Admissions Policy

St. Catherine's welcomes students of every race, color, religion, national origin, and ethnic background who meet enrollment criteria. We believe that our admissions policies, consistently applied, result in the best Montessori experience for all students.

Applicants will be given priority in the following order:

1. Qualified siblings of students continuing at St. Catherine's
2. Qualified applicants from other Montessori schools
3. All other qualified applicants

Additionally, maintaining a balance of age and gender in the classrooms is of the utmost importance.

Infant Community

The Infant Community is for children 14 months until 3 years of age. Children may enter the program exclusively between the ages of 14 to 24 months, once they are stable walkers. 

Primary

The Primary program is a three to four-year program. The optimal time to enter is at 3 years of age or a little before, and children must demonstrate independence in toileting. Children remain in Primary through the age of six. Admitting children in the first year of the Primary cycle is optimal for their growth and development and will help ensure readiness for the next level. In following this procedure, we are able to maintain the integrity of the classroom and offer all students a quality Montessori educational environment.

Children ages four and five years old are considered on an individual basis, with preference given to transferring Montessori students. 

Elementary (Grades 1-6) 

Lower Elementary (grades 1-3) and Upper Elementary (grades 4-6) students are eligible for admission on a space-available basis, with students coming from another Montessori school given preference. After application, a student visit will be scheduled to assess readiness for the program.   

Adolescent Community (Grades 7-9) & High School (Grades 10-12)

Adolescent and High School students coming from another Montessori school are eligible for admission on a space-available basis after an interview with the guides and a student visit to the classroom. Those without Montessori experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

ELEMENTARY - HIGH SCHOOL

The following admission documents are submitted with the online application for 1st through 11th grade:

• Most recent progress report

• Year-end report cards from the previous two years (if applicable)

• Achievement test scores from the previous two years (if applicable)

• Online confidential recommendation form(s) obtained as part of the online application 

The admissions process begins when you complete our inquiry form and schedule a school tour. Please visit our Application Process page to get started!