Rooted in Montessori traditions we are a truly unique outdoor program for preschoolers, ages 3 and 4. We encourage active minds, muddy hands, and happy hearts!
Ketcha is tucked between the seashore and the salt marshes on 107 acres of forest, fields, farm, and pond. September through May our students are active in the outdoors learning through exploration and observations, hiking the woods, gardening, visiting and helping to tend our bunnies, goats, horses, ducks and chickens. We have lessons on bugs and birds, farming and forests, seasons, animals of Maine and the world – and lots and lots of outdoor play time.
Our Montessori fundamentals include learning letters and numbers, sensory exploration, and achieving real life skills. Montessori philosophy and methods are ideal for quality outdoor learning with long blocks of supported choice time to immerse in creative play and flexibility to follow the child’s individual interests and excitement. Marie Montessori was a pioneering advocate for children, she implored educators to teach young children real things, to “follow the child”, and to take them outdoors. A century of practice and research has borne out her wisdom, and now more than ever we need to go outdoors to play!
Program Hours & Schedule
- Morning Sessions: 8:30am – 12:00pm
- Extended Days: 12:00pm – 4:00pm
- Tuesday – Friday
The Tuesday through Thursday morning program is a 3 day minimum schedule. Optional extensions are offered for each afternoon (Tuesday to Friday) from noon to 4pm. The extended day enrollments are on a monthly per-day basis. For example you could register for the 3 mornings and just one afternoon, or all four mornings and 2 afternoons. Fridays can be added to the Tuesday through Thursday schedule. Currently we can not offer Fridays as a stand alone single day option. We regret the change but it is necessary to limit our class sizes in order to comply with safety precautions for the COVID-19 virus.
2020/2021 Monthly Fees
- Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday Morning Session: $450 per month
- Friday Morning Session: $150 per month
- Each Extended Day Session: $125 per month
Payment Policies
- Tuition payments are due on the first of each month starting August 1st and ending April 1st. A $25 fee will be charged for late payments.
- Monthly payments are equalized. The number of program days per month varies depending on holidays.
Registration
A visit is required before registration. When registering only check off September. This will hold your spot for the whole school year through May. Our system is set up as monthly sessions for payment processing. You need only pay $70 to hold your spot. Of that, $20 is a once yearly administration charge and the other $50 will be credited to your first month’s tuition. Enrollment is open throughout the year based on availability.
Questions? Please contact
Kate Connolly, Director
kconnolly@campketcha.org
(207) 883-8977 x 110