In the special environment prepared for them in our schools, the children themselves found a sentence that expressed their inner need: “Help me to do it by myself.”
– Maria Montessori
2024-2025 School Year Application Window and Lottery Notice
The application window for the 2024-2025 school year is open from December 1, 2023 – February 15, 2024 at 3pm. Applications submitted after the February 15, 2024 deadline will not be included in the lottery and will be added to the waitlist after the lottery is held.
The lottery will be held at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public on February 16, 2024. Applicants will be informed of a waitlist or acceptance status the week of February 19, 2024.
IMAP Admission Process
We are delighted that you are considering Isthmus Montessori Academy Public for your child’s education. Selecting your child’s educational path is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent. We are confident that IMAP provides children with a nurturing environment that fosters lifelong learning, independent thinking and awareness about the global community. Our admissions process is designed to ensure that our school is a good fit for both your child and your family.
Children in grades 4 year old kindergarten through 12th are eligible for the Montessori program. Children who reach age 4 by September 1st of a given academic year can be enrolled in our half-day kindergarten program, while those who are 5 may enroll in our full-day program, with tuition covered by public funds. This also follows for children in the elementary, middle and high school programs.
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public highly encourages all families to attend an informational session prior to applying to learn more about Montessori.
Families may access and complete an application via this link.
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How to Enroll
Step 1: Attend an Informational Event
We invite you to take the first step in our admissions process by attending an information event. These events are often lead by IMAP’s Adolescent Ambassadors and are for parents/guardians to learn about our program, our philosophy, the Montessori method and school policies and procedures. Due to the nature of this tour, we require registration and limit participants.
Registration is required for these events, please complete the Informational Session Registration form. Dates will be available for sign-up in mid-late September.
Step 2: Complete an Application for Admission
After attending an informational event please complete our Application for Admission form which will be emailed to you shortly after attending. Submission of a completed Application for Admission to IMAP does not secure or guarantee a place for your child. You will be notified within 5 business days that your application has been received. If spots are available for the upcoming school year you will be notified of your child’s acceptance into the program. If capacity has been reached you will be added to a waiting list. A lottery will be held to determine enrollment and priority order for the waiting list.
Step 3: Complete Enrollment Requirements
Once your child has been accepted to IMAP, you will receive an email with a link to complete our Enrollment form and other required forms for admission. Families have ten business days from notification to submit the enrollment form.
A Diverse Community
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender expression, religion, disability, sexual orientation, national and/or ethnic origin in the admissions process, its educational policies, programs, and activities, or employment. IMAP is committed to enrolling a community that reflects the diversity of the Madison Area, including that of race, ethnicity, family structure, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and socio-economics.
Oppressive Mistreatment
IMA(P) seeks to clarify its stance specifically regarding bullying (hereinafter designated as “oppressive mistreatment”) with the following addition to our Student Conduct Policy. Oppressive mistreatment is aggressive behavior that is intentional, is repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength.
Oppressive Mistreatment can take on various forms:
Physical—when one engages in repeated and or targeted physical force against another, such as by repeated or targeted hitting, punching, pushing, kicking, pinching, threatening or restraining another.
Verbal —when someone uses their words to target or repeatedly hurt another, such as by belittling or calling another hurtful names.
Nonverbal or relational —when one person manipulates a relationship or desired relationship to harm another person. This includes repeated and targeted social exclusion, friendship manipulation, gossip, or intimidating another by using gestures.
Cyberbullying—the intentional and overt act of repeated or targeted aggression toward another person by way of any technological tool, such as email, instant messaging, text messages, digital pictures or images, or website postings (including blogs).
Cyberbullying can involve:
Sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images;
Posting sensitive, private information about another person; Pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad; and Intentionally excluding someone from an online group.
Hazing—an activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers that person regardless of that person’s willingness to participate.
Sexualized bullying—when bullying involves behaviors that are sexual in nature. Examples of sexualized bullying behaviors include sexting, bullying that involves exposures of private body parts, and verbal bullying involving sexualized language or innuendos.
Anyone who engages in oppressive mistreatment and or sees an act of oppressive mistreatment, and who then encourages it, is engaging in oppressive mistreatment. This policy applies to all parents and guardians, students, school employees, school volunteers, and school visitors.
All school employees are required to report alleged violations of this policy to the Division Director. All other members of the school community, including students, parents / guardians , volunteers and visitors are encouraged to report any act that may be a violation of this policy to the Division Director or Head of School. Retaliation against individuals who report such alleged violations is expressly prohibited. The school will accept and review all reports of oppressive mistreatment.
The school reserves the right to modify the above procedures as it sees fit.