Thank you for your interest in Tacoma Waldorf School. This page explains our application and enrollment process. Please read through the section pertaining to your family - New, Returning or Parent-Child - and review the tuition, fees and policies. A link to a printable version of each section is located below.

New Families

1) To begin the application and enrollment process, a completed Application for Enrollment along with the nonrefundable $50 application fee is required. Contact the school office or website for an Application for Enrollment. If you cannot meet the yearly tuition, a Tuition Adjustment Program (TAP) Application may be requested and submitted with the Application for Enrollment.

Open enrollment for Early Childhood* and Grades for the upcoming school year begins March 1. Returning families are given priority. Applications received prior to March 1 are date-stamped in the order received and placed on a waiting list. Mid-year enrollment is welcomed and handled on a case-by-case basis.

2) Once the school has received the completed Application for Enrollment and nonrefundable $50 application fee, the family will be contacted by the school to schedule an interview between the parent/s, prospective student and teacher/s.

Meeting with both parent/s and student helps to determine appropriate placement of the student. It is viewed as an opportunity to ask further questions about Waldorf Education and to ascertain philosophical compatibility. If there are any significant concerns raised by either parent or teacher at this time, further consideration will be given prior to enrolling the student.

3) Once the faculty and family reach a mutual agreement that Tacoma Waldorf School is the appropriate fit for the student, placement is secured by completing the Enrollment Contract, the SMART Tuition Management form and paying the nonrefundable enrollment fee. Mid-year enrollment (October or later) tuition and supply fees will be pro-rated accordingly.

Click here for a printable copy of the Enrollment Process and Enrollment Application

Returning Families

The re-enrollment period runs February 1 – February 28 of the current school year, it is required that you submit a completed Enrollment Contract, SMART Tuition Management form along with the nonrefundable re-enrollment fee to secure your placement for the upcoming school year. Returning families are given priority; however, returning families that have not re-enrolled by March 1 will accrue an additional $25 per month until a maximum of $250 is reached. Placement in the desired class cannot be guaranteed once open enrollment has begun. Open enrollment for Early Childhood* and Grades for the upcoming school year begins March 1. If Tuition Adjustment Program (TAP) Application is needed, completed application must be turned in by February 28th to secure your child’s place for the upcoming school year.

*Application for Early Childhood: Although applications are kept in order of the date received, many different factors must be taken into consideration in offering Early Childhood placement. There are a limited number of 3 and 4-day children admitted to the Early Childhood Program. The majority of vacancies are offered to 5 year old children and 5-day requests. This helps to ensure that the class teacher can meet the needs of all the children and it is expected that younger children require more physical time and attention. We must also ensure that there are an appropriate number of children ready to attend 1st grade each year. In order to keep our classes in balance, families requesting a 3-day program may instead be offered a 4 or 5-day program. Children in their last year of Kindergarten before 1st grade will be required to attend the 5-day program.

Click here for a printable copy of the Enrollment Process and Enrollment Application

All Families

2009-2010
Tuition and Schedule of Fees

*Balance of supply fee pro-rated over tuition payments.

Capital Asset Fee: The per family capital asset fee funds the purchase of items that remain in the school as an asset, including furniture, blackboards and capital projects intended to enhance the classroom environment. The Capital Asset Fee is billed in August and is due by August 31. If payment is not received by August 31, a late fee of $25 will be assessed for each month the payment is past due.

Supply Fee: The supply fee covers the cost of classroom consumables such as art, specialty class materials, main lesson books and food in our Early Childhood Program. Supply Fees do not cover the cost of recorders, field trips and musical instrument rentals. Please speak to your classroom teacher regarding anticipated costs for these items. Supply Fees are billed in June with the first half due by June 30 and the remaining half is prorated and paid monthly with tuition. For new families enrolling later than June 30, half will be due upon enrollment with the balance prorated with monthly tuition. If payments are not received by June 30, a late fee of $25 will be assessed for each month the payment is past due.

Sibling Discount Policy:
Only available to full paying tuition families
• Two children: oldest child – full tuition, second child – 15% discount.
• Three or more children: oldest child – full tuition, second child – 15% discount, third and subsequent children – 30% discount.

Tuition Adjustment Program (TAP)
Process for New & Returning Families

Tacoma Waldorf School offers a Tuition Adjustment Program (TAP) for families who cannot meet the yearly tuition. TAP does not cover the application fee, enrollment fee, capital asset fee, supply fee or cover the cost of recorders, field trips and musical instrument rentals and cannot be used in conjunction with discounts (sibling or prepaid). TAP is handled by SMART Tuition, our tuition management company.

1. New Families – A SMART Tuition Aid Application Form may be requested with the Enrollment Contract. Mail the SMART Tuition Aid Application, application fee and necessary paperwork to SMART Tuition for processing. Submit the Enrollment Contract (leaving tuition fields blank) and the nonrefundable enrollment fee to the school office.
   
   Returning Families – A SMART Tuition Aid Application Form may be requested with the Enrollment Contract. Mail the SMART Tuition Aid Application, application fee and necessary paperwork to SMART Tuition for processing. Submit the completed Enrollment Contract (leaving tuition fields blank) and nonrefundable re-enrollment fee to the school office. TAP applications are processed in batches. All paperwork must be completed by February 28th to be eligible in the first batch. All future batches will be processed during open enrollment and your child’s space cannot be guaranteed.
   
   
2. Each application is coded and reviewed by SMART Tuition and returned with recommendations for tuition award amounts for evaluation to TWS. The TWS TAP standing committee will use and review these guidelines and recommendations in determining each family’s TAP award. Applicants are notified of the award decision through an award letter within three to four weeks.
   
   
3. If the applicant chooses to accept their award amount they are asked to come to the school office to complete a SMART Tuition Form and complete the Enrollment Contract reflecting the new tuition rate within 2 weeks of receipt of their award letter. The award is forfeited if a signed re-enrollment/enrollment contract and SMART Tuition Form are not returned to the school within this time period.
   
   
4. Written communication regarding the adjusted tuition will then be sent to the school bookkeeper.

For more information and policies regarding TAP please consult the Tuition Adjustment Program Handout.

Aftercare/Games and Movement

Tacoma Waldorf School’s Aftercare Program is a state-licensed program offering enrolled students, ages 3-11, a safe and nurturing environment after school hours. Games and Movement is an extended day program for children ages 5 and up. Aftercare and Games and Movement are also available on a modified schedule with limited availability during school breaks, parent/teacher conferences, and holidays.

• Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, until 5:30 PM.
  
• For regular users, a monthly commitment is required and you must sign up at the time of enrollment.
  
• Sign-up for the upcoming month must be done the last week of the month prior - all dates and times signed up for will be billed whether used or not (this applies to regular users and drop-ins), unless 24 hours notice is given.
  
• Drop-ins are permitted, contingent upon space availability.
  
• Children must be picked up at the time specified on the sign-up. Parents will be given a 15 minute grace for late pickup due to emergencies. Anything over 15 minutes, or if tardiness is chronic, you will be charged an additional $15 for each 15 minutes over the scheduled pickup time.
  
• Regular users will be given preference during sign-up period.

For more information and policies regarding our Aftercare Program and our Games and Movement Programs, please consult the Parent/Student Handbook.

Parent-Child

This early childhood education program has been created in order to respond to the desire by families for support and companionship in the early years of parenting. The program offers support in creating a nurturing, rhythmical environment for the children as well as time for parents to observe their children in order to deepen their own intuitive knowledge and discover new ways of being with their children.

Learn more about our Parent-Child programs.