Admission Process

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School welcomes all requests for information regarding admission to the school. We encourage all prospective families to visit us on one of our many school tours or call to set up an appointment. The next step in our admission process is the application and deposit. Once we receive a completed application along with a $500 deposit, we will plan for an individualized interview with the Principal, followed by a visit by your child to our Senior Kindergarten classroom or grade which your child would be entering. We ask that parents of applicants attend an open house or a school tour before we schedule an interview, as this is an integral aspect of our admission process.

The admission process includes the following steps:

1. Application Forms and Deposit
We require that prospective parents complete the following forms, which should be submitted to the school office together with payment of $500.00 (which includes a non-refundable application fee of $250.00, plus a deposit of $250.00):

• Application for Admission
• Student Profile
• Student Authorization Forms
• Past school records
• Subsidy Application (if applicable)

2. Interview and Assessment
We will contact prospective families in the fall of the year prior to entry to schedule an interview between the parent(s) and the Principal. We will then follow up with an informal observation of the prospective student(s), which may vary procedurally depending on grade. Should families withdraw their child's application prior to the interview/observation process, $250.00 will be refunded.

3. Letter of Acceptance
Through our admission process, we communicate closely with parents and student(s), taking into account the best interests of the child, his/her family and the relationship between them and the school's philosophy. We will notify all families in writing whether or not a child is accepted. For students entering Senior Kindergarten, the admission process is to be completed by the end of January preceding their date of entry. For students entering other grades, most places will be awarded by April preceding their date of entry. To the extent there are vacancies, we may accept additional students later in the year.

If we do reach capacity in a particular class, we will continue to interview and assess additional applicants, as we do create a waiting list when necessary. In order to ensure placement on the waiting list, an application form and deposit fee are necessary. We will notify applicants as soon as possible with respect to the final status of their application. Please note that the $250.00 application fee is non-refundable.

4. Deposit
Upon acceptance, an applicant's deposit will be applied toward the tuition fee for the year of entry. No refund will be issued after a letter of admission has been sent.

Please note that it is the School's policy to give priority to applicants who are siblings of students currently attending the School provided that applications for such children are received 13 months prior to the beginning of the school year of entry.