FAQs
Q: How many students are there at St. Matthew’s and how many grades?
A: St. Matthew’s is a Preschool-8th Grade School with approximately 325 students. There are three divisions: PS I & II; “Lower School” Kindergarten – 4th grade; and “Middle School” 5th - 8th grades.
Q: For what grades do you accept applications?
A: St. Matthew’s Parish School welcomes applications from qualified students at all grade levels. However, there are several key entry points, which include Preschool I and 5th and 6th grades where spaces are built in. While openings at other grade levels may be unpredictable, interested families are encouraged to apply.
Q: When should I begin the application process?
A: Applications should be requested in the fall before the anticipated year of entry. Applications are generally available in the first week of September. The application deadlines are as follows:
- December 3rd for Preschool
- December 17th for Kindergarten
- January 28th for Grades 1-8
Applications received after these dates will be considered only if spaces remain available.
Q: Are there age requirements for entrance into the Preschool and Kindergarten programs?
A: Students entering our Preschool I program need to turn 3 years old before June 1st for boys and September 1st for girls during the year of entry. For Preschool II, the cutoff age is 4 years old before June 1st for boys and September 1st for girls. The cutoff age for Kindergarten is 5 years old before June 1st for boys and September 1st for girls.
Q: Are there open houses and opportunities to tour the campus?
A: There are three open houses at the divisional levels:
- Preschool Admission Information Evening; Preschool families will sign up for a small group tour at this meeting or call the admission office.
- K-4 and 5-8 Admission Parent Meetings and Tours.
Q: Are there any testing requirements for applicants?
A: There are no requirements for preschool applicants. For Kindergarten applicants, we do require attendance to one afternoon assessment period; there are two dates: January 14 and 21, 12:45 – 2:30 p.m.. Applicants to Grades 1-4 are required to attend a Saturday morning assessment session, currently scheduled for March 5. All applicants to Grades 5-8 need to take the ISEE at a local secondary school. A schedule of test dates may be found at www.erbtest.org/parents/admissions/isee.
Q: How much does St. Matthew’s cost?
A: Please see the Affording St. Matthew’s page of our website for further details on tuition rates and financial aid.
Q: What if we missed the admission application deadline?
A: Please contact the Admission Office directly. We will be happy to discuss availability at that point and whether or not we would welcome further applications, based on the entering grade of your child.
Q: My child’s name was placed in the Applicant Pool. How does this differ from a Wait List?
A: Due to the high number of students who return, and a large pool of qualified applicants each year, St. Matthew’s is typically unable to accept all applicants who are qualified for admission. In this situation, we offer qualified students a place in our Applicant Pool. Because all students in our Wait Pool are qualified for admission we refer to it as a “Pool” instead of a “List”, which implies a certain rank order.
Should any openings occur before the beginning of the next school year, the Admission Committee selects candidates from this pool using the same criteria applied in the initial admission process.
Q: How far in advance do I need to apply for Preschool?
A: Unlike some Preschool programs, St. Matthew’s does not have a waiting list for applicants prior to the normal timeline for the next year. All families with children eligible for entry into Preschool I are given the opportunity to apply at the same time (the year prior to entry).
Q: What if my child is too young for Preschool? Are there any other programs offered?
A: St. Matthew’s offers a Parent-Toddler course for parents who have children age three and younger. In addition, we offer a Toddler Bridge Program, which meets 2-5 afternoons a week in the Preschool for children age two to three. For more information about these programs, please visit the Academic Program section of our website.
Q: If we have applied in the past, do we need to fill out a new application for the current year?
A: Families who wish their children to be considered as candidates for the current admission year must submit a new application at the appropriate time. Current references and academic records are required.
Q: How are admission decisions made at St. Matthew’s?
A: St. Matthew’s has developed clear guidelines for determining qualified candidates. Please see our Principles of Admission Practices section for more information on how are decisions are made.
Q: When will I be notified if my child has been accepted?
A: We have two dates for sending admission decision letters.
• PS I letters will be mailed on February 4, 2011
• PS II – 8 letters will be mailed on March 25, 2011
