Admission Process

The Admissions process for all students begins in the Fall prior to entry.

• Application to our STEAM programs must by December 20^th for students applying to grades 6-8, and by January 15^th for students applying to grades Pre-Kindergarten-5.

• Our learning academy interviews are scheduled for October 1^st and the middle of February after the application has been received. (We strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment as early in the season as possible in order to guarantee an interview, complete the application process and receive a letter of notification in a timely manner.)

• Teacher and Administrator Recommendation forms are due no later than January 31^st of the current year.

• Letters of notification for grades Pre-Kindergarten-5^th grade will be mailed on March 13^th and letters for grades 6^th – 8^th will be mailed on March 6^th.

Pre-Kindergarten, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten

❑ Orientation for Prospective Parents of Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten students: November 1^st or January 10^th, Orientations are designed to further acquaint prospective parents with Elite Scholars STEAM Academy administrators, faculty members and current parents who will describe the school’s program, and answer questions. Please visit www.ess.academy then click on Enroll Now to RSVP for one of our Orientations or call (618) 726-2022. Elite parents help with school tours on certain scheduled mornings.

❑ Application: Submit your application early to secure an interview appointment. Complete the enclosed application or you may apply online at www.ess.academy (click on the Admissions tab at top of page and then “Apply Online”). You will need a credit card to pay the $75 non-refundable application fee online. Please call (618) 726-2022 if you have any questions. Submit application by January 16^th.

❑ Interview & Evaluation: After you’ve submitted your application, the Admissions Office will contact you to schedule your interview. (Earlier applicants have greater flexibility in scheduling interview appointments.) While you visit Elite Scholars STEAM Academy for your interview, your child will go with our Kindergarten Consultant for a short tour, and then a readiness assessment. During your child’s time with our consultant, you will have an opportunity to visit classes in session with the Director of Admissions.

❑ Recommendation Forms: For Preschool-age students that are currently attending a Preschool program, please provide one Preschool Evaluation form to your child’s current pre-school teacher and one Administrator Recommendation form to your child’s current pre-school director. For Kindergarten students, please provide one Preschool Evaluation form to your child’s current pre-school teacher and one Administrator Recommendation form to your child’s current pre-school director.  The forms are to be mailed or faxed directly to Elite Scholars STEAM Academy from the preschool so please provide with the forms, stamped envelopes addressed and ready to mail: Elite Scholars STEAM Academy Admissions Office, 100 Andora Drive Suite #1, Belleville, Illinois 62221.  These forms should be received by Elite Scholars STEAM Academy no later than January 30^th.

❑ Financial Aid Application: If applicable, the financial aid application must be received by the Financial Aid office no later than January 16^th. For more information about Financial Aid, please contact our Admission’s Director at (618) 726-2022 or info@ess.academy or check the web at www.ess.academy.

Grades 1-5

❑ Orientation for Prospective Parents of Pre-Kindergarten – 5^th grade students: November 1^st or January 10^th orientations are designed to further acquaint prospective parents with Elite Scholars STEAM Academy administrators, faculty members and current parents who will describe the school’s program, and answer questions. Please visit www.ess.academy then click on click on “Admissions” and then “Events” to RSVP to one of our Orientations or call Elite Scholars. Elite parents help with school tours on these mornings.

❑ Application: Submit your application early to secure an interview appointment. Complete the enclosed application, or you may apply online at www.ess.academy. Click on the “Admissions” tab at top of the page and then “Apply Online”). You will need a credit card to pay the $75 non-refundable application fee online. Please call (618) 726-2022 if you have any questions. Submit application by January 16^th.

❑ Interview: After you’ve submitted your application, the Admissions Office will contact you to schedule your interview. Earlier applicants have greater flexibility in scheduling interview appointments. January and February are so busy that should an applicant become ill or there is a family emergency, rescheduling an interview may be difficult. The interview includes both child and parent(s) and is scheduled between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays and on some Saturday’s between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

❑ Admission Testing: Testing reservations can be made at the time you are called to schedule your child’s interview appointment. Testing is scheduled on one of two Saturdays in February on the Elite Scholars STEAM Academy campus. Dates are February 7^th and February 15^th.

❑ Recommendation Forms: For 1st-grade applicants, please provide one confidential Teacher Recommendation form to the student’s current teacher, and for 2^nd  – 5th-grade applicants, please provide two confidential Teacher Recommendation forms to the student’s current teachers. If an elementary student has one teacher, an academic teacher who has taught the student during the past two years may submit the second recommendation. For 1^st  – 5th-grade applicants, please provide one Administrator Recommendation form to a current school administrator who is familiar with the student. These forms are to be mailed or faxed (618-628-4772) directly to Elite Scholars Steam Academy from the current school, so please provide with the forms, stamped envelopes addressed and ready to mail: Elite Scholars STEAM Academy Admissions Office, 100 Andora Drive Suite #1, Belleville, Illinois 62221. These forms should be received by Elite Scholars STEAM Academy no later than January 30^th.

❑ Transcript/Report Card: A current first semester or trimester report card from your child’s current academic year is required for applicants to grades 1^st-5^th. Transcripts, which include the student’s grades from the preceding two academic school years, and any standardized test scores, are required for applicants to grades 2^nd -5^th. Please send the signed Transcript Release form to your child’s current school.

❑ Financial Aid Application: If applicable, the financial aid application must be received by the Financial Aid office no later than January 16^th. For more information about Financial Aid, please contact us at (618) 726-2022 or  info@ess.academy, or check the web at www.ess.academy.

Grades 6-8

❑ Orientation for Prospective Parents and Students for Grades 6-8: September 27^th or November 8^th. Orientations are designed to further acquaint prospective parents with Elite Scholars STEAM Academy administrators, and faculty members. This is when prospective parents will also learn about how we integrate STEAM principles into our education system. Our teachers and administrators will be available to answer any questions. Please visit www.ess.academy then click on “Admissions” and then “Events” to RSVP to one of our Orientations or call (618) 726-2022. Elite parents help with school tours on these mornings..

❑ Application: Submit your application early to secure an interview appointment. Complete the enclosed application, or you may apply online at www.ess.academy (click on the Admissions tab at top of the page and then “Forms”). You will need a credit card to pay the $75 non-refundable application fee online. Please call (618) 726-2022 if you have any questions. Submit application by January 16^th.

• 5^th Grade applicants submit application by January 16^th.

• 6^th-8^th grade applicants submit application by December 19^th.

❑ Interview: After you’ve submitted your application, the Admissions Office will contact you to schedule your interview. Earlier applicants have greater flexibility in scheduling interview appointments. January and February are so busy that should an applicant become ill or there is a family emergency, rescheduling an interview may be difficult. The interview includes both child and parent(s) and is scheduled between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays and on some Saturday’s between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

❑ Admission Testing: Elite Scholars STEAM Academy requires that all grade 5-8 applicants take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE). You may register online at www.iseetest.org, or by mail. Please register for a testing date as soon as possible to avoid conflicts. Request that student score reports be sent to Elite Scholars STEAM Academy; the school code number is 209468.

❑ Recommendation Forms: please provide two confidential Teacher Recommendation forms to the student’s current English, Math, Science, or History teachers, and provide one Administrator Recommendation form to a current school administrator who is familiar with the student. These forms are to be mailed or faxed directly to Elite Scholars STEAM Academy from the current school so please provide with the forms, stamped envelopes addressed and ready to mail:Elite Scholars STEAM Academy Admissions Office, 100 Andora Drive Suite #1, Belleville, Illinois 62221. These forms should be received by Elite Scholars STEAM Academy no later than January 30^th. Note: For Grades 5^th -6^th , if an elementary student has one teacher, an academic teacher who has taught the student during the past two years may submit the second recommendation.

❑ Transcript/Report Card: Transcripts which include the student’s grades from the preceding two academic school years, and all standardized test scores are required. Please send the signed Transcript Release form to your child’s current school. Additionally, a current first semester or trimester report card from your child’s current academic year is required.

❑ Financial Aid Application: If applicable, the financial aid application must be received by the Financial Aid office no later than January 16^th. For more information about Financial Aid, please contact us at (618) 726-2022 or info@ess.academy , or check the web at www.ess.academy .