Pilgrim Community Nursery School
460 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL
(708) 848-5869

Admission Information

Pilgrim Community Nursery School welcomes children of all races, religions, ethnic backgrounds and economic situations.

Enrollment

Priority status for enrollment is given to children in families who:

1. Are Pilgrim Congregational Church members, or
2. Are currently enrolled at Pilgrim Community Nursery School, or
3. Have had a sibling who attended Pilgrim Community Nursery School.

Registration for Priority Status Students begins in December and is honored until the January Enrollment Open House.

For Families New to Pilgrim Community Nursery School, the registration placement is:

• Applications as accepted at the annual Open House held in January.
• For two weeks following the Open House, parents can tour the school while classes are in session. Applications can be submitted at this time, as well.
• When there are more applications received than openings available, a lottery system will be used to determine who is placed and the order of placement on the wait list.

The application process will continue until all placements are filled.

A $50.00 non refundable registration fee is required at the time of enrollment.

To be eligible for enrollment, children must be at least three years old by October 15th of the school year in which placement is sought.

The school year is from September to the end of May. Occasionally a new child will be enrolled in the program during the year. This enrollment depends on available space and the age of the child.

Scholarship

Tuition assistance is available in the form of a partial scholarship. Information and scholarship applications may be obtained from the director.

Enrollment Forms

The following forms are required by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and must be on file for each child:

• Application form
• Medical form filled out by doctor
• Permission Form for Emergencies / Field Trips / Photography
• Child Developmental History or Update
• Signed form that parent/s have read the Discipline / Guidance Policy
• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Summary of Licensing Standards for Day Care Centers (back page)

Permission Form

Parents will be asked to sign a permission form before the school year begins granting permission for their child to do the following:

• Leave the school to go on walking field trips
• Have a student teacher observe in their classrooms
• Appear in photos and videos connected with the school program; these photos may be used in school newsletters, parent enrollment evenings, newspaper articles, web site or other school related activities
• Have artwork and other projects used when documenting children's learning for educational purposes

Information provided on the permission form will allow teachers or the director to effectively communicate details about the child's day with the adult picking up the child.

Family e-mail addresses will also be included in a classroom directory and listserve to be used for school-wide and classroom communication.

Enrollment of Children with Special Needs

Pilgrim Community Nursery School enrolls children with special needs if, after discussion among the director, teachers and parents of the child with special needs, it is determined that our environment and curriculum are appropriate. Special needs may include, but are not limited to, allergies (peanut free environment), developmental delays, physical challenges, abuse experiences, behavior disorders and medical illness.

Classroom Placement

First-year students will be placed in a classroom with similar-age classmates. Attention is given to gender balance in each classroom.

Second and third-year students will be placed by the director after consultation with current classroom teachers. Age, gender and socialization may be factors in classroom placement. We encourage parents to speak with the teachers and director about this important transition. Parents will be notified by letter in mid-May with their child's classroom assignment.

Ultimately, the director is responsible for all classroom placements.