Admission Information
ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
After paperwork and applications for enrollment have been completed, the Admissions Committee will convene to review applicable student records to determine the student’s eligibility for enrollment.
ADMISSIONS PRIORITY
Students will be admitted to St. Joseph School in the following order:
1. Pre-Kindergarten Only– Children of faculty and staff of St. Joseph School.
2. Currently enrolled students, who are in good standing, have pre-registered, and paid the registration fee. Incoming Kindergarten students must first meet screening test standards.
3. Siblings of currently enrolled students who are in good standing, in order of the preference outlined in numbers four, five and six below.
4. Children of registered and contributing members of Holy Ghost, Immaculate Conception, St. Albert the Great parishes.
5. Children of registered and contributing members of other Roman Catholic parishes.
6. Children of non-Catholic families.
Children of Catholic families who are not registered or contributing members of a Roman Catholic parish will not receive special consideration for registration.
All new families who have pre-registered students will be notified of their acceptance by early June.
All students entering St. Joseph School for the first time and new to our diocesan school system are accepted on a probationary basis. The probationary period is for 90 school days and is intended to benefit both the student and the school. During the probationary period, if necessary, parents may be asked to attend a parent conference to discuss their student’s progress. St. Joseph School strives to provide a Christ-centered learning environment that promotes academic success and personal responsibility.
During the 90-day probationary period, if the school determines the student is unable to perform adequately in this environment, any prepaid tuition will be prorated and refunded. Grades will not be released until all accounts are current. Fees are non-refundable.
AGE REQUIREMENTS
Pre-Kindergarten students must be four years old before September 30 of the year entering Pre-Kindergarten. Students entering Kindergarten must be five years old before September 30 of the year entering Kindergarten. Those students entering first grade must be six years old before September 30 of the year entering first grade and have evidence of attending a state-approved kindergarten prior to admission.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The following records are required to process a student’s application:
· Baptismal record
· Birth certificate
· Copy of social security card
· Copy of student’s most recent standardized test scores (if applicable)
· Copy of student’s most recent and previous school year’s progress report/report card
· Copy of student’s special education file (if applicable)
· Custodial records (in case of divorce); court order
· Preliminary physical for pre-kindergartener/kindergartener
· Proof of immunizations
· Proof of insurance
For Catholic Families:
· Copy of signed Stewardship/Parish Contribution Form
· New to the area – Letter of introduction from your pastor
· Grades 6-8 – Letter of recommendation from your pastor and an interview with the principal or the principal’s designate
Failure to submit all of the necessary documentation slows the application process. Please submit all the necessary information when submitting the application. Failure to provide pertinent information may result in the student being denied admission.
Individual readiness screening for Kindergarten is required and administered by St. Joseph School staff.
For incoming students in grades 1-8, academic screening may be required as determined by the administration.
After a student receives his/her letter of acceptance, the following must be provided to complete the acceptance process:
· Official transcript
· Tennessee Child Health Record – official copy from child’s physician
· Non-refundable retainer fee of $175
IMMUNIZATIONS
Students entering St. Joseph School must show proof of the following immunizations:
Hepatitis B DPT
HIB POLIO
MMR*
*The State requires that children entering Kindergarten, 4th grade, and 8th grade must have a second dose of MMR.
Students who have not had all required immunizations may not be admitted to school until proof of immunizations is complete and in the office.
INSURANCE
All students are required to be covered by a primary insurance carrier. A copy of your family insurance card must be on file in the school office. At registration, information is provided to explain the school accident insurance plan. This plan is secondary coverage, and payment is made only after the student’s primary carrier has made payment. School insurance is provided at a nominal fee and is included with the registration fees. To file an insurance claim, parents should contact the school office to obtain the correct forms.
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
St. Joseph School admits students of any race, color, national, or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded to or made available to its students. St. Joseph School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
PRE-REGISTRATION
Pre-registration takes place in January of each year for the following school year. Pre-registration forms for currently enrolled students must be returned to the office by the prescribed date to reserve the student's space in his/her class. A deposit of $175 per family must be paid at this time. This amount will be credited to your book fees at registration.
In April, students who are pre-registered for Kindergarten are screened to determine school readiness. If students do not seem ready for school, the parents will be notified and suggestions given to help the students mature and develop necessary skills to enroll the following year. Students entering first grade who did not attend the St. Joseph School Kindergarten are also tested to determine reading and math readiness.
TRANSFERS
To ensure that St. Joseph School can best serve all of its students, the following criteria will be considered for students transferring to St. Joseph School: parish affiliation (if Catholic), academics, conduct/deportment, suspension and/or expulsion from another school. Each applicant’s history and situation will be carefully evaluated on an individual basis. No student will be accepted until the academic and conduct documentation from his/her previous school is submitted to St. Joseph School and reviewed.
Students who wish to be considered for transfer within area Catholic schools during the school year must adhere to the following guidelines:
· The principal of the school in which the student is currently enrolled must be notified.
· The Application/Admissions process for the school to which the student wishes to apply must be followed.
· Principals should confer on the issue(s) concerning the student transfer.
· An agreement must be reached between principals that the transfer is in the best interest of the student and the two schools.
· The principals should notify the Superintendent of Schools of the final decision.
· All new students at St. Joseph School are conditionally accepted with a 90-day probationary period.
WITHDRAWL PROCESS
When a student withdraws during the school year, the following process should be followed:
1. Notify the principal in writing of the effective date of the withdrawal.
2. Contact the admissions office at 689-3424 to assure that all accounts (tuition, cafeteria, after school care, etc.) are paid in full, and that athletic uniforms, textbooks, and library books are returned to the school.*
3. Sign the Authorization for Release of School Records form at St. Joseph or at the new school the student will be attending.
4. A parent interview may be requested; however, parents are under no obligation to participate.
*This step must be completed before records are released to the new school.
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