Admissions FAQs

Our school day runs from 8:15 to 3:15, and before- and after-school care are available for an additional fee. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM, unless otherwise specified.

Our Nido and Toddler programs are on a 12-month contract, while Primary, Elementary, and Middle School are on a typical 9.5-month contract with the option of summer camps at MAC.

We align with the Denver Public Schools (DPS) calendar as closely as possible for holidays, professional development days, seasonal breaks, and snow days. You may access our school calendar here.

Professional Development days serve a number of critical purposes for our school. Primarily, they are an opportunity to ensure that we are implementing professional training opportunities for our teachers. This is critical to our ability to meet State regulations that every staff member receive a minimum of fifteen hours of continuing education each year.

In-service days also provide each classroom with time to organize the room and change out materials. They also have the chance to build community among the classroom team and discuss issues in the classroom without the children being present.

Please connect with us our Admissions and Enrollment Office through this link or call us at 303-623-2609 ext. 2.

You may find more information on how to apply here.

There is no application fee for Kindergarten through 8th grade. There is a nonrefundable $100 application fee for Nido through Primary.

Prospective families of children 0-3 pay an application fee of $100 and enrollment is not guaranteed as interest exceeds the number of open spots in the program. MAC uses a waitpool model and rolling admissions for the Nido and Toddler program. Waitpool applicants who are eligible, and not offered enrollment in the Nido or Toddler programs after six months of paying the application fee, may contact admissions@tmaoc.com to submit a written request to the school to receive a refund. Families receiving a refund will also be removed from the waitpool. MAC may retain a reasonable administrative fee of $25 which has been determined by the CO Department of Early Childhood. Prospective families who are offered enrollment and decline the spot are not eligible to receive a refund.

The Nido and Toddler programs follow rolling admissions throughout a calendar year and employ a waitpool instead of a waitlist to support an optimal classroom balance. A spot could become available during the year and generally families are contacted 1-3 months in advance. We are happy to discuss our waitpool and anticipated openings in more detail during your tour.

Click here for tuition rates.

MAC does not offer any part-time programs; school is in session five days per week from 8:15-3:15 (before or after school is also available).

In our Nido community, there are 10 students in each of the 3 classrooms.

In our Toddler Community, there are 10 students in each of the 6 classrooms.

In our Primary Community, the class size ranges from 20 to 25 students, based on individual classrooms. A 1:10 ratio is always maintained.

Our Elementary and Middle School features a low student-to-teacher ratio for individualized education, and class sizes change from year to year.

Each community maintains a different ratio.

Nido Community
1 teacher to every 3 students

Toddler Community
1 teacher to every 5 students

Primary Community
1 teacher to every 10 students

All of our lead teachers in the Montessori environments are required to have a Montessori teaching certificate specified to their age group or be currently mentored by a Montessori Teaching Professional and enrolled in a Montessori training institution. The Montessori teaching certificates are obtained only through fully accredited American Montessori Society or Association Montessori Internationale, Montessori Teaching institutes. This is a process that takes several years and requires the student to produce a significant body of work. Many of our lead teachers also hold Associate, Bachelor or Masters degrees in other areas.

Nido is the Italian word for nest. We use the term to refer to our Infant Community.

Students will begin toilet learning in the Toddler Community. The teacher and family will partner together to determine when the student is showing readiness to toilet train. 

MAC is an ALLERGY AWARE SCHOOL. We ask families and staff to refrain from bringing any nuts (PEANUTS AND/OR TREE NUTS) into the building. This policy is critically important as it is designed to protect the lives of students with severe nut allergies.

Any other student allergies are addressed by individual classrooms.

MAC does not promote or observe any specific religious tradition. In alignment with Montessori philosophy, we avoid holiday celebrations that may exclude some children or disrupt the consistency of the school day. This is especially important in the early years, when children in the stage of the Unconscious Absorbent Mind are still developing the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality. Our approach supports an environment that is inclusive, grounded, and developmentally appropriate.

There is no dress code, however students are encouraged to wear clothes that do not interfere with learning.

MAC does not use television, videos, or computers as part of the curriculum for infants and toddlers. In Primary, teachers may occasionally use an age-appropriate video to support a science or cultural study.

In 1st through 8th grade, technology is used intentionally to enhance learning. Students may engage with keyboarding, software applications, internet research, and other digital tools as part of their educational experience. Students in 6th through 8th grade are provided with an iPad for academic use.

Use of MAC technology is a privilege, and all students are expected to follow the school’s technology policies shared at the start of each school year.

Families receive key fobs for entry during drop-off and pick-up times only. The building remains locked at all other times, and anyone entering who is not a staff member must ring the buzzer.