The Purpose of this program is to prepare the children between the ages of 2-3 years to experience and develop socialization and independence. This is the first time the child is away from home, so our first priority is to create an environment that they feel secure in. Your child need not be potty trained for this program.

Also in this program, the child exercises their skills in putting things in order, coordination, and concentration. For instance, each child will practice motor skills such as pouring, spooning, and scooping. The program also includes songs and stories. There is also nap time in the afternoon. Such a classroom environment will prepare them for the next stage involving more complicated tasks.

The pre-school program is designed for children between the ages of 3-4 years old. The classroom environment here offers a wide variety of activities. Children choose work independently as a result of their interests and decisions. The child's right to observe or do nothing is respected as equally with their right to work persistently and choose work from all areas of the curriculum. Independence is an integral part of the program. Usually teachers will avoid doing tasks for the child, but rather show them how do it by themselves. The program involves doing daily practical activities which help the child develop coordination and concentration in activities which will engage all their five senses as well as develop their reading, comprehension, arithmetic, geography, and science skills. Twice a day, at 9:00 a.m.-9:20 a.m. and again at 1:00p.m.-1:20p.m. the children gather around in a circle and learn about a subject in language, science, or geography which is presented to them by their teacher. Other learning activities include reading stories, singing songs, and playing a variety of musical instruments.

Mills Montessori, as in all Montessori schools, does not have a school grade system. Therefore, the children have the advantage of progressing at a rate that they feel academically and emotionally ready for. The children explore in depth a wide range of subjects. Because of the varied ages and development stages within the class, different levels of work in any given subject are possible. The children have a full-day academic program that runs until 2:30p.m. The program includes language skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing), arithmetic, basic geometry, social studies, music, art, as well as a host of extracurricular activities.

The major factor of success in this type of non-grading system is the child's mastery of his or her environment. The children are encouraged to develop a sense of community by helping each other and individually develop a sense of direction. We grant the child the opportunity to learn when he or she is ready to learn.

Self-confidence, facilitated by a joy of learning are the aims of this program. Although previous Montessori experience is not required to enter this program, the school asks all children ages 4 ˝ and above to take a placement exam to adequately assess the best type of learning environment for that child.

Mills Montessori School provides a most unique and exceptional educational environment at the elementary level (Advanced Program). This non-grade system creates a free learning environment which supports each student in concentrating on his or her own work at the comfort of their own individual pace. Thus each child strives to excel by their own standards and not by the standards of other classmates. This type of environment seeks to alleviate the destructive atmosphere of group competition and overall nurtures the child's self-esteem.

Having older and younger children combined in an instructional setting further encourages the children to work together and respect one another. As a result, group cliques and social hierarchies are not as prevalent in such a Montessori setting as they would be in a more conventional school.

To recognize improvement in the classroom, a reward system has been incorporated in the Advanced Program to reward students at the end of each month by daily scoring of work. We place a premium on individual

individual improvement when assigning rewards, and not on the child's performance as compared with others. In the same vein, our curriculum is individualized and based on each child's learning ability and knowledge base, not age. The Advanced Program at Mills is accredited up to 5th grade, so each child graduates from the program by either completing it or reaching the age of 10.