Application Process & Forms

October 18, 2010 to January 31, 2011

• Call the Admissions Office at (978) 927-1936 and schedule an appointment to visit the Cape Ann Waldorf School.
• Request application materials.
• Pre-register for an Open House
• Applications are due by January 31st. Applications that are received after January 31st will be reviewed on a rolling basis (based on class openings).
• January 15 - Complete a Tuition Assistance application online.

February, 2011

• February 28 - All interviews and visiting days have been scheduled and completed by this date.

March, 2011

• March 31 - Admissions decisions and enrollment contracts are mailed

April, 2011

• April 15 - Enrollment contract and deposit are due. Wait-listed candidates will begin to be notified of openings.

The best way to begin to learn if Waldorf Education is right for your family is to visit our school in Beverly Farms. To allow parents and children a direct experience of the Cape Ann Waldorf School, we offer Open Houses for the Nursery and Kindergarten and the grades. Attendance at one or more of these events will give you a much clearer picture of our unique approach to education.

The Cape Ann Waldorf School also sponsors an ongoing series of public events that present some of the ideas behind Waldorf Education to members of the school community and the general public. Lectures, learning conferences, workshops and festival events provide a chance for one to get to know more about who we are and what this unique approach to education has to offer. We strongly recommend that anyone with an interest in Waldorf Education or Anthroposophy attend one or more of these events.

Please see our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

The Application Process

The admissions procedure begins with the completion of an Application form. A $50 non-refundable fee is payable when the initial application for enrollment is made. Parents are asked to provide assessments and previous school records or to sign a release allowing the school to request records from the previous school.

Admissions Interview

Members of our faculty evaluate Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade applicants during school hours. The visit lasts approximately one hour. The initital interview includes the student’s parents, the student, the class teacher and another faculty member. Applicants must be 6 years old by March 1 to attend first grade the following September. Children who turn 6 years old March 1 to June 1 are assessed for first grade readiness. We look at the whole child - physical, emotional and intellectual development to aid the decision on when the child should enter first grade. A child’s chronological age and/or academic readiness are not enough to determine first grade readiness.

An initial interview is set up for applicants for grades 1 through 8. Faculty and parents meet to discuss the student’s background and educational placement while the student receives a tour of the school. Then the student and the class teacher will meet briefly before all regroup to conclude. In most cases, grade level is determined by the student’s date of birth.

Student Admissions Visit

The grades 2-8 student is invited to spend a minimum of 2 days in the classroom for which they are applying. These class visits are in lieu of admission tests. During their visit, they meet with a teacher for an academic assessment. There is also an assessment with our Extra Lesson faculty. Parents do not attend this in-class session. A second parent-teacher interview is sometimes requested.

The decision to accept a child into the class is made by the teaching staff. These decisions are based on an evaluation of the child's school visit, review of the child's student record, parent conference and the needs of existing classes. Parents are informed of the decision in a timely fashion.

Late Applications: Accepted and processed on a rolling basis provided spaces are available.

Notification: Parents are notified by mail of the admission decision on March 10th.

Reserving a Space: The completed enrollment contract and a deposit are due to reserve your child's space in the School by April 10th.