Deadline for K-8th graders applying for the upcoming

2026-2027 school year: March 1st.

Community Montessori School is one of the few Montessori schools that offer the full range of Montessori education, with levels from the Toddler Community through the Adolescent Program. It is our school’s mission to provide families with a comprehensive Montessori education through adolescence (9th grade). We keep this mission foremost in mind when placing new children.

We are always thrilled to speak with families about Community Montessori School. You’ll find our Admissions Office is friendly, available, and knows the answer to just about any question you can dream up. Please review our Admissions process and set up your tour today!

For our Toddler & Primary students, we offer rolling admissions, and applications are considered throughout the school year. 

Please review our Admissions process and set up your tour today!

Admissions Process

1. COME FOR A TOUR.

A Montessori environment, whether indoor or outdoor, is a unique educational experience that can be truly appreciated by seeing it action. Join us for the opportunity to visit the classrooms, explore outdoor learning spaces, and observe teachers and students working in the classrooms. To schedule a tour, please complete an inquiry HERE

or call our Admissions Office directly at (813) 886-2050. A member of the Admissions Office will follow up with you. Initial school tours are for adults only and are the first step of the Admission Process.

2. STUDENT VISIT. 

After your tour, the Admissions Office will be in touch to schedule a student visit. These visits vary in length according to the program to which your child is applying.

Toddler Program Visit– A 15-minute visit where parents are invited to accompany their children into the classroom.

Primary Program Visit– A 30-minute visit during which the child will be invited into a classroom to spend time working with one of our Primary Teachers. Parents will remain in the Office during the visit.

Elementary & Adolescent Visit - This is a two-day visit, facilitated in your child’s current grade classroom. The Day 1 classroom visit begins at 9:30 AM and ends at 11:30 AM, and the Day 2 classroom visit begins at 9:30 AM and ends at 3:00 PM. A signed and notarized Emergency Medical Release Form must be on file for your child’s visit. Download that form HERE.

3. RELEASE OF STUDENT RECORDS. 

If your child is currently attending another school, please request that their transcripts and a teacher recommendation be sent from their current school to CMS. Applicants to our Kindergarten through Adolescent Program are required to submit this information to CMS along with their application. Please submit the Confidential Teacher Recommendation Form and School Records Release to your child’s current school.

4. APPLY. 

We are currently accepting new toddlers & primary students for the 2025-2026 school year. Completed applications can be submitted in person or emailed to the Admissions Office at admissions@communitymontessori.org. Download the Application here. 

For Kindergarten, Elementary & Middle School Students:
Deadline for K-8th graders applying for the 2026-2027 school year: March 1st.

The Application process consists of the following steps:

•  Campus Tour (for parents)

• Classroom Visit (for the child)

• Application for Enrollment: This includes submitting the application, paying the $75 application fee, and providing a family photo

• Confidential Teacher Recommendation Form: This form should be sent directly to CMS from the child's current teacher

• School Records Release: All school records, including reports, evaluations, educational testing scores, and screenings, must be released to CMS

• Parents' Interview: Meeting with the Head of the School.

Applications must be received by March 1st to be considered for review. Student applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

Students without prior Montessori experience applying to the Elementary and Adolescent programs must have an inherent love of learning and a proven ability to work and learn independently. Successful applicants can work effectively with other students and self-manage a high level of responsibility and freedom in the classroom. Since a complete Montessori education is built on a series of three-year cycles from preschool through adolescence, admission to our Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary & Middle School programs without prior Montessori experience is something to which we give very careful consideration.

Procedure:
Applying to CMS takes time and some advanced planning. For parents of Kindergarten through 8th-grade students, we recommend starting the process a year in advance. Families relocating from out of town need to be prepared to make multiple in-person visits to the school to complete the Admissions Process.

We look forward to showing you our campus, sharing information, and getting to know you better during the application process.

Wait pool:
If you have completed the Admissions Process and CMS has accepted your child, but there is no immediate opening for a new student (or if a young child is not quite ready to start school), their name is added to our wait pool.

For the Elementary and Adolescent programs, open spots are typically identified by mid-March after current families have re-enrolled for the next school year. The number of spots available for new students varies each year by grade level, based on attrition.

Our classrooms are balanced by gender and age. Student selection includes many factors. Priority is given to siblings of children already enrolled at CMS, staff children, and children with Prior Montessori experience, transferring from recognized Montessori schools. Sibling candidates are evaluated according to the same criteria as all other applicants and must follow the steps in the admissions process. 

We will contact you to move forward with the admissions process if an applicable spot becomes available for your child. Otherwise, your application will remain in our wait pool. It is possible that your child may be accepted later in the spring or even over the summer if a place becomes available.

Decision Process:
The Head of School, teachers, and Admissions coordinator will confer to determine the appropriateness of enrollment based on the child’s readiness, the potential for a positive experience at our school, and the family’s commitment to the program. All decisions will be communicated to you by the Admissions Office.

Community Montessori School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. CMS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational and admissions policies.