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FAQs

Q: How many students are enrolled at St. Matthew’s?

St. Matthew’s Parish School is a Preschool through Grade 8 School with approximately 350 students. There are three divisions: Early Childhood (Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten), Lower School (Kindergarten-Grade 4), and Middle School (Grades 5-8).

 

Q: For which grades do you accept applications?

St. Matthew’s welcomes applications from qualified students at all grade levels. There are, however, several key entry points which include Preschool, and Grades 5 and 6, where spaces are added. While openings at other grades are unpredictable and based on attrition, interested families are encouraged to apply.

 

Q: When should I begin the application process and what are the deadlines?

Applications should be requested in the fall before the anticipated year of entry. Online applications are available in early September. The application deadlines are as follows:

  • Preschool-Grade 8: January 6, 2023
  • Preschool-Grade 8: All supplemental materials (recommendations, transcripts) due January 13, 2023

 

Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space-available basis. Please contact the Admission Office directly and we will be happy to discuss the possibility of submitting a late application.

 

Once we receive your Application for Admission, you will be able to schedule your Interview and any required Assessment.

 

Q: What are the age requirements for entrance into Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten?

  • For Preschool: Students should turn 3 prior to August 1, 2023
  • For Pre-Kindergarten: Students should turn 4 prior to August 1, 2023
  • For Kindergarten: Students should turn 5 prior to August 1, 2023
 

Q: Are there opportunities to learn more about the School and tour the campus?

We offer several dates for Admission Information Sessions and Campus Tours throughout the fall and early winter. Please note that the Learn More information sessions are for parents only, as are Early Childhood and Lower School tours. However, we encourage students to join our Middle School campus tours. We will be adding more events for Middle School students throughout the process.

  • Early Childhood (Preschool & Pre-K) Learn More: October 18, 2022; November 1, 2022; November 16, 2022
  • Lower School (Kindergarten-Grade 4) Learn More: October 20, 2022; November 15, 2022
  • Middle School (Grades 5-8) Learn More: November 10, 2022
  • Middle School (Grades 5-8) Learn More, Mini-Class, and Campus Tour: December 12, 2022; January 10, 2023
 

Q: Are there any testing requirements for applicants?

Applicants to St. Matthew’s are required to attend an assessment based on the grade level to which they are applying.

  • Preschool: Applicants are required to attend one of our Preschool Playgroups, scheduled in January.
  • Pre-Kindergarten: Applicants are required to attend a Playgroup, scheduled in January.
  • Kindergarten-Grade 4: Applicants must attend an assessment on February 11, 2023, from 8:30-10:30 am.
 

Q: Is the ISEE Required for Middle School Applicants?

Students applying to Grades 5-8 are not required to take the ISEE. However, if your child has already taken the test, you are welcome to share the results with us. Please have the scores sent to our ISEE school code: 045075.

 

Q: What is the tuition at St. Matthew’s and is there any financial assistance available?

St. Matthew's offers financial aid for the combined purposes of broadening the socio-economic diversity of students, ensuring that the school remains affordable to both existing and prospective families, and allowing the composition of the student body to represent, as fully as possible, the community served by the Parish. Our aim is that no child who is well-suited for admission be denied the opportunity of attending because of an inability to pay the full tuition and fees.

 

Families may begin the process in early October by completing the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) online. Additional information requested during the process includes a confidential statement regarding the details of financial circumstances and tax return information. 

 

Q: My child is on the Waitlist. Is it ranked?

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. For the students who are qualified but for which we have no space, they will be offered a place on our Waitlist. We do not rank our Waitlist and all students are considered for the opening. Should an opening occur before the beginning of the next school year, the Admission Committee will select a candidate from the Active Waitlist using the same criteria applied in the initial admission process.

 

Q: How far in advance do I need to apply for Preschool?

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 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?

St. Matthew’s Parish offers a weekly Parent-Infant/Toddler class for parents who have children aged three and younger. In addition, the school offers an auxiliary program, Little Falcons, which meets for 3 hours each morning, for children aged 2-1/2-3 years old. For more information about these programs, please click on the links above.

 

Please note that participation in these programs is not a factor in Preschool admission decisions.

 

Q: If we have applied in the past, do we need to fill out a new application for the current year?

Yes. Families who wish to have their children considered as candidates for the current admission year must submit a new application at the appropriate time. Current academic records, interviews, assessments/testing, and references are required.

 

Q: When will I be notified if my child has been accepted?

Early Childhood decisions will be emailed on Thursday, February 23, 2023.

Kindergarten through Grade 8 decisions will be emailed on March 10, 2023.

 

These dates are agreed upon by the Los Angeles area Preschool and Independent School Consortia.