership
  • Non-profit information
  • Elections

The goal of the website is to support parents and children attending the Bremerton Montessori program and to make it easy for folks to get involved. It is also important to make information readily available to people new to the program. Lastly, we have gained a ton of experience that would be a shame to lose. We can gather this knowledge and pass it onto the next generation of parents via the website. By helping with this you are helping not only the current students and parents in the program, but also the future.

Getting started…

…is easy. Just send an email to SVdWH@hotmail.com (Stephen Handy) to for more information. If you are a blogger, even better. Ideas are also welcome. Together, we can make this great!

Nevelson was a very influential American sculptor known for her monumental, monochromatic wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures. The children will explore her history and influence to create a collaborative three-dimensional piece of art from found objects.

We need your help to gather supplies! Please collect anything that you may consider “junk” over the next few weeks. We are looking for anything that can be glued together and is smaller than the size of a tomato. The children will be gluing the items into small boxes which will then be spray-painted black.

Please plan to send at least one gallon sized bag of “junk” to class with your child to share with the class by Feb 27^th.

Thank you for your help!

- Chris and Steve Handy

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  This is the first year for the BMPA on the Web, so bear with us as we get more content up on the site.

For those of you that are new to Montessori education, here is a brief introduction.

What Makes a Montessori Classroom Unique?

In a Montessori classroom, students experience a child-centered program that has at is core a profound respect for the individual child and an understanding that each child is unique and develops at his/her own pace.

Children are encouraged to choose and work with developmentally appropriate materials in a prepared, supportive learning environment where success is built-in and where the surroundings are both orderly and attractive.  In his setting, learning becomes its own reward, and children are evaluated on the basis of their individual progress, not in comparison to their peers.

Another unique aspect of the curriculum is the manner in which all subjects are integrated with one another to create a universal-or-cosmic education.

In the Montessori Classroom:

• There is mixed-aged grouping
• Everyone shares materials
• Collaboration is encouraged
• Independence is fostered
• Self- discipline is encouraged
• Students learn conflict resolution
• The materials “teach”
• The work period is open-ended
• The children set their own learning pace
• Students share responsibility for the care of the environment
• Grading system is individualized

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are working as if I did not exist.’”

Maria Montessori The founder of Montessori Schools 1870-1952