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Below you will find the most Frequently Asked Question about New Gate School. If after browsing our FAQ's you still have some questions please feel free to contact us.
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Q: What is a Montessori Education?
A: Montessori classrooms are bright, warm, and inviting. They are filled with plants, animals, art, music, books, and interest centers filled with intriguing learning materials, fascinating mathematical models, maps, charts, fossils, historical artifacts, computers, scientific apparatus, and natural science artifacts.
You will not find rows of desks in the classrooms at New Gate. Montessori learning environments are set up to facilitate student discussion and stimulate collaborative learning. One glance and it is clear that the students feel comfortable and at home. Students will typically be found scattered around the classroom, working alone or with one or two others. They will tend to become so involved in their work that we cannot help but be tremendously impressed by the peaceful atmosphere. It may take a moment to spot the teachers within the classrooms. They will be found working with one or two children at a time, advising, presenting a new lesson, or quietly observing the class at work.
In a very real sense, even the very youngest students at New Gate take care of their own child-sized environment. When they are hungry, they prepare their own snack and drink. They go to the bathroom without assistance. When something spills, they help each other carefully clean things up. Parents are often amazed to see small children in Montessori classrooms cut raw fruits and vegetables, sweep and dust, carry pitchers of water, and pour liquids with barely a drop spilled. These little ones normally go about their work so calmly and purposely that it is clear to even the casual observer that this is their environment: The Children’s House.
The Montessori classroom is commonly referred to as a prepared environment. This name reflects the care and attention that is given to creating a learning environment that will reinforce the children’s independence and intellectual development. New Gate continues to build upon that inspiring tradition. Learn more about the Montessori Philosophy:
Respect, Intelligence, Independence
Montessori Teaches Children to Think, Collaborate, and Discover
The Integrated Montessori Curriculum
Typical Class Size
Classes Encompasses a Three-Year Age Span
Montessori Materials – A Road From the Concrete to the Abstract
Preparing Tomorrow’s Innovative Thinkers Today
Respect, Intelligence, and Independence
We know that young children are full and complete individuals in their own right. They deserve to be treated with the full and sincere respect that we would extend to their parents. Respect breeds respect, and creates an atmosphere within which learning is tremendously facilitated.
Montessori schools believe very strongly that intelligence is not fixed at birth, nor is the human potential anywhere near as limited as it sometimes seems in traditional education.
Success in school is directly tied to the degree to which children believe that they are capable and independent human beings. If they knew the words, even very young children would ask: “Help me learn to do it for myself!”
By allowing children to develop a meaningful degree of independence and self-discipline, Montessori sets a pattern for a lifetime of good work habits and a sense of responsibility. Students are taught to take pride in doing things for themselves carefully and well. back to top
Montessori Teaches Children to Think, Collaborate, and Discover
The program is designed to help each student discover and develop his or her unique talents and possibilities. Each student is treated as a unique individual learner. No two students will learn at the same pace, nor will they necessarily learn best from the same teaching methods, and the goal is to be flexible and creative in addressing each student as a unique individual.
At New Gate, students and teachers learn to collaborate in the process of education rather than mindlessly compete. T
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Q: What is New Gate School's class size?
A: Toddler classes typically have up to 12 students in a classroom with a lead teacher and one assistant teacher.
Primary classes may have up to 26 students in a classroom with a lead teacher and one assistant teacher.
Elementary has ideally 12 students of each grade level in the class. However, this fluctuates each year. Generally, the ideal number of students in the 1st through 3rd grade is 28 students to two qualified teachers. 4th through 6th grades ideally has 24 students per class with at least one qualified Montessori teacher and then another qualified teacher.
Class sizes at the Secondary level are small with a high degree of student faculty interaction. Classes range from 5-15 students.
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Q: What is the student teacher ratio?
A: Toddler
6:1
Primary
13:1
Elementary
13:1
Seconday
15:1
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Q: Do students get college counseling?
A: Yes, our students begin a comprehensive college counseling experience in the 10th grade and continue this experience through the 12th grade. Each year our students take a weekly college planning course with our college guidance counselor. In this class students gain familiarity and experience with all aspects of the college planning process, from generating initial ideas of schools to filling out applications.
Parents and students of Secondary age are often interested to know about college preparation and admissions. First, our Course of Studies in the First cycle and the Second Cycle prepare students for college level courses; they require extensive reading, writing and discussion in addition to the soft skills of self-direction, time management, and organizational skills needed to succeed in a college environment. The math skills needed to do well on the college admissions test, the SAT, are likewise embedded within our math courses.
In terms of explicit college preparation all of our Second Cycle students take a college-planning course on a weekly basis. This course is lead by our college guidance counselor and helps students take the necessary research and action steps necessary to gain entrance to college. It also gives our students some time each week at school to work on this process, which is time consuming.
In terms of college admissions testing we have our students start taking the PSAT in their 9th grade year, though it is actually an 11th grade test. This gives our students two years to practice with the content and format of the test before it is official. The content and format of this test is also consistent with the SAT. Our students begin registering for and taking the SAT in the fall of their junior year typically.
We have graduated four classes of seniors so far, and all of our students are getting into the colleges they apply to and doing well in their courses. Most of our students are also qualifying for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships and other scholarships.
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Q: What colleges have New Gate School students been accepted to?
A: Adelphi College
Barry University
Brown University
Eckerd College
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida State University
Franklin College – Switzerland
Hampshire College
Hartwick College
Montana State University
New College
Nova Southeastern University
Oberlin College
Rollins College
Salem College
Savannah College of Art and Design
St. Lawrence University
University of Central Florida
University of Florida – Honors Program
University of Miami
University of New Hampshire
University of South Florida
University of West Florida
Utah Valley State University
Wake Forest University
Warren Wilson College
Wesleyan University
Western New England College
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Q: Is there a place for gifted students in the Montessori classroom?
A: New Gate School programs are designed so that each student can reach his/her highest potential. We often have students who work above their grade level in a subject or many subjects.
Students who come to New Gate School in our Secondary program must be enthusiastic about learning to succeed in the program. We believe we best serve students who are motivated to learn, who are willing to design some of their own learning experiences, and who are capable of accepting the responsibilities connected with their education, including developing and using effective organizational and time management skills. Students in our learning environment need to have the maturity and skills to handle an environment where there is a great deal of freedom and corresponding responsibilities. Parents of students must commit to supporting their child’s full participation in the academic work, the experiential learning activities, and the social community of the program.
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Q: Do you have a lunch program?
A: From the Primary level through 12th grade students have the option of purchasing pizza and Quiznos once per week, one on Monday and one on Friday. Students are to bring lunches on the remaining days.
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Q: Does New Gate School have a uniform policy?
A: Yes. Students from the Primary level through 12th grade are required to wear a school uniform.
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Q: Do you have a sports program?
A: New Gate School offers after school activities that include running, soccer and golf.
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Q: Do you have after school care?
A: Yes.
Toddler and Primary students have an optional extended day program. Students may arrive at school after 7:30am and be picked up by 5:30pm.
Extended care is available for students on the Clark Road campus before school and after school from 3:30pm to 5:45pm.
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Q: Do you offer transportation?
A: Yes. New Gate School currently has one bus that stops in four locations and runs in the morning and afternoon.
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Q: Do you have a community service program?
A: Yes.
Our Elementary students do community service for the school, but not off campus.
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Q: Do you take field trips?
A: The Secondary Program Course of Studies also includes a variety of experiential learning components that serve the developmental needs of adolescents. We begin the year with a weeklong orientation that takes place off campus at a ropes course for three days where returning and new students begin to reacquaint themselves and form the trust bonds with faculty and peers that make our learning community function well throughout the year. The final two days of orientation are back on our campus and focus on the academic components of our program. The orientation provides a very smooth transition into a new year for students and teachers alike, and by the time orientation is over, the students are more than ready to begin their math courses!
The experiential nature of our program continues through the year as students participate in day trips in association with their academic courses, weeklong internships in the spring semester, a drama immersion week, and weeklong research trips at the state, national and international levels. All of these experiences are beneficial to the whole development of the student and are required experiences for graduation.
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Q: Do you have art? Music? Physical education? Recess?
A: We are committed to the total development of human beings. Students continue to take physical education and to have recess through their senior year. We recognize the philosophy of fitness for life and foster movement throughout our day. We also believe that creative, self expression is vital to the healthy, full development of the adolescent; our course of studies requires that students participate in visual and performing arts courses through their senior year.
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