FAQs
Enrollment & Age
Our licence is for children between 3 and 5 years of age, however, in each of our classrooms, we can have 2 children between 30-36 months of age. Sometimes we do have 1 or 2 more, with exemption from Vancouver Coastal Health.
We ask parents to call asking for an appointment to get a personalized tour of the facilities. Our tour hours are only in the morning from 11am to 12pm, which is when our children are outside of the premises, in their outside daily play.
We do carry a waitlist, specially for the under 3 of age children.
You can enroll your child after you have had your tour, have filled out our Registration Form, and have paid a one-time Registration Fee.
Programs & Curriculum
Montessori education is a system created by an Italian doctor, Maria Montessori, over a hundred years ago. All the materials and activities were created by her, with young children in mind.. The specialized activities and materials were created to help children focus, learn practical life daily projects, concentration, self-discipline, etc. The materials invented those days are still used in a Montessori classroom.
Montessori is a child-centered philosophy with hands-on, self-directed learning and a focus on a child's natural interests and individual pace, while traditional preschool is a teacher-centered, curriculum-driven environment with group lessons and a fixed pace to cover standardized material.
We do have both of them. The full-time is from Monday through Friday, and the part-time consists of 3 or 2 days per week (Example: 3 days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 2 Days: Tuesday, Thursday). However, parents can pick up the days.
We have a 3-4 years old classroom and a 4-5 years old one. However, in each of the classrooms, there can be 2 children between 30 -36 months of age.
Children in our center do have a fair amount of learning and playing. A Montessori classroom is not all day play or all day studying. Without going into details, most of the children leaving Mes Petits to Kindergarten or Grade 1, become their school’s class teacher’s assistant.
Daily Routine
A regular day for a child at Mes Petits has learning, playing, socializing, outdoor playing, circle time, snacks and lunch time, French class, nap (for those who nap), crafting time, ... We do emphasize on self-centered activities chosen by themselves during the Montessori time
Some of our children nap. The nap time is usually between 1-3pm. The children who nap are usually the younger ones, 3-4 years old. The 4-5 year olds don’t usually nap. However, children are encouraged to take a “quiet time” or “rest time”, so those who sleep can go to sleep faster. Children who don’t nap, can read books, do crafts or play quietly.
The outdoor playtime is usually between 11 am and 12 pm, rain or shine. During the summer time, when it is sunny, also in the afternoon, children go outside again and parents pick them up from the park adjacent to our center, St. Andrews Park.
Exceptions for not going outside: Windy days, frosted pavement, extremely cold weather, and whenever Vancouver Coastal Health advises against it.
Parents do pack up lunch and snacks.
Safety & Licensing
Yes, we do have our licence for Group Day Care 3-5.
Our teacher-to-child ratio is 1-8.
Very seriously. We practice fire drills every month and earthquake drills twice per year.
Whoever is picking up a child from our center is either the child’s parents or a close relative, like grandparents, family members, or their nannies. Any person picking up another child from our center has written permission from the child’s parents.
Parent Communication
Our daily schedules are written in the Parent Handbook. Parents are told when enrolling their child to read the Parent Handbook so they can familiarize themselves with our program and ask their child questions related to the day’s schedule. Children also do various work in the classroom, and their work is sent home at the end of the week/month.
No, we don't have regular parent-teacher interviews or written reports like standard schools. But, we are available to meet with parents any time they need to discuss important matters about their child's progress or any other circumstance.
Tuition & Fees
Our fees change every year in September. To find out about the present year’s fees, please visit the Fees and Forms page on our website.
Yes, we do. The second or third sibling will get a 5% discount while he is enrolled at the center.
The monthly fees are transferred from the parents' account to Mes Petits’s account on the first day of the month.
Yes, there is a one-time non-refundable Registration Fee of $150; One Security Deposit of $300 at enrollment time, refundable with 30 days' business notice of withdrawal; and depending on the days per week attending, there is a Year’s Supplies Fee. All these fees are paid just once, even if the child stays with us for 2 or 3 more years.
We also charge for the field trips, usually to the nearby theatres, and additionally, there is a late pick-up fee.
Location & Logistics
We are located at 300-1046 St. Georges Avenue, corner of East 11th in North Vancouver.. We are parallel to Lonsdale Avenue and our nearest neighbourhoods are West Vancouver and Lynn Valley, although we serve families from Burnaby, Vancouver and Coquitlam.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a private parking space, but there is plenty of 2-hour limited parking around us. We do not recommend parking in the back allie as the traffic enforcement has given some tickets in the past.
We open at 7:30am and close at 5:30pm Monday through Friday. We do close on weekends and statutory holidays. Unlike other centers, we do not close for Spring Break, Summer Holiday, Pro-D Days, or Christmas Holidays. However, we do close on Easter Monday, Boxing Day, and ½ day on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve.
Yes, we do. We do accept children not only from the surrounding neighborhood, but also foreign children from newcomers to Canada or from parents with a Student’s Visa or Work Permit Visa. All the children are welcome, and all of them will receive the discount of the Fee Reduction Initiative provided by the Government of Canada.
We welcome families no matter their religion, gender, or political or social background.
Get in Touch with Mes Petits Montessori
Choosing the right Montessori daycare or preschool is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. At Mes Petits Montessori, we’re here to answer your every query related to our Classroom and make the admissions process as simple as possible.Located in the heart of Central Lonsdale, North Vancouver, at the corner of St. George's Avenue and 11th Street, our school is situated right beside St. Andrews Park, making drop-off, pick-up, and outdoor playtime safe and convenient for your children.