Important update about Senate Bill 82 and School Choice Pre-Registration
In preparation for the 2023-2024 school choice process, below are a few reminders.
- Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 82 of the 151st General Assembly was signed in October 2021 for online registration.
- Requires uniform statewide online registration system beginning for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Requires all first time registering students to be registered in their district of residence before attending choice or charter school.
Parents must register students in their District of residence prior to submitting a choice application, including newly registering Kindergarten students.
How to participate in School Choice
Step 1 – Register student in the school of residence – A school of residence is the school a student attends based on home address. See the school locator map for a list of schools by address or complete the standard online registration form with your district of residence.
Step 2 – Visit school websites, meetings – Parents interested in applying to schools through school choice should plan to visit to learn more about available programs, upcoming informational meetings and application requirements.
Step 3 – Complete the standard application form – Any family seeking to choice a student into another school must complete a standard application form during the school choice application window.
- Access the online School Choice Application – Preferred method
Connect with our Admissions Team
We invite you to connect with our admissions team if you have questions about school choice applications and enrollment at Sussex Montessori School. Learn about our unique learning method and see why many families are choosing Montessori education over traditional instruction. Click here for more information.
Enrollment Information Sessions and Tours for INVITED families will take place on:
- Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 4pm (IN-PERSON)
- Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 4pm (IN-PERSON)
- Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 6pm (VIRTUAL)
- Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 4pm (IN-PERSON)
- Monday, March 13, 2023 at 4pm (IN-PERSON)
- Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 5pm (VIRTUAL)
Please email us for more details and to sign up for a session.
Scroll down for more details about how to enroll, lottery and waitlist.
How do I enroll my child in Sussex Montessori School?
Sussex Montessori School (SMS) will advertise the open application period from the first Monday in November through the second Wednesday in January (specific dates to be published annually) of the year preceding enrollment.
- Applications for the 2023-2024 school year are available online beginning November 7, 2022 at 8:00 am.
- Sussex Montessori will accept applications for Delaware students in grades K-6 for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Applications will be available on www.schoolchoicede.org. First time Applying? Click to learn how to submit a choice application.
- IMPORTANT NOTE*: Applicants must PRE-REGISTER at the school in their resident district in order for their application to be considered
- Students who are currently enrolled at Sussex Montessori School do not need to reapply.
NEED ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE?
Sussex Montessori staff and volunteers will be available to assist families with the online application. Please contact the school at 302-404-5367 to schedule an appointment. Habla Español? Llame al 302-497-3785.
I submitted an application for enrollment…now what?
Click here for what to expect after you’ve applied to Sussex Montessori School.
Connect with a member of our admissions team if you have specific questions about school choice applications and enrollment at Sussex Montessori School. Learn about our unique learning method and see why many families are choosing Montessori education over traditional instruction. Click here for more information.
LOTTERY & WAIT LIST:
- If oversubscribed at the end of the open application period, SMS will publicize and hold a lottery, applying preferences as stated in school’s charter and in accordance with state law. SMS will hold its lottery on January 23, 2023.
- Applications received after the open application period will be placed at the end of the waiting list after the lottery has been concluded and will be handled on a first come, first served basis.
- When there are more applicants for grade level enrollment than ‘seats available,’ admissions preferences shall be applied in the following sequence:
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- Children with siblings concurrently enrolled at SMS
- Children of the school’s founders (no more than 5% of the school’s total enrollment)
- Children of staff members employed on a permanent basis at the school for at least 30.0 hours per week during the school year
Following acceptance of the invitation to enroll, a Parent Enrollment Letter will be sent providing information about student registration, to include a Certification of Intent to Enroll – the one-year commitment to ensure the student remains enrolled at the school for one full year, as prescribed by law.
LOTTERY NOTE:
When a lottery is needed, it shall be facilitated by the Data Service Center, a third-party Servicer NOT affiliated with Sussex Montessori School. For more than 30 years, DSC has worked closely with schools and districts to develop applications specifically addressing their data collection, processing, and reporting needs. More details on Lottery…
For more details Sussex Montessori School Enrollment Policy is available upon request.