Application & Enrollment
We thank you for all your support and interest, we look forward to sharing our learning community with you! Please email enrollment@smallwondersschool.org to learn about upcoming tours.
Application Process
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Attend a tour: This adult only visit will provide you with an introduction to our day and program offerings. We typically spend about 45 minutes-1 hour with a group exploring the space. These are hosted in the mornings to allow you a better peek at our day. We do ask that it be adults only for this visit.
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Complete an online application. After your tour you are invited to complete a two part application. We strongly encourage families to return their application and fee prior to February 1st to be considered from the following summer and school year vacancies. You may also join the waitlist for future years or indicate an interest in an immediate opening. You may join the waitlist prior to a tour, but we encourage you to visit first. There is a one time application fee set by PDXwailist and is non-refundable. After submitting your online application you will be emailed part 2, our Questionnaire, to complete and return. You will remain on the waitlist until: an enrollment offer is accepted, until you ask to be removed, until your child is too old to attend our program, or after you have passed on three enrollment offers. The three offers policy is in effect to assure our waitlist is most current, reflective of those seeking active enrollment, and does not travel into high numbers. join.pdxwaitlist.com/smallwonders
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Receive and complete a Child Questionnaire. Once your application is received you will receive an email with our Questionnaire, this a way for us to learn more about your family, child, and your care needs. Emails will come from our enrollment address of enrollment@smallwondersschool.org. If you have not received part 2 via email within 3 business days please follow up with us.
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Enrollment offer or waitlist. Enrollment offers are typically made by the beginning of February for upcoming summer or fall start dates. Immediate openings do come up and offers are made to families on the waitlist as they arise. We do not strictly confine start dates to September or June and do see openings occasionally. With our new online waitlist service we will be able to better forecast for you and let you know your waitlist position. Again you will be removed from our waitlist after declining three offers.
Waitlist
Enrollment offers are based on your application, your child’s age, and your schedule preference. Offers are not made in order that applications are received but rather to assure a balance in all classrooms. Families not receiving an enrollment offer will secure a position on the waitlist. Things always have a way of changing and even if you miss the February rush, never fear! Waitlist families may end up with an enrollment offer prior to September 1st or claim immediate openings as they pop up throughout the year.
We will make up to three enrollment offers prior to removing you from our waitlist. Please note the online application will provide you a number, this is your position in the total but you may the be first or third with a 3 year old girl seeking a MTHF schedule, email us for a better update on position.
Enrollment
Upon accepting an enrollment offer, Small Wonders requires a deposit of your first month’s tuition along with a completed and signed enrollment contract. The non-refundable deposit applies to your first month’s tuition and along with your signed contract secures your spot within our program. Unlike other local programs we do not charge an additional $250 “enrollment fee”. Again, please note the deposit is non-refundable under any circumstances.
Enrollment at Small Wonders requires a family commitment to a schedule. As we are a school environment and not just a daycare center, we do not offer limited enrollment for short periods of time (by month or by week). This allows our class to remain consistent and for the class to grow as a group. As our staffing remains consistent we are unable to offer summers off and retain a family’s schedule for fall.
Re-Enrollment
Every January we host re-enrollment with our current families where we confirm their care needs for the upcoming school year. Our current families are guaranteed their existing schedule in their existing classroom but a transition to a new classroom may limit availability. Families may at this time request a schedule change (such as a shift from MWF to full time). We will do our best to accommodate these requests. Once we have checked in with all of our current families we often know of upcoming summer or fall openings (due chiefly to transitions to Kindergarten) and we connect with waitlist families at this time. We also stay connected throughout the year, while hard to predict the timing as it depends on a change in a current family’s care needs we do see openings year round, if something close to what you are seeking arises we will touch base with you!