The Del Ray Montessori School is a non-profit Montessori School located in the quaint Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, we are associated and recognized by AMI/USA (Association Montessori International). Founded in 2011, we serve children ages 18 months through age 12 and their families in the DC metropolitan area.
Why schedule an Inquiry phone call?
We believe it is important for parents and caregivers to understand who we are as a school and how the Montessori approach can benefit your child, as well as your entire family. During our the call, we will share more information about child development, Montessori education, and our school in general, including our daily routine, parent participation and school communication.
Please complete the following inquiry form and we will be in touch. We look forward to connecting with you!
What if we want to visit the school? Do you offer tours?
Yes! We invite you to register for a tour of our school, which we are hosting twice a month, on Thursday after school, and on Friday morning. Your visit and experience in our space will highlight the love our teachers have for our students, as well as the beauty of a Montessori classroom and its materials.
How does your waitlist work?
DRMS does not have a typical waitlist, as our classrooms are mixed-ages and applications are considered based on the individual child and the needs of the classroom, rather than on a first come, first serve basis. If we are unable to accept your child into any of our programs, your child’s application will be added to our waitlist of applicants.
We are still accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year in our Primary and Elementary classrooms. Our YCC program is full for this school year; however, we still encourage you to submit an application in preparation for the 2024-2025 school year.
How are final decisions made?
Children of DRMS staff and siblings of currently enrolled students receive priority in the admissions process, when submitting an application on time by February 1. Overall admissions decisions for all applicants are made based on balancing the classrooms by age and on the individual needs of the child, as well as the overall needs of the classroom.
Do I have to complete the steps in order?
All of the steps in our admissions process are available to access and schedule according to your schedule and interest. We encourage you to complete all the steps, though, including the inquiry and the school tour, in order to receive as much information as possible about our school and Montessori programs. Once your application is submitted, you will be required to complete both the Parent Meeting and the Child Visit.
What are the hours of operation?
All of our programs are five-days a week, and below are our hours of operation. We follow a traditional academic calendar, starting in late August and ending in early June.
Young Children’s Community: 18 months - 3 years
Half Day: 8:05 am - 12:00 pm
Full Day: 8:05 am - 3:15pm
Primary Program: 3 - 6 years
Full Day: 8:05 am - 3:15pm
Elementary Program: 6 -12 years
Full Day: 8:05 am - 3:15pm
Does DRMS provide morning or after care?
No. Unfortunately, DRMS does not have the space in our facility to provide care for children outside of regular school hours. We look forward to the day we have our own facility – and can add care before and after school for our families. We do offer a list of alternative after school care options that are available in our community outside of our school.
Does DRMS provide discounts for military families?
No. But, DRMS does participate in Child Care Aware, which offers tuition assistance to active duty military members.
What age or grade level children attend DRMS?
We serve children ages 18 months through 12 years; Pre-k through 6th grade.
How many students attend DRMS?
DRMS has a current enrollment of approximately 70 students.
What schools do your students attend after DRMS?
Our students graduate from our Elementary Program and move on to a variety of schools in the area, both public and private.
Is DRMS accredited?
DRMS is recognized by AMI/USA, a world renowned organization that offers the highest level of Montessori recognition to schools.
In addition, DRMS is licensed by the State of Virginia’s Department of Education.
When are applications due?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. However, priority is given to applications that are received by February 1.
Is tuition assistance available?
Currently, DRMS does not provide tuition assistance. We hope we will be able to provide this to families in the near future.
Does DRMS provide snack of lunch for children?
No. All children must bring their own healthy lunch and snack to school, consisting of protein, grains, fruits and vegetables. Processed and sugary foods are discouraged. We are also a nut-free school.
How are parents involved in the school?
Parents are involved in a multitude of ways at DRMS. First, we offer a variety of educational workshops that parents and caregivers can attend, ranging from Positive Discipline, child development, implementing Montessori principles at home, and understanding what your children are doing in the classroom. We also encourage parents to participate in the classroom through regular classroom observations and sharing skills and cultural celebrations or traditions with the children, or by serving as room parents. Lastly, DRMS is a non-profit school and regularly needs assistance with various parts of our development and our growth. We always have committees available to join – such as gardening, events, diversity and equity, welcoming committee, and the development committee.
Our parent community is very involved and they are the backbone of our school. Together, we form strong relationships and have a shared goal and investment in connecting together in honor of, and service to, the children.
Do young children nap at DRMS?
Children in our Primary and YCC programs who are age three and under and attend the full day program are given a quiet space to rest each day. DRMS provides nap mats that children use while napping, and they are sent home each week to be laundered.
What movement and outside play activities are offered to the children?
All of our students go outside for an hour each and every day, rain or shine, in hot or cold weather - and every weather in between! In addition to the large playground we have for our children in our YCC and Primary program, we also have a full garden with a raised beds, that allows for sensory exploration, along with gross motor activities. Children in the Elementary Program play onsite, and they also walk to Simpson Park daily for outside play and participate in a sports class onThursdays. The children also spend time outside during class time to help with our children’s garden during the spring and fall seasons.
In addition to outside play, we offer a variety of movement based opportunities to the children who elect this kind of activity during the work cycle in the mornings or afternoons, and who may choose to let out some extra energy. These activities include materials that foster balance, strengthening, coordination, and gross motor movement using equipment such as scooter boards, exercise balls, and balance disks. Providing our students with opportunities for a variety of movement based activities within their classroom environments allows our students to take movement breaks when needed, rather than only during outside play times.
Who is our staff photographer?
Casey Gammon. You can find more information about her work at caseygammon.com
