Applying to Golden Pond is a friendly, straightforward admission process that gives families, children, and the school ample opportunity to get to know each other.
New Students
Step 1
Schedule a visit or attend one of our Open Houses, First Look Fridays or Kindergarten or Junior Kindergarten Information Sessions.
Step 2
Complete the online Application and Preschool/Kindergarten Request Form or Kindergarten/1st-3rd Grade After School Enrichment Program Request Form along with a nonrefundable one time application fee ($150). We will also verify your child’s birth certificate or passport at this time. Forms can be found here.
Step 3
In some cases, we may invite your child for a play date. This is a short visit to an age-appropriate classroom that helps us select the best class placement for your child.
Parents of Kindergarten applicants must submit information from their child’s previous schools. We also administer the preschool PALS test to all Kindergarten applicants and observe them in an age-appropriate classroom.
Step 4
Golden Pond will review the completed Application and Program Request Form and confirm availability. Notification of acceptance and placement is e-mailed by mid-March along with an enrollment agreement. The enrollment process is complete once parents submit a signed, completed enrollment agreement along with the final month’s tuition as a non-refundable deposit.
Placement
We group our preschoolers into two separate paths, six months apart, to minimize the developmental differences in each classroom. Children born March through September fall in Path One, and those born between October and February fall in Path Two. The narrow age range allows teachers to individualize the curriculum and reach each child at his or her cognitive, emotional, physical, and social level. It also gives each child more opportunity to find success. Both paths incorporate the two levels of the Preschool Core Knowledge Sequence and will fully prepare your child for Kindergarten. As you choose your child’s program schedule from year to year, there are usually several options available. We are happy to help you choose the program that best suits you and your child.
After Admission
Once your child is admitted, an enrollment package will be e-mailed to you containing all required forms and a list of other documents needed.
Before the first day of school, we must receive your completed health information form (including an immunization record) along with any other required forms.
Please feel free to contact the Golden Pond Admission Office via email at admissions@goldenpondschool.com or by calling the school at 703-723-7663.