Financial Information – Standard Fees and Reduced Fees – An Overview

International Montessori is a collection of small school locations with beautifully renovated and sustainable campuses. It offers stimulating learning environments to children and students aged 1 to 18 years old. The school is a long-established international school and is proud to have a global representation of humanity! Our main aim is for the children in this community to develop a good self-esteem, responsible actions and empathy for others. Thereby making a contribution to the world as a whole.

Children work in small groups, individually and autonomously. The materials, teacher-child ratio and differentiation in teaching style helps children develop skills and characteristics and have the opportunity to become strong decision makers.

The school is committed to keeping tuition fees as affordable as possible. At the Primary and the International Baccalaureate Secondary level, the International Montessori Schools provide international education within the lower fee range in Brussels. At the preschool level the fees are in-line with other comparable programmes. Standard Fees and Reduced Fees are both publicised on the website. The category Reduced Fees is especially made for families who do not receive financial help from their employer. Families can indicate which fees are applicable to their situation. The following fee levels and related documents are available: 1) Standard Fees: are applicable to families who receive financial support from their employer. Families sign a Tuition Contract and Invoices are provided and sent directly to the company. 2) Reduced Fees: are applicable to families who do not receive financial support from their employer. Families sign the Tuition Contract and keep a copy. This contract is the guiding document for the Tuition fee payments. Invoices and receipts are not provided, personal bank transfer statements serve as proof of payment. 3) A combination of the two: is applicable in the event of the employer paying a specific amount or percentage of the Standard Fees and the remaining part or percentage is paid by the parents within the Reduced Fees level. The family receives two Tuition Contracts, one for the Standard section and one for the Reduced section. Invoices are provided for the Standard section only.

Administrative Policy - Reduced Tuition Fees – May 2020

Application fee: Toddler Community and Children’s House Section € 600

Primary and Secondary Sections € 800 International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme – IB MYP Diploma Programme – IB DP

The Application Fee is due upon the submission of the Application Form. The date this fee is received determines the order of enrolment. The Application Fee is non-refundable and paid only once.

Tuition contract: A Tuition Contract is drawn up once the Application Fee has been received, stating annual school

fees and due dates. • Parents are requested to sign the contract within a two-week period from the issue date,

thereby completing the enrolment procedure. • The Tuition Contract is the legal contract between parents and school, irrespective of

payment-arrangements that parents have with third parties. • Tuition Contracts are in effect from two weeks after the issue date, this unless the school

has received written confirmation otherwise.

Payments: All fees are payable in Euro on or before the date specified in the Tuition Contract to:

KBC Bank, Markt 4, 3080 Tervuren BIC Code: KREDBEBB

International Montessori School and International Montessori 'Savoorke', Tervuren Account No: BE30 4345 1644 8111 International Montessori Wezembeek-Oppem Account No: BE98 7340 0995 0993 International Montessori ‘Hof Kleinenberg’, Sint-Stevens-Woluwe Account No: BE92 7340 2360 1523 International Montessori 'Hof ten Berg', Woluwe-Saint-Lambert Account No: BE88 7360 1756 4441

Instalments: The annual school fees are paid in two instalments:

60% on or before June 15, and 40% on or before January 15.

Bank charges: Transfers from other countries are accepted. Incurred bank charges are to be paid by the depositor.

Tuition fees include:

Toddler Community and Children’s Houses: • School supplies • Spare clothes bag • Day excursions for Children’s House children • Organic lunch (appr. 80%) for children who stay full time

Parents need to count on additional costs related to:

§ A daily piece of fruit to share with the group § Diapers to be supplied by the family

Primary and International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme • Books • Book bag - Primary • Backpack - MYP • Sports t-shirt • School supplies • Art supplies • Instrument instruction: violin, piano or guitar • Sports lessons • Small ‘Going-Out’s’ - group excursions relating to the children's academic work • Day excursions

Parents need to count on additional costs related to:

§ Personal lunches and fruit § Personal Project in MYP 5 § Overnight excursions and workshops

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme • Text books Group 1 to 6 are on loan - to be returned to school in excellent condition • Fiction books from Reading list Group 1 and 2 • Day excursions • Examination entries - except for re-takes

Parents need to count on additional costs related to:

§ Personal lunches and fruit § Laptop/computer with latest software § Graphic Display Calculator § Binders and filing system § USB sticks § Specific subject related expenses § CAS projects § Resources related to the Extended Essay and TOK § Multi-day excursions § Subject related international workshops

Proof of payment: Reduced Fees or sections thereof: The finance department does not provide proof of payment. Within the online banking procedures, depositors

can print their own proof of payment. Standard Fees or part thereof: If required by the company, proof of payment can be provided upon request. Sibling reductions: Sibling reductions are applicable only in the event of families paying Reduced Fees. When younger

siblings are attending, the tuition fees minus 15% is applicable to the second child in the family, and tuition fees minus 20% is applicable to the third or subsequent child of the family. Should a sibling leave the school, the percentages of sibling reduction for the remaining children will be recalculated accordingly.

Programmes available: In order to accommodate the varying schedules of different families, a wide selection of programmes for the

Toddler Community and Children’s Houses are available. We ask that families find a programme within these options that best suits their needs. We will not be able to provide customised programming outside of these published programmes.

Change of programme: Toddler Community and Children's House:

• E1, E2 and E3 are applicable to children younger than 3 years only. • Both in Toddler Community and Children’s House, children can increase in programme during

the school year. • Parents can discuss this first with the teacher of their child's class and then with the Head of

School. • Parents sign the ‘Change of Programme’ form and forward it to the administration. • The new Tuition Contract will be sent to the family by the finance department.

As staffing numbers and various infrastructures are dependent on these programme commitments, decrease in programme is not possible. Primary and Secondary

• Programmes are fixed • Full time attendance is required.

Late payments: In order for the school to meet the financial obligations, we must insist on the prompt payment of fees, and

this according to the terms of the tuition contract (Tuition Fees) or according to the date on the invoice (Additional Options)

• Tuition Fees are payable according to the dates on the Tuition Contract. • Beginning of school year - attendance can start when:

§ There are no outstanding invoices of the previous school year, § Fees of current school year have been transferred according to related Tuition

Contract. • Fees payable by invoice such as After School Hours, Musical instruments are payable within 14

days. • Families are reminded by e-mail when payments have not been paid by the due date. • In case of no payment response, this is followed by a registered mail. • Enrolment is not guaranteed by the school when payments remain outstanding. • After School Hour Programme and Musical instruments are suspended till invoices have been

paid.

Midyear enrolments: New enrolments are accepted throughout the year at Preschool, Primary and Secondary - Middle Years Programme level. Pro-rata tuition fees are available upon request.

Tuition Contracts are issued well before the enrolment date and are due one month prior to the child’s first

day. Enrolment into the Diploma Programme 1 is possible for students who:

• Having fully completed MYP 5 or compatible programme; • Start at the beginning of the school year; • Taking subjects on offer at International Montessori;

Enrolment into the Diploma Programme 2 is possible for IB transfer students under the following conditions:

• Having fully completed DP 1; • Start at the beginning of the school year; • Taking subjects on offer at International Montessori; • Subject levels and syllabus taught in DP 1 are compatible; • IB core elements aligned; • Internally assessed components can be supplied; • Transfer document is complete.

Early withdrawal: During the current year:

• Pro-rata school fees are reimbursed only in the event of relocation abroad by the employer and is applicable only for notifications of relocation before January 31.

• The school requires a notice of withdrawal in writing from both parents and employer. • No reimbursements are applicable for any other reason to the above. • A pro-rata refund is applicable when a minimum notification period of three months is required. • The family remains responsible for the payment of the Tuition Fees due in this three-month

period, irrespective of the departure date. • Notification after January 31 results in the payment of full Tuition Fees for the entire school year.

In the event of fees having been paid, no refunds are given. For next school year:

• Notification of disenrollment for subsequent school year is by March 31. • Tuition Contracts are made automatically after that date.

o If the student will not attend subsequent school year, written and signed cancellation from the parents is to be received within two weeks of the issue date on the Tuition Contract.

o Omitting this timely cancellation results in the obligation of the 60% payment of the tuition fees.

Continuous Enrolment: Tuition Contracts for subsequent school year:

• Tuition Contracts for subsequent school year are automatically generated from March 31. • The new Tuition Contract will include information obtained during the Continuous Enrolment

Period. • Without further communication, the same programme and options as the year before will be

applied. • Changes can be communicated to the school's financial administration via

montessori.admin@skynet.be. The timeframe:

Changes towards enrolment of subsequent school year can be communicated during the Continuous Enrolment period which is during the month of March. At the beginning of the month, parents receive an information pack indicating:

• Tuition Fees for subsequent school year. • Request for information in relation to changes in:

o Programme o Additional options such as:

§ After School Hour Programme § Early Morning Arrival (Hof ten Berg) § Musical instrument lessons § Bus Service

• Endorsement continuous attendance – Due date March 31.

Continuous Enrolment Deposit:

• A Continuous Enrolment Deposit (CED) is paid once and held by the school. • The CED is intricately related to all notifications for subsequent school year made before March

31. • The CED is paid during the first year of enrolment and requested during the month of March. • When applicable, families will find the related form in the Continuous Enrolment pack. • The CED is €750 per child.

• The Continuous Enrolment Deposit is refundable in the event of:

o Families sending a signed notification-of-withdrawal for subsequent school year to the office prior to March 31. The deposit will consequently be refunded at the end of the school year.

• The Continuous Enrolment Deposit is non-refundable in the event of:

o Children leaving during the course of any school year, o Written notification of non-attendance for the following academic year provided after

March 31, o Outstanding invoices are subtracted from the to be reimbursed CED, o During the course of the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme:

§ Students enrolled aim towards successful completion and obtaining the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Therefore, all students and their families entering the Diploma Programme make a commitment to the full two-year Diploma Programme at International Montessori.

§ This deposit is non-refundable in the event of the students attending only part of the two-year programme.

§ The CED is automatically subtracted from the final Tuition Payment of year 2 of the Diploma Programme.

School bus service: Door-to-door:

Children from age three onwards can make use of the school bus service. The service is owned and managed by the school. A modern fleet is used consisting of several 7-seater VW and Nissan vans with seat belts and child-safety seats. A door-to-door pick up and drop off service is provided where possible.

Payable upfront and non-refundable:

• The service is charged on an annual cost-recovery basis. • Bookings are single journeys or return journeys and applicable 5 days per week. Since we work

with small busses every seat is allocated to a child. Therefore, no refunds can be made for part-time use.

• Children are dropped off at one address. • The fees are payable upfront and are non-refundable. • The bus tours are confirmed in the last week of August and are based on paid invoices and

actual home addresses of participating families. • For families arriving later in the year, pro-rata fees are applicable should there be space left on

the bus. Zones: The annual cost depends on the family’s address and distance to the school. Prices stated are applicable when several families are serviced from that area. In the event of little demand from a specific location, an individual price is applicable.

• Zone 1 = Neighbouring communes • Zone 2 = Non-neighbouring communes • Zone 3 = Further a field • Zone 4 = Transfer service connecting the Tervuren and Woluwe locations (School collection

point applies)

A good start lasts a lifetime: We wish you, your children and older students, a unique experience at International Montessori. The

exceptional school setting: warm, sincere and inviting, will help your children develop into the people whom they are meant to be. They receive the opportunity to develop all intelligences and related skills. Thereby becoming strong individuals who will look after themselves, others and the environment at large.

www.international-montessori.org

‘International Montessori School of the Air®’

In the event of a Pandemic situation or other calumniation during which schools in Belgium need to close and / or individuals are asked by the government to be in lockdown situation, International Montessori offers its digital education programme supplemented with live-Zoom sessions and this instead of the daily educational programme at school.

The programme is fully developed under the name ‘International Montessori School of the Air’®

The programme offers continuous learning opportunities, continuation of the curriculum, contact with friends, stimulation and routine to the day. The materials provided are guided by the Montessori principles, are made to measure for each age group, are original and provide interesting topics. Younger students receive live-Zoom sessions covering the different developmental areas of their classroom. Older students have live-Zoom sessions within all subject materials.

During the 2020 pandemic situation this programme entails the following platforms:

For the children and students:

Toddler Community, Children’s Houses, Primary and MYP 1 and 2:

• Daily Zoom sessions (minimum of 2) • Group structure of the Zoom sessions can vary due to differentiation,

age range, topic and subject. • ‘Padlet’, offering all activities needed for the Zoom sessions and

additional activities to work on at home. Secondary MYP 3 to 5 and DP 1 and 2:

• Daily Zoom sessions: (minimum of 2) • Google Classroom / Montessori Exchange • Direct e-mailing with students via the classroom Gmail accounts

Communication with families:

• Gmail accounts used for regular contact with the Classroom Teachers and for forwarding the weekly Zoom schedule.

• ‘Padlet’ is uploaded weekly and offers the activities needed for the Zoom sessions, plus a myriad of additional materials.

• Phone calls with teachers and/or Head of School when applicable. • E-mails to all families: Regular updates during the Pandemic period

from the Leadership Committee. • Pick up of Activity-Packs or exchange of physical material when

lockdown regulation and social distancing allows.

www.international-montessori.org

Handbook:

For current families enrolled, the full description of this programme has been forwarded by e-mail and includes a series of documents sent between March 10 to April 30. This information is being gathered and documented in an additional Handbook named: International Montessori School of the Air® - Learning from Home. The handbook will be available from mid-June, 2020.

Digital and ‘Zoom’ like technologies:

In the event of pandemic situations reoccurring, the platforms used within the programme of the ‘International Montessori school of the Air®’ can change, this in relation to: new programmes becoming available, user-friendly criteria, accessibility for students and consequent choices made by the Montessori Team.

Double scenario

According to governmental indications it can happen that a double scenario is applicable. When both classroom and digital programmes are to be available to families under specific circumstances, staffing will be split and both will be available at the same time, this as long as numbers allow.

Tuition Fees: Tuition Fees remain applicable as stated on the Tuition Contract.

The ‘International Montessori School of the Air®’ programme is accessible to families who have fully paid Tuition Fees, this according to the due dates as stated on the Tuition Contracts, Admin Policy and invoices.

Staffing: Staffing is based on the following three pillars:

• The main aim of ‘International Montessori School of the Air®’ is to provide the best possible education and assistance to families during the lockdown period and this within the limitations that it poses upon us all.

• It takes a full team to provide the above, therefore the full organisation is operational.

• Economic Unemployment can be financial hardship. As an organisation we work very hard to protect the school’s motivated team from this. The team is active with the following:

o With Social Distancing in place, team members work at school and / or at home.

o School as several Zoom rooms used for the Zoom-live sessions. Teachers can also opt to Zoom from home.

o Every week, teachers upload Padlet or Google Classroom.

www.international-montessori.org

o Specific teachers are specialists in Zoom, Padlet and Google

Classrooms and help the team.

o The After-School-Hour Guides assist the Teaching Team with Padlet and Zoom. From when a double scenario is necessary, they return to the classrooms according to the Zoom/Classroom schedule.

o Music teachers provide Padlet activities to the children and offer

the instrumental lessons to the students enrolled via Zoom.

o Schools are accessible for families to pick up items when applicable, such as books/readers and as organised with their teachers (by appointment).

o The pedagogical leadership team is providing guidance and

support as is applicable.

o Service personnel work to ensure buildings and grounds are fully maintained and ready for re-opening:

§ Gardens are beautiful, § Schools are disinfected and cleaned up, § Playgrounds are improved, § Animals and plants are being cared for.

o Bus drivers:

§ Depending on personal skills, help with: § Maintenance § Gardening § Desk-top support § Transporting goods between schools

o The administration is fully active, this includes:

§ Finance Administration § HR office § Material - Desktop support

Outstanding Tuition payments

• When the switch-over from physical schooling to ‘International Montessori School

of the Air®’ is necessary and Tuition fees are still outstanding, the digital-Zoom-live programme becomes available from when fees have been fully paid.

• Tuition Fees related to programme changes for Toddler Community or Children’s

Houses, booked to start during the Lockdown period, are cancelled and families do not need to pay the additional Tuition Fee.

• Tuition fees for new enrolments or siblings scheduled to start during the Lockdown period are cancelled and will not need to be paid. Families to contact the Admin office to plan a new starting date.

www.international-montessori.org

Cancellation of enrolment due to Covid-19 related employment circumstances:

Standard procedure is that once a Tuition Contract is made, it can only be severed in the event of relocation abroad by the employer and is applicable for notifications of relocation before January 31, 2021. (See section Admin Policy under Early Withdrawal). For the enrolment of the 2020-2021 school year, an exception to the above will be taken under review should the family fall under the following criteria:

o Loose their position directly related to Covid-19, o Need to move the child into the traditional schooling system due to

financial hardship, o Notify the school within the period of May 13 to August 14 2020.

To initiate this process of withdrawal, the school is provided with the following:

o By the parents: A letter containing comprehensive explanation, o By the company: Detailed letter indicating exact Covid-19 and business-

related reasons and timeframe, o By the Belgian school: confirmation of enrolment.

Programmes available:

Programmes are available per age range as described on the Tuition Fees overview. Within the After-School-Hour Programme, the following is not available till further notice:

• F3 and H3: Occasional Attendance. Within the Early Morning programme, the following is not available: • G3: Occasional Attendance.

The After-School Hour Programme and Early Morning Programme will function by means of pre-confirmed bookings. Both programmes can be booked, through the codes F1 and F2 or H1 and H2.