Four Corners Montessori

TESTIMONIALS

• I love our vision here at FCMA!  We aspire to be a school of academic excellence of course, but what makes us unique is our desire to be known as a school of peace.  Maria Montessori once said that "establishing…
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FIP - Parent Guild

Why Form a Parent group?

It has been well documented by many sources that parental involvement can greatly impact a child’s academic success. In fact, it is mandated by the MDE and Title 1 legislation, but there is no mandate that we have to form a PTA or PTO. Creating our own parent group, and integrating it into the current administrative structure, allows us to borrow and learn from other institutions with high levels of family involvement. We can create a program that truly creates our own “FCMA village” in which to raise our children. By starting a group like this from the ground up, we can ensure that all families feel like part of our school. We at FCMA believe that the school, the parent, and the child should form a triangle of support and cooperation to best ensure the child’s development.

The Governing Ideals behind the Family Involvement Partnership (FIP)

• It creates a growth environment not only for the children, but for their parents too.
• The most important aspect of FCMA is our total respect for the learner - be it parent, teacher or student. All parent group gatherings will be conducted with the same level of commitment our children are asked to have in the classroom.
• Staff, parents and children are not “talked down” to or manipulated to obtain results.
• We utilize our keen observation and listening skills to look for opportunities to involve the child’s Montessori progression in all FIP activities. The Montessori environment provides the framework within which students become self-directed leaders. So, in the development of events, we use students as much as possible on different levels: individual, team, and organizational (each level building upon the other).
• As our children’s first “teachers”, families will be learners as we collaborate and construct a community together. Our FIP members chose a Montessori education for their child, so they joined a community of like-minded families with similar core values to theirs when it comes to raising a child. This results in a great sense of camaraderie, support and friendship amongst parents, which successfully carries over to the children.
  

We’ve made the Family Involvement Partnership at FMCA simple

• There is no membership or dues - you are automatically a member if you have a child enrolled at FCMA.
• Sign the Family Involvement Pledge. All of the following actions have been modeled by other schools as proven ways to enrich the community and their students.
• Overseeing the child's homework time
• Setting a time each day for homework to be done, and checking the child's work for completeness and understanding
• Limiting time spent with friends, video gaming, and watching television
• Identify the committee that you find most interesting (donʼt worry - even for those with limited time, there are plenty of ways to help).
  
• Take advantage of numerous opportunities for parent involvement. Each of these parent committees has been started and maintained by parents. Parents find that participating at FCMA enriches their relationship with fellow parents, their children's classmates, and the school staff. Most committees provide opportunities for children and parents to socialize together and engage in growth promoting activities for the whole family.
  
• Each committee organizes their volunteer efforts, and parents may contact their classroom teacher, classroom liaison, or the Lead Focus Liaison for the committee you are interested in.
• Use the honor-based tracking form to monitor your familyʼs involvement with FMCA. At the end of the year, turn it in with feedback. This helps in providing support for educators, essential leadership for programs, and ideas for improvements in the education system.
• Please attend FIP Coordination Meetings whenever you can. EVERYONE is encouraged to attend!  For FIP to run effectively, monthly attendance will be mandatory for people who volunteer for these specific roles, as these people are responsible for the dissemination of critical information to their groups:
• Main Classroom Liaisons (or acting representative)
• Main Committee Liaisons (or acting representative)
• Administration Representative
• Teacher Representative