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 level is a three- to four-year program, and the optimal time to enter is around 3 years of age – depending on the readiness of the child. Admitting children during the first year of the Primary cycle is ideal so that they can derive full advantage of the materials and lessons designed for each phase of development. Students move to Lower Elementary when appropriate. A child must be 6 years old by September 1 to be considered for moving up to Lower Elementary. By following this procedure, we are able to maintain the integrity of the classroom and to offer all students a quality Montessori experience.

Children ages four and five years old are considered on an individual basis, with preference given to transferring Montessori students. Following initial application review, qualified candidates aged 4.5 and older will be invited for an in-person classroom visit.

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 for qualified applicants. 

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

Adolescent students are eligible for admission on a space-available basis after a review of the applicant’s sample work portfolio, a meeting with an Upper School guide and the Director, and a school visit.

Please visit the Application Process page to view a list of required admission documents for each level.