Kindergarten Applicants
We begin accepting applications for Kindergarten in January. We ask interested families to fill out the Blue Rock School Application Form and return it to us along with the $50 application fee and the Transcript Release Form with your signature. We will then request your child’s nursery school teacher to fill out our Teacher Recommendation Form and send it directly back to Blue Rock School. All paperwork is due in to Blue Rock by Friday, March 9, 2012. Kindergarten applicants will be invited to attend our Kindergarten Day, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 17, 2012. This event is a wonderful opportunity for Kindergarten applicants to meet each other, to see the classroom, and to spend a couple of hours enjoying some fun activities together. The teachers will use this time to get to know the children and determine if Blue Rock School is a good match for each child. We have 12 spaces in our kindergarten class each year and will form a waiting pool of interested applicants once this class is full.
1st – 8th Grade Applicants
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis when space is available. In the situation where a class is full, we would create a waiting pool of interested students. If a space should open up, we would consider each applicant in the waiting pool. Please check with the Admissions Director to see what the possibilities are for the grade(s) in which you are interested.
Please note that Blue Rock School does not have a learning specialist or a psychologist onsite, and we are generally not able to accommodate children with learning differences or those with behavioral issues.
Steps for applying to Blue Rock School in grades 1 through 8:
1. Join us at an Introductory Session and Campus Tour where you will hear a staff member speak about our educational philosophy, receive a tour of the school and meet a few of our teachers in their classrooms. All families wishing to attend should RSVP to the Admissions Director to reserve a space. Please note that this is an event for adults only. You are also welcome to schedule a private tour during a school day morning. It’s wonderful to see Blue Rock with the children present!
Click here for Introductory Session and Campus Tour dates.
2. Fill out the Application Form and return it to Blue Rock School, along with the $50 nonrefundable application fee and the Transcript Release Form with your signature. We will then send our Teacher Recommendation Form to your child’s current teacher, who will need to complete it and send it directly back to Blue Rock School.
3. Once we have received the full transcripts from your child’s current school and the completed Teacher Recommendation Form, we will schedule a 3-day visit for your child. In some cases, prior to the visit, our teachers may also request to have a conversation with your child’s teacher if they have further questions.
4. The Admissions Committee will then meet and will contact the parents by letter to inform them of their decision. Parents of accepted students will be invited to meet with our Director, Caty Laignel.
Blue Rock School welcomes students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all programs and activities and accords the same rights and privileges to all students at the school without discrimination in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid, or other administered programs.
Introductory Session and Campus Tour
Dates for the 2011/2012 School Year:
Saturday, November 12, 2011 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, January 21, 2012 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, March 3, 2012 10:00 a.m.
Please note that these are adult only events. Children will be invited to visit at later date.
TUITION
Tuition for the 2011/2012 school year:
| Kindergarten: |
|
Five half days (9am-12pm):
Plus one afternoon:
Plus two afternoons:
Plus three afternoons:
Plus four afternoons:
Five full days:
|
$10,680
$12,104
$13,528
$14,952
$16,376
$17,800
|
| First through Eighth Grade: |
$17,800 |
| Materials fee for all grades: |
$ 400 |
A 10% tuition deposit is due within two weeks of receiving the Enrollment Agreement. This tuition deposit is deducted from the total tuition due for the year. Families may pay the remaining balance in one lump sum or choose between three payment plans, with no additional service fee: Semi-annual (2 payments), quarterly (4 payments) or monthly (10 payments).
FINANCIAL AID
Tuition assistance and diversity scholarships are offered to lower income families. For Kindergarten applicants, aid is generally offered only for the ½-day morning program (10am-12pm). In order to insure a fair distribution of our limited financial aid fund, the school employs School & Student Services (SSS) by NAIS, which performs a thorough analysis of each applicant’s financial situation. The deadline to apply for aid is March 2, 2012 and families will be notified of awards by the beginning of May. Please contact the Admissions Director for more information.
For
directions to Blue Rock School <click>.
Summer Play 2012
Exciting News ~ Our 2012 program features a brand new Art Studio, Music Studio and Swimming Pool!
Summer Play at Blue Rock School is a fun and enriching place for your child to spend summer days engaging in a variety of hands-on, creative and playful activities that take place both in the classrooms of Blue Rock School's 18th-century stone farmhouse and outdoors on our serene, three-acre, wooded property. Here, playgrounds abound and there are enough magical play spaces for the most vivid imaginations. It is a special and imaginative place where lasting memories are made.
This five-week program was started in 2001 by parents and teachers to provide a safe, child-centered and joyous experience for all children, and to share the "Blue Rock experience" with the broader community. A major component of this unique experience is the celebration and nurturing of childhood itself. The program is specially designed for children ages 3 ½ through 10 ½. By allowing children the time to explore, collaborate, connect with the natural world, express themselves creatively, and play, each day is a journey of self discovery. Tuition is highly affordable, and each summer, the program typically draws over half of its campers from other area schools, both public and private, and from the home-schooled community as well.
“At Blue Rock summer day camp, my boys were always looking forward to the next day. For them, being at Blue Rock was a unique adventure full of fun, discovery and self-expression. I always tell my friends that I would gauge how much fun my boys had by how filthy they were at the end of the day. Now that's how summer fun should be!!”
-Wanda Octaviano, parent
Program
Every day is a new and exciting adventure and teeming with possibilities. The day begins in small, same-age groups exploring a variety of themed stations which consist of:
Nature & Science
Arts & Crafts
Music & Dance
Drama
Games
Woodworking
and optional Swimming Instruction
At midday, the entire camp convenes to share an outdoor picnic lunch in the shade. Afternoons are somewhat less structured, and children have the time and freedom to either finish an earlier project or develop one of their own in a mixed age setting. In addition to offering a pool or sprinkler play to help beat the heat, we also provide thirst quenching, all-natural ice pops, and plenty of shade!
Our Staff
Comprised of Blue Rock faculty, local teachers and artists, our veteran staff has a keen understanding of child development and join together to create a healthy social and creative climate where real learning and camaraderie can flourish.
2012 Schedule
July 2nd – August 9th
Mondays through Thursdays
9:30 am to 3 pm
Holiday on July 4th and 5th (Childcare option may be available on the 5th)
In addition, we may offer daily childcare from 8:30am – 9:30am. Please inquire if you are interested.
Excursions at Summer Play
Children in our older groups are eligible to choose our Excursion Option one day each week. These excursions are a special opportunity for sharing unique experiences and forming lasting friendships. Space is limited to 10 children so that students may explore activities more intimately and extensively. Veteran environmental educator and avid hiker, Brooke Smokelin leads the children on a variety of walks on hiking trails, in local parks, and near lakes & rivers. One recurring favorite is the Wine Berry Picking Walk along the Hudson - held as soon as the berries are ripe!
Registration Process and Deadlines
Early Registration, for returning participants, begins on January 1st. Full tuition must be submitted with your early registration paperwork by February 1st to receive the discount.
Open Registration begins February 1st and is available to all applicants. Deposits are due by May 1st. Applications will be available on this website in January or you may contact Blue Rock School for a copy. Please complete it in full and send it to Blue Rock School for consideration.
New families need to meet the director for a tour of the campus before submitting a deposit. Please attend our Open House in March. Contact Jamie Moreno at SummerPlayProgram@gmail.com to reserve your spot. Or call Blue Rock School to arrange time for you and your child to meet the director and take a tour of our campus.
Once accepted, a release form and a $150 non-refundable deposit are due by May 1st to reserve your space.
Summer Play at Blue Rock School
Rich Experiences Leave Lasting Impressions
