International Montessori Council membership brochure

PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT RESOURCES MENTORSHIP ACCREDITATION NETWORKING PEACE

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he International Montessori Council (IMC) is a worldwide umbrella organization of Montessori schools, the men and women who lead them, own them, or serve on their boards, and other organizations interested in supporting the goals of the IMC.

The IMC is the first international Montessori professional and accrediting organization designed to serve the entire Montessori community. Today, our members can be found in more than 45 countries around the world. Membership is open to all individuals and organizations with an interest in promoting Montessori.

Real Support for Montessori Leaders & Schools

Our mission is to encourage Montessori educators, parents, and schools to work together regardless of affiliation, and to provide Montessori schools with meaningful resources and support.

Our focus is on issues of concern to Montessori school leaders: administration, curriculum development, recruitment and hiring, supervising teachers and staff, insurance, finance, facilities, working with boards, recruitment, building community, fund raising, public relations, and much more.

The Mission of the International Montessori Council (IMC) is to nurture, connect, and inspire the international Montessori community.

Most institutional members of the IMC are schools, but others include Montessori professional societies, teacher education suppliers, retailers and manufacturers of Montessori materials, and other groups with an interest in promoting authentic Montessori practices.

Discounts on Montessori Leadership Institute Courses Offered by the Montessori Foundation for individual members and for anyone enrolling from your school. For a full list of courses and their dates, go to www.montessori.org.

Benefit$

The cost of school and other institutional membership is $250 US per year. A system of schools (defined as three or more Montessori campuses) pays the normal school dues plus $100 for each satellite. Individual membership is $45.

To join, use the application form on the back cover, or go to www.montessori.org, where you will find the IMC brochure and an application form. For more information, email us at info@ montessori.org or call us at 800-6324121.

Montessori Leadership Magazine: Members of the IMC receive Montessori Leadership, our professional journal, aimed at Montessori educators, administrators, teacher trainers, board members, and parent leaders. School members receive two copies each of Montessori Leadership.

Free School/Institutional Consultation by Telephone or Email to the school’s administrative leadership and board, provided by leading experts through the Montessori Help Line. This one service, which would normally cost $150 an hour, more than justifies the annual $250 cost of an IMC membership.

School-to-School Peer Mentoring: The IMC helps new schools, and schools going through a period of challenge or transition, to work in collaboration with other IMC schools that have experience and insights into similar situations.

Help for New Montessori Schools: The IMC provides specific advice and assistance to new Montessori schools or to groups that are in the progress of opening new schools.

Montessori Leadership OnLine: MLOL comes out several times a year. Articles focus on current “best practices” in Montessori curriculum and instruction, classroom management, the prepared environment, organizational leadership, school development, and teacher training. Emphasis is on practical applications that work in classrooms and schools around the world.

Montessori Online: Fast Access to Montessori Specialists, Resources, and Research: Montessori Online (http://www.montessori.org) is an invaluable resource center and series of private, member-only discussion groups, providing a host of services and resources to members.

These include access to our library of articles and documents for Montessori leaders, the ability to expand your school’s information provided in the International Directory of Montessori schools, calendars of professional conferences and symposia, a job-line, and an Online Montessori Helpline.

Discounts on Montessori Publications for many of the professional books and CDs published by the Montessori Foundation or IMC. Access to “Heads-of-School” Forums at Montessori conferences, allowing heads of schools from around the world to discover that while they share similar challenges, they often find innovative solutions to together.

Discounts on Registration Fees for all IMC Conferences.

International Montessori Council School Membership Logos for brochures, ads, stationery, and other promotional materials.

Help Finding the Documents and Resources that You Need: When you want to see an example of a particular policy or document, such as a sample enrollment agreement, budget, or parent handbook, you can usually find it in the member’s-only wing of our online library.

Assistance in Resolving Conflicts between or within Montessori Schools: We will attempt (on request) to use the same conflict-resolution strategies that we teach at our annual Peace Academy to help resolve a conflict situation in your school.

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IMC School Assessment and Accreditation: The program enables Montessori schools, large and small, to evaluate program quality, instructional effectiveness, operational and financial health, facilities, and utilization, and future growth potential.

Teacher Education Program Recognition: IMC standards meet and exceed the standards established by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). Considered for recognition are distance education programs, traditional (face-to-face) programs, and programs that blend traditional and distance methods and technologies.

A Certificate of IMC School or Institutional Membership is sent upon joining the IMC, signifying membership and/or accreditation status.

The International Montessori Council Code of Professional Ethics: Schools and institutions receive a handsome copy with the IMC logo, suitable for framing, with their membership.

Samples of Brochures, Print, Radio, and TV Ads: IMC has a collection of samples that can be adapted by individual schools to promote Montessori.

Board of Director Workshops: Resources for your Board: IMC membership includes a number of valuable resources for the board of member schools, including free counsel for board members or the entire board by phone or video-conference, and access to member only resources (video and print) on effective Montessori school governance.

Free Classified Advertisements in Montessori Leadership OnLine Recognition for Montessori Societies: As the IMC serves as a common meeting ground for all Montessorians, we welcome membership of all their organizations— Montessori training societies, regional chapters, and teacher education programs.

We recognize their importance with: ■

One page space reserved in Montessori Leadership for organizational news

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Institutional logos displayed in the magazine

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Reduced fee for information tables at conferences (subject to availability)

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Opportunities to collaborate on joint conferences

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Assistance in conference organization

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Reserved space for Board meetings or other organizational activities at all IMC conferences (subject to availability)

The IMC has given our school the ability to utilize a network of resources we have found invaluable in building and growing our school.

The resources include advice in matters of enrollment, student selection, curriculum, building design, definition of goals, school image, partnerships, finances, and marketing. Being the Head of School requires knowledge in many different areas. The IMC has offered a great deal of support and guidance in many areas in which I had no prior knowledge or experience.

The IMC has brought people together in a way no other Montessori organization has been able to do. Our staff has made meaningful relationships with other IMC schools. The IMC conferences enable people to come together to exchange ideas, experiences, and advice; I always return from conferences revitalized and optimistic about the future of Montessori education. The camaraderie of the IMC gives me the confidence I need to be an effective leader. We are looking forward to becoming an IMC accredited school and, (we hope), an IMC teacher training center.”

– Sue Dendinger, Head Pebble Creek Montessori School

IMC members receive steeply discounted prices for our new parent education pamphlet series* *for a complete list of available titles, check our online bookstore at www.montessori.org

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID ST. PETERSBURG , FL PERMIT NO. 597

19600 SR 64 E Bradenton, FL 34212 USA

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Maria Montessori IMC Board of Trustees Katherine (Kitty) Bravo, TEC

Chair - Ex Officio, Old Town, Florida, USA Dr. Paul Epstein, Trustee, Anderson, South Carolina, USA Margot Garfield-Anderson, Staff - Ex Officio, Sarasota Florida, USA Leslie Hites, Trustee, Oakland, California USA Andrew Kutt, Secretary, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA Dr. John Moncure, Treasurer, Camden, South Carolina USA Malcolm Roberts, Trustee Pullenvale, Queensland, Australia Claire J. Salkowski, Trustee, Fork, Maryland USA Tim Seldin, Chair/President, Bradenton, Florida USA Dr. Sheryl M. Sweet, Vice Chair/Vice President, Camden, South Carolina, USA Jonathan Wolff, Trustee, Oakland, California, USA Valaida Wise, Trustee, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA

The International Montessori Council

Membership Form

Please PRINT all information when completing the following form, (one form per registration or school). We offer several methods to join: Use our publication center at www.montessori.org and go through our webstore, call our membership office at 1-800-632-4121, complete this form and fax it to 941-359-8166, or mail it to 19600 SR 64 E, Bradenton, FL 34212.

I would like to become a member of The International Montessori Council as: ❍ Individual Membership ($45 US/year) ❍ School Membership ($250 US/year) ❍ Business Membership ($250 US/year) ❍ Teacher Education Center Membership ($250 US/year) ❍ Montessori Organization Member ($250 US/year) Name:

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