Registration is now going on for the 2009-10 school year

Enroll in Montessori programs for 2009-10

Mesa Public Schools offers free kindergarten through sixth-grade Montessori programs. Children living within MPS boundaries and beyond are welcome.

Register at one of these sites:

Sunridge Learning Center, Montessori K-6
17 years as a Montessori school
737 W. Guadalupe Road, Mesa, AZ 85210-7789
Phone: 480-472-3575

Johnson Elementary, Montessori K-6
11 years as a Montessori school
3807 E. Pueblo Ave., Mesa, AZ 85206-1822
Phone: 480-472-6800

Mendoza Elementary, Montessori K-6
5 years as a Montessori school
5831 E. McLellan Road, Mesa, AZ 85205-3550
Phone: 480-472-2000

What makes Montessori special?

• Montessori materials are used for reading, writing, math, science, social studies, citizenship and personal responsibility.
• Each student has an individualized work plan based on his or her achievement levels and progress. These plans minimize competition between students and allow them to progress at their own pace.
• Students usually spend three years in a multigrade classroom with the same teacher. This provides for long-term relationships between the teacher, student and family.
• Students move in sequence from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract.
• Students make choices in directing their own work.
• The classroom setting emphasizes a balance between freedom and responsibility. This reflects a Montessori cornerstone — respect for self, each other and the student’s environment.

Curriculum and standards
Our teachers are certified by the Arizona Department of Education and accredited by Montessori. MPS curriculum goals and Arizona Academic Standards are achieved using the Montessori philosophy, materials and teaching methods. Mesa’s Montessori students have had consistently higher than average test scores for the past several years.

Montessori beliefs

• Each child is unique and must be respected as such.
• The child has a deep love and need for purposeful work.
• The aim of education is to foster competent, responsible citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers.

Enrolling your child
To register a student in a Mesa school for the first time, you'll need a certified copy of the child's birth certificate, current immunization record and proof of residence, such as one of the following: rent receipt, utility invoice, voter registration, motor vehicle registration, housing contract, lease agreement, state income tax return, bank account, paycheck, employer letter on company letterhead.

Most children enrolling in kindergarten will reach the age of 5 by Aug. 31. But parents of children who turn 5 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31 may request enrollment in kindergarten if they believe it is in their child's best interest.