Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions that parents make. Consequently, we ask that each prospective family learn as much as possible about St. Elizabeth’s in order to make the best educational decision for their children. As a general rule, students admitted to kindergarten will have reached the age of five by August 15 in the year they would like to attend. Applicants are closely evaluated for maturity level and grade readiness.
Admissions Procedure
Completing each of these five steps will ensure an official application.
- Parent Visit and Tour. Parents/guardians of each applicant will be asked to schedule an appointment to learn about the program, mission, and philosophy of the school and its extended day and after school enrichment programs. The visit can be arranged by calling the school office 303-322-4209 or filling out our online form.
- Application. Send your completed application form, accompanied by a non-refundable fee of $50 to St. Elizabeth’s School. At your visit, we’ll give you a Teacher Recommendation Form as part of your Admissions Packet. Parents/guardians of the applicant must complete the top portion of the Teacher Recommendation Form and give it to the applicant’s current school. The applicant’s teacher will complete the form and mail it to St. Elizabeth/’s. This includes all kindergarten applicants who have attended a pre-school program.
- Student Visit and Testing: Parents of kindergarten through eighth grade applicants will schedule a visit with the age appropriate classroom teacher and staff for the purpose of observation and age appropriate assessments.
- School Records. All previous educational records (including report cards and standardized testing) must be filed with St. Elizabeth’s. Transcript Release forms are included in the application packet and are to be sent directly to the child’s current school. St. Elizabeth’s reserves the right to arrange for or request further testing if the admissions committee feels that more information would be beneficial for the decision-making process.
- Parents/guardians are expected to provide St. Elizabeth’s with any and all student testing done by private psychologist, consultants or testing through the public school system.
Notification
Notification letters will be mailed in a timely manner following completion of all admissions procedures. Applicants who have been accepted to St. Elizabeth’s will have two weeks from the day of acceptance to return the enrollment contract and the non-refundable deposit. Once received by St. Elizabeth’s, the student is then officially enrolled. The admissions process usually concludes before the schools leaves for the Christmas holiday break. Documents should be in the school office by this time.
Waiting List
After a grade level is filled, St. Elizabeth’s will maintain a pooled waiting list of admissible students. If a space becomes available, the entire pool for the grade level will be considered to choose the most appropriate child for the space. Keeping the mission of the school in mind, choices are based on the qualities of the candidate and the nature of the specific class, with the intention of providing the best educational experience for both the individual student and for the class as a whole.
Flexible Tuition: St. Elizabeth’s Family Commitment Plan
St. Elizabeth’s School is committed to enrolling a truly inclusive and diverse school community. Essential to this policy is our Family Commitment Plan, which is based upon a sliding scale tuition system that eliminates the categories of “scholarship” or “financial aid.” It is designed to determine each student’s tuition according to the principle that a family’s financial commitment should be equitable to its financial resources.
Families annually submit a confidential financial worksheet to the head of school and fees are determined, up to a maximum amount, according to that family’s financial ability. A sliding scale system allows SES to enroll families from a broad economic spectrum representative of the neighborhoods and Denver communities it serves.
Educational scholars are united in the belief that economic diversity enhances academic performance for all students and makes social justice possible.
The school’s operating budget is funded through revenues derived from the Family Commitment Plan, an annual giving program, foundation grants, and the generosity of individual friends of St. Elizabeth’s School. The benefits to all our children and families are extraordinary.
FILL OUT THE FAMILY COMMITMENT PLAN WORKSHEET TO SEE WHAT YOUR TUITION WOULD BE