Enrollment

New Student Enrollment

Free Horizon Montessori is open to all children from age 3 to 14 years of age. FHM is a free Option School of Innovation for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, with a tuition-based preschool program for 3 and 4 year old. FHM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies.


Enrollment Considerations

Age and Birth Date Requirements

As a Jeffco Public Option School of Innovation, we follow the same date and age requirements as Jeffco Public Schools and other public districts in Colorado.  Children need to be three years old by October 1st of their preschool year, four years old by October 1st of their pre-kindergarten year, five years old by October 1st of their kindergarten year, and six years old by October 1st of their first grade year.  Students who transfer from another state and completed the previous grade level but miss the age cutoff can enter the next grade so long as the previous school is accredited. All other students are assigned a grade level based their date of birth per Jeffco Board Policy.


Preschool Readiness

Like all preschools, our program requires a degree of independence from students in order for them to have a positive experience. Even though each of our Primary classrooms is well staffed with a lead teacher and two assistants, students need to be able to manage many self-care tasks on their own. In general, children enrolled in our Primary program should be able to feed and dress themselves as well as be independent in the toileting process. By this we mean that students can manage their bathrooming needs independently, and that they have been accident-free for at least one month prior to enrollment at FHM. Our Primary program is licensed by the Colorado Department of Human Services as a preschool. As such, we are not permitted to have diapers or pull-ups at school – including at naptime.

In general, children starting preschool should be able to work and play independently for short periods, to focus on one task or project for several minutes, to follow simple instructions, and to sit still for a few minutes for lessons and circle time.  In addition, students need to be three years old by October 1st in order to enroll in preschool at FHM.

Click here for our comprehensive preschool readiness document


Transfer Enrollment

The atmosphere of a Montessori classroom is one that requires students to make responsible choices regarding time management, decision-making and the prioritization of educational responsibilities. It is important to remember that students who are new to this “responsible independence” very often need time to learn its ways. Therefore, it is necessary, that children transferring into FHM’s elementary grades show a sense of responsibility toward their involvement with school. Each child in the elementary program is expected to complete schoolwork in a timely fashion, to resolve interpersonal difficulties through communication and cooperation, and to function within the parameters of the environment as set forth by the classroom teacher. A spirit of cooperation is required for these criteria to develop. All children considered for transfer enrollment will be evaluated on their potential for successful integration according to the above stated criteria.

Students seeking transfer enrollment from another school after October 1st of the current school year must complete the Jeffco Administrative Transfer process.  Such enrollment is offered only on a space-available basis and must be approved by the student's current principal, FHM's principal, and the Jeffco Public Schools Community Superintendent.  The Administrative Transfer process is initiated at the school where the student is currently enrolled.



Choice Enrollment Information

Enrollment in an innovation school of choice is choice enrollment under Jeffco School Board Policy JFBA and Regulation JFBA-R. Under choice enrollment policy, a student who is accepted into the school is accepted for the span of grades of that school, and is not required to reapply each year for admittance. The school in which the open enrolled student is admitted becomes the "home" school of the student for the span of grades of that school.

Should a parent and student wish to return to their neighborhood public school, they would have to apply to the neighborhood school for admittance. If the neighborhood school has "space available" in the requested program, and the student meets the applicable program entrance requirements, (age, etc.), the child would be admitted. If the student is not admitted, the student would continue to be enrolled at their current school.

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