Start the Application Process

KMS values diversity and provides equal treatment and access without regard to national or ethnic origin, race, gender, or religion. All children who meet the age requirements will be evaluated fairly on the basis of the standards set forth below.

General Guidelines

KMS offers open admissions at any point during the year (contingent on availability) so that children can enroll when they become developmentally ready.

Admission preference will be given to children in the following order:

1. Children presently enrolled.
2. Siblings of enrolled children
3. Children with previous Montessori experience
4. New applicants.

When an opening occurs, children accepted will be admitted according the chronological order of application.

Requirements

Primary (pre-school and kindergarten):

• 3 years of age by September 30th, or older.
• Toilet-trained.
• Judged developmentally ready through a teacher evaluation

Elementary:

• Knowledge of Montessori Primary materials.
• Adequate reading and writing proficiency.
• Judged developmentally ready through a teacher interview.
• 6 years old by Sept. 30th (first grade)

Children with Special Needs

Children with special emotional, physical, or developmental needs will be considered for admission on an individual basis. Specific medical information about the child's condition must be supplied. Admission will depend on the ability of the child to benefit from the program, the probable effect of the child on other students, and the faculty's qualifications and willingness to accept the child on a trial basis.

Application Process

Our application process includes the following steps:

1. An initial visit by one or both parents, if possible without the child. This enables the parents to talk with our Director and tour the school.  Interested parents are encouraged to call the school at 865-525-6042 to set up a visit.
   
   
2. Submission of the Application for Admission and Prospective Student Information forms. These forms can be obtained by calling the school or during the parents' initial visit.
   
   
3. An after-school interview for the child with one or two of our teachers. This enables the teachers to introduce the child to some of the Montessori materials and see if KMS feels like a good fit. Parents can accompany the child to the interview as long as they allow the child and the teacher to interact directly as much as possible.
   
   
4. A brief, 30-45 minute visit to the class by the child, sometime between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. This gives the child a chance to meet some of our other students and enables the teachers to see how they respond to the classroom.

After the interview and the class visit, it is usually clear to the parents and to the KMS staff if KMS will be a good fit for the child. If it is, we will either admit the child or place them on our waiting list, depending on the number of available spaces.

After the child has been admitted, the parents must submit an enrollment contract and a non-refundable registration fee of $300 to hold the child's place.

KMS reserves the right to request the withdrawal of any child if it becomes apparent that it would be in the child's or the school's best interest to do so. Upon enrollment, all students undergo an eight week probationary period. If that period is not completed to the satisfaction of the school or the child's parents, the child will be withdrawn and all unexpended tuition will be refunded.

Scholarships

Partial, need-based scholarships are available through the Jan and Carl Goddard Scholarship Fund. For information about the Fund and how to apply, click here. A child must be accepted to KMS before the parents can apply for a scholarship.

Beginning Pre-School

Entrance of new students into the pre-school in the fall is staggered so that more attention can be given to each child. Parents will be notified of the entrance date for their child.