Admissions
Please see our Programs page to find detailed descriptions of all the programs currently available.
Learner Portrait
At Red Oak, our Learner Portrait helps us understand whether our learning environment is the right place for a child to thrive. Because we are a small, community-based school grounded in relationships and responsive learning, it’s essential that we thoughtfully consider how well our program aligns with each learner’s needs, strengths, and ways of engaging with the world.
Determining whether a child will flourish at Red Oak — whether they are new to our school or continuing their journey with us — is a thoughtful, collaborative process. We take time to learn about the whole child: their interests, strengths, learning rhythms, social-emotional needs, communication style, and the ways they engage with peers and the community. This process helps ensure we can truly support each learner while sustaining a healthy and balanced school community.
Enrollment or continued enrollment at Red Oak is guided by several considerations, including (but not limited to):
how well a child’s needs and strengths align with our Learner Portrait,
whether our program can meaningfully support their growth,
available classroom space, and
the family’s commitment to partnering with us in nurturing a connected community.
Red Oak’s educational approach is designed to support children over multiple years as they develop confidence, agency, curiosity, and a deep sense of belonging. Families are welcome to continue enrollment as long as our program remains a supportive environment for their child and our partnership continues to be mutually aligned.
Students who thrive at Red Oak have age-appropriate independence skills, are curious learners in a classroom setting, can “roll with it” when plans change, enjoy being outdoors, play without requiring adult supervision, have a desire to develop social relationships with peers and can participate meaningfully in a general education curriculum.
Students may struggle at Red Oak if they need extra support with transitions, dislike wearing winter/rain gear, thrive with a high level of structure and a consistent routine, become anxious in crowded/chaotic situations, don’t get along with same-age peers, exhibit impulsive behaviors or have a learning disability that requires a high level of intervention. (Students in this “middle” category may also thrive at Red Oak, but will likely require outside professional support, a strong home support system and a willingness to try new strategies.)
Red Oak is not an appropriate placement for students who have a history of eloping, have been aggressive towards and/or had violent incidents with peers or adults, need consistent one-on-one support during their school day, require a modified curriculum, are unable to follow instructions from staff members, have a below average IQ, have significant trauma
Equity and Inclusivity
It is important to the Red Oak community that our school feel like a welcoming space for all students and families who wish to enroll in our programs. We want students to feel comfortable and supported in who they are, and to feel like they belong here. We acknowledge that when students don't see many community members at our school who look, act or sound like them or their family, they may not feel like this is a school for them. In an effort to balance out these inequities, the following priorities for admissions will be applied:
#1 priority- currently enrolled students
#2 priority- siblings of Red Oak students
#3 priority- formerly enrolled students
#4 priority- students of color, gender-expansive/non-binary/trans students and students with accessibility needs
#5 priority- all other applicants
Students are selected for admission to ROCS on the basis of developmental maturity and readiness for the school’s program. In all cases, ROCS retains the right to determine, in its sole discretion, whether or not to select a student for admission or to re-enroll a student. The admissions committee has ultimate authority and sole discretion in the decisions whether or not to admit or re-enroll a student. Typically those decisions are based upon multiple criteria: academic readiness; maturity; affiliation with the school; diversity and gender balance; appropriateness of the match between the family and ROCS. Red Oak Community School welcomes students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression to all its rights, privileges, programs and activities. All persons are encouraged to apply.
Admissions Process for New Families
Step One: Visit
We schedule tours at 9:30a on Wednesdays mornings Oct-April. You’ll have a chance to view our space, experience outside time and observe the transition to academic time. Prospective students are always encouraged to attend! Fill out the form below to schedule your tour!
If Red Oak seems like a good fit for your family, you’ll move on to ‘Step Two’-
Step Two: Apply
Applications are accepted year-round. Apply here! Students must be 5yrs old by August 1st to apply for kindergarten.
Our initial admissions period is early January through mid-March. We collect the bulk of our applications during this time and consider all initial applicants for any open spots at the end of the initial admissions period. Typically we fill all our open spots at that point and place the remaining applicants onto class waitlists.
After mid-March, we will accept new applications on a rolling basis. We officially close enrollment to new students at the beginning of our spring break every year.
Once your student’s application has been received and the $60 application fee has been paid, you will move to ‘Step Three’-
Step Three: Documentation
The below documents (if applicable) will be required along with your application:
Prior school records (not required for kindergarten applicants)
Medical evaluations/assessments regarding any suspected or formal diagnoses
Existing 504, ETR or IEP Forms
Applications will NOT be processed until we have received all applicable forms. Failure to provide these documents may affect your student’s enrollment.
The Admissions Committee will review all documents and ensure we have a full understanding of the student’s needs. Once this process is complete, you will move to ‘Step Four’-
If your student does not have any of the above paperwork, you will skip this step and move to ‘Step Four’-
Step Four: Attend Try Day (1st-5th grade applicants only)
All applicants 1st grade and above will be required to attend a Try Day. Students will get a taste of what a day at Red Oak is like while parents/caregivers will have the opportunity to observe. Try Days are typically available in February, March and August. You will sign up for your Try Day during the previous step in the admissions process.
Once your student has attended their Try Day, you’ll move to ‘Step Five’-
Kindergarten applicants will skip this step and move to ‘Step Five’-
Step Five: Waitlist/Enrollment Offer
When you reach this step your student will be placed into our waitlist(s). Anytime we have enrollment spots to offer, our Admissions Committee meets to consider all applicants. If we have a spot to offer your student(s), you will receive notice and have the opportunity to accept or decline the offer.
If you accept an enrollment offer, you will move to ‘Step Six’-
Step Six: Exploratory Month
Your student’s enrollment begins with a four week Exploratory Month. This will give us a chance to get to know your student and for your student to get to know us before committing to full enrollment. An Exploratory Month fee of $750 for 5-day students, $500 for 3-day students or $375 for 2-day students will be due before the student begins attending school. (This fee goes towards your full tuition balance.)
The Exploratory Month ends after the first four weeks of attendance, when each family will meet with Red Oak staff to discuss how the student is adjusting to school at Red Oak. If at that point the staff and family is in agreement that it is appropriate, full and continuous enrollment is offered and you move to the final ‘Step Seven’-
Step Seven: Full Enrollment
This is the final step of our admissions process. Your student will be fully enrolled and will have a spot guaranteed in their current program in future years. If you did not get your first choice of program, or decide you’d like to switch, you can join the waitlist for another program anytime. Current students get first priority when new spots open up.
Regular tuition payments will begin only after full enrollment has begun. This is typically spread over six monthly payments due October-March. Tuition will be pro-rated for students enrolling after the beginning of the school year.
After your first year is complete, tuition payments in future years can be spread over ten months.
Waitlists at Red Oak
We often operate at full capacity with waitlists. A few notes regarding our waitlists to help you decide if you’d like to apply:
Our waitlists are NOT ranked. When a spot becomes available, ALL students on the waitlist for that class are considered for the spot.
Our 2-day program often has the most space. Many families will enroll in this program and remain on the waitlist for their first choice program. Current students have priority when spots open up, so we are usually able to get everyone into their first choice over time.
Our kindergarten and 1st grade waitlists are usually the longest.
We take new students as spots open up, all the way up until spring break of each school year.
Our waitlists are not exorbitantly long. Typically we’ll begin with an average of ~5-10 students on each class waitlist after our initial priority admissions deadline, but often by spring break, that will dwindle down to 2-3.
We do not roll over our waitlists automatically to the next school year. You DO NOT need to get on the waitlist when your child is preschool age.
If we are not able to offer you a spot and you would like to re-apply for the next school year, we will waive the application fee.
