Quick Facts

ages: 5-17

tuition: $3575 for first child

Interview Fee: $20

school day: M, T, Th, F 8:30a-3p
W 8:30a-noon (half day)

attendance: 5 hrs/day

enrolling: year round

Tuition

Tuition for the current 2009-2010 school year is $3575. for the first student in a family, $2860 for the second (80%), and $2145 (60%) for each additional student. This is a product of considerable private subsidization in an effort to make this quality program available to a wide range of families. Tuition for the 2009/2010 school year has been set by majority vote of the Arts & Ideas Assembly - composed of students and parents enrolled at least two months and staff - in its May 2009 meeting.

Payment policy

Students may enroll at any time during the school year, subject to availability. In order to build a stable environment at the school and a successful experience for each student, it is important that each family trust the process of self-initiated learning and commit to the long-term process of community building. Accordingly, we emphasize the importance that all students and parents must be willing to commit to the school for the duration of the academic year. Students often need time to adjust to a new environment and different expectations.

While we encourage families to remit payment for the full year’s tuition upon enrollment, we understand the preference for some families to participate in the monthly installment payment plan. To participate in the monthly installment payment plan, an additional fee of 3% will be added to cover administrative costs.

Since A&I is a small school, continued operations rely heavily upon timely payment of tuition by all attending families. Accordingly, a late fee will be charged for all late payments. As we truly enjoy seeing our students every day, we request that families keep their account current so that the student’s do not need to disrupt their attendance. Tuition payments that are not made within two weeks of the due date will cause the student’s eligibility to attend school to be revoked until the family’s tuition account is current.

Part Time Option

For 2009-10, Arts & Ideas will offer part-time enrollment of three days per week (Mon., Wed., Fri.) to students who are 5 and 6 years old. The purpose of this option is to allow younger students who need it the time to adjust to full-time school. Tuition for Part Time Enrollment is $2,750. for 2009-10.

We do strongly encourage full-time enrollment; the children, individually and collectively, benefit from a committed, consistent, reliably-present cohort.

Enrollment

In order to enroll, each family must take part in an enrollment interview. This interview is not a test or a means of selecting certain kinds of students. It is a frank discussion during which all parties can make sure that Arts & Ideas is a good fit for the enrollee and his or her family. Both parents or guardians are required to attend the enrollment interview. Interviews generally last about an hour and must be booked in advance. There is a non-refundable $20 Interview Fee.

Once an interview has taken place and all parties agree that enrollment is a good idea, the next step is for the child to come for a visiting week. At the end of the week, we all meet again and either confirm enrollment, extend the visiting time or decide AIE is not the right place for the student.

We can understand parents wanting to see the school in action but we don't currently allow visitors during school hours. Our setting is intimate and strangers passing through have a strong effect. This is a policy the students, staff and board have agreed upon.

Attendance Requirements

Students at Arts & Ideas are required to attend the school regularly, for a minimum of five hours per day. The intent of the minimum attendance requirement is to insure the development of a strong school community. Our educational approach works best when parents and students see the school as the center point of their educational experience.

Our Admissions Policy

Arts & Ideas has an open admissions policy and does not require any transcripts from previous schools or base admission on academic performance in traditional school settings. It is essential that each prospective family develop a good understanding of our educational approach and be willing to support their child in pursuing his or her own interests. It is also important to determine that students are able to be fairly independent and fully responsible for themselves at school.

School enrollment limits are set by School Meeting; if enrollment levels reach the set limit, a waiting list is instituted.

Arts & Ideas welcomes racial, ethnic and religious diversity and families of every composition.