Orchid Montessori Center for Inclusive Education

The Orchid Montessori Center for Inclusive Education is a collaboration between Orchid Montessori School, Access Speech and Allied Therapies, and Autism Included. We offer a variety of classes and drop-in groups for parents and children in a neurodiversity-positive setting. Our goal is to be a resource and a safe space for families.

This page describes our joint outreach programming. If you would like to learn more about our other initiatives, please click on one of the following links:

Summer Camps 2023

We are so excited to be able to offer Montessori-based inclusive summer camps! Full day and half day options are available.

We will offer 9 weeks of summer camps in June, July, and August of 2023. We are so excited for you to join us! Our camps will be grounded in the Montessori method of education and will provide students with the opportunity to choose among a variety of activities in practical life, language and literature, mathematics and geometry, art, science, music and cultural studies. Students will also have plenty of opportunities to engage in free play and gross motor activities. Camps will run in nine one-week sessions from June 12 – August 18. There will be no camp session during the week of July 3-7.

Our half day camps are designed for ages 3-6. They will take place at the Center for Inclusive Education, located at 877 Broadway in East Providence. Campers will have access to a Montessori classroom environment and a sensory/ gross motor space throughout the camp day. These camps will be staffed by the amazing team from Access Speech and Allied Therapies. Children of all neurotypes are welcome, and those with intensive therapeutic and/or educational support needs will have access to special education, speech, AAC, and OT support on site.

These are our tuition rates for the East Providence location for the summer. Please note that there are limited spots available for this program, and preference will be given to families who enroll for multiple weeks.

Before Care Core Camp Day Lunch Bunch
8:30 am – 9:30 am 9:30 am – 12 pm 12 pm – 1 pm
$50 per week $200 per week $50 per week

 

Our full-day camps are available for ages 1.5 to 6. They will take place at the Montessori Community School of Rhode Island, located at 73 Stanwood Street on the South Side of Providence. This beautiful facility provides an ideal opportunity for indoor-outdoor learning. Classroom will be staffed by Montessori-trained teachers and an experienced speech-langauge pathologist. This camp will also be an inclusion program, and therapy services will be offered as needed.

These are our tuition rates for the summer. If your family had an annual income below $130k in 2022, youmay qualify for financial assistance.

Half Day Camp (limited spots available) Full Day Camp After Care
8:30 am – 12 pm 8:30 am – 3:30 pm 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

$225 per week (ages 3-6)

$265 per week (ages 1.5-3)

$325 per week (ages 3-6)

$365 per week (ages 1.5-3)

$10 per day (prepaid)

$15 per day (drop in care)

 

If you would like to register for one of our summer camps, please complete the following forms:

CAMP REGISTRATION FORM

FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION (optional)

Spring Classes 2023

Here is a list of our outreach programming for children ages 2.5 – 6 years.

Some programs are free, and our fee-based programming is offered on a sliding-scale fee structure, with rates ranging from $30 to $50 for each two-hour session depending on family income.

If you would like to register for one of our programs or complete an application for reduced class fees, please complete this registration form contact us at [email protected].

Montessori Mornings

These drop-in classes will allow children to explore the Montessori environment and materials. They will also provide the opportunity to “practice” attending school and to establish trusting relationships with adults and peers in a low-stress environment.

STEAM Afternoons

Our afternoon classes will allow students the opportunity to explore their interests within the fields of art, music, and STEM. Staff members will come prepared with some open-ended activity choices at each session, but in the spirit of Montessori education, we will follow the interests of the children, and all activities will be optional!

Inclusive Play Groups

Join us on the first Saturday morning of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 am for an inclusive play group for all ages! We will provide some open-ended activities and materials every week. This is a great way to meet other like-minded families and to learn more about supporting language development at home!

For Families and Caregivers (Coming Soon!)

Click here to learn more about our programming for parents and caregivers, to express interest in joining one of our classes, or to join our mailing list!

Free Parent Support Groups

Family Social Events

More Than Words® Course for Caregivers

Why Montessori Inclusion?

In the Montessori classroom, all students follow an individualized plan of education.

At the heart of Montessori philosophy is the idea that we must “follow the child.” As educators and therapists, we feel that the Montessori environment is the ideal setting for an inclusion program for a number of reasons.
  • Montessori guides are trained to follow each student down their unique developmental path. For example, if a child has a natural gift for mathematics but requires support in literacy or social development, we can make a unique educational plan that provides both support and challenge as needed.
  • The prepared environment, a fundamental piece of Montessori philosophy, is well aligned with the principles of Universal Design for Learning. If a space is well-equipped to meet the needs of all learners, everyone is more likely to thrive. Our classroom will include embedded supports that will enrich language and literacy development for all children.
  • A multi-aged inclusion program will provide all children with the opportunity to serve as both leaders and followers, both role models and observers, and both teachers and students.

Participation in an inclusion program benefits all children.

Research shows that participation in an inclusion program has many benefits for all children, helping them to develop patience, empathy, and an appreciation for each child’s unique gifts and challenges.

 

Click on this link for the text of a study on the benefits of inclusion if you’d like to learn more: