Montessori Information Night
The Birch Lane Montessori Program is available to children grades Kindergarten through 6th grade. All students eligible to attend Davis schools may apply. Generally, students in the Birch Lane Elementary Montessori program enter at Kindergarten or the first semester of first grade. Parents of students in 2nd grade or higher who are interested in the Montessori program should contact the Birch Lane Elementary School.
The Birch Lane Montessori program is a choice program within the Davis, CA public schools, known as the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD). As such, all enrollment is handled by the DJUSD, with one additional choice program form that must be completed and submitted with the other required registration information. The form is also available in Spanish at the first link above.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2024
More information can be found on the DJUSD TK/Kindergarten Information Night and Registration Information page.
Each year, the Davis Joint Unified School District schedules Information nights for each school and program in Davis. The information session typically includes a brief explanation of the Montessori method and the Birch Lane program, a tour of a Kindergarten/1st grade mixed grade classroom, and some parent testimonials. This will be followed by a question and answer session with Birch Lane Montessori teachers and the school principal.
The 2024 information session for the Birch Lane Montessori program was held on Monday, February 5 at 5pm.
Kindergarten Registration is a district-wide event and occurs during an enrollment window in the winter of each year. For the Montessori program, you must register at the Birch Lane campus at 1600 Birch Lane in Davis or at the district office.
Kindergarten registration is a multi-step process:
- Online Pre-enrollment
- Gather required registration documentation described on the DJUSD Kindergarten Registration website
- Registration
Pre-enrollment
First, parents/guardians of children eligible for Fall of the following year must complete the Pre-Enrollment steps. Save a copy of the completed pre-enrollment document. More information on Kindergarten registration and pre-enrollment can be found on the Davis Joint Unified School District page.
Required Registration Documentation
To register your child for kindergarten in the Birch Lane Montessori Program, you need to gather the following required documents and proof of residency:
- Submitted and signed Pre-enrollment confirmation sheet described above
- Montessori Pre-Registration Form
- Health Questionnaire
- Home Language Survey (only required for students who have never attended a California public school)
- Primary Language Form (only required for students who speak a second language other than Spanish)
- Verification of Residence
- Health Examination for School Entry (kindergarten and first grade)
- Health Waiver (kindergarten and first grade; check the appropriate box if exam has not been completed)
- Oral Health Cover Letter and Form (required for incoming transitional kindergartners, kindergartners, and first graders)
- Proof of residency (current lease agreement, mortgage statement, or escrow papers in parent/guardian name)
- Legal verification of child's date of birth
- Immunization records
- Parent/Guardian identification with photo
- IEP or 504 Plan (for children who require accommodations or special education, if applicable)
Registration
In-person Kindergarten registration date for the Montessori program is announced by the district in January of each year. If you are not able to attend the in-person registration, you also may deliver your materials to the DJUSD main office before the enrollment period closes. All applications received at the school and the DJUSD main office within the enrollment window will be considered simultaneously (earlier submission or submission at the school site are NOT prioritized). Applications will continue to be accepted throughout the enrollment window. Those who submit applications AFTER the enrollment window and will be enrolled or added to the wait-list on a first-come first-served basis.
Waitlist
In some years, more children register than there are spaces available in the program. If the program is over-enrolled a lottery will be held on the day after the enrollment window closes.
Only register at one school - there is no need to register at your neighborhood school as a backup. If a student is wait-listed for the Montessori Program the enrollment packet will automatically be sent to the student's neighborhood school.
Grade 1-6 Montessori Registration
Students older than kindergarten are welcome, and may enter the Montessori program with permission from the Birch Lane School administration. For more information or to schedule a school tour, please contact Principal Lisa Geigle lgeigle@djusd.net or by phone 530-757-5395.
Students who are currently enrolled in the Birch Lane Montessori Program may indicate their intent to continue with the program on the DJUSD "Intent to ReEnroll" form distributed in February or March annually.
If you would like a Montessori parent's perspective, please feel free to e-mail our Board Members at board@birchlanemontessori.org