Admission Procedures

Please view our admission procedures for Early Childhood through Middle School for more detailed information. We invite you to come and experience our unique Forest Ridge Academy learning environment in action. You will not be disappointed!

Early Childhood Admission Procedure

Preschool through Kindergarten

Our early childhood program operates on an academic year cycle and is open when school is in session. Preschool consists of our Young Scholars program (3/4 year old) and our Junior Kindergarten program (4/5 year old). Interest remains especially high for preschool and kindergarten grades, so we encourage families of younger children to apply early. We look forward to working with you throughout the application process.

Young Scholars

Ages 3/4

Half and full day options are available. Students need to be three prior to September 1st of the current school year and must be potty-trained by the start of school.

Junior Kindergarten

Ages 4/5

Our Junior Kindergarten program is a full day program Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 3:00pm. Students must turn four prior to the start of school.

Kindergarten

Our Kindergarten program is a full day program Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 3:00pm. Students must turn five prior to the start of school.

Apply for Early Childhood Admission:

To apply for Young Scholars, Junior Kindergarten, or Kindergarten, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Contact the Admissions Office to arrange an initial campus visit by calling the school at 219-756-7300 or email Ms. Panos at [email protected]. It is very important for parents to visit the school during our regular school hours to witness the students and teachers in action and to assess the climate of the school. Tours last approximately 45 minutes.
Step 2: Complete the Student Application received during your initial visit. Students in Young Scholars (3 year olds) are not tested for placement, therefore there is no application fee. Once a student application is completed for Young Scholars, a contract will be distributed. Students applying for Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten must submit a $50 application and testing fee with the completed application.
Step 3: Upon receiving the completed application form for students entering Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten, the Director of Admissions will contact the family to make an appointment for a developmental assessment which takes about 30 minutes.

Decision: After the above steps are completed, the Admissions Committee will meet to make a decision regarding the child’s acceptance to Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten.

Lower and Intermediate School Admission Procedure

Apply for Lower and Intermediate School Admission

Grades 1-5

To apply for lower and intermediate school admission, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Contact the Admissions Office to arrange an initial campus visit by calling the school at 219-756-7300 or email Ms. Panos at [email protected]. It is very important for parents to visit the school during our regular school hours to witness the students and teachers in action and to assess the climate of the school. Tours last approximately 45 minutes.
Step 2: Complete the student application received at your initial visit. Send the application including the $50 application and testing fee to the Admissions Office.
Step 3: Upon receiving the completed application and application fee, the Director of Admissions will contact the family to schedule a shadow day for your child. Students entering grades one through five will be asked to submit report cards (previous 2 years), standardized test scores (previous 2 years for students in 3rd-5th) prior to spending the day at Forest Ridge Academy. During the shadow day, applicants will visit in their current grade and be paired with a student host. Your child will follow a regular school day and complete a reading, math, and English assessment as well as a writing sample. The interaction of the child with his/her classmates will also be taken into consideration. After the visit, the Director of Admissions will provide the family with recommendation forms to be given to and completed by the child’s current teacher and principal.

Decision: After the above steps are completed the Admission Committee will meet to make a decision regarding the child’s acceptance to the school. The test scores, previous school records, the child’s readiness to work at grade level, and the ability of the child to contribute positively to the school community are all taken into consideration for enrollment. Although Forest Ridge Academy accepts and serves students with diverse learning styles, it is unable to serve every learning difference.

Middle School Admission Procedure

Apply for Middle School Admission

Grades 6-8

To apply for middle school admission, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Contact the Admissions Office to arrange an initial campus visit by calling the school at 219-756-7300 or email Ms. Panos at [email protected]. It is very important for parents to visit the school during our regular school hours to witness the students and teachers in action and to assess the climate of the school. Tours last approximately 45 minutes.
Step 2: Complete the student application received at your initial visit. Send the application including the $50 application and testing fee to the Admissions Office.
Step 3: Upon receiving the completed application and application fee, the Director of Admissions will contact the family to schedule two consecutive shadow days for your child. Students entering middle school will be asked to submit report cards (previous 2 years) and standardized test scores (previous 2 years) prior to spending the day at Forest Ridge Academy. During the shadow days, applicants will spend the day with their current grade and be paired with a student host. Your child will follow a regular school day and complete a reading, math, and English assessment as well as a writing sample. Homework will be given after the first day and expected to be returned the following day. The interaction of the child with his/her classmates will also be taken into consideration. After the visit, the Director of Admissions will provide the family with recommendation forms to be given to and completed by the child’s current English teacher, math teacher, and principal.

Decision: After the above steps are completed the Admission Committee will meet to make a decision regarding the child’s acceptance to the school. The test scores, previous school records, the child’s readiness to work at grade level, and the ability of the child to contribute positively to the school community are all taken into consideration for enrollment. Although Forest Ridge Academy accepts and serves students with diverse learning styles, it is unable to serve every learning difference.