Frequently Asked Questions

Battery Park Montessori is an independent early childhood school in Battery Park City serving children from Nursery Ones through Casa 3/Kindergarten. BPM offers an authentic Montessori education in a trilingual environment where children are immersed in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Begin by confirming your child’s program eligibility and visiting Battery Park Montessori. Applications and required admissions steps are managed through Ravenna, where families can submit the application and complete the age-appropriate admissions checklist.

Casa is BPM’s three-year Montessori cycle for Preschool through Kindergarten. The name comes from Dr. Maria Montessori’s Casa dei Bambini, or “Children’s House,” and reflects the Montessori philosophy of creating a child-centered environment where children grow through independence, purposeful work, and community. The mixed-age structure allows younger children to learn from older peers, while older children deepen their own skills through leadership, responsibility, and mentorship.

Ravenna is Battery Park Montessori's admissions platform. Families use it to register for admissions events, submit an application, complete required admissions steps, schedule meetings or visits, and receive admissions decisions.

BPM serves children beginning at 12 months in Nursery Ones, followed by Nursery Twos and the mixed-age Casa program for Preschool through Kindergarten. Families should use the current Age Cutoffs page to confirm eligibility for their child’s entry year.

Families applying for the following school year are encouraged to begin in the fall and follow Battery Park Montessori's published admissions timeline. Applications received later may be considered as space permits.

Battery Park Montessori is located in South Battery Park City in Lower Manhattan, steps from the Hudson River waterfront. Our location gives children access to the neighborhood’s parks, playgrounds, and riverfront promenade, extending opportunities for movement, exploration, and learning beyond the classroom.

Yes. Visiting Battery Park Montessori is an important step and the best way to experience the Montessori environment and school community firsthand. Families may attend a Wednesday school Tour or an Open House event.

Yes. Battery Park Montessori is an American Montessori Society (AMS) Verified School, reflecting our commitment to authentic Montessori education and alignment with AMS standards and practices.

Program placement is based on a child’s age as of December 31 of the entry year. Families can use the Age Cutoffs page to determine when their child is eligible to begin and which Battery Park Montessori program corresponds with their date of birth.

BPM combines authentic Montessori education with trilingual immersion in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. Children learn in thoughtfully prepared, mixed-age environments led by Montessori-trained educators, with a strong emphasis on independence, concentration, curiosity, practical life, and social-emotional growth.

The admissions process is designed to help Battery Park Montessori and each family get to know one another and determine whether the program is a strong fit. The process varies by age and may include the application, a child play visit or video, and a meeting with the Head of School.

Battery Park Montessori maintains a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio, allowing our educators to know each child well, observe their development closely, and provide individualized guidance within the Montessori environment.

Applications submitted after the published admissions deadlines may be considered on a rolling basis as space permits.

BPM is a close-knit early childhood community where teachers and school leaders know children and families well. Family partnership is central to the experience, with regular communication, community events, parent education, and opportunities to connect throughout the year.

Current tuition, Early Care, Extended Day, and enrichment pricing are published on the Tuition page. Information about Battery Park Montessori's limited need-based financial aid program and the application process is available on the Financial Aid page.

Yes. Art and music enrichment are part of the full-day program, and children also engage in movement, hands-on science and nature experiences, practical life, and outdoor exploration. Optional after-school enrichment is available for Nursery Twos and Casa students.

Admissions decisions are released through Ravenna according to Battery Park Montessori's published admissions timeline. Families offered admission will also receive enrollment instructions.

Yes. Early Care is available Monday–Friday from 8:00–8:30 a.m. Extended Day is available for Nursery Ones from 2:30–5:30 p.m. and for Nursery Twos and Casa from 2:30–6:00 p.m. Optional enrichment classes are also available for Nursery Twos and Casa.

Families can use the Admissions Contact page to inquire, request a conversation, or ask questions about Battery Park Montessori's programs and admissions process.

Families are warmly invited to take part in the life of Battery Park Montessori. Parents and caregivers can participate in the Parent Association, volunteer on field trips, attend community and parent education events, join classroom celebrations and school traditions, and take part in Work With Me sessions when scheduled. Ongoing partnership with teachers and school leadership gives families additional opportunities to stay connected and contribute in ways that fit their interests and availability.

Families determine the appropriate program, visit the school via a Tour or Open House, submit an application through Ravenna, complete the age-appropriate child step, and meet with the Head of School. Nursery Ones families attend a Family Meeting with their child; Nursery Twos through Casa families complete a child play visit or video and a parents-only Parent Meeting.

The program begins with Nursery Ones, continues through Nursery Twos, and culminates in Casa, Battery Park Montessori's mixed-age Montessori classroom for Preschool through Kindergarten. Each stage builds on the last, supporting children’s growing independence, concentration, language, social development, and academic foundations.

Yes. A non-refundable $100 application fee is due when the Ravenna application is submitted.

Yes. Montessori is the foundation of the program from Nursery Ones through Casa. Classrooms are thoughtfully prepared with authentic Montessori materials, and Battery Park Montessori maintains more than one Montessori-trained teacher per classroom.

For Nursery Twos through Casa, families may be invited to schedule a play visit at Battery Park Montessori or submit a short video of their child through Ravenna. The experience is designed to be comfortable and age-appropriate while helping the school get to know the child. Nursery Ones applicants do not complete a separate play visit or student video.

Battery Park Montessori's teaching model is designed to include more than one Montessori-trained teacher in each classroom, helping maintain the quality and consistency of the school’s Montessori and trilingual program.

These steps become available through the family’s Ravenna admissions checklist after the application is submitted.

All Battery Park Montessori students experience Montessori, from Nursery Ones beginning at approximately 12 months through Casa 3/Kindergarten.

Yes. The final admissions conversation is with Battery Park Montessori's Head of School. Nursery Ones applicants attend a Family Meeting with their parent(s)/guardian(s) and child together. Nursery Twos through Casa applicants attend a parents-only Parent Meeting following the child’s play visit or video.

A prepared environment is a calm, orderly, child-centered classroom designed to invite independence and purposeful exploration. Materials are intentionally arranged and sequenced so children can make choices, repeat meaningful work, build concentration, and gradually take greater responsibility for themselves and their environment.

No. Nursery Ones applicants attend a Family Meeting with the Head of School together with their parent(s)/guardian(s). They do not complete the separate child play visit or video used for Nursery Twos through Casa.

Practical Life includes purposeful everyday activities such as pouring, spooning, washing, food preparation, tending plants, dressing, and caring for the classroom. These experiences help children develop coordination, concentration, independence, confidence, and responsibility.

Once all required admissions steps are complete, BPM reviews the application. Decisions and enrollment instructions are released through Ravenna according to the published admissions timeline.

At Battery Park Montessori, work and play are closely connected. Montessori educators use the word “work” because a child’s activity deserves to be taken seriously, even when it looks like play to an adult. As Dr. Maria Montessori explained, “The greater part of what you call ‘play’ is really work.”

When children stack and knock down blocks, repeat a pouring activity, or move a toy across the carpet again and again, they are exploring how the world works while developing coordination, concentration, independence, and confidence. If an activity holds a child’s attention, it has meaning for them. Teachers respect that engagement, observe carefully, and give children the time and space to follow it.

Families have one week from the date of their offer to submit the signed financial agreement and non-refundable deposit. Priority Admissions families must meet the published Priority Admissions confirmation date.

Grace and Courtesy are woven into daily life at Battery Park Montessori. Children practice kindness, empathy, peaceful problem-solving, self-regulation, responsibility, and care for others and their shared environment.

Tours and Open Houses are scheduled through Ravenna. The Tours & Events page links directly to the currently available admissions events.

English, Spanish, and Mandarin are woven naturally throughout the school day. Our approach is similar to the “one parent, one language” model used in multilingual families: each teacher consistently communicates with children in their designated language. Through routines, Montessori lessons, songs, stories, conversation, and everyday interactions, children begin to associate each language with the teacher who speaks it and build understanding through meaningful, repeated exposure.

Battery Park Montessori school tours are offered on Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Current tour dates and registration are available through Ravenna.

All students are immersed in English, Mandarin, and Spanish throughout their Battery Park Montessori experience.

A school tour offers a smaller opportunity to see Battery Park Montessori's learning environment and learn about the program. Open Houses are family events where parents and children can explore the school together and meet members of the Battery Park Montessori community.

No. Children do not need previous experience with Spanish or Mandarin. Battery Park Montessori's immersion model is designed for young learners to build familiarity and understanding naturally through consistent daily exposure.

Yes. Battery Park Montessori Open Houses are designed for parents and children to explore the school together and meet members of the Battery Park Montessori community.

No. Families do not need to speak Spanish or Mandarin at home for their child to participate fully in Battery Park Montessori's trilingual program.

Children are welcome at Open Houses, where families explore the school together. Regular Wednesday school Tours are intended for adults.

Each classroom includes teachers who use English, Mandarin, and Spanish, with each teacher consistently speaking one designated language. This allows children to form natural associations between a familiar person and the language they use. Rather than encountering Mandarin and Spanish only in occasional stand-alone classes, children experience all three languages in meaningful contexts throughout the day through routines, songs, stories, Montessori lessons, practical activities, conversation, and play. Learn more about more about our approach to language immersion here.

Yes. Families are encouraged to visit early in the admissions process and may register for a school tour or Open House before applying.

Battery Park Montessori's goal in the early years is to build a strong foundation for multilingualism through joyful, consistent exposure. Children develop listening, comprehension, vocabulary, and increasing confidence communicating in all three languages, with progress varying by age, starting point, and time in the program.

A visit gives families the opportunity to experience Battery Park Montessori's prepared Montessori environments, learn about the trilingual program, meet members of the school community, and get a feel for daily life at the school.

Battery Park Montessori's Nursery program includes Nursery Ones and Nursery Twos in a Montessori, trilingual environment. Children build trust, communication, movement, independence, concentration, and confidence through relationships, routines, purposeful work, and exploration.

Battery Park Montessori uses a December 31 age cutoff for program eligibility and placement.

No. Young children are especially receptive to language, and BPM introduces English, Mandarin, and Spanish consistently and naturally. Children begin by listening, recognizing sounds and patterns, and building associations through routines, songs, stories, materials, and conversation.

Use the date-of-birth chart on the Age Cutoffs page to determine your child’s earliest eligible entry year and corresponding program.

That’s wonderful—and there’s no need to stop using your home language. Many Battery Park Montessori families are multilingual, and children may be exposed to languages beyond English, Spanish, and Mandarin at home. We encourage families to continue speaking the language or languages that feel most natural to them. At school, Battery Park Montessori's consistent approach helps children understand who speaks which language and in what context, while their home language remains an important part of their family relationships, culture, and identity.

The Admissions Team is happy to discuss the appropriate timing and placement for your child during the admissions process.

Nursery Ones begins at approximately 12 months and places particular emphasis on trust, secure relationships, movement, sensory exploration, and early communication. Nursery Twos builds on that foundation with growing independence, language, practical life, self-care, social development, and more sustained purposeful work.

For Priority Admissions, families must complete their application checklist by December 2, 2026. For Regular Admissions, the application checklist must be complete by January 15, 2027. Families should complete all required steps in Ravenna by the applicable deadline to be considered within that admissions round.

Nursery serves children in the Ones and Twos age groups, beginning at approximately 12 months. Eligibility is determined using BPM’s December 31 age cutoff; families should use the current Age Cutoffs page for the exact date-of-birth ranges for their entry year.

Priority Admissions decisions will be released on December 7, 2026, with enrollment confirmation due by December 14, 2026. Regular Admissions decisions will be released on February 22, 2027, with enrollment confirmation due by March 1, 2027.

At this age, those ideas are not separate. Children build early academic, social, physical, and emotional foundations through movement, repetition, exploration, language, purposeful Montessori work, and play.

Priority Admissions offers families an earlier application and decision timeline, with the application checklist due December 2, 2026 and decisions released December 7, 2026. Regular Admissions follows later in the admissions season, with the application checklist due January 15, 2027 and decisions released February 22, 2027. Both admissions rounds follow the same BPM admissions process through Ravenna.

The day follows a predictable rhythm that includes arrival, group gathering, uninterrupted work and exploration, individual and small-group lessons, Practical Life, language experiences, music and movement, meals, rest, outdoor time, and gentle transitions.

Yes. Applications received after the Regular Admissions deadline may be considered on a rolling basis as space permits. Families applying later in the admissions season are encouraged to contact the Admissions Team to learn more about current availability.

Battery Park Montessori prioritizes close communication between home and school. Families receive regular classroom updates and photos, conferences and check-ins, and opportunities for parent education and community connection throughout the year.

For the 2027–28 school year, families admitted through Priority Admissions must confirm enrollment by December 14, 2026. Families admitted through Regular Admissions must confirm enrollment by March 1, 2027. Enrollment requirements and instructions are provided with the admission offer.

Battery Park Montessori uses a gradual phase-in process so children can separate from caregivers and adjust to classroom routines at a calm, developmentally appropriate pace. Before school begins, families also have opportunities to connect with teachers and help children become familiar with the school environment.

Full-day tuition includes authentic Montessori and Learning Beautiful classroom materials, trilingual immersion in Mandarin and Spanish, art and music enrichment, a healthy daily lunch and snacks, school field trips, and Battery Park Montessori's composting program.

Yes. Battery Park Montessori offers both half-day and full-day enrollment for Nursery Ones and Nursery Twos. Half-day students dismiss before lunch, while full-day students continue through lunch, rest, afternoon activities, and dismissal. Current schedules and tuition are available on the Tuition page.

Tuition varies by program. The Tuition page lists the current annual rate for Half-Day Nursery Ones and Twos, full-day Nursery Ones and Twos, and Casa programs.

Assessment in the early years is developmental and observation-based. Teachers closely observe children’s language, movement, concentration, independence, problem-solving, social development, and engagement with Montessori materials, then use those observations to plan appropriate next steps.

Yes. Full-day tuition includes a healthy daily lunch and snacks provided by Little Green Gourmets.

Casa is Battery Park Montessori's mixed-age Montessori classroom for Preschool through Kindergarten. Children learn together across a three-year cycle, with increasingly complex Montessori materials and experiences in language and literacy, mathematics, sensorial work, Practical Life, culture, science, nature studies, peace education, and the arts.

Yes. School field trips are included in full-day tuition.

Casa brings together children across Preschool and Kindergarten in one mixed-age community. Younger children learn by observing and working alongside older classmates, while older students deepen their skills, take on greater responsibility, and develop leadership by modeling and helping others.

Optional programs such as Early Care, Extended Day, and after-school Enrichment Classes carry additional fees. Current rates are published on the Tuition page.

Casa includes an extended Montessori work cycle for independent work and small-group lessons, along with trilingual language experiences, group gatherings, art and music, lunch, rest or quiet time, and daily outdoor play and exploration.

Early Care is $1,135 per semester for Monday–Friday enrollment or $25/day for occasional use. Extended Day is $650 per selected weekday, per semester, or $140/day for occasional use.

The mixed-age Casa environment creates natural opportunities for empathy, cooperation, leadership, friendship, self-regulation, and peaceful problem-solving. Grace and Courtesy and peace education are integrated throughout daily classroom life.

Optional enrichment classes are available for Nursery Twos and Casa students Monday–Wednesday and Friday from 3:00–3:45 p.m. Offerings vary by semester and may include art, movement, science, chess, cooking, and more. Current semester pricing ranges from $1,055–$1,220 per class.

Assessment is ongoing and observation-based. Teachers consider children’s work with Montessori materials, language and literacy development, mathematical thinking, concentration, independence, social-emotional growth, and readiness for increasingly complex work.

Yes. Battery Park Montessori offers a limited amount of need-based financial aid to qualifying families, subject to the availability of financial aid funds.

Because Kindergarten is the culminating year of the three-year Casa cycle, children build toward increasing independence, leadership, academic confidence, concentration, and responsibility over time. The same classroom environment and materials grow with the child as they progress through the cycle.

Need-based financial aid may be available to qualifying Battery Park Montessori families, subject to the school’s financial aid policies and available funds.

Casa 3/Kindergarten is typically the culminating year of Battery Park Montessori's three-year Casa experience, and Battery Park Montessori does not generally enroll new students for this year alone. Families with individual circumstances are welcome to contact Admissions to discuss whether an application may be appropriate.

Battery Park Montessori considers a family’s demonstrated financial need using information submitted through Clarity, including income, assets, liabilities, household size, expenses, and other relevant circumstances. Awards are also subject to Battery Park Montessori's available financial aid budget.

For families planning to transition from Battery Park Montessori to another school for Kindergarten, Battery Park Montessori provides individualized guidance throughout the exmissions process. Our team works closely with families to understand what they are looking for in their child’s next school, help them navigate the application process, and support a thoughtful transition from Battery Park Montessori.

Financial aid is applied toward tuition only. It does not cover Early Care, Extended Day, enrichment classes, or other optional programs and services. Because Battery Park Montessori's financial aid funds are limited, an application does not guarantee an award, and awards may cover only a portion of a family’s demonstrated need.

Conversations begin well before Kindergarten applications are due, giving families time to consider their options and identify schools that may be a good fit for their child. Battery Park Montessori guides families through the process and helps them understand important application steps and timelines.

No. Clarity is the platform Battery Park Montessori uses to collect and help assess financial information. Battery Park Montessori makes its own financial aid award decisions based on demonstrated need and available funds.

Because our teachers and school leadership know each child well, Battery Park Montessori can help families think about school fit through the lens of their child’s personality, learning style, interests, strengths, and developmental needs. We also consider what each family values in their next school community and educational experience.

Admissions and financial aid are reviewed through separate processes. Applying for financial aid does not change how Battery Park Montessori considers whether the program is a good fit for a child and family.

Yes. Battery Park Montessori supports families through the Kindergarten application process, including the school materials and recommendations required by receiving schools. Our goal is to give each receiving school an authentic and well-rounded understanding of the child.

Submit your Battery Park Montessori application through Ravenna and indicate that your family plans to apply for financial aid. Then complete the financial aid application through Clarity and provide any requested supporting information by the applicable deadline.

Battery Park Montessori graduates continue on to a range of independent, public, and other schools throughout New York City. Families can view our Exmissions page for recent school placements and learn more about where Battery Park Montessori students continue their educational journeys.

Yes. Families seeking financial aid must submit a new application each year so the school can consider current financial circumstances and available funds.

No. Kindergarten, or Casa 3, is the culminating year of Battery Park Montessori's three-year Casa cycle. Children who remain at Battery Park Montessori for Kindergarten have the opportunity to complete the full Montessori cycle, taking on greater independence, responsibility, and leadership within their mixed-age classroom. Families considering another school for Kindergarten can also work with Battery Park Montessori through the exmissions process.

Clarity guides families through the required household and financial information. Families should be prepared to provide details about income, assets, liabilities, expenses, and household members. Clarity may also request tax verification or additional supporting documentation.

Yes. Clarity allows families to add another participating school to an application as long as that school's deadline has not passed. Follow the instructions in your Clarity account or contact Clarity support for technical assistance.

Clarity may require separate financial aid applications for separate households. Families with questions about their circumstances should contact Battery Park Montessori for guidance.