Frequently Asked Questions

Children must be three by September 1 to enter Beginners, four by September 1 to enter Pre-K, five by September 1 to enter Kindergarten, and so on. Please call the Admission Office one year prior to eligibility to receive an information packet and application. We begin scheduling parent/guardian visits in September for application the following year.

• Fill out the inquiry form
• Schedule a tour
• Download application materials

All applicant families should call to schedule a tour and meet with a member of the admission staff. If your child has more than one parent or guardian, please select a date when all are able to attend. We ask that only adults attend this session. Please allot about 1.5 hours. All appointments are made through Tricia Lamb, Assistant Director of Admission, at 617-566-4394 x620.

The forms are in PDF format and are electronically fillable. A paper copy is also available by request (please contact the Admission Office). The application deadline is January 15, 2011. The admission cycle begins in September 2010 for the 2011-2012 school year. All applications require a family picture and a non-refundable $50 application fee per child. To request financial assistance with this fee, please call Laura Rutherford, Business Manager/Director of Financial Aid at 617-566-4394 x641.

All Applicants

Schedule a tour and meet with an admission officer.

Beginners (Age 3) through Grade 1

• Once we receive your application, an individual meeting for your child’s screening with our Educational Consultant will be arranged.
• Children also attend a playgroup where they have the opportunity to socialize in a small group setting with other applicants.
• While the children are in the playgroup, families have the opportunities to meet with current CHS families and our Head of School, Steve Tobolsky.

Grades 2-6

Applicants must visit for a full day in their current grade, during which they participate in classroom activities and complete one-on-one testing with our Educational Consultant, Elana Markovitz.

We accept applications at all grade levels.

We accept our largest class in Beginners, 22 to 24 students. We add in approximately 10 spaces moving forward to Pre-K and five additional spaces moving forward into Kindergarten.

We look at all aspects of the applicant's file.

Our goal is to get to know each child and family during the admission process. We look at the information gathered from the parent/guardian meeting, playgroup, and meeting with our Educational Consultant. We also review prior school records, the AISNE evaluation form, and the family history form. We do not require recommendations, but will place them in the applicant’s file if received. As a committee, we seek to indentify applicants for whom The Chestnut Hill School is the right fit both socially and academically. We are a school that lives its mission on a daily basis and are looking for families that will embrace our mission.

Yes. We offer preference to qualified siblings.

All siblings are required to go through the complete application process and will be evaluated on an individual basis. Siblings applying for Beginners have an earlier admission cycle and decision timeline. Siblings for all other grades follow the general admission timeline.

CHS has earned a national reputation as an inclusive institution responsive to the needs of a highly diverse community.

We have students, staff, and faculty from over 30 communities in the Greater Boston area. The school strives to acknowledge the numerous differences in our families' backgrounds (racial, cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, family structure) while actively celebrating our common commitments to equity and social justice. We also have a Multicultural Forum and several community groups, including CHAT (Chestnut Hill Adoption Thread), FOCUS (Families of Color United for Success), and GLFF (Gay and Lesbian Faculty and Families).

Yes, there is a CHS Family Association. Family involvement is welcomed and inclusive.

All families with children enrolled in the school are members of the Family Association. The Family Association encourages families to volunteer for, participate in, and attend its many activities and events, and projects. The Family Association organizes numerous community and fundraising events throughout the year, including the Carnival, Rummage Sale, Book Fair, Gift Wrap Sale, Winter Bazaar, Spring Fling and others. It hosts speakers several times a year, sometimes in conjunction with the Multicultural Forum (MCF) or with other schools, organizes community service activities for families, helps to beautify the school grounds, and maintains a cooperative relationship with other independent schools through participation in the Parents’ Independent School Network, Inc. (PIN). Morning, evening and weekend opportunities are available to accommodate different schedules.

We offer early drop-off and an extended day program until 6:00 pm. There is no charge for general early drop-off and children can come to school anytime after 7:30 am.

The Discovery Program runs Monday through Thursday 12:00-2:50 on days when school is in session. This program is for Beginners and Pre-K students. Enrollment can be one to four days a week, with enrollment opportunities in the fall and spring. A structured curriculum, as well as an opportunity for free spontaneous play and a rest period occurs daily. Friday is not included in the Discovery Program, but there is after school care provided on Fridays by Extended Day staff.

The Extended Day Program offers a wide variety of enriching and developmentally appropriate activities, as well as a variety of supervised study hall options.

The Upper School Athletics Program takes place twice a week for students in Grades 5 and 6. Our students play in the independent school league in soccer, basketball, and softball/baseball. There is no fee to participate in this program.

Students bring their own lunch to school.

We provide milk, water, and a snack during the day.

The school provides student T passes at no cost to families for students who commute primarily by public transportation.

Residents of Newton with children in Grades K through 5 who live more than a mile from the school, or with sixth grade children who live more than one and a half miles away, are eligible for free city-provided bus transportation to and from school. A group of Boston families have privately coordinated a small bus that leaves from the Beacon Hill area. We strongly encourage carpooling and supply families with a listing of others located near their area to facilitate carpool arrangements.

Tuition ranges from $20,500 for Beginners to $28,900 at Grade 6.

The Discovery, Extended Day, and Vacation Camp programs are additional. See Tuition for more information.

Yes.

We have a strong commitment to our mission and to diversity of all types. Socioeconomic diversity is of great importance to our community. If you would like to apply for financial aid, please call Laura Rutherford, Business Manager/Director of Financial Aid at 617-566-4394 x641. All financial aid requests are confidential and do not affect a child’s candidacy.

All decisions are sent out on March 10, 2011 in accordance with AISNE guidelines.

Being put on our wait list is an acceptance to the school, pending space.

Families return a card and let us know if they would like to be on our wait list. We have no way of knowing what movement (if any) there may be on the wait list. Adjustments can be made as late as August if a space becomes available. Candidates on the wait list are not in any specific order but rather make up a pool of qualified students. If your child is placed on the wait list and you choose to apply again the following year, you must complete the entire admission process again. All applicants must complete the entire process each year they apply.

Yes.

CHS is known for its exemplary Grade 7 placement. Our Head of School works closely with families to help them determine the best next step after CHS.