Nontraditional Learning
Children thrive in both our indoor and outdoor classrooms where curiosity about the world drives them to learn. We provide professional guidance, the prepared environment, and scientifically developed materials for children to live
up to their full potential.
Learning Happens through purposeful activity
Children work with specially designed learning materials, manipulating and investigating them to master the lessons they embody.
abstract ideas in concrete form
Children use real objects to translate abstract ideas into concrete form. The example above, the binomial cube, physically represents a mathematical equation, which is (a + b)³ = (a + b) (a + b) (a + b) = a³ + 3a²b + 3ab² + b³.
Outdoor learning prioritized
Safety is our highest priority and we are lucky to have a 13-acre campus which provides students with many opportunities to work outside. Each classroom also has an exterior door, so when it’s too hot or cold outside, students can move into a well-ventilated indoor space.
Committed professionals
Our committed and credentialed professionals foster a child’s cognitive, physical, and social/emotional well-being, leading children to become enthusiastic, intrinsically motivated learners.
TMA at a Glance
Our Global Community
With students and staff members representing more than 20 countries, we consider TMA to be a small-scale global community.
Highly Committed Teachers
29% of our teachers are in their second decade of service at TMA, while the average tenure of lead classroom teachers at TMA is 8 years.
Accreditation
TMA is fully accredited by the American Montessori Society. We are 1 of only 3 fully accredited schools in the DFW area. There are only 8 schools in Texas that hold this level of accreditation.
Latest Posts
If you want to learn more about how children learn in a Montessori classroom, please read some of our blog posts, all of which can be found under Parenting Resources.
FAQs
Usually, our operational hours are from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Due to the new restrictions for the 2020-21 school year, we are only able to provide care between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:30 pm.
Infant, Toddler, and Early Childhood
The school day is from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, with Before Care from 7:30-8:30 am and Extended Day from 3:30-4:30 pm.
Elementary
The school day is from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, with Extended Day from 3:30-4:30 pm.
Our Tuition and Fee Schedule is available online. Please note that the $300 application fee is fully refundable until an enrollment contract is signed.
Yes. Tuition can be paid in-full or on a monthly basis. If you choose to pay on a monthly basis, we require you to purchase tuition insurance, which is 3% of the annual tuition and is paid with your first tuition payment.
For the Infant, Toddler, and Early Childhood program for the 2020-21 school year, we are offering a special contract that allows for contract cancellation with 30-days notice. With this option, no tuition insurance is required, but the monthly cost is slightly more expensive. Please see our Tuition and Fee Schedule for exact costs.
Yes. Our enrollment contracts cover an entire school year, either a 10-month school-year option, or a 12-month year-round option. If you are admitted after the beginning of a school year, your tuition is pro-rated based on when you enroll. There is a 3-week trial for students enrolled in our Infant and Toddler programs.
For the Infant, Toddler, and Early Childhood program for the 2020-21 school year, we are offering a special contract that allows for contract cancellation with 30-days notice. With this option, no tuition insurance is required, but the monthly cost is slightly more expensive. Please see our Tuition and Fee Schedule for exact costs.
Under normal circumstances, the new school year starts with our summer term, the day after Memorial Day, near the end of May or beginning of June depending on the calendar. This is the beginning of our 12-month option. Our fall term and 10-month option begins in August and closely follows the Arlington ISD school calendar, though, we usually begin a week before AISD.
We are open for the 2020-2021 school year! The first day of school was August 10 and the last day will be May 28. We have added an additional 2 weeks to the school year to try to offset possible future stay-at-home orders.
Our ratios vary by program and have changed for the 2020-21 school year due to COVID-19:
— Infant – 1:4 (2 teachers for 8 students)
— Toddler – 1:7 (2 teachers for 14 students)
— Early Childhood – 1:10 (2 teachers to 20 students)
— Elementary – 1:10 (2 teacher to 20 students)
While these are the minimum ratios, we have an additional teacher available for each of the Infant, Toddler, and Early Childhood classrooms throughout the day. Elementary students also participate in Enrichment classes with Enrichment Specialist teachers.
All families provide their own healthy lunch options for their children.
Parents provide snacks and lunch for children enrolled in the Infant program.
A few times each year, families with students enrolled in the Toddler and Early Childhood programs will receive a list of groceries to purchase to bring for the classroom snack. As part of the Practical Life work in class, students will prepare snack each day.
Lower Elementary students will be assigned a day each month to bring the classroom snack. Upper Elementary students will bring snacks for themselves each day.
The nap schedule for infants is individualized and based on an infant’s age and need.
Toddlers and 2.5 to 3-year old Early Childhood students take a nap in the afternoon, after lunch.
Early Childhood students who are 4-years old are asked to rest for at least 30 minutes each day, with some still needing a full nap and others only resting their bodies for a short time.
Early Childhood students who are 5-years old do not nap and take part in special enrichment classes or work in the afternoon.
Parents of children with diagnosed allergies or asthma are required to provide the school with an individualized health care plan, signed by the child’s medical provider. A list of children with medically documented food allergies is posted in every classroom throughout the school, and a list of the classroom allergens is posted outside of each room.
TMA was established as a parent cooperative and, as such, requires parental involvement. Not only does community service help to build stronger bonds between community members, but it also provides excellent modeling for the volunteerism that we wish to instill in our students.
Parents pay a Community Service Fee of $300 each year, $150 for the fall term and $150 for the spring term. If one or more members of your family volunteer at TMA for 5 hours each semester or 10 hours for the year, you will be refunded the entirety of the Community Service Fee, or you may contribute it to the Scholarship Fund.
To protect the health of all children and to satisfy state regulations, current medical information for each child is required prior to enrollment. These records, which must meet state immunization and hearing and vision screening requirements, need to be updated when new screenings or immunizations are given. An annual physical is required for children in the Infant, Toddler and Early Childhood programs.
The state of Texas allows certain immunization exemptions and we follow all state guidelines.
Several forms of communication are used to meet the needs of our community. These include email, texting, phone calls, Microsoft Teams, written documentation, parent/teacher conferences, a parent portal on our website, a closed Facebook group, and Bloomz, a photo/video sharing app so parents can catch glimpses of the work their children are completing.
We produce a weekly e-newsletter to keep parents informed about school-wide activities and events which is available via email, text, our closed Facebook group, the parent portal, and through Bloomz.
For infants, in additional to daily, in-person communication, teachers and parents complete a daily form so both parties know when diapers were changed, meals/snacks were eaten, and naps were taken.
Injuries will be promptly treated by a staff member and parents will be notified either by telephone or through a copy of a completed Accident/Incident Report form. Parents will receive a short report which documents how, when, and where and accident or incident occurred.
A Peek Inside
What do parents say about TMA?
We are happy with TMA, my child has been attending the school and he has learned so much. The school environment is clean and has so much for my son who loves to be in outdoors. Teachers and the administrators are helpful.
Great Schools
After touring over a dozen preschools, TMA came out on top for us. We love the focus on teaching important life skills and building character, not just behavior. The teachers interact with the students in a way that helps them to become independent and thoughtful little people.
Google Reviews
This is a GEM in the middle of the metroplex, with acres of nature surrounding the school. Kids are given a unique opportunity to experience and enjoy nature in a caring environment, while learning so much, both in and out of the classroom. Our child really likes it here.
Niche Reviews
TMA is a great school that helps students gain independence, learn concepts deeply, and become well-rounded citizens of the world. The teachers are dedicated, and the campus is beautiful and inviting. TMA is a great place to be!
Private School Review
4 Easy Steps to Admission
Our admissions team will lead you through the entire process to answer your questions and provide all the information you need so your family can make an informed decision about whether TMA is the right choice for your child and your family. We understand that choosing the right school is an extremely important decision and we will be here to guide you through the decision-making process.
Schedule a Visit
We are now offering both on campus and virtual options! Visits are scheduled weekly for our Infant, Toddler, and Early Childhood programs. Visits for the Elementary program are scheduled individually.
Apply Online
To begin the admissions process, complete an online application and submit $300 application fee. The application fee is fully refundable until an enrollment contract is signed.
Meet with the Head of School
During the 1½ hour meeting, “fit and match” between the family’s expectations for their child and TMA’s vision is explored and information about the classroom evaluation (if applicable) and a detailed tuition payment schedule will be discussed.
Complete Online Enrollment
Upon acceptance to TMA, the enrollment process begins with a contract being offered by the Head of School. The Application Fee becomes non-refundable after we receive your contract. Once we have received your online enrollment and first tuition payment, your enrollment is complete.

