Admissions
The admissions process at Harborlight Montessori School is designed to acquaint parents with the Montessori philosophy and the superior learning opportunities uniquely available at Harborlight.
Please read below for additional information or use the contact form to make an inquiry.
Admissions Checklist
Initial Visits
Parents are invited and encouraged to visit Harborlight during an Open School event or by individual appointment. Initial visits include an overview of the philosophy, curriculum and special programs, a tour of the school and observation of classrooms during the work period.
To schedule a tour, parents contact the main office at 978-922-1008. Children do not attend the initial school visit so that full attention can be given to parents’ questions.
Application
Infant and Toddler
- Application
- $50 non-refundable application fee
- IT Developmental History Form
Early Childhood & Kindergarten
- Application
- $50 non-refundable application fee
- EC Developmental History Form
- Student Evaluation – Pre-K, K & Grade 1
Elementary 1-6
- Application
- $50 non-refundable application fee
- School Transcript
- Student Evaluation - Grades 2-5
- English Student Evaluation – Grades 6-9
- Math Student Evaluation – Grades 6-9
- Cognitive or Development assessments (if applicable)
Middle School 7-8
- Application
- $50 non-refundable application fee
- School Transcript
- English Student Evaluation – Grades 6-9
- Math Student Evaluation – Grades 6-9
- Cognitive or Development assessments (if applicable)
Applications are not considered active until all support documents have been received and the child has had a successful screening visit.
Screening Visit
After your application has been received, the Admissions office will schedule a visit for your child. The purpose of this visit is to allow students and teachers to interact and to help determine enrollment and placement.
Infant and Toddler
Children visit in the morning with their parents and explore the classroom, meet the children and the teachers.
Early Childhood
Candidates to preschool and kindergarten come to the classroom for a short visit with the teachers and children. The students work with the teacher and participate in small activities.
Elementary (grades 1-8)
Candidates to grades 1-8 spend a full day in a classroom paired with a Harborlight Student Ambassador (buddy). The student works in the classroom in small groups and individually with the teacher. They complete developmentally appropriate lessons in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics. The teacher will administer an informal assessment of basic skills during this visit.
Enrollment
The Director of Admission notifies the parents of their child’s admission status. Qualified siblings of children already enrolled in the School, children of faculty and staff, and children previously enrolled in a Montessori school are given preference in admission. Students placed on the waiting list are eligible to enroll as space becomes available.
Qualified applicants are notified of admission decisions by mail and are given two weeks to return the enrollment contract and non-refundable deposit to the School to secure placement. The student is considered enrolled when the enrollment contract is signed and duly accepted by the Director of Admission and Director of Finance.
Tuition Information
Harborlight is committed to providing the best possible Montessori education available for our students. Every effort is made to keep tuition affordable while maintaining our high standard of excellence in the classroom. Please refer to the following schedules for detailed tuition & fee information:
financial info tuition and fees 2011-2012
financial info tuition and fees 2012-2013
Financial Aid
The Harborlight Board of Trustees has adopted the policy of funding the majority of the school’s annual operating expenses with tuition dollars. This decision means that tuition controls, in large part, the quality of the education Harborlight is able to offer. While recognizing that some sacrifice is appropriate for something as crucial as children’s education, the Board acknowledges that financial assistance will be necessary to build and maintain the student body Harborlight aspires to have. Consequently, since the beginning of the school in 1973, significant funds have been devoted to tuition assistance.
In order for us to allocate our resources wisely and fairly, we have enlisted the help of Independent School Management’s FAST (Financial Aid for School Tuition) program. FAST does not decide whether financial assistance will be given or how much to give; rather FAST provides a need-based financial aid analysis service. FAST provides the school with a report, which includes a recommendation of what a family should reasonably contribute toward tuition. All information from FAST is kept secure and confidential. Applications are reviewed by the confidential Financial Aid Committee and the committee recommends to the Head of School allocation of financial aid resources for the next year. Upon approval by the Head of School, financial aid offers are sent to families.
While no financial aid procedure can be entirely equitable—there are simply too many individual factors and extenuating circumstances—the process that has been established has served Harborlight well. Recognizing the importance of a consistent, quality educational experience and the mutual relationship already established between family and the School, every effort is made to accommodate the needs of families who wish their children to experience Harborlight through the eighth grade. Student applicants are eligible for financial aid between grades K and 8.
Financial aid applications are submitted and reviewed annually. Harborlight continues to provide support to students as long as financial need is demonstrated. Students currently enrolled at Harborlight, who are not receiving financial assistance through the financial aid program, may apply if need arises. In the case of divorce or separation, Harborlight requires both parents to file an application for financial assistance. Harborlight is not bound by any divorce agreement specifying a parent’s responsibility for educational expenses and it is the expectation that both parents contribute to tuition.
Calendar for Filing Financial Aid Applications
January 1
Financial aid application process is open for the following school year. Applications can be submitted online only. Please click on the FAST logo to start the application process.
March 1
Deadline to mail current federal tax return 1040 and other supporting documentation mailed directly to FAST. Only complete applications will be processed. Families will receive confirmation from FAST when the completed application has been processed. Harborlight has a definitive financial aid budget and on-time applications will be considered first so; please make your tax appointment early.
Notification of financial aid awards for new families applying to Harborlight Montessori School are mailed along with an offer to enroll.
Harborlight determines eligibility for admission and re-enrollment without regard to a student’s application for financial aid. The admission committee reviews applications for enrollment separate from the financial aid committee, which reviews information regarding financial need and aid eligibility. Harborlight executes procedures that ensure a fair, consistent and equitable assessment of each family’s ability to contribute toward educational expenses. Harborlight maintains the same standards of behavior and academic performance for recipients of financial aid as it does for non-recipients.
