Kindergarten · Montessori · Christ-centered
Private kindergarten in Kissimmee, the Montessori way.
Kindergarten at SWREA is a Christ-centered Montessori classroom where five-year-olds learn to read, write and count with their hands, in English and Spanish. Tuition is $8,000, and for most Florida families the Step Up For Students scholarship covers all of it.
What kindergarten looks like
Reading, writing and number from the first day
Kindergarten and 1st grade learn together in one room. Each child works from their own plan, so a five-year-old who is ready to read moves ahead, and one who needs more time gets it.
Phonics from day one
Children hear and blend every sound in a word, learn letters with their hands, and celebrate new words on the class word wall.
Number they can hold
Counting and patterns to 20, then 120, then place value to 1,000, with shapes, measuring, telling time and coins.
First sentences, in two languages
Pencil grip and neat handwriting first, then complete sentences, journals and simple poems in English and Spanish.
A store of their own
The year ends with children running a class store or restaurant: setting prices, making signs and giving change.
After preschool
Continuing Montessori after preschool
Many Kissimmee families start with a Montessori or Montessori-inspired preschool, some of them free. Most of those programs stop before kindergarten, and most elementary schools nearby switch to textbook programs. SWREA is where a child can keep learning the same way through fifth grade.
The same way of learning
Hands-on materials, a calm room and the freedom to choose meaningful work carry straight on from a Montessori preschool.
VPK families welcome
SWREA does not run pre-K or VPK, so children come to us from many different preschools and from home.
No test to get in
There is no admissions testing and no reading requirement. Your child starts from wherever they are.
The practical details
What a kindergarten family needs to know
The school day runs 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday to Friday, at 1904 Michigan Avenue, Kissimmee.
Old enough
In Florida a child can start kindergarten if they turn 5 on or before September 1 of that school year.
$8,000, no fees
No registration or materials fee. The average Step Up award covers the whole cost for most families.
Lunch and clothes
Lunch comes from home and there is no uniform. Wear clothes your child can paint and garden in.
Getting here
Most families drop off and pick up. Our transportation partner can help families who need it.
Questions Parents Ask
- How old does my child need to be for kindergarten in Florida?
- Five years old on or before September 1 of the school year. For 2027-2028, that means a birthday on or before September 1, 2022.
- Is private kindergarten free in Florida?
- It can be. Step Up For Students scholarships cover private kindergarten at participating schools, and the average award is about $8,000. SWREA's tuition is $8,000 with no registration or materials fee, so for most families kindergarten here costs $0.
- Does SWREA offer pre-K or VPK?
- No. SWREA teaches kindergarten through fifth grade only. Children join us from VPK, from other preschools and from home.
- Does my child need to read before kindergarten?
- No. There is no admissions testing. Phonics starts on the first day, and each child works from where they are.
- Can my child start kindergarten in the middle of the year?
- Yes. Children can start on any school day of the year, and a Step Up scholarship can fund a mid-year start when the enrollment deadlines are met. Call the office and we will walk you through the dates.
Come and see it for yourself.
The best way to judge a classroom is to stand in it. Call us with any question, or start an application today.
More about life at SWREA
Kindness & leadership
Every child is known by name and adults are always close. Children learn to work in groups, solve problems together and look out for one another, and older students lead younger ones. Bullying has very little room to grow here.
English & Spanish
Spanish is part of every day, in morning meeting, stories and the calendar, not a once-a-week class. Children from English-speaking homes pick it up naturally, Spanish-speaking children grow their English, and families can talk to us in either language.
Transportation
SWREA has partnered with a local student transportation organization that can help get your child to and from school. If drop-off or pick-up is the hard part, call the office and we will walk you through it.
Christian Montessori
Hands-on materials, mixed-age classrooms and an uninterrupted morning work cycle, with Christ at the center. Families in Kissimmee rarely get to choose both.
Changing schools mid-year
Children can start at SWREA on any school day, and a Step Up scholarship can follow them. A small, calm room to start over in.