Enrolling in The School Without Walls

The School Without Walls welcomes racial, cultural and religious diversity, and families of every composition.
We have an open admissions policy that reflects our aim to respect individual differences and learn from diversity. New students may join the school at anytime during the school year. We require families to make a commitment to attend the school for one year, as it can take time for new students to learn how to best utilize school resources.

What are the steps to enrollment?

Here are our five steps to enrollment.

• Preliminary Information - New students wishing to enroll should first gain information about the school through reading, talking to staff members, and attending family information nights. After gaining a preliminary understanding of the school and the Sudbury model, families are encouraged to schedule a visiting day.

• Visiting Day - Send in an Interview Request Form ($15 fee) to schedule a family visiting day. During the visiting day, students and their parents will receive a tour and orientation. They are free to stay at school and interact with students and staff for two hours. After the initial visit students who are interested in joining the school should schedule an enrollment conference and visiting week. 

• Enrollment Conference - Enrollment conferences are scheduled before the visiting week in order to clarify the educational philosophy and practices of the school. The conference is an official acknowledgement of the student’s intention to join the school community. It is a time to review expectations, clarify questions, and address any concerns raised by the student, school, and parents. The enrollment conference and visiting week must be scheduled in advance. The non-refundable fee for the visiting week is $160, and must be paid at or before the enrollment conference. Also, the Registration Information Forms must be completed and turned in at this time.

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• Visiting Week - The purpose of the visiting week is to determine whether the school actually provides a good fit with the family’s educational philosophy. During the visiting week, new students attend school with the same privileges and responsibilities as other students, freely using school facilities, and participating in school activities. Students are expected to follow the rules of the school and participate in the judicial process during visiting weeks. Visiting students are welcome to attend school meeting, but may vote only after they have officially enrolled in the school. Full-time students are expected to attend five consecutive days (Monday through Friday) for the visiting week, while part-time students may attend five days in the pattern they plan to enroll (for example: Tuesday-Thursday, plus Tuesday, Wednesday).

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• Official Enrollment - At the end of the visiting week the student may officially join the school and become a voting member of the School Meeting. At this time, the tuition contract and immunization form must be completed, signed, and returned. A second conference may be scheduled if requested by the student, parents, or enrollment committee. The following fees are also due at this time:
  • the full tuition payment or first tuition installment
  • deposit equal to the last month’s tuition payment ($5555/10 = $555 for full time)
  • $35 administrative fee if making installment payments

Tuition

Tuition

Tuition amounts for the 2008-2009 school year are: $5555 (5 days), $4444 (4 days), $3333 (3 days). Discounts for siblings are: 25% of full-time tuition for the second child, 50% of full tuition for the third and subsequent children .

Tuition Payments

If tuition is paid in full by August 31st there is a 5% discount. If paying monthly payments, there is an annual non-refundable administrative fee of $35 per family due August 1st.

The School Without Walls does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender or religion. To register, accepted applicants and current students invited to return must provide a complete registration packet approved by the Admissions Committee. The school reserves the right to decline enrollment or re-enrollment.

  The best candidates for enrollment at the school are children with involved families who are committed to the policies and structure of the school.

Our school is for motivated, bright, outgoing students who are interested in a certain amount of self-directed activity but who remain capable self-discipline and respond well in a group situation.

Registration and Application packets are available at the school office or can be mailed upon request.