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Admissions Policy Overview Encinitas Country Day School is a non-sectarian private school serving preschool, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school students without regard to race, gender, creed or national origin. Our admission criteria require that students be ambulatory and physically, emotionally, developmentally and academically able to participate fully in the school program within age-appropriate parameters and without adversely affecting the quality of the program for other students attending the school.
Application Process If you are considering applying at Encinitas Country Day School, we encourage you to visit the appropriate campus any weekday morning at 9:30 a.m. to tour the school and visit the classes while they are in session. After your tour, you may view a powerpoint orientation to the school and/or meet with the school’s director to get further information. During your meeting with the director, you will have an opportunity to discuss your student and any special abilities or needs he/she may have. At this point, you will be offered an admissions packet (if you have not already submitted one), and will be able to begin the admissions process as outlined below.
Applying Student Evaluation and Acceptance Process It is the goal of ECDS to assist students in meeting their highest potential. In the Lower School we support this goal by providing individualized academic instruction for both advanced and remedial learners at each grade level. In addition to our standard college-preparatory course of study, Honors English and mathematics classes are offered to eligible students at the Middle School level and advanced placement courses will be available to eligible sophomore, junior and senior students when our school expands through 12th grade. Our admissions process is designed to generally determine the needs of an applying student and confirm the School’s ability to meet those needs prior to accepting the student. The school’s Admissions Committee will initially assess student abilities and needs using historic progress reports, standardized test scores and individualized educational plans provided by parents and former teachers. When an applicant has special abilities, the committee will consider those abilities when determining the school’s ability to support the student in reaching his/her highest potential. When an applicant has special needs, the committee will consider those needs based on the student’s ability to participate within acceptable physical, academic and behavior parameters for each level and the ability of the school to provide necessary support within those parameters. (To be accepted, the committee must determine that the applying student will be able to meet basic participation requirements without taking staff time needed by other students. In limited instances, full participation may be accomplished with the assistance of parent provided support.)
Applying Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Prior to admission, each preschool/kindergarten student will attend a pre-admission interview with his/her parent/s or guardian. The director will assess the student to determine the needs of the child and the ability of the school to meet those needs. Periodic review of each child will assure that the best interests of the child and the other children in the school will be served. Once accepted, a completed admission packet must be returned to the school office, with all fees, prior to admission.
Applying First Grade Students After touring our facilities and reviewing information about our school and programs, interested parents/guardians may proceed to submit an application and required fees to begin the admission process. Upon receipt of a completed application, the school’s Academic Success Coordinator will contact the family to schedule an interview. During the interview, parents and school will assess the ability of the school to meet the needs of the student and determine whether further information is necessary. Once school and family are satisfied, the application will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review and determination. Once accepted, application fees will become non-refundable and the student will be enrolled. After a student is enrolled, a periodic review will assure that the best interests of the student and school continues to be served.
Applying Lower, Middle and Upper School Transfer Students Prior to admission, parent/s or guardian/s of applying students will provide a completed application packet, including recent photo, progress reports, standardized test results and any individualized educational plans that are in place. In addition, student/s will schedule and attend at least one visiting day in a current grade-level classroom. Finally, the completed application, accompanying documents and visiting day report will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee. The committee will initially review the application and make a decision to accept the student or to contact the parents to inform them of any concerns and seek further information prior to making a final decision on the application. In all cases, individual students will be accepted or denied based on the application, interview, historic documents and visiting teacher’s report and with consideration of available positions that are age, grade, gender and needs appropriate.
