Kindergarten: Early Decision (2012-13)

Sacred Heart remains one of the few schools in the Chicago area that begins at Kindergarten, rather than at preschool or JK. At Sacred Heart, we are hesitant to rush children into the atmosphere of a “big kids” school too early. Instead, we believe that Chicago offers many excellent preschool options for families and that young children are often best served in the more intimate atmosphere of a small program tailored exclusively to the special needs of early childhood.

Early Decision is for families who are confident they are interested in Sacred Heart or who wish to consider Sacred Heart at the same time they investigate JK options at other schools. Families apply in the fall after their child has turned three for admission in the fall after their child has turned five. (All children must be five years old by September 1 of the year they enter Kindergarten.) Families who receive early acceptance remain at their preschool for their child’s four-year-old (or Junior Kindergarten) program, confident that a space is reserved for them at Sacred Heart for Kindergarten.

Please call the Admissions Office at (773) 681-8436 with any questions. 
 

The Process

Children applying now for Early Decision were born between September 1, 2006 and August 31, 2007.

Complete all sections of the application form, making sure that it is signed by both parents (or the custodial parent if parents are divorced). Return the application to the Admissions Office with an application fee of $75. The Admissions Office will acknowledge the receipt of your application. Application forms are available through the Admissions Office or can be downloaded online. If possible, please apply online for a reduced fee of $60.

Parent Tour
We ask that parents of applicants tour the school at either a monthly Admissions Coffee or a Quick Tour. Both parents should tour, but may tour separately, if that is most convenient. It is recommended, but not required, that parents tour prior to their interview. Parents who tour the school prior to applying are not required to schedule a second tour.

• Admissions Coffees are scheduled on selected Wednesday mornings throughout the year, 9:30 – 11 am. 
• Quick Tours are offered at 9:30 am on selected days: October – February. Quick Tours are reserved for applicant families.

Schedule your parent interview. (October through February)
After you have received the letter from the Schools acknowledging your application, e-mail or call the Admissions Office to arrange for your parent visit. This private appointment will allow you to discuss the Schools' program and philosophy with the Director of Admissions, and share important information about your child. Appointments last about an hour and are typically scheduled for mornings when school is in session. It is preferable for both parents to attend the interview. We regret that we cannot offer school tours at the same time as parent interviews.

Schedule your child's assessment. (October through February)
Your child will meet individually with a member of our Admissions staff for a brief developmental assessment. You are welcome to stay with your child during the assessment, which lasts approximately 45 minutes. Your child's assessment may be scheduled with the Admissions Office on most weekday mornings when school is in session.

Scheduling 
In order to accommodate applicant families when scheduling admissions appointments, we encourage you to email us with 3 appointment preferences, including dates and time.        

• Parent Interviews are offered Monday – Friday mornings (Please allow one hour for Parent Interviews)
• Developmental Assessments are offered Monday – Friday mornings; Thursdays only: noon or 1 pm
  (Please allow 45 minutes for Developmental Assessments)

It is possible to schedule the child’s Assessment and the Parent Interview at the same time if your child separates easily. Scheduling these appointments together tends to shorten the interview time. If you would specifically like to schedule these appointments together, please indicate this as a preference with your date request.

Contact Keya Graves, Admissions Associate for Records Management, to schedule all appointments.

FAQs

Submit a teacher recommendation for your child.
Due after January 1 but must be received before March 1, 2011
Please ask your child's preschool teacher to complete a teacher recommendation for your child. Sacred Heart uses the Chicago Independent School Recommendation form, which, as its name suggests, also is used by many other private schools in the area. Teachers should complete the form, maintain the original for their records, and send a copy to the Admissions Office. Recommendation forms and Consent to Release forms will be mailed to you in our application acknowledgement letter, and can also be downloaded from this website.

Pre-school Observation
January and February, 2011
Pre-school observations allow us to become better acquainted with children in an environment where they feel comfortable, safe, and know the classroom routine. We will schedule a time to visit your child's pre-school in January or February. Visiting arrangements will be made directly with the school, but you will be informed regarding the date. If your child is not enrolled in a pre-school or if an observation cannot be scheduled, you will be asked to bring your child to a small group play party at Sacred Heart scheduled on Thursday, February 25, 2011. 

Admissions Decisions
Announced March 9, 2011; Contracts Due: March 25, 2011
Admissions decisions for Early Decision 2012-13 academic year, will be mailed on March 9, 2011. Accepted families wishing to enroll their child will be asked to submit an enrollment agreement with a deposit of $2,000 in order to reserve their space. In order to finalize enrollment, families must submit a final enrollment agreement and deposit in January 2012. Deposits are non-refundable but are applied toward the first year's tuition.

Financial Aid and Early Acceptance
Financial Aid is awarded to families on the basis of need as determined by the School and Student Service for Financial Aid in Princeton, New Jersey. The School and Student Service requires each family applying for financial aid to submit a series of forms related to their financial status during the previous calendar year. For example, a family applying for aid for academic year 2011-12 would provide information from the 2010 calendar year. Federal tax documentation from the same year is required to substantiate need. For these reasons, it is impossible for the Schools to make outright financial aid commitments to families at the time of Early Decision. However, families may wish to complete a sample application in order to know what they would have qualified for had they been applying for the coming academic year. While this is not a financial commitment, it may help families in deciding whether Sacred Heart could be the right school for them in the future.

For the 2010-11 academic year, financial aid applications should be submitted before March 1, 2011.

Regular Decision (2011-12):

Regular Decision is for families who wish to apply to Sacred Heart on a traditional admission cycle, beginning the fall before their child is ready for Kindergarten. Although most of our Kindergarten spaces have usually been filled with a combination of Early Decision applicants and siblings of current students, spaces often become available for Regular Decision applicants in the year prior to Kindergarten. 

The Admissions Office works closely with Regular Decision families through every step of the admissions process to ensure they are well informed and up-to-date as Kindergarten spaces become available. Please call the Admissions Office if you have questions.

The Process

Children applying for Regular Decision were born between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006.

Complete all sections of the application form, making sure that it is signed by both parents (or the custodial parent if parents are divorced). Return the application to the Admissions Office with an application fee of $75. The Admissions Office will acknowledge the receipt of your application. Application forms are available through the Admissions Office or can be downloaded from this website. If possible, please apply online for a reduced fee of $60.

Parent Tour
We ask that parents of applicants tour the school at either a monthly Admissions Coffee or a Quick Tour. Both parents should tour, but may tour separately, if that is most convenient.  It is recommended, but not required, that parents tour prior to their interview. Parents who tour the school prior to applying are not required to schedule a second tour.

• Admissions Coffees are scheduled on selected Wednesday mornings throughout the year, 9:30 – 11 am. 
• Quick Tours are offered at 9:30 am on selected days: October – February. Quick Tours are reserved for applicant families.

Schedule your parent interview.
October 2010 through February 2011
After you have received the letter from the Schools acknowledging your application, call the Admissions Office to arrange for your parent visit. This private appointment will allow you to discuss the Schools' program and philosophy with the Director of Admissions, and share important information about your child. Appointments last about an hour and are typically scheduled for mornings when school is in session. It is usually preferable for both parents to attend the interview. We regret that we cannot offer school tours at the same time as parent interviews.

Schedule your child's assessment.
October 2010 through February 2011
Your child will meet individually with a member of our Admissions staff for a brief developmental assessment. You are welcome to stay with your child during the assessment, which lasts approximately 45 minutes. Your child's assessment may be scheduled with the Admissions Office on most weekday mornings when school is in session.

Scheduling
In order to accommodate applicant families when scheduling admissions appointments, we encourage you to email us with three appointment preferences, including dates and time.        

• Parent Interviews are offered Monday – Friday, 9, 10, & 11 am  (Please allow one hour for Parent Interviews)
• Developmental Assessments are offered Monday – Friday, 9, 10, & 11 am Thursdays only: 12 pm or 1 pm
  (Please allow 45 minutes for Developmental Assessments)

It is possible to schedule the child’s Assessment and the Parent Interview at the same time if your child separates easily. Scheduling these appointments together tends to shorten the interview time. If you would specifically like to schedule these appointments together, please indicate this as a preference with your date request.

Contact Keya Graves, Admissions Associate for Records Management, to schedule all appointments.

FAQs

Submit a teacher recommendation for your child.
Due after January 1 but must be received March 1, 2011
Please ask your child's preschool teacher  to complete a teacher recommendation for your child. Sacred Heart uses the Chicago Independent School Recommendation form, which, as its name suggests, also is used by many other private schools in the area. Teachers should complete the form, maintain the original for their records, and send a copy to the Admissions Office. Recommendation forms and Consent to Release forms will be mailed to you in our application acknowledgement letter, and can be downloaded from this website.

Pre-school Observation
January and February, 2011
Pre-school observations allow us to become better acquainted with children in an environment where they feel comfortable, safe, and know the classroom routine. We will schedule a time to visit your child's pre-school in January or February. Visiting arrangements will be made directly with the school, but you will be informed regarding the date. If your child is not enrolled in a pre-school or if an observation cannot be scheduled, you will be asked to bring your child to a small group play party scheduled at Sacred Heart on Thursday, February 25, 2011.

Admissions Decisions
Announced March 9, 2011; Contracts Due: March 25, 2011
Admissions decisions for Kindergarten Regular Decision 2011-12 will be mailed on March 9, 2011. Accepted families wishing to enroll their child will be asked to submit an enrollment agreement and a deposit of $1,000 in order to reserve their space. Deposits are non-refundable, but are applied toward the first year's tuition.

First Grade:

When to Apply
The suggested application deadline for First Grade, 2011-12 is March 1, 2011.

This class is fully enrolled, and the number of new students who can be accepted for 2011-12 will depend on the number of current students not returning that year. Contracts for returning students are due by the end of February. Please feel free to call the Admissions Office if you would like information regarding openings before submitting an application. 

The Process

Complete an application.
Complete all sections of the application form, making sure that it is signed by both parents (or the custodial parent if parents are divorced). Return the application to the Admissions Office with an application fee of $75. The Admissions Office will acknowledge receipt of your application. Application forms are available through the Admissions Office or can be downloaded from this website. If possible, please apply online for a reduced fee of $60.

Parent Tour
We ask that parents of applicants tour the school at either a monthly Admissions Coffee or a Quick Tour. Both parents should tour, but may tour separately, if that is most convenient. It is recommended, but not required, that parents tour prior to their interview. Parents who tour the school prior to applying are not required to schedule a second tour.

• Admissions Coffees are scheduled on selected Wednesday mornings throughout the year, 9:30 – 11 am. 
• Quick Tours are offered at 9:30 am on selected days: October – February. Quick Tours are reserved for applicant families.

Schedule your parent interview.
After you have received the letter from the Schools acknowledging your application, call the Admissions Office to arrange for your parent interview. This private appointment will allow you to discuss the Schools' program and philosophy with the Director of Admissions, and share important information about your child. Appointments last about an hour and are typically scheduled for mornings when school is in session. It is preferable for both parents to attend the interview. We regret that we cannot offer school tours at the same time as parent interviews.

Schedule your child's assessment.
Your child will meet individually with a member of our Admissions staff for a brief developmental assessment. You are welcome to stay with your child during the assessment, which lasts approximately 45 minutes. Your child's assessment may be scheduled with the Admissions Office for most mornings school is in session.

Submit a teacher recommendation for your child.
Please ask your child's Kindergarten teacher to complete a teacher recommendation for your child. Sacred Heart uses the Chicago Independent School Recommendation form, which, as its name suggests, also is used by many other private schools in the area. Teachers should complete the form, maintain the original for their records, and send a copy to the Admissions Office. Recommendation forms and Consent to Release forms will be mailed to you in our application acknowledgement letter, and can be downloaded from this website.

Admissions Decisions
As openings allow, announcements begin around mid-March.

Enrollment Agreements are generally due two weeks following acceptance.
Accepted families wishing to enroll their child will be asked to submit an enrollment agreement and $1,000 deposit in order to reserve their space. Deposits are non-refundable, but are applied toward the first year's tuition.

Second through Eighth Grade:

When to Apply
The suggested application deadline for Grades Two through Eight, 2011-12, is February 1, 2011.

Classes are full at some grade levels, and the number of new students who can be accepted for 2011-12 will depend on the number of current students not returning for the coming year.  Please feel free to call the Admissions Office if you would like information regarding openings before submitting an application.

The Process 

Complete an application.
Complete all sections of the application form, making sure that it is signed by both parents (or the custodial parent if parents are divorced). Return the application to the Admissions Office with an application fee of $75 and a copy of your child's most recent report card. Application forms are available through the Admissions Office or can be downloaded from this website. If possible, please apply online for a reduced fee of $60. The Admissions Office will acknowledge receipt of your application.

Parent Tour

We ask that parents of applicants tour the school at either a monthly Admissions Coffee or a Quick Tour. Both parents should tour, but may tour separately, if that is most convenient. It is recommended, but not required, that parents tour prior to their interview. Parents who tour the school prior to applying are not required to schedule a second tour.

• Admissions Coffees are scheduled on selected Wednesday mornings throughout the year, 9:30 – 11:00 am. 
• Quick Tours are offered at 9:30 am on selected days: October – February. Quick Tours are reserved for applicant families.

Schedule your parent interview.
After you have received the letter from the Schools acknowledging your application, call the Admissions Office to arrange for your parent visit. This private appointment will allow you to discuss the Schools' program and philosophy with the Admissions Director, and share important information about your child. Appointments last about an hour and are typically scheduled for mornings when school is in session. It is usually preferable for both parents to attend the interview. We regret that we cannot offer school tours at the same time as parent interviews.

Schedule your child's assessment:
Your child will meet individually with a member of our Admissions staff for a brief developmental assessment. You are welcome to stay with your child during the assessment, which lasts approximately 45 minutes. Your child's assessment may be scheduled with the Admissions Office for most mornings school is in session.

Schedule your child's class visit:
Shadow Days can be scheduled on January 26, March 2, March 16 and April 6. Other days are available by special arrangement.

Your child will spend a day visiting Sacred Heart in a class at his or her grade level. With the help of a special student host, your child will have an opportunity to meet other students, participate in normal class activities, and learn more about the kind of education offered at Sacred Heart. In order to help us become better acquainted with your child's learning needs, a special time during the day will be set aside to meet individually with a teacher.

Submit your child's teacher recommendations.
Please ask your child's current school to complete a set of recommendations for your child. Students applying to Second through Fifth Grade require two recommendations ­ one from the child's teacher and one from the principal. Students applying to Sixth through Eighth Grade require three recommendations ­one each from the student's English and math teachers and one from the school's principal. Sacred Heart uses the Chicago Independent School Recommendation form, which, as its name suggests, also is used by many other private schools in the area. The current school should complete each form, maintain the originals for its records, and send copies to the Admissions Office, along with a copy of your child's most recent report card. Recommendation forms and Consent to Release forms will be mailed in our application acknowledgement letter, and can be downloaded from this website.

Admissions Decisions
Announced as openings allow.
Admissions decisions for Second through Eighth Grade 2011-12 will be announced as openings allow. Accepted families wishing to enroll their child will be asked to submit an enrollment agreement and $1,000 deposit in order to reserve their space. Deposits are non-refundable, but are applied toward the first year's tuition.