• About Us
• Waldorf Education
• Faculty and Staff
• Programs and Enrollment
  • Enrollment Process
  • Tuition and Fees
  • Dates and Deadlines
  • Enrollment Application
• Photo Gallery
• Supporting the School
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• Director's Corner
• Parents Only

CLASSROOM TOURS are held on eight Tuesday mornings beginning in October and ending in February or March. We meet on the playground (dress for the weather!) at 9:30 and finish about 10:30. The Director gives a brief introduction to The Mountain School--our history, our philosophy, and our program--after which we spend some time in each of our two classrooms. A question-and-answer session follows. Because school is in session, we cannot accommodate more children, so these tours are for adults only. Dates of this year’s tours are here. Please email us or call 415-924-4661 to make a reservation.

OPEN HOUSES take place on two afternoons in January and/or February, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm. Children are welcome, and no reservation is necessary. It is suggested that you come at three and stay the full hour-and-a-half, if possible. Our teaching staff is available to chat with you while the children play in the classroom. There will be a brief circle time, after which we move outdoors to the playground.

Our PARENT EDUCATION EVENINGS (Parenting by Heart Series) are another opportunity for you to learn more about The Mountain School and the Waldorf philosophy. Past topics have included positive discipline, school readiness, children’s health, the effects of media, school readiness, and storytelling. Nationally recognized authors, master Waldorf educators, our own experienced teachers, and others have spoken on many issues with regard to the child under seven. This series of discussions takes place on several evenings from October through January. The schedule for each school year is available in early October. These events are free, open to the public, and no reservation is necessary.

APPLICANTS’ PLAYDATES are scheduled on five occasions in February and/or March. All applicants for the upcoming school year will be invited to make a reservation for one of the dates offered. The Playdates are similar to Open Houses. The teachers are present, and there is playtime, circle time and outdoor time.

APPLICATION DEADLINE is typically in early- to mid-February; see Dates and Deadlines for the specific date. Any application received by this date will be considered for the first round of admissions, regardless of the actual date on which it was received.

TUITION ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS are due on a date specified. The Mountain School offers up to 40% of the annual tuition to families who have demonstrated need. Please call the office to request an application. Although we do not have the resources to offer assistance to all those who qualify, we would hope that financial need would not be a factor in deciding whether to apply for admission. Admission and tuition assistance decisions are made by two different committees, and applications for admission are reviewed “need blind”--in other words, without consideration of whether a family has requested assistance. [Please note that a copy of your tax return for the prior year is required along with the application. This will mean completing the form prior to the government’s April 15th deadline.

NOTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT and TUITION ASSISTANCE STATUS is mailed in mid-March. Those who receive acceptances will be asked to respond within a week by signing an  ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT and submitting a $500 ENROLLMENT & SITE DEVELOPMENT FEE. At that point, another round of acceptances is mailed, a response is requested within a week, and so forth. The Enrollment & Site Development Fee holds the space until the FIRST TUITION PAYMENT is due on May 1st. The Enrollment Agreement is a legal document, and we urge you to review it carefully before signing.

WAITING LIST: Typically, we receive more applications than we have spaces to offer, and some families will receive letters asking them to wait for a space to become available. Please do not consider this a “rejection”! We work very hard to keep our classes balanced by gender and age, and sometimes just a few months’ difference in age can be a factor. The acceptance/commitment process sometimes continues well into the summer. Because each opening that occurs is considered in the context of the entire class, we do not assign numbered places on our waiting list.

The TUITION ADDENDUM is an extension of the Enrollment Agreement tailored specifically to the tuition payment plan a family has selected. It is due on a date specified, and is sent shortly after the signed Enrollment Agreement is received in our office.

TUITION PAYMENTS begin May 1st, and may be paid on an annual, semi-annual, quarterly or monthly basis. Semi-annual payments are due May 1st and November 1st, and quarterly payments are due on the first of May, August, November and February. Monthly contracts are on a ten-month schedule, beginning May 1st and ending February 1st. A set-up fee of $20 and a billing fee of $5 per payment apply to quarterly and monthly agreements.