Inquire Online
Thank you for your interest in a Montessori education for your child at The Children’s House and Compass Junior High.
Enrollment is full for the 2025-26 school year. The admission process for the 2026-27 school year opens October 14, 2025 for tours and March 1, 2026 is the annual application deadline.
The first step toward applying is to submit an inquiry. I will respond with a link to my calendar to schedule a tour of our school with me. Please contact me with your questions at any time throughout the admissions process.
Warmly,
Renee
Renee Hintz (she, her)
Director of Advancement
renee@traversechildrenshouse.org
(231) 929-9325 ext 114
Admission Process
Tour the school with Renee. (Look for an auto-response email from Renee to schedule your tour after you've completed the inquiry form.)
Observe for 30 minutes in a classroom.
After touring and observing, apply online by March 1 to be in the applicant pool for the upcoming school year. For mid-year enrollment, please note the requested start date on your application.
Parents of students applying to enter kindergarten through 8th grade are required to meet with the Head of School and have their child spend a day as a visiting student.
The admissions office will notify you of acceptance and then the business office will provide a tuition agreement.
To enroll, make a non-refundable $500 enrollment deposit (applied toward total tuition), provide proof of up-to-date immunizations to comply with our immunization policy (non-medical waivers are not accepted), and then e-sign the tuition agreement.
If your child is placed in the applicant pool, you will be notified when a space becomes available.
Tuition Assistance
Tuition assistance awards are available for the Primary, Elementary, and Junior High educational programs only. To be considered for aid, a minimum schedule of 5 mornings is required for Primary students. Aid is not available for the Nido-YCC program, summer session, early care, or after care.
The website will be open for application starting February 1, 2026.
Admission Policy
Each year, we receive more applications than available placements. Our policy helps guide admission decisions in support of our school’s mission to prepare a Montessori learning environment that supports and respects the development of each unique child and nurtures them to become independent, curious, confident, lifelong learners who strive to contribute to their communities and the greater world.
The Children’s House and Compass Junior High admission process operates from an applicant pool of prospective students which allows the school to offer balanced, mixed-age Montessori classrooms.
Acceptance is based on available space in the program and a family’s:
Intentional choice for Montessori education
Willingness to partner with our school by being informed, involved, and invested
Alignment with the values and mission of The Children’s House and Compass Junior High, including a commitment to long-term enrollment
Additional considerations:
For children entering Kindergarten, Elementary, or Junior High, current academic reports, classroom visits, and parent interviews are a part of the admission process.
To comply with our immunization policy, only students who are up-to-date on all required vaccines are admitted. Non-medical waivers are not accepted.
Admission preference is given to siblings of returning students, children or siblings of alumni, students transferring from another Montessori school, and children of staff members.
Children who start at any point during the First Plane of Development (Birth to Age 6) are expected to remain enrolled through the Kindergarten year. If a family withdraws a child before completing kindergarten, enrollment for other children in the same family will not be guaranteed. Rather, they will be part of the applicant pool and considered for enrollment on a case-by-case basis.
The Children’s House and Compass Junior High does not discriminate in admissions or classroom placement based on gender, race, religion, national or ethnic origin (or any other legally protected status).
FAQ?
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Summer Program is designed to serve our current and returning school families. Families who ultimately re-enroll for the 26/27 school year receive first preference in any Summer Program that reaches capacity.
If space allows, Discovery Grove (lower el) and Excursion Camp (Upper El) open remaining spots to the broader community after the current-family registration window. This year, those spots open up to the public on January 23rd.
Nido, YCC, and Primary Camp registrations are open until filled.
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Please reach out anytime — we’re happy to help.
Andrew Lutes, Summer Director and Brooke Kartje, Summer Coordinator can both be reached at: summer@traversecitychildrenshouse.org
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Minimum week requirements are in place to support continuity and consistency for both our highly trained classroom staff and the children in each cohort.
If your family’s summer needs don’t match the minimum registration requirements, please reach out to us — we can find a solution in many cases. -
Great question. We effectively removed the separate charge for Early Care (8:00–8:30) this year. All families now have two options:
8:00am arrival: Park and walk your child into their class starting at 8:00am
8:20am arrival: Wait for carline to begin at 8:20am. Carline ends at 8:40am.