Is an independent school the right choice for your child?

Come visit us at the Independent School Fair in Little Compton this Thursday, December 9. Director of Admission Sally Casey and Director of Communication Betsy Walker will be joining representatives from area independent schools at the Community Center, 34 Commons in Little Compton, from 9 - 10am. It is an informal gathering, runs for an hour, and you will be able to ask questions and gather information. Find out more about independent schools!

Visit us at the Harvest Fair!

This Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 2-3), St. MIchael's will have an information table in the Community Tent at the Norman Bird Sanctuary's Harvest Fair. Stop by and visit the table, chat with the parents and staff who will be there both days. It's a great, informal, way of finding out about the school, making connections, and maybe getting some guidance in what you are looking for in a school for your child.  Once you get into the tent, look for the busiest, happiest table and the Pinwheels for Peace exhibit our students made in September. 

Open House season is upon us! Come visit on Saturday, Nov. 6

Discover a great school! If you are interested in St. Michael's Country Day as an educational option for your child (or children), come to our next Open House on Saturday, November 6, from 10am to noon. You'll be greeted by our parent ambassadors, get a tour of the campus, and get a chance to talk with teachers. Visitors will also have a chance to meet one-on-one with Head of School Whitney Slade and Director of Admission Sally Casey on topics ranging from school readiness and the admission process to navigating the guidelines and application for financial aid. If you cannot make it on the 6th, give Sally a call at 401-849-5970, ext. 302; or email her at scasey@smcds.org  to arrange for a visit. We love showing off our school.

Other Open House dates in 2010-2011: 
Tuesday, Jan. 11, 8:30am-5pm
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8:30am-5pm
Saturday, April 9, 10am-noon
Tuesday, May 17, 8:30am-5pm. 

St. Michael's announces substantial increase in financial aid

February 12, 2010: The Board of Trustees at St. Michael’s Country Day School announced last week that it is raising tuition for the 2010-11 academic year a cost-conscious one percent, and that at the same time it is doubling the school’s financial aid budget from where it was two years ago. 

  Tuition for the 2010-2011 year has been set at $10,050 for the Early Childhood grades (preschool for three-year-olds and prekindergarten for four-year-olds), $17,415 for kindergarten through grade four, and $19,685 for grades five through eight. Financial aid will become need-based. It was also announced that the school has established two merit-based $10,000 scholarships for new students entering grades grade four through six.

At a town-meeting style forum for parents on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 3, Head of School Whitney Slade told the parents that the determination to make St. Michael’s education accessible to a broader range of families has long been a focus at the Board level. In the past two years, he said the Board has clearly made a commitment to making it happen. “Increasing financial aid also allows us to be sensitive to the economy of our region," Slade said. "We are a school that welcomes diversity at all levels, and we are now going to be able to welcome qualified applicants of all backgrounds, regardless of ability to pay.” Board President David Howe added, “we are a healthy, vibrant school, and we are excited at the prospects of being able to make a St. Michael’s education accessible to a broader range of students.” Parents were also told that a more public marketing campaign, intended to place the financial aid decision out in the community, was imminent. 

“I am extremely excited about all of this,” said Mr. Slade. “Such a move can only strengthen the fabric of what is already a wonderful school. I wouldn’t be a good head of school if I wasn’t convinced that we offer the best education around,” he added, “and I get a charge out of predicting what the face of St. Michael’s will look like in five years.”

St. Michael's Welcomes New Families

We are very excited to welcome all of our new families for the 2009-2010 school year. See you at the "Welcome Back Morning" on Tuesday, September 1st.

Preschool and new Prekindergarten parents should arrive for orientation at 9:00. All other students are invited to come see their classrooms and meet their teachers between 9:30 and 11:30. 

School begins on Wednesday, September 2nd.