Grades 1-4 Admissions
welcome, lower school applicants
At SCH Academy, our Lower School starts with Pre-Kindergarten and ends at grade 4 for boys and girls. We believe in the power of single-sex education, starting with our youngest Lower School students up through Middle School.
The following steps are for families looking to apply to grades 1-4 for boys and girls. Need assistance with the following step-by-step process? Our admissions team is here to help: 215-247-7007.
Grade 1-4 application Process
Below are the details of the Lower School application process.
Interested in visiting SCH before applying? Please register for one of our Admissions Events here.
submit your application
To submit an application to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, please start with the online application. You will be asked to create a username and password so that you're able to return to the portal to complete the process or pick up where you left off. The application takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
submit your parent questionnaire
The parent questionnaire serves as a valuable tool for us to gain insights into your family and your child's unique qualities and experiences. By completing this questionnaire in the mySCH portal alongside your application, you provide us with a better understanding of your of your child. We request that this be submitted prior to your parent meeting so we can better prepare for your visit.
schedule your parent meeting
Parents will schedule a time to meet with our Admissions Team to share information about your child and learn more about the school.
In order to see the campus, you may arrange a private tour by emailing Director of Lower School Admissions, Kate Caro, kcaro@sch.org. This completes the tour portion of your application. If you are not able to schedule a private tour, you are welcome to join us for any one of our admission events. Please register through the website by clicking below:
schedule your student full-day visit
Applicants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in our school's academic and social culture by spending a full day in our Lower School, 8:10 AM to 2:45 PM.
Student assessments will be administered by our SCH reading specialist and classroom teachers during the student’s visit day.
submit your (2) Teacher recommendations
Recommendations and records from your child’s current school are an important part of the application process.
Please login to your mySCH account to electronically request your recommendation letters. We prioritize the confidentiality of these recommendations, which must be directly sent from the respective teachers to our Admission Office after November 1. By requesting these recommendations, you accept the confidentiality agreement.
To maintain the integrity of the application process, we regretfully cannot accept recommendations received before November 1.
Required testing for grades 2-4
WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) testing is required for all applicants in Grade 2, 3, and 4. Once your testing is completed, please either email Kate Caro, director of Lower School admissions (kcaro@sch.org) a copy of the report or have the test evaluator admissions (kcaro@sch.org) a copy of the report. SCH has a list of suggested evaluators and we're happy to help with suggestions at the request of the family.
NOTE: WISC-V testing is required for most independent school applications.
Admissions Timeline
We are delighted that you are considering Springside Chestnut Hill Academy as part of your school search. We welcome applications at any time during the year on a rolling basis. If you are interested in applying now, please submit an application through our portal. Once your application has been submitted you will be contacted by your divisional Admissions Director. Our first round applications typically take place between September and December. After that, we continue to review applications throughout the year on a rolling basis.
Decisions & Notification
All applications that are complete by mid-December, will receive notification on their admission decision in January. The Admission Committee reviews applications as they become complete, and decisions will be shared on a rolling basis.
Financial Aid
Families who are interested in applying for Financial Aid are strongly encouraged to submit their financial aid applications at the same time they complete their admission applications. Financial aid for newly accepted families will be awarded in January during the first round of evaluations. The review process will continue until funds are exhausted, meaning that applications will be considered on a rolling basis. It is advisable to submit your admission and financial aid applications as early as possible to have the best opportunity for consideration.
Lower School admissions
Meet Kate Caro, director of Early Childhood and Lower School admissions. She's here to answer your questions as you begin your application process for your student(s) entering grades Pre-K to 4. Kate started her career at SCH as a 4th grade lead teacher and has experience on both the faculty and the admissions sides of SCH Academy.
e: kcaro@sch.org
p: 215-261-6849
When our 4th grade students move up from Lower School into Middle School they are prepared to tackle what is ahead academically, socially, and emotionally. We instill in our students a passion for curiosity, independent thought, and an ability to quest for positive change.
Douglas Wainwright
Head of Lower School
