Get Involved

Families are Embraced

Sands Montessori School is a magnet program within the Cincinnati Public Schools. Parents who select Sands Montessori for their children have, by that choice, become members of the Sands community. All parents can show positive support of the program through volunteering, fundraising, participating in community events, and supporting the educational process by working at home with your child. By selecting Sands as your school of choice, you have made a commitment.

At Sands Montessori School we believe that family partnership is critical for student success. It is the essence of what makes our school great. All families are expected to volunteer 4 hours for single student families and 6 hours for families who have two or more students at Sands. The collective involvement of volunteers truly makes a difference in the lives of our students. Any combination of parents, grandparents, and even extended family members, is welcome to participate to meet your family’s expected hours. Volunteer hours may be completed in the classroom or through the Sands Montessori Parent Organization.

The presence of active, caring family members in the building shows our students how much our program is valued and supported. There are many ways to become involved in our school and show your support. Volunteering in the classroom, shopping for classroom supplies, attending meetings, participating in fundraisers, paying student fees immediately, helping your child with homework, coaching, and participating in the Sands Montessori Parent Organization are just a few examples of ways to become involved. We hope that your participation will prove to be as pleasant for you as it is for the children whose lives you touch.

Family Involvement

Building Tours

Our school community is greatly assisted by current parents taking the time to share positive things about Sands. Please encourage any interested parents to inquire about our building tours.

Building tours are for any interested parent/guardian who would like to know more about the Montessori experience at Sands. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with members of our parent organization, an administrator, and observe in the classroom setting.

Tours are held on select days October to March, and openings are available on a first come, first served basis. Please call 513-363-5000 for schedule information.
Tours are adult only in order to protect our peaceful learning environment for students.

Classroom Volunteering/Observing

Visitors are always welcome at Sands Montessori. All volunteers will need to obtain a Security Badge in order to enter the building. These badges must be shown in the office and visible to school employees when in the building.

Parents/volunteers who will not be alone with students will need to obtain a $5 Local Background Check from the Hamilton County Justice Center. If parents/volunteers will be alone with a student, they must obtain a State BCII and a Federal FBI background check ($50). After background checks are obtained, parents/volunteers must MAKE AN APPOINTMENT with the Security office. NO WALK-INS will be accepted.

Upon entering the building, ALL visitors must report to the office, explain the purpose of their visit, and sign-in on Lobby Guard. We are proud to share our students’ work. In order for the educational process to proceed smoothly, please adhere to the following guidelines:

Please make an appointment to observe or volunteer at least one day in advance. Too many observers can be disturbing to the children. Also, if you are volunteering or tutoring, the teacher will need time to prepare work for you that will be beneficial to the children and enjoyable for you.
In the classroom, enter quietly and sit in the space designated for you by the teacher.
Do not interrupt children and staff while they are working. Wait until an appropriate break to ask the teacher any question you might have.
Remember that as an observer or volunteer, you are bound by the same code of ethics as any other adult at Sands Montessori. You are not free to discuss any child's behavioral or personal information with anyone. Please do not ask staff members questions about children other than your own.
If you would like to discuss your observation or a classroom concern with the teacher, please request a conference time or a phone call. The teacher will not be able to engage in this type of discussion during the school day.
If a volunteer suspects that a student may be the victim of abuse or neglect, it should be reported to the classroom teacher or school administrator as soon as possible. Volunteers are not allowed to share their observations with anyone other than school personnel.

Field Trips

Please note, all field trip fees are non-refundable.

Reminder: Two completed emergency cards are required prior to students attending field trips.

If your student’s class will be taking a field trip that you would like to chaperone, please know that for the continued safety of our students, Cincinnati Public Schools require ALL chaperones attending a school field trip to obtain a local background check and a volunteer badge from the district.

1. Local Background Check

Local background checks are performed at the Justice Center, 1000 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The cost is $5.00, cash; identification is required.

2. FBI and BCI Background Check (required for working with students when not directly accompanied by a CPS employee).

These background checks are performed at the Board of Education office, 2651 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45219 in the Human Resources Department. The cost is $25 each, cash. Please call 363-0100 to make an appointment.

3. Volunteer Badge

Volunteer badges can only be obtained at the Board of Education office, 2651 Burnet Ave.,Cincinnati, OH 45219

Please take the receipt from the local background check with you to the CPS Safety & Security Office.
Prior to arriving at the Security office, please phone the school (363-5000) as we will need to submit a form on your behalf prior to the issuance of a Volunteer badge.

Committees

Sands Montessori Parent Organization

The Sands Montessori Parent Organization, “SMPO,” is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization made up of Sands parents/legal guardians, teachers and staff. Anyone from the Sands community is welcome to join!

SMPO’s mission is for families, staff, and students to work together to strengthen the Sands Montessori community of life-long learners. All Sands parents/legal guardians, teachers and staff are automatically members of the SMPO. Membership is free.

Meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month (August-April) in the Sands Library from 6:30-8:00 p.m. All are invited to attend.

The first and last meetings of each school year are also considered “General Parent Meetings.” This means that issues will be brought in front of the parents assembled for voting. Typically, the SMPO Annual Budget is voted on at the August meeting, while at the April meeting, the Rudder Committee members for the following school year are elected.

For everything SMPO, please visit: https://www.sandsparents.org/

Local School Decision Making Committee (LSDMC)

The LSDMC is the primary governing body for each school in the district. This committee gives insight and input into important decisions that greatly impact students' lives and shape their educational experiences.

The functions of the LSDMCs includes:

Adopting bylaws, including the school's mission and vision
Setting measurable goals, based on a needs assessment
Developing a broad plan (One Plan) to implement these goals
Completing a mid-year and end-of-year progress report
Making recommendations and approving the school budget
Participating in the selection of the principal when a vacancy exists
Approving locally initiated changes in the school's program or focus
Making recommendations to the principal regarding other school issues
Seeking grants to support the school's programs (optional)
Coordinating and overseeing the development of the school as a Community Learning Center
The committee is composed of parents, teachers, staff members, students and community members. The LSDMC meets 9 times each year.

Instructional Leadership Team (ILT)

The ILT sets the instructional focus and makes the instructional decisions for the school. ILT responsibilities include:

Developing, reviewing and evaluating the instructional program
Monitoring and improving school operations and procedures that affect instruction
Planning and monitoring training of staff
Creating and maintaining a safe and orderly school environment
The team is composed of the principal, two parent representatives, two non-teaching staff members, and teachers. ILT meets twice a month and as needed.

Security Badges and Background Checks

To assure the safety of students and staff, Cincinnati Public Schools requires security badges for anyone entering CPS' buildings. One-time visitors receive a temporary security badge from the front office. Individuals who visit our buildings on a regular basis, such as volunteers, must obtain a security badge and wear it at all times in our buildings. Learn more about how to obtain a security badge.