Grades 1 - 4
The Minneapolis Jewish Day School Lower School admissions process includes a number of steps that are designed to help us understand each of our applicants as learners and to enable us to determine whether MJDS is a good match for your child and family.
Meeting and Tour—Seeing Our School Community First Hand
We invite you to attend one of our Prospective Parent Open Houses, or to schedule a private meeting and tour to learn more about our program and see our teaching and learning come to life. You will witness engaging, integrated lessons and experiential learning designed to inspire students to view learning and community engagement as lifelong ventures.
Application—Getting started
To obtain an application, please contact MJDS Admissions & Outreach Director Abbe Payton at 952.381.3566 or apayton@mjds.net. Receipt of your completed application form (signed by all parents/legal guardians) and $200 non-refundable application fee starts the formal admissions process. We will contact you to schedule your admissions appointments. (Please see Admissions Timeline below for important dates.)
Individual Screening—Getting To Know Your Child As An Individual And As A Learner
All prospective MJDS grade 1-4 students meet one-on-one with Learning Specialist Julie Ziessman or MJDS School Psychologist Gay Rosenthal. One of them will administer a screening test, usually the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities and/or the Woodcock-Johnson, Third Edition. A brief interview with your child will also be conducted, providing information about interpersonal skills and social-emotional development. This process will take approximately one hour. During the entire appointment, one parent/guardian (not nanny/babysitter) must stay in the MJDS office waiting area. There may be a short parent/guardian questionnaire to fill out during this time.
School Visit—An Opportunity To Learn and Share More Information
Upon completion of the above, we will ask that your child spend all or part of a day at MJDS in his/her current grade. This visit will give your child an opportunity to experience a “snapshot of MJDS” as well as enable MJDS teachers to observe your child formally in a classroom setting.
Previous School Records—This Important Documentation Is Necessary
MJDS will provide you with a Request For Records Form for you to fill out and give to your current school so it can forward your child’s complete file directly to MJDS. This information, including past report cards, provides the MJDS Admissions Team with important information about your child in a classroom setting. This information is due to MJDS in advance of the parent-only follow-up meeting.
Follow-Up Meeting—The Partnering Process Begins
Next, you will be invited back for a parent-only follow-up meeting with Gay Rosenthal and Julie Ziessman, to obtain feedback and hear what we have learned about your child. We hope that the information provided at this meeting will give you valuable insights about your child’s profile as a learner. This time is also one for you to share any information about your child that you do not feel was communicated on your application form. As part of our ongoing partnership with families, we hope that both parents in a dual parent household can attend this meeting.
Final Review—MJDS Admissions Team at work
The MJDS Admissions Team meets regularly to review applicants’ files. Admissions criteria used to determine whether or not MJDS is an appropriate learning program and environment for your child include: information from the application; in-person visit to MJDS classroom; school records; and any other information provided in writing by parents. Sometimes the Admissions Team will request additional information before making a decision about admission. (Please see Additional Information below.)
Admissions—A Thoughtful Decision
A letter of acceptance, along with an enrollment form, fee schedule, and MJDS Parent Covenant, will be mailed to your home, in accordance with the Admissions Timeline listed below. Please review, sign and return to MJDS the enrollment form, along with a $600 deposit (applied to tuition), by the date indicated on the contract, to hold your child’s place in the upcoming fall class. Enrollment forms received after the date requested will be considered on a first-come/first-served basis, pending space availability.
Families with children accepted by Passover will have the opportunity to fill out and return a Class Placement Form to MJDS. All families will be invited to attend a variety of MJDS events and meetings during the summer leading up to enrollment, including New Parent Orientation and an Ice Cream Social.
Financial Assistance—Available To Families Who Qualify
MJDS is committed to socioeconomic diversity. If you are considering applying for financial assistance, please be sure to check this box on your application. A financial assistance information package will be mailed to your home early in the calendar year.
If you are unsure whether you want to apply for financial assistance, or want to know what type of documentation and qualifications are required to show “demonstrated need,” please see the finacial aid tab on the Admissions section of our website.
Please carefully read all financial assistance information, including submission deadlines and instructions, as there are a number of specific procedures required.
Approximately 30% of MJDS families receive some degree of financial assistance. MJDS does not offer any full scholarships.
Additional Information
Partnering between school and home is key to a successful experience at MJDS. Please provide MJDS with any/all outside testing or evaluations done by OT, PT, medical, psychological or other professionals. The more information we have about your child the more successful we will be in meeting his/her needs!
Admissions Timeline
* Families whose application forms and fees are received by December 14, 2007, and who have completed the other necessary steps in a timely manner, will receive early notification of admissions near President’s Day, 2008.
* Families whose application forms and fees are received by February 15, 2008, and who have completed the other necessary steps in a timely manner, will receive notification of admissions near Passover 2008.
Admissions Questions
If you have questions regarding scheduling admissions appointments, please contact Ethan Tarshish, MJDS Admissions Assistant, at 952.381.3506 or etarshish@mjds.net.
If you have questions regarding admissions procedures, please contact Abbe Payton, MJDS Admissions & Outreach Director, at 952.381.3566 or apayton@mjds.net.
If you have questions regarding financial assistance and/or payments, please contact Susan Divine, MJDS Finance & Operations Director, at 952.381.3500 or sdivine@mjds.net.
If you have questions regarding MJDS’s Lower School program, please contact Helen Siegel, MJDS Lower School Director, at 952.381.3500 or hsiegel@mjds.net.
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding your child, including those related to family stress or changes, please contact Gay Rosenthal, MJDS Psychologist, at 952.381.3500 or grosenthal@mjds.net.
Hebrew Language Learning—Preparing Your Child For A Dual Language Program
MJDS is open to students with little or no Hebrew language experience. During the defined school day, MJDS will support your child with his or her Hebrew acquisition through small-group work and differentiated instruction. The school is committed to providing a variety of flexible Hebrew groupings, to accommodate many learning styles and paces.
In addition, students entering MJDS in grade 2 or above will be asked to seek private summer Hebrew language tutoring, usually two times per week. The school may also recommend some less-intensive tutoring during the school year. The school will provide families with the names of Hebrew tutors familiar with teaching the MJDS curriculum. Compensation for these tutors will be the family’s responsibility.
MJDS also recommends attendance at its summer Hebrew Immersion Camp, run jointly with the Sabes JCC.
Non-Discrimination
MJDS admits students of any race, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, athletic or other school-administered programs.
