Visits & Testing

Scheduling an admissions tour or attending an Open House event is a key first step in the admissions process.  Initial visits can be scheduled with the Director of Admissions any time during the school year or over the summer.  Open House events are scheduled throughout the year as well.  Some parents prefer to make the initial visit by themselves, and as a next step they will bring the student(s) back for a second family tour.  Others opt to bring the student with them for the initial tour.  We welcome families to choose whichever approach they prefer.

In either case, the introductory visit provides a wonderful opportunity to see the entire school, to visit specific classrooms, to see student work and projects on display, and to meet teachers and students.  If time permits and teachers are available, it may be possible to arrange for the appropriate teacher to spend time with the student.  If parents make the initial visit by themselves, we can arrange for time with a teacher when they bring the prospective student back for the family visit.

At this stage, parents decide if they would like to move forward with the admissions process.  This entails filling out the application materials and producing academic records and IQ test results.  Da Vinci Academy weighs all indicators of a student's ability level and academic performance as part of the admissions criteria, but IQ results are part of the process for students entering the school in grades 1-8.  Da Vinci Academy will accept documented results from a previous IQ test, or families can arrange for prospective students to be tested by one of our recommended testers.

After the family completes a visit and submits the application materials, we will invite prospective students to come for at least one full-day class visit, which allows the child to experience a normal day and with his or her potential peer group.  It also gives the teachers an opportunity to observe and work with the prospective student over a full school day.  After the full-day visit is over, the teachers and Director of Admissions will share feedback with the parents.  At the completion of these steps, the school will then be prepared to review the application and make a decision on offering an enrollment contract.