Greenhouse is open 7:30 – 5:30 year round, but we are closed for five weeks each year: two weeks Winter Break, one week Spring Break and two weeks Summer Break (at end of June).

Our school year runs for ten months, September through June, and our summer program runs six weeks during July and August.

Morning classes are from 8:30 to 11:30 and afternoon classes are from 1:00 to 4:00. Both class times are Montessori enrichment programs taught by qualified teachers.

Children can be enrolled for a minimum of three half-days a week, either morning or afternoon, up to a maximum of five full days per week and almost any schedule in between. If you are requesting a schedule not listed on our Financial Information or application, please call and we can tell you if it would be available and at what tuition.

Children enrolled half-days in the morning can be dropped off as early as 7:30 at no extra charge, and children enrolled half-days in the afternoon can be picked up as late as 5:30 at no extra charge. Also, children enrolled for half-days can add on the lunch period of 11:30 - 1:00, but there is an extra charge for that. Full day children can be dropped off any time after 7:30 and picked up any time before 5:30 and the lunch period is included.

The preschool classes are for children ages 2 ½ to kindergarten age. Each of the 4 preschool classrooms is composed of a balance of the different ages.

The kindergarten year in Montessori is considered to be the final year of preschool rather than the first year of elementary school. Our kindergarten class is enrolled from the children in our preschool classes. They are able to continue with the Montessori curriculum started in preschool and are also exposed to higher-level reading, math and cultural unit lessons. The kindergarten class is available for half or full day enrollment, a consideration for parents who work outside the home.

Greenhouse was started in a small house on Chinowth St. in May 1982 by Nina Clancy and Anne Hoffman. Anne was a Montessori teacher who had recently moved here but found no Montessori school to work in. Nina was a Montessori parent who had recently moved here but found no Montessori school for her second child to attend. We started with four students on our first day and within five years had moved into our current facility of four preschool classrooms and one kindergarten classroom. Along the way, Anne became a Montessori parent as well, and Nina became a Montessori teacher.

For the most part, a child who attends a traditional preschool has their time planned for them. The "stations" are set up and the children are rotated through them. In a Montessori classroom the child makes his own decisions as to which activities ("works") he wants to do, where he wants to do them, for how long, and with whom. He learns to make decisions, to problem-solve, to be responsible for his actions. He develops autonomy.

Due to the age of our students there is more of a demand for morning enrollment than afternoon enrollment. Therefore, we fill up our morning classes before we do our afternoon. Children can start at any time during the year, and if the schedule you want is not available at the present time we can keep you on a waiting list and call you when one does become available. If you are interested in enrolling please call and we can arrange for you to do an observation.