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Please follow the links below for details:
View the Digital Open House
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Parents are advised to complete an online application for their student during the application period, generally the month of January, and the lottery itself takes place during the first week of February. Once the lottery is complete, emails are sent out to everyone with an update on their student’s status – either an offer for enrollment or a waitlist position. If offered an opening for enrollment, parents are asked to accept or decline the offer, submit their child’s supporting documents, and attend an Introductory Parent Meeting in April/May.
Once offered an opening for enrollment, you will be asked to submit your child’s supporting documents, outlined in the Enrollment Checklist.
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CM is a publicly funded charter school and there is no cost to attend.
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Transitional Kindergarten is the first year of a two-year Kindergarten program. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, students who turn 5 years old between September 2nd and September 1st of the applicable school year are entered into TK.
Note: Starting in fall 2025, TK students will attend the Learning Center for 3 hours per day (M-TH) during their first 8 weeks
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Students that turn 5 years old on or before September 1st of the applicable school year are entered into Kindergarten.
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Yes, CM has a special education department.
If you have specific questions, please reach out to the Director of Student Services, Niki Sestina at nsestina@myelement.org or 619-279-6529.
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Community Montessori is a TK-8 school and the Santee and Poway locations only serve students in TK-6th grade. Once students age out of Community Montessori, they may choose to enroll in Dimensions Collaborative (part of Element Education), or any local, public, private, or charter school in their area.
For more information on Dimensions Collaborative, please visit the website at www.dimensions.org
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No, CM is authorized through the San Diego County Office of Education and only accepts applications from San Diego County residents.
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If you have any questions regarding the enrollment process or lottery, please visit the enrollment information down below for a timeline regarding the lottery and additional documents.
If you have any questions about the program overall or specific learning centers, please contact the learning center nearest you.
Join us for an on-site tour
and learn more about
Community Montessori.
Tours will not be held during a school holiday/summer break.
“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”
~Maria Montessori
Enrollment for Community Montessori is based on an annual lottery that takes place in February. Enrollment documents will be collected upon offer of enrollment.
If you have questions, please contact the Learning Center nearest you. Informational meetings will be held on the first Friday of each month, beginning in September - please view the "Informational Meetings" page for details.
Now Offering
Transitional
Kindergarten (TK)
Children that turn 4 by September 1, 2026, will be eligible for Transitional Kindergarten for the 26-27 school year.
Transitional Kindergarten students start on the first day of school.
Open Application for the 26-27 school year begins January 5th.
Hello prospective families! The application period for the 2026-2027 school year will open in January 2026.
Applications for the lottery will be accepted from January 5th - January 31st, 5pm.
2026-27 Lottery Information and Important Dates
Thank you for your interest in applying for the 2026-2027 lottery. It is strongly suggested that you attend an informational tour at your preferred Learning Center location prior to February 9, 2025. Please request a tour on our website or by calling your preferred learning center.
Oak Hill 1st-8th (North Escondido): 1-760-359-8494
Mary Lane TK-3rd (South Escondido): 1-760-740-9307
Carlsbad TK-8th: 1-760-359-8517
Santee TK-6th: 1-619-562-0252
Poway TK-6th: 1-858-401-7204
Below is a general timeline and important dates regarding the lottery process. Please mark your calendars and note that the majority of our communications will be via email. With that in mind, please be sure that the email used to create the online application or is a valid email that is checked regularly and please add the following email addresses to your contacts to ensure that future emails do not get automatically filed in your “junk” or “spam’ folders:
January 5th – January 31st: Open Application Period
Parents can complete a Community Montessori application online through the enroll page. Online applications must be completed by 5PM on January 31st to be included in the lottery.
February 9th: Lottery
The lottery will be held on February 9th.
February 9th: Status Email & Invitation to Complete REG-Online
Parents will receive an email at the primary email listed on the student’s application indicating the status of their student(s). Students that are offered a spot for enrollment will also receive an email with a link to begin completing REG-Online, the full online registration process. Families must begin completing REG-Online within 72 hours or the link will expire. Families are advise to check their junk/spam folder for emails regarding the lottery.
February 23rd: Complete REG-Online and Submit Enrollment Documents
Families should complete REG-Online and submit the required supporting documents to complete enrollment by February 23rd.
March 20th: Introductory Meeting with an Educational Facilitator
Parents and students will meet with an Educational Facilitator at their assigned learning center. Please note that the Educational Facilitator that each family meets with will not necessarily be the student’s assigned teacher. Students are encouraged to attend this meeting and the meeting will likely last ~30 minutes. Parents should bring the completed Student Learning Readiness survey to this introductory meeting.
July 17th: Deadline for Updated Immunization Records and Dental Forms
Any students missing updated immunization records at the time of document submission are asked to submit updated immunization records by July 17th. Students without up to date immunization records will not be permitted to attend Learning Center classes. For information regarding immunization requirements, please visit CDPH Resources for Parents.
Additionally, any TK, Kinder or 1st grade students that have not previously attended a California school will be asked to submit the dental check form by July 17th.
Community Montessori Administrative Offices
1441 Montiel Rd. Ste. 143
Escondido, CA 92026
(877) 300-8299