Admissions Inquiry Packet Fall 2017

discover Far Brook School

observe

when you discover Far Brook School, you will find a small, child-centered, arts-infused environment, children who are curious, diverse, and full of wonder, and creative, inspiring teachers. a place where children have the time and the space to play, to experiment, to question, to learn by doing, and to sing.

when you discover Far Brook School, you will learn that a simple theme is a powerful way to make complex connections. that a journey through great eras opens children to the world and helps them establish their connection to it. that even the youngest children can grasp a sophisticated math concept explored through a musical passage, a pattern in nature, a shape carved from a block of wood, or the measurement of their own shadow on the ground.

connect

explore

when you discover Far Brook School, you will find a safe place for children to grow and take risks. a place where students try many new things, discovering passions they may not have found anywhere else, because at Far Brook everyone participates in everything. you will witness children caring for plants and animals, for each other, and for people in cities and countries throughout the world.

when you discover Far Brook School, you will see that by the time children graduate from eighth grade, they have developed, year by year, and layer by layer, strong skills, excellent roots, confidence, passion, and compassion enabling them to thrive wherever their own path may lead.

shine

when you discover Far Brook School, you will have found a place where your child can be a small part of something big, and a big part of something small, all at the same time. a place where tradition binds us together, and a joyful spirit sets us apart.

ABOUT FAR BROOK

AFTER FAR BROOK

FOUNDED 1948

Far Brook’s graduates thrive in a variety of settings.

Approximately 75% attend independent day schools, while the other 25% choose their local public high school or boarding school. In the last few years, our graduates have attended Delbarton, Gill St. Bernard’s, The Hudson School, Kent Place, Lawrenceville, Millbrook, Montclair-Kimberley Academy, Morristown-Beard, Mount St. Mary, Newark Academy, Northfield Mt. Hermon, Oratory Prep, Pingry, St. Andrew’s, and Seton Hall Prep, to name a few.

STRUCTURE Co-ed, Nursery through Grade 8 ENROLLMENT 230-240 STUDENT:TEACHER RATIO 6:1 CAMPUS 9 ½ acres including state-certified Schoolyard Wetlands Habitat SPECIALS Art, Dance, Drama, French, Music, Sports, Woodshop HOURS ½ Day Nursery 8am-noon Nursery-Grade 8 8am-3pm Nursery-Grade 3 8am-2pm on Fridays Early Morning Dropoff and Extended Care are available daily.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM 3:15pm-4:30pm Daily Enrichment classes in arts, crafts, music, science, sports and more (Fees per class) TRANSPORTATION Bus service available; routes vary annually. Please call to inquire.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO Farbrook.org

The impressive list of colleges our recent graduates have attended includes Bard, Brown, Bucknell, Carleton, Colby, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Elon, Georgetown, Harvard, Haverford, Macalester, Mount Holyoke, NYU, Princeton, Skidmore, Stanford, Syracuse, Trinity, Washington University in St. Louis, Williams, University of Wisconsin, and Yale.

desire to touch the “Itlivesis ourof children so they may

“

live life wisely and with great joy.

THE FAR BROOK STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

APPLYING For complete, updated information about Far Brook’s application process, tuition, and financial aid: www.farbrook.org/AdmissionsProcedures VISITING We’d love to have you visit.

Sign up for an admissions event: www.farbrook.org/AdmissionsEvents FAR BROOK SCHOOL 52 Great Hills Road Short Hills, NJ 07078 973-379-3442 admissions@farbrook.org farbrook.org

Principal Photographers: Emma Banay, Alex Cena, Peter Chollick, Ann DeCamp, Stephen Giordano, Michael Gunselman, Emi Ithen, Helen Kaplus

Far Brook School

Admissions Procedures and Timeline For applicants for the 2018‐2019 School Year

Far Brook School seeks students from varied socio‐economic, racial, and religious backgrounds who are intellectually curious, serious about learning, self‐motivated, and disciplined.

If you would like to pursue enrollment for the 2018‐2019 school year, please complete the following steps in the Admissions Process.

1. VISIT THE SCHOOL One of the best ways to determine whether Far Brook may be the right fit for your child is to visit. We invite you to choose from one of the Admissions Events detailed below and experience Far Brook for yourself. (Please note: applications may be obtained online but will only be activated if you have visited Far Brook, either this year or at an earlier date).

“Morning at Far Brook” Morning Meeting, Nursery & Kindergarten presentations, campus tours, curriculum fair Wednesday, October 25, 2017 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon All grades, registration required

Small Group Tours Morning Meeting, campus tours, informal discussion with Head of School, Director of Admissions and Division Heads Friday, November 17, 2017 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. All grades, registration required Tuesday, November 28, 2017 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. All grades, registration required Friday, January 5, 2018 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. All grades, registration required Thursday, January 18, 2018 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. All grades, registration required Tuesday, January 30, 2018 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. All grades, registration required

All events are parent/guardian only. Applicants visit the school as part of the admissions process.

To register for an Admissions Event, please: a. Visit our website – farbrook.org, or b. Call the Admissions Office – 973‐379‐3442.

2. SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE Complete our online application, located in the “Admissions Procedures” section of our website at farbrook.org.

Nursery applicants must be 3 or 4 years of age and Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years of age by September 1st of the year the child would be attending. Please note the application deadlines below:

Application Deadline for N, K and Grade 1

December 31, 2017

Application Deadline for Grades 2‐7

January 31, 2018

ALL GRADES: SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 15TH AND THE $100

APPLICATION FEE WILL BE WAIVED.

3. ADMISSIONS TESTING Once your child’s application has been received, the Admissions Office will call you to schedule the appropriate screening or testing appointments:

▪ Nursery applicants are evaluated during playgroups (see Step 5: Applicant Visit)

▪ Kindergarten and Grade 1 applicants meet individually with a Learning Consultant for developmental screening (30‐45 minutes), and are also evaluated during playgroups.

▪ Applicants for Grades 2 through 7 are tested individually by a Learning Consultant (60 minutes).

Please note: the earlier that the application is submitted, the more flexibility you will have in scheduling the necessary appointments.

4. SUBMIT CONFIDENTIAL TEACHER INFORMATION REPORTS AND SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS ▪ Confidential Teacher Information Reports are required for applicants to all grades. Age appropriate forms are found in the application packet. These Reports are to be filled out by the applicant’s current teacher and sent directly by the teacher(s) to Far Brook.

▪ Applicants for Grades 2 through 7 are required to submit transcripts from their current school.

The Release of Records form found in the application packet should be given to the current school requesting that student records be sent directly to Far Brook by the school.

5. APPLICANT VISIT ▪ Applicants for Nursery, Kindergarten and Grade 1 will be scheduled to attend a group screening with other applicants. Playgroups are scheduled for the following Saturdays: January 20 and January 27, 2018, February 3 and February 10, 2018.

▪ Applicants for Grades 2 through 7 will be invited to spend either a full or half day at Far Brook with the class they would be joining. Visits are scheduled after the receipt of all required application materials. Ideally, the student will be scheduled for individual testing on the same date.

6. PARENT MEETING All parents/guardians will have a meeting with the Director of Admissions or a Division Director.

When possible, meetings are scheduled to coincide with student appointments. Meetings are not scheduled during playgroups.

7. NOTIFICATION Applicants who have submitted applications by the deadline will be notified of the Admissions Committee decision no later than March 15, 2018. Candidates in our waiting pool and late applicants may be offered spaces at anytime throughout the remainder of the school year and into the summer.

8. TUITION ASSISTANCE Far Brook uses Tuition and Data Services (TADS) to analyze a family’s financial information and evaluate each family’s specific needs. If you are interested in applying for tuition assistance, please check the box provided on the application. The deadline for Financial Aid applications is January 31, 2018.

Far Brook School

Steps in the Application Process For the 2018‐2019 School Year

APPLICANTS TO NURSERY 3S

APPLICANTS TO KINDERGARTEN

OR NURSERY 4S

AND FIRST GRADE

APPLICANTS TO GRADES 2‐7

December 31, 2017*

December 31, 2017*

January 31, 2018*

one

one

two

Transcripts

‐‐

‐‐



Testing

‐‐





Playgroup

Playgroup

Half or full day in classroom







Application Deadline Teacher Recommendation(s)

Student visit Parent Meeting Financial Aid application

   *Submit the application by December 15th and the $100 fee is waived.

Deadline: January 31, 2018

Preliminary

FAR BROOK SCHOOL 2017-2018 Calendar

(as of August 31, 2017) Open House – Grades 1-6 Orientation Day (Jr. High students)

Tuesday, September 5, Afternoon Tuesday, September 5, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Open House – NS & K Opening Day– 1 through 8

Wednesday, September 6, Morning Wednesday, September 6, Full Day

Opening Day – NS & K

Thursday, September 7, Full Day

Rosh Hashanah

Thursday, September 21

School Closed

Professional Development

Monday, October 9

School Closed

Thanksgiving Recess

Wednesday, November 22 Monday, November 27

Close at Noon Return

December Vacation

Friday, December 15 Wednesday, January 3

Close at Noon Return

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Monday, January 15

School Closed

Winter Vacation

Monday, February 19 Monday, February 26

School Closed Return

Professional Development

Friday, March 23

School Closed For students

Good Friday

Friday, March 30

School Closed

Spring Vacation

Monday, April 16 Monday, April 23

School Closed Return

Memorial Day

Monday, May 28

School Closed

Closing Day and Graduation

Thursday, June 7

Close at Noon Graduation at 6:00 p.m.

Far Brook School Tuition and Activity Fees/Schedule of Annual Rates September 2017 – June 2018 Nursery- 3 year old- (Half Day) Nursery- 3 year old- (Full Day) Nursery- 4 year old- (Half Day) Nursery- 4 year old- (Full Day) Kindergarten (Full Day) First Grade Second Grade Third Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Sixth Grade Seventh Grade Eighth Grade

TUITION $15,550 $22,500 $17,800 $24,900 $32,100 $34,325 $34,325 $34,325 $36,200 $36,200 $37,150 $38,200 $38,200

FEES $450 $450 $450 $450 $450 $450 $450 $450 $450 $700 $700 $1,800 $1,800

Financial Aid is available for families who qualify. Educational loans are available through several lenders. Please contact the Business Office for information.

1. Activities For all Grades, a fee of $450 is charged to cover the cost of classroom activities and local class trips. Grades Five and Six are charged an additional $250 to cover team sports expenses. The Junior High students take two annual trips – one week in upstate New York and an additional four-day trip to visit a city in Canada. The cost of these trips, classroom activities, and team sports expenses are included in the Seventh and Eighth Grade total fee of $1,800.

2. Transportation Far Brook School hires a private bus company to provide school bus transportation for those families who wish to subscribe.

This service is provided on a break-even basis, transportation fees being set to equal the costs charged by a private bus company. Transportation fees and areas serviced vary each year depending on the number of families who sign up for this service. Usually, door-to-door service is provided. Under the present transportation laws of the State of New Jersey, students from certain districts are entitled to bus service or a payment in lieu of bus service. For the 2016-2017 school year, that “aid in lieu of transportation” amount was approximately $880.00. During the 2016-2017 school year, the School District of South Orange and Maplewood has elected to provide bus service for Kindergarten – Eighth Grade students. For more information, refer to the B6T application or contact the Business Office.

3. The Far Brook Fund Far Brook, like other independent schools, must raise funds every year to help meet the operating costs in the current budget, as tuition alone does not cover the full cost of an independent school education. Far Brook depends upon contributions by current families, alumni families, alumni, grandparents, family foundations, businesses, and friends. Gifts to the Far Brook Fund primarily benefit teacher and administration salaries, retirement contributions, health benefits, professional development, and curricular initiatives. The amount that Far Brook must raise for the 2017-2018 school year is $500,000. All families of current students are asked to participate with their best gift and many families are asked to consider joining one of Far Brook’s Giving Circles. Gifts to the 2016-2017 Far Brook Fund totaled more than $435,000. 84% of current families participated and we had 100% participation from our faculty and administration.

4. Other After School Enrichment Programs, special tutoring, and private music lessons are available at additional cost.

Far Brook admits qualified students of any race, religion, gender, color, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, color, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission, financial aid, or other school-administered programs.

Far Brook School

Tuition Assistance Procedures and Timeline For applicants for the 2018‐2019 School Year

Tuition Assistance

At Far Brook, we strive to enroll students who will contribute to and benefit from the Far Brook School community. We are committed to having a student body that includes socio‐economic diversity. Each year we designate a portion of the operating budget, as well as income from endowed funds, to help eligible families defray some of the cost of a Far Brook education. In the 2016‐2017 school year, financial aid was awarded to almost 20% of students. Awards were granted in every grade level and ranged from $2,000 to almost $30,000.

Eligibility for admission is determined without regard to financial need. Once a student has been admitted by the Admissions Committee, the family’s tuition assistance application is reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee and the amount of the award, if any, is determined.

We maintain the philosophy that families should prioritize education over other discretionary expenses.

We ask families to look to their own resources first and request the amount they are unable to pay after reasonable sacrifices have been made. Unfortunately, due to our limited budget, it is not possible to grant aid to all students who are accepted and demonstrate need. We maintain a waitlist for those students who qualify for admission and tuition aid, but who are not awarded assistance in the initial allocation of budgeted funds.

Because financial situations may change from year to year, everyone who receives tuition assistance is required to re‐apply annually. If circumstances remain constant, families are generally awarded comparable grants from year to year.

The Process

Far Brook uses TADS to analyze a family’s financial information and evaluate each family’s specific need.

TADS is widely used by independent schools to provide an objective assessment of a family’s ability to pay tuition. A number of factors contribute to a family’s ability to pay tuition including: income, assets, general living and medical expenses, number of dependents, number of children in tuition charging schools and age of parents. Each case is evaluated individually and families in the same income range may have different overall financial circumstances and therefore receive different tuition assistance awards.

To be considered for tuition assistance, the following steps must be completed by the deadlines indicated in the Financial Aid Calendar, next.

Financial Aid Calendar for the 2018‐2019 School Year

 

Indicate your interest in applying for financial aid on the application for admission.

Complete the TADS Financial Aid Worksheet (example attached) to help you gather the necessary supporting documents you will need to complete the form.

By January 31, 2018

 TADS's application for tuition assistance must be completed by all applicants according to the TADS instructions by January 31, 2018. Families apply online at www.tads.com, or request a paper application by contacting TADS at 1‐800‐884‐8237. Once TADS receives your application, they will request supporting documentation. You will be required to submit these documents directly to TADS by the deadline provided. These documents may include, but are not limited to: a) Most recent W‐2 statements, b) Most recent pay stub(s), c) Most recent federal tax form(s), d) Most recent corporate tax return, if applicable, e) Documentation for all other sources of income, f) Any 1099s.

On or about March 15, 2018

 Families are notified of admissions decisions by e‐mail. Far Brook will e‐mail enrollment contracts and notification of the amount of aid awarded to applicants who have been admitted.

By April 15, 2018

 Mail a copy of your completed, signed 2017 tax forms, including schedules, directly to Far Brook School. Failure to do so will result in the loss of your financial aid award.

Spring 2018



Far Brook School will notify eligible families on the Waitlist if any additional aid becomes available.

FAR BROOK SCHOOL Schools Attended After Far Brook

Secondary Schools

Boarding Schools

We are delighted to share with you the list of secondary schools attended by Far Brook graduates in the past five years.

Independent Schools

Public High Schools

Delbarton School

Fieldston School

Gill St. Bernard’s

Kent Place School

Little Red/Elisabeth Irwin HS Montclair Kimberley Academy Morristown‐Beard School Mt. St. Mary

Newark Academy

Oak Knoll

Oratory Prep

Pingry School

Rutgers Prep

St. Vincent’s

Seton Hall Prep

Union Catholic Woodward Academy (GA)

Brearley (Kenilworth)

Columbia High School

East Orange STEM Academy Glen Ridge High School

Hanover Park Regional High School Livingston High School

Millburn High School

Montclair High School

Special Music HS (NYC)

Watchung Hills Regional High School West Orange High School

Blair Academy Deerfield Academy Groton School The Kent School Lawrenceville School Millbrook

Phillips Academy – Andover Salisbury School

Colleges & Universities

We hope that this selection of colleges attended by recent high school graduates who attended Far Brook gives additional insight into the preparedness and versatility of our students.

American University

Elon University

Princeton University

University of New Haven

Art Institute of Chicago

Franklin and Marshall

Reed College

University of Ottawa (CAN)

Bard College

Georgetown University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute*

University of Pennsylvania

Bates College

Georgia Institute of Technology

Rice University

University of Texas (Austin)

Bowdoin College

Gettysburg College

Ringling College of Art & Design

University of Vermont

Brandeis University

Hamilton College

Rutgers University

University of Wisconsin

Brown University

Haverford College

Santa Clara University

Utah State University

Bucknell University

Iona College

Savannah College of Art and Design

Vanderbilt University*

Carleton College

Kenyon College

School of Visual Arts

Villanova University*

Carnegie Mellon

Lafayette

Skidmore College

Washington & Lee University

Colby College

Lehigh University

St. Joseph’s University

Washington University in St. Louis*

College of the Holy Cross

Macalaster College

Stanford University

Western State

Colorado College*

Marist College

Syracuse University

College of William & Mary

Colorado University

Middlebury College

The College of New Jersey*

Williams College

Columbia University

Mount Holyoke

Union College

Yale University

Connecticut College

New York University

University of British Columbia

*Far Brook graduate(s) currently attend(s)

Cornell University

Northeastern

University of Chicago

Dartmouth College

Northwestern

University of Denver

Denison

Parsons School of Design*

University of Hawaii

Drew University

Penn State University

University of Miami

Duke University

Pomona College

University of Michigan