You need to know your child, know yourself, and know the school. Here are some key facts about Sunset Mesa that can help you decide your answer to this question. Two of the traditional values instilled at Sunset Mesa are respect and cooperating with friends. These combine to create an enjoyable and orderly learning environment. In the preschool years, we work in earnest to help children achieve these goals.

At Sunset Mesa, healthy early childhood development is important. Academics are also important. We blend the two so that learning happens through activities that are engaging, intentional, and developmentally appropriate. We will make the most of each day with your child.

Families also must be willing to invest their time in order to maximize the opportunities at Sunset Mesa. We partner with our families in the way we share information and ask for participation in the goals set for the children. We ask families to help the children become independent, develop positive behavior, and support our activities by helping with occasional projects, volunteering for special events, attending programs and activities, and by participating in meetings and conferences.

Preschool: 16 with 1 teacher and 1 assistant

Kindergarten: 16 with 1 teacher and 1 assistant

1st Grade: 16

2nd Grade: 18

3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade: 20

Sunset Mesa makes every effort to maintain a standard of respect, kindness, morality, and honesty.  The basic method of accomplishing this is by creating a positive learning environment in which students are respectful of authority and responsible for their actions. The Sunset Mesa discipline philosophy encourages self-respect, self-discipline, cooperation, good behavior, and development of problem-solving skills.

All staff members who work directly with children are required to complete the assigned reading and attend trainings on Positive Discipline (Nelsen, 2007).

The preschool campus has a single building with a walled playground and entry points which are only unlocked at dismissal and arrival times.  During school hours, visitors are screened before allowed into the building.

Students are dismissed directly from a teacher to a parent or someone authorized by a parent. Children are always supervised.

Adults model and teach that people should respect and care for one another. Administrators and faculty devote significant time and energy to developing a sense of community and friendship among students; as a result, students can feel physically and emotionally safe among their peers.

Staff is professionally trained to respond to a variety of emergency situations.

Early Childhood teachers have degrees. Montessori teachers are AMS certifed. Whether Early Childhood or
Montessori, each student will receive the same opportunities for learning and growth in language arts, math, STEM,
physical education, music, fine motor, and much more.

High quality curriculum is developed to provide foundational skills, as well as, opportunities for teachers to challenge
students The school makes a significant investment in curriculum training for teachers to enhance their skills.

Teachers and administrators work diligently to have a continuity of curricular implementation from preschool through
5th grade.

Teachers provide classroom environments and experiences that recognize and utilize each child’s unique learning style
through the methods of differentiated instruction. All staff have been trained using Carol Tomlinson’s Practice of
Differentiated Instruction.

Play and exercise are key to great education and childhood is not sacrificed. Our children have plenty of recess time on our beautiful, well-equipped playground.

Children receive Spanish, Music, and Get Fit throughout the week.

STEAM is an area of focus where teachers provide multiple cross-curricular opportunities for learning and emphasize higher-level thinking skills. The Garden of Tomorrow becomes the backdrop for many STEM activities as well as developing a love of nature.

We have an open-door policy and welcome your questions and thoughts. Each preschool teacher uses Microsoft Teams to post daily events
and curriculum goals for the classroom. Additionally, teachers post newsletters, events, pictures of your child’s day.

Our school website is a wealth of information and the school offices send parent alerts, email announcements and reminders.

Parents are welcomed to join the Sunset Mesa Parent Association, an organization designed by parents to support the school in
providing their children with a quality education along with helping to foster a community network for the school’s
families.

Parents can volunteer in classrooms for special projects, community events, and to make special presentations in their
fields of expertise.

On a daily basis, teachers use an array of standard-based assessment techniques that give them a broad understanding of
each child’s strengths, challenges, and interests. The Director meets regularly with the teachers to review student assessments and determine best strategies as needed.

Parents receive report cards at the end of each trimester, attend two parent-teacher conferences, and are encouraged to communicate regularly with the teacher. Additional conferences may be scheduled by parents or the teacher if additional communication is needed between conferences.

The preschool director and teachers work closely with the elementary principal and kindergarten teachers to set ideal
expectations for incoming Sunset Mesa kindergarten students, known as one of the highest caliber kindergarten
programs in the city. Our Pre-K students are exceptionally well prepared emotionally, socially, and academically for the transition to elementary school.

In both the Early Childhood and Montessori programs,  our preschool teachers introduce kindergarten-style activities during
the last trimester.

Pre-K and kindergarten teachers meet prior to the fall semester to discuss each student so that the transition is smooth and enjoyable for each student.

The tuition that families pay covers all academic all costs is tuition is set based how often your child attends, for instance full day, 3 days a week, etc.   Sunset Mesa makes no separate charges for instructional materials, activity fees, technology fees, yearbook, or gross receipts tax. Families do purchase their own school supplies and are occasionally asked to pay a small amount for a classroom or school activity.

Optional expenses include hot lunch, milk, summer programs, and extended before and after care.

Families are NOT asked to fund raise at any point during the school year to contribute to the operation of the school.
Annual fund drives, capital campaigns, and wrapping paper sales do not happen at Sunset Mesa. No one will ask you
to name the school as a beneficiary in your will.