Admissions
Created by parent Terrence Johnson.
Admissions Process 2021-2022
Outdoor Tours
We will offer four tours so that families may get a sense of our farm-based schoo.
Tours will be offered from 9:30 am to 10:00 am and are only offered at these times.
Tuesday, October 19th
Wednesday, October 20th
Monday, October 25th
Wednesday, October 27th
Please meet at the tree stumps in the front of the school near the parking lot.
Please bring a mask for the inside part of the tour.
Please call the school to register for a spot: #617-731-6463
AO - Who We Are video created by parent Terrence Johnson
Please view our video here to learn more about our mission and hear from some of our teachers.
Zoom Interview
We are conducting 30-minute informational interviews via Zoom. Please call the school (#617-731-6463) to arrange a day and time. Interviews will be offered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from November 1st - December 9th.
Applications
Sibling Applicants: If your child is a sibling of a current or former Apple Orchard student please call Diana Walcott in the Admissions Office at #617-731-6463 and request a sibling application. We will mail it to you.
New Applicants to the school:
- Those interested in our Chicken Coop (2.9-year-old) and Class I (three-year-old) programs should call the school to arrange a Zoom interview. Parent interviews for these age groups are conducted in November and December. Applications will be sent out after the Zoom interview and are due by December 15th. Decision letters are sent at the end of January.
- Those interested in our Class II (four-year-old) program should call the school to arrange a Zoom interview. Class II parent interviews are conducted in January and February. Applications will be sent out after the Zoom interview and are due by April 1st. Decision letters are sent in mid-April.
- Those interested in our Kindergarten (Class III) program should call the school to arrange a Zoom interview. Class III parent interviews are conducted in January and February. Applications will be sent out after the Zoom interview and are due by April 1st. Decision letters are sent in mid-April.
Our Commitment to Creating a Diverse Community
We seek families who understand our mission as a play-based and nature-based program that focuses on the joy of learning through children’s natural curiosity about the world and their peers.
Our community is made stronger and more just through the inclusion of families from various racial, cultural, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. We value the rural landscape that our farm-setting provides, and also are committed to having AO accurately reflect the diverse and larger world around us.
As early childhood educators, we focus extensively on developing the social-emotional skills of our students. We recognize that those skills are best practiced by experiencing difference and similarity through the “windows and mirrors” that students encounter each day. They learn through “windows” when they are attuned to perspectives and experiences different from their own, and they learn through “mirrors” when they see their own experiences or perspective being reflected back to them, thereby affirming their place in our world.
Our teachers actively seek out opportunities to model embracing difference and to challenge stereotypes, thereby nurturing anti-racist perspectives in our students. This best happens through real interactions with a diverse group of students and teachers. In the classroom, we celebrate the differences we see in ourselves and others through song, literature, projects, and dramatic play. In our outdoor classroom, there are also numerous moments to observe and discuss differences in the context of nature and animals. We seek applicants who feel a strong connection to our outdoor learning environment and who also believe that a diversity of students, teachers, and families are essential and the best preparation for an excellent 21st century education.
Decisions to accept new families and children are based on a variety of factors including a balance of boys and girls, birth date range, diversity of race, cultural backgrounds, socio-economic status, and different demographic communities. Acceptance letters are mailed at the end of January for Chicken Coop and Class I, and in mid-March for Class II and Class III. Apple Orchard is committed to creating a diverse community of families, students, and faculty. We strive to ensure that everyone at Apple Orchard feels a sense of connection and belonging.
Notice of Non-Discrimination
Apple Orchard School does not discriminate against children, teachers, or families on the basis of age, gender, race, color, sexual orientation, sexual identity, housing status, religion, cultural heritage, political beliefs, family status, or disability in the administration of its educational policies, employment practices, scholarship awards, or any other school sponsored program or activity.
Our admissions process begins during the first part of November each year. We encourage parents to contact the school beginning in late September to set up an appointment to visit the school. During November and December, parents are invited to meet for 30 minutes with an admissions person, followed by a self-guided tour and classroom observation for The Chicken Coop and Class I. Visits for Class II and Class III occur in January and February. Click here for age requirements and class descriptions. Parents receive an application at the time of their visit.
Applications for Chicken Coop and Class I are due by December 15th. Applications for Class II and Class III are due by March 1st. There is a non-refundable $50.00 application fee.
Non-COVID Admissions Process (click to expand)
Overview
Admissions Visit
Applications
