Parent / Staff Information
CKMS follows M-CSD RE-1 policies unless otherwise stated in our handbook.
CLICK HERE FOR DISTRICT POLICY MANUAL
M-CSD RE-1 Policies are maintained by the Colorado Association of School Boards.
They are also available on their site at www.casb.org.
KIVA Philosophy Guiding Principles:
Children’s Kiva Montessori School mentors, encourages, and guides children to become responsible, thoughtful, caring citizens through curriculum and practices that emphasize:
- Authentic Montessori methods.
- Rigorous, integrated academics – project-based and Colorado Standards-based curriculum that integrates Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Mathematics and the Arts (STREAM).
- Community-based approaches including field experiences in our rich local and global environments and close partnerships with families, community organizations, institutions, businesses, and higher education.
- A whole child, whole school, whole community approach that embraces and enriches the talents and resources of our students, families, faculty, and community.
- A strong commitment to the remarkable cultural and ecological diversity of the Four Corners through inclusive practices in teaching, learning, hiring, and enrollment.
Students will achieve success, responsibility, self-reliance and empowerment in the following key areas:
- Language Arts and Mathematics
- Science, Technology, and Engineering
- Cultural Studies, Humanities, and Spanish
- The Arts and Movement
- Character Development including personal, social, and emotional skills
WHY MONTESSORI?
Longitudinal studies of Montessori education have found that Montessori students:
- have better academic and social skills than peers in non-Montessori classrooms
- are life-long learners, self-disciplined, and self-controlled
- have a greater understanding of truth and fairness
- are creative, especially in writing
- are more independent
- have stronger conceptual understandings in mathematics, grammar, and the sciences
- have deeper understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of humanities, and the sciences
(Lillard; Science, 2006)
For more, see:
Montessori Education Provides Better Outcomes
See also:
Montessori Madness
Maria Montessori: Is the Montessori method any good?
KIVA Academic Plan for Montessori methods:
Montessori approaches to teaching and learning are employed at thousands of schools around the world. Montessori practices emphasize responsibility, engagement, independence, and holistic education through:
- Carefully constructed classrooms (“prepared environments”) where children are challenged to use materials specially designed to build critical thinking, foster independence, apply abstract concepts, master academic skills, and instill a sense of responsibility and purpose in academic endeavors.
- Multi-age classrooms where learning is differentiated, tailored to each student through one-on-one lessons, ability grouping, peer-mentoring, and collaborative learning.
- Extended blocks of learning time where content depth and critical thinking skills are emphasized in place of broad content coverage and fact-based learning.
- Student-centered instruction where individualized learning plans drive student work choices. Teachers act as guides who support students in setting goals, structuring work periods, and choosing works and assignments within a specific range of choices.
Rigorous integrated academics: Educational efforts across the country are shifting to emphasize integrated, applied learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) to meet the required national and state academic standards and the needs of a rapidly changing economic, cultural, and social landscape. These methods include:
- Inquiry learning – students investigate real-world problems and issues that allow them to apply and direct their natural curiosity.
- Project-based learning – curriculum is structured around projects that integrate all subject areas with an emphasis on applied Mathematics, Science, Technology, Engineering and the Arts.
- Community connections – students work closely with community partners through mentorships, consultations, collaborations, and information sharing, further authenticating their efforts.
Community-Based Methods: Curriculum utilizes the vast ecological, cultural, and social resources in the Four Corners through field experiences and partnerships with local institutions, higher education, and community organizations. Learning is contextualized both locally and globally, allowing concrete studies of local communities to be transferred to more abstract, global contexts. Service-learning, community participation, and outreach are important components of the curriculum.
Bringing it all together: Each of these educational approaches overlap in both theory and practice. Montessori classrooms use Project-based learning and Community-centered approaches as standard practice. By building capacity through curriculum and professional development in STEAM, we will emphasize the applied sciences and arts in all grades, K-8.
For more information watch this video: What is a Charter School?
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT:
As an equal opportunity employer, The Children’s Kiva Montessori Charter School, authorized by the Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1, does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, nor disability. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
La escuela Children’s Kiva Montessori Charter School, autorizado por El Distrito Escolar RE-1 de Montezuma-Cortez, no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad o edad. Se ha designado a las siguientes personas para que se ocupen de las consultas relativas a las políticas de no discriminación:
Title IX Coordinator
Assistant Superintendent
400 N. Elm St.
Cortez, CO 81321
(970) 565-7522 ext. 1133
Compliance Officer
400 N. Elm St.
Cortez, CO 81321
(970) 565-7522 ext. 1135
Head of School
601 N. Mildred
Cortez, CO 81321
970-564-9377
[email protected]
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies for nutritional services, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a nutrition service program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
Mail
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
or
Fax
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442;
or
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
School Safety:
Our School abides by the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). The SRP is based on five actions: Hold, Secure; Lockdown; Evacuate; and Shelter.
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, THE ACTION AND APPROPRIATE DIRECTION WILL BE CALLED ON THE SCHOOL RADIOS AND INTERCOM:
- Hold – “In Your Room or Area”
- Secure – “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors”
- Lockdown – “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight”
- Evacuate – “To the Announced Location”
- Shelter – “Using Announced Type and Method”
An overview of the Standard Response Protocol can be found by clicking the link below:
READ THE STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL
WHAT TO DO DURING AN EMERGENCY: Do not call the school, as we may need to keep the phone lines clear. Tune in to local radio stations for updates and instructions. Check our School website or social media feed for any information or directions that have been posted: www.kivacharter.org. Please wait for the reverse auto dialer call from the school or district to inform you as to where and what time your student can be picked up. When the all clear is given for parents to pick up their child(ren), be prepared to show identification.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: It is important that you inform the school office of any changes in your family’s work or home telephone numbers or emergency contact numbers. Our schools require visitors to check in at the office as soon as they enter the building. This allows us to keep an accurate record of who is in the building at all times. Whenever you will be visiting one of our schools, please sign in and get a visitor pass. Communication is important in the identification and prevention of potential issues. We encourage you to call and report any information that is related to the safety and welfare of students and staff in our schools.
You can make a report directly to the Kiva Administration at 970-564-9377 or by calling Safe2Tell at 1-877-542-7233
Our schools conduct safety drills so that students know how to respond in an emergency situation. Our plan includes a safe and systematic method of returning your student to you. In the event of a local emergency, students may be bused to a central location for reunification with parents This information will be provided to families as soon as possible through Reverse 911 calls and information on the district website and school web pages. Please do not go to your child’s school, as you may not have access to campus.
The district works with area public-safety agencies to protect our schools and prevent emergencies before they arise. The district has an overall safety plan, and each school has a plan. Those plans are based on two highly effective programs:
The Standard Response Protocol from the “I Love U Guys” Foundation,
Safe2Tell.
School Nutrition:
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
or
Fax
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442;
or
Email
[email protected]
USDA “And Justice For All Poster”
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Positive Behavior and Discpline