2010-2011 Enrollment Information

Enrollment Priority

Enrollment priority is given in the following order:

1. Currently enrolled returning public school (K-6) SVCMS Students
2. Siblings of Admitted SVCMS Students*
3. Children of full-time SVCMS Teachers
4. Children of Founding Families Tier I (Children of current or former SVCMS Board members)
5. Children of Founding Families Tier II (Children with an Intent to Enroll form received by June 25, 2008)
6. All District Residents
7. All non-District Residents

*Sibling priority is limited to: 1. Students within the public elementary school (K-6), and 2. Preschool children who have a sibling in the public elementary school.  Sibling priority is not offered to elementary school students based on an enrolled preschool sibling.

Priority enrollment for students in categories 3, 4 and 5 (children of full-time SVCMS teachers and children of Founding Families Tier I and Tier II) will not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the total SVCMS enrollment population in any given year.  Should the number of children in these three groups exceed the twenty percent (20%) limit, priority shall be given to the children in the order that the categories above are listed, #3, then #4, then #5, and a lottery for each category will be held if necessary.  Any children from these three categories who are not selected for a position in their respective lottery shall be included in the general school lottery with students in category #6.

Students on the waitlist for the previous school year will NOT automatically be included in the lottery for the upcoming school year.  Any students who are not currently enrolled and who wish to enroll for the upcoming school year must resubmit an Intent to Enroll form by January 29, 2010.

Enrollment for the 2010-2011 school year will be processed by a lottery system for Kindergarten through 3rd grade positions. If all available positions for these grades are filled by categories #1 and #2, a lottery will be held to determine waitlist position. Enrollment processes for positions in the preschool (Children’s House) are outlined below.  Intent to Enroll Forms will be accepted until January 29, 2010, for the lottery to be held on February 3, 2010.  All names entered into the lottery for each grade level will be selected at random.  As a grade level is filled, a waitlist will be created and students on the waitlist will be admitted if and when positions become open for their grade level.  If there are fewer applications submitted than places available for a particular grade level, those applicants will be accepted into the school on February 4, 2010.  Applications for the remaining open positions will be filled in the order that Intent to Enroll Forms are received beginning on February 4, 2010.  More information on the lottery can be found below.

In order to be included in the lottery and considered for enrollment at SVCMS, applicants must complete and submit an “Intent to Enroll” Form, which is available on the SVCMS website (www.svcmontessori.org) or by calling 303-682-4339 or by attending an Informational Workshop held by the school.  The completed Intent to Enroll Form must be returned via email, fax or postal mail to the following address:
   
    SVCMS
    Attention:  Enrollment
    1055 Delaware Avenue
    Longmont, CO  80501
    303-682-4339 or by fax 303-682-8925
    info.svcms@gmail.com

Informational Workshops

Parents who are interested in enrolling their students into SVCMS are strongly encouraged to attend an Informational Workshop.  These workshops will be led by a SVCMS Staff member and will provide an overview of Montessori as it applies to child development, the academic content of the Montessori curriculum, and details about SVCMS and the enrollment process.  Informational Workshops will be held in December and January.  Details on when and where the meetings will be held will be posted on the SVCMS website by November 15, 2009.

Lottery for Kindergarten through 3rd grade positions

SVCMS plans to receive federal charter school start-up grant funds.  As a requirement of receiving federal funds, SVCMS must hold a lottery if it receives more applications than positions available in a particular grade at the school. 

The lottery for the 2010-2011 school year will take place on February 3, 2010 for all prospective students in categories 3-6. Space permitting, a lottery for out-of-district residents, category 7, will be held March 3rd  The lottery for some Kindergarten positions in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years will also take place on this day (see details below.)  SVCMS will notify the parents/ legal guardians of each child selected in the lottery by telephone by February 4, 2009.  The parent/ legal guardian of each child selected must give a verbal confirmation of intent to enroll within two (2) business days after the lottery and notification (no later than February 8, 2010.)  Parents/legal guardians must complete and return an SVCMS Enrollment Packet within ten (10) business days of the lottery and notification (no later than February 17, 2009.)

Any potential student who is offered a position and declines placement in the school will lose any and all lottery positions for that year.  Students may reapply for lottery positions after refusing placement, but his or her name will be placed at the end of the compiled waitlist.

After available spots for each grade level have been filled by the lottery, remaining students will be placed on an “order drawn” list that will become the waitlist for openings that arise.  However, after October 1, 2010, no new students will be enrolled at the school for the ½ Day Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd  or 3rd grade classes. Full day Kindergarten and preschool positions can be filled throughout the year.

Age Requirements

As SVCMS is a part of the St. Vrain Valley School District, the school will follow SVVSD guidelines for age requirements and enrollment.  In order to enter Kindergarten, an applicant must be 5 years old by October 1st of the year of Kindergarten enrollment.  To enter into 1st grade, an applicant must be 6 years old by October 1 of the year of first grade enrollment.

See - St. Vrain Valley School District Policy JEB – Entrance Age Requirements

Early Kindergarten Lottery

Eligible applicants may participate in the lottery for Kindergarten positions up to two years and seven months prior to starting Kindergarten.  For Kindergarten positions available in the 2011-12 school year, a child must be four (4) years of age by October 1, 2010.  Space permitting, eight (8) such early Kindergarten lottery positions will be drawn on February 3, 2010.  For Kindergarten positions in the 2012-13 school year, a child must be three (3) years of age by October 1, 2010.  Space permitting, eight (8) early Kindergarten lottery positions will also be drawn on February 3, 2009.  Parents interested in participating in this early lottery must submit an Intent to Enroll Form by January 29, 2010 indicating which year they expect to enroll their child into Kindergarten.  Parents whose children win a spot in the Kindergarten lottery are not required to send their child or children to the SVCMS preschool.  Likewise, children need not be enrolled in the SVCMS preschool program in order to participate in the early lottery.  The early lottery is only open to students who reside within the St. Vrain Valley School District.

Children’s House Enrollment

Applicants for preschool positions in the Children’s House must be at least 3 years old as of October 1, 2010.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to be fully potty-trained, with the ability to go to the restroom independently, and must also be able to express their needs and ideas to adults, as well as take directions from adults.

Families interested in enrolling their children into the SVCMS Children’s House program are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Montessori Method, and are required to attend an Informational Workshop and meet with the Head of School or two SVCMS staff members.  Interested families may then follow these steps to enroll their children at SVCMS:

1.    Parents/ legal guardians may print an enrollment form from the SVCMS website, or call SVCMS to have one mailed to them.
2.    After the enrollment form is completed and submitted to SVCMS, the school will contact the family to schedule an observation of a Montessori classroom and a meeting with the Head of School.  The child being enrolled in the school may also participate in an informal group observation.
3.    As positions become available in the Children’s House, applications will be considered in the order in which they were received, as well as based on compatibility of the child with the Montessori Method of education offered by SVCMS as well as the child’s readiness to attend school.
4.    Notification of acceptance to the SVCMS preschool program will be in writing, and applicants will have five (5) days to complete an enrollment packet to secure a position in the preschool.  A 10% non-refundable deposit of tuition will be due on February 12, 2010.  Another 10% of tuition will be due by May 15, 2010.  The remainder of the 80% due can be paid in ten monthly installments from August, 2010 to May, 2011.

Children’s House (Kindergarten & Preschool) Tuition & Daily Schedules

Three and four-year old students enrolled in the Children’s House program will attend school five days a week, for at least the half-day portion of the program.  Five-year-olds may also be enrolled for the full-day preschool program, on a limited space available, student readiness basis.  SVCMS will offer a “lunch bunch” option for half-day preschool students.  For an extra tuition payment, parents may opt to leave their child/children at the school for the half hour lunch period and a half hour recess.  Parents must provide a bagged lunch or purchase lunch through the school for students participating in the “lunch bunch” option.

SVCMS offers both full-day and half-day Kindergarten positions.  The half-day Kindergarten positions are offered free of charge due to public funding received by the school.  Full-day Kindergarten positions require a tuition to cover the portion of the school day not covered by public funds.  As Montessori is a progressive method of education, with each year’s learning building on the foundations of the prior year, full-day Kindergarten is considered “best practice” for children enrolled in the program.  To ensure the best outcomes for each student, SVCMS strongly encourages full-day enrollment for each applicant.