Partnership of Academy and Family

Saint Andrew Academy works with the parents/guardians in the faith formation of their children and continues the value development begun in the home. The Academy, however, has a mission to be truly Orthodox — to form students in the Holy Orthodox faith. All students must participate fully in religious classes and other faith-formation activities. Non-Orthodox Christians are restricted from full participation in Church sacraments, but are welcome to attend, observe, and learn more about the same.

Acceptance to Saint Andrew Academy is a privilege, not a right. We fully anticipate that parents will help build this program and make it better. However, all must accept the current program of formation and instruction, accepting responsibility for their portion of the cost of education.

Because the Church acknowledges parents as the primary educators of their children, the Academy believes that it has a responsibility to continue the child’s faith formation. If the parents’ public beliefs, values and practices cause disruption of the Academy’s educational climate, it becomes impossible for the Academy to support the parents in the faith formation of their children. In cases where parents engage in such conduct, continued enrollment of their children may be denied.

Acceptance into Saint Andrew Academy is dependent upon the ability of the Academy to meet the educational needs of the child. The Academy may not have all the resources necessary to meet the educational, physical, psychological, and/or educational needs of an individual child. While the Academy will make an effort to accommodate reasonable needs, if the needs of the child exceed the resources of the Academy, the best interests of the child may be best served by placing the child in a different educational environment with appropriate resources for the child.

Admission Priorities

The order of priority for acceptance to Saint Andrew Academy is as follows:

1. Current families
   1. Continuing students in good standing at Saint Andrew Academy who meet registration deadlines (students who do not meet registration deadlines may lose their priority standing)
   2. Siblings of continuing students (including both Orthodox and non-Orthodox families)
2. New families
   1. Children of active parishioners and/or alumni
   2. Children transferring from another Orthodox institution
   3. Children of Christian families who are catechumens
   4. Children of Christian families who are transferring from another private school, or from homeschool
3. Waiting pool based on qualification
   1. In the case that a class or grade is full, a wait-pool will be organized. Students on the wait pool will be admitted in order of priority (not first come, first served) and qualification and offered admission as seats become available or (in special cases) given an overflow seat

Admission decisions also include these understandings:

• Acceptable conduct and homework grades are required from the previous school.
• If a family has previously withdrawn or been required to withdraw from Saint Andrew Academy, re-admittance is at the discretion of the Headmaster and the pastor.

While we prefer early admissions, as slots may become limited, we do not admit on a first-come, first-served basis. ****We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin. And we do not admit through lotteries.

Age for Admission in Lower School

• New applicants must be developmentally ready, which shall be determined through appropriate screening with teachers and admin;
• As a general rule, a child may be admitted to Transitional Kindergarten who is 5 years of age on or before December 1st of the current year. Students who are 5 years of age after December 1st of the current year may be admitted into Transitional Kindergarten based on an assessment of their individual readiness, with the express understanding that they will move into Kindergarten the following year.
• A child may be admitted to Kindergarten who is 5 years of age on or before September 1st of the current year.
• A child may be admitted into the 1st grade who is 6 years of age on or before September 1st of the current academic year, if approved by an appropriate screening.
• 1st grade students must be “potty trained” (able to go to the bathroom by themselves, without teacher or parent supervision)