LAGUNA BLANCA - Lower School (K-4)

Lower School (Grades K-4)

Applicant Information
Evaluations/Testing

APPLICANT INFORMATION
We strongly encourage all K-4 applicants and their parents to attend one of our Open House events. This enables each child to become familiar with the School, teachers, and administrators prior to the evaluation/testing and, if applicable, the kindergarten playgroup, allowing for the child’s greater comfort level in the school setting. Families also are invited to arrange a personal tour of the campus with an admission officer to learn more about the School and its programs. Personal tours continue throughout the year and are scheduled through the Lower School admission office at 805.695.8143. Each visit to campus is instrumental in helping you get to know us and us get to know you and your child better.

Kindergarten
Kindergarten candidates must be five years of age by September 1 of the year of their projected enrollment. In addition to the application and required teacher recommendation, an individual evaluation, a playgroup, and, whenever possible, an appointment to observe the child in his or her preschool setting are scheduled to better determine a child’s readiness for Laguna’s kindergarten. Once the application is received and processed, the admission office will call to arrange these appointments.

Grades 1-4
Applicants to first grade should be six years of age, or very close to it, by September 1 of the year of their projected enrollment. In addition to the application, required teacher recommendation, and student transcript, children applying to grades 1-4 participate in one of two group evaluations in January and February and spend a portion of a morning visiting in the classroom. Once the application has been received and processed, the admission office will call to arrange these appointments.

EVALUATIONS/TESTING
General Information
While testing is an important component of a student’s application, it is but one part of a greater whole that is considered during the admission process. The completion of the evaluation/testing is a mandatory part of the application; therefore, each applicant family should reserve the date, which is scheduled by the admission office on a first-come, first-served basis once the application is received and processed.

Kindergarten
All kindergarten applicants attend an individual, one-on-one evaluation as well as one playgroup to better determine a child’s readiness for Laguna’s kindergarten program. Individual evaluations last approximately one hour and take place in January and early February, preferably during the morning hours. The playgroup takes place on one of two Saturdays in January or February in our kindergarten facilities and each simulates the classroom experience. Once a child’s application is received and processed, the admission office will call to schedule the evaluation and playgroup appointments. Whenever possible and with the parents’ and school’s permission, Laguna schedules an appointment to see the child in his or her own preschool setting.

Kindergarten Playgroups
January 24, 2009
9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

February 7, 2009
9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Grades 1-4
All children submitting applications for grades 1-4 are scheduled through the admission office to attend one of two Saturday, half-day testing sessions in January and February. The assessments are administered on the Laguna Blanca Lower School campus, and the cost for their administration and evaluation are included in the application fee. The test covers math, reading, and writing skills and measures academic aptitude and achievement, with the results helping to predict the appropriateness of the match between the student and the School.

Testing Dates
Saturdays, January 31 and February 21, 9:30-11:30 a.m.