Sage Admission FAQ

Q. How do I apply?
A. The most important step in the process is to complete an application and submit it along with the registration fee. Until we have a completed application, we find it difficult to help families evaluate the fit of Sage for their children.

Q. Do you have a sibling discount?
A. Currently Sage does not have a discount for multiple children. The board reviews this idea annually.

Q. What is the school’s commitment to diversity?
A. If you have visited Sage while school is in session, you will have noticed that our population is incredibly diverse in terms of ethnicity, socioeconomic background, religion, nation of origin, and even languages spoken. This diversity happens naturally since our students come from more than 55 communities. Some even travel daily from New Hampshire.

Q. Is there a Family/Parent Association? How are families involved?
A. The Sage Parent Association, SPA, plays an active role in the life of the school. Its members engage in strategic planning with the Head of School, provide important feedback on programs and school climate, as well as organize social events for students and adults. We strongly encourage all members of our community to become involved to the extent that their schedules allow.

Q. What additional programs do you offer?
A. Sage offers a variety of academic and enrichment programs during the year. Afterschool programs, like Model UN and chess, help students engage with like-minded peers on different “playing fields.” In addition, we partner with outside organizations to put together Sage teams in soccer and golf. Intramural activities are offered based on student interest. Summer Sage is a robust program that allows gifted children to deeply engage in a wide range of topics with activities that stimulate creativity and innovation.

Q. Do you offer transportation?
A. We coordinate a bus service from Dedham and Newton. We are interested in expanding this service to other areas as the need arises.

Q. What is the tuition for 2015-2016?
A. The tuition and fees are outlined in this area of the website.

Q. Does Sage offer financial aid?
A. We have a very limited amount of financial aid available, which is awarded based on the need of the student. Most financial aid is allocated during the March/April admission process.

Q. If I have questions about financial aid, with whom should I speak?
A. Although we have a committee that oversees the allocation of financial aid, all inquiries should be directed to Nancy Farrell, Director of Business and Finance.

Q. Is financial aid granted at all age levels?
A. Financial aid can be awarded to any student in grades K through eight, but not those enrolled in the preschool program.

Q. How and when do I complete financial aid forms?
A. If you are applying for the next school year, it is very important to have your financial aid forms completed by February 15. At that time, we allocate a majority of the available financial aid, making subsequent awards more competitive.

Q. If we receive financial aid in the first year, do we receive aid in the subsequent years?
A. All financial aid requests are reviewed annually and may change based upon the family’s current financial position.

Q. How are calculations derived?
A. Calculations are made based on information we receive from an independent evaluation of the family’s financial position.

Q. If parents are divorced or separated, who must submit financial aid forms?
A. Both parents, regardless of their marital status, are required to complete the financial aid documentation.

Q. When will I be notified about my request for financial aid?
A. In most instances, you will be notified regarding admission and financial aid at the same time. If you are moving through the rolling admissions process, we may notify you of admission before we have completed the calculation for financial aid.

Q. When does the application process begin, and if I missed the application deadline, do I have to wait until next year to apply?
A. We engage in “rolling admissions.” This process allows students to enroll at Sage anytime during the year. The most common times for enrollment are August and January. However, students do begin with us as late as May.

Q. What are the application deadlines?
A. Rolling Admissions for Immediate Enrollment – There are no application deadlines. We are dedicated to working with your family to make a smooth transition.
Standard Enrollment for the Next School Year – We follow New England’s admission calendar, which uses the March 10 notification date. Therefore, the entire process needs to be completed by the third week of February.
If you have missed that window, we will review your application materials when they are submitted and respond to you in approximately three weeks.

Q. When do we hear about the status of our application?
A. Application processing is based on the time of year you apply. Once all paperwork, visits, and interviews have been completed, we seek to adhere to these general guidelines:
Rolling Enrollment for Immediate Admission: Response time within two weeks.
Standard Next Year Enrollment: Notification dictated by New England’s Association of Independent Schools is March 10. Completed paperwork submitted prior to February 15 will be processed by this date. Paperwork submitted after that date will be processed in approximately three weeks.

Q. What does it mean if my child is placed on a “wait list”?
A. There are many reasons why a child may be placed on a wait list. The most common is that the class is full. We will only waitlist a student who is a match for Sage’s program and will keep parents up-to-date on any changes that impact that status.

Q. Does Sage help with secondary school placement?
A. One of our signature programs is our Secondary School Placement Program. We have outstanding, personal relationships with many secondary schools in New England. We leverage these relationships, along with our ability to help you strategically position your child, to gain admission into schools that are a good academic and social fit.

Q. How many spaces are available in each division/grade?
A. The number of spaces available at any given time fluctuates greatly. We are happy to provide specific information to you if you call our Admission Office.

Q. Which communities do students come from?
A. Our children come from more than 55 communities from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Click here to see a comprehensive list.

Q. How much homework is given per night?
A. As with many questions, the answer is that it depends on the grade level of the student. The teachers set maximum time limits on assignments for students because we find that they will become so engaged that they work to the exclusion of participating in other activities. With that said, we also recognize that our students have such high expectations for their own performance that they will not stop working until the assignment is “perfect.” Together, teachers and parents will work together to find the right balance for the child.

Q. When do students begin to take language courses? What are the choices?
A. Currently, we offer Spanish classes beginning in Kindergarten. Upon entering Middle School, all Sage students begin their formal study of Latin in addition to Spanish.

Q. What clubs are offered?
A. Model UN, Math Counts, Scrabble and chess are on-going afterschool activities. Other clubs and activities are offered based on students’ interest. Click here for more information about our afterschool programs.

Q. Are sports offered?
A. During the school day, we offer a full compliment of physical education and creative movement classes. During the afterschool program, children can participate in programs like cross country, golf, and soccer. In addition, a variety of other physical activities, like Zumba and circuit training, are available.

Q. Is there a lunch program?
A. For busy parents, we offer a selection of healthy lunch choices through Smart Lunches. However, we do believe that parents provide the best meals for their children, and most students bring a lunch from home.

Q. Can you put me in touch with a current Sage parent?
A. Absolutely. As a regular part of the admission process, you will meet many current parents. Afterward, we will provide you with their contact information so you can continue the conversation.

Q. What is the profile of a good candidate for Sage?
A. We are seeking students with IQs one standard deviation above the mean, who are inquisitive, creative, and desire additional academic challenge.

Q. What are the entry points?
A. We accept students into all grade levels.

Q. How will my child be evaluated?
A. All too often, gifted students are focused on grades as a measure of learning, rather than embracing the process. Best practices tell us that it is better to refocus our students on concept application rather than mere acquisition. Therefore, we provide narrative feedback and ongoing communication with families regarding students’ progress.

Q. How are admission decisions made?
A. The review process for candidates involves an analysis of IQ score with special attention to not only intellectual capacity but also processing speed. This tells us whether the child will be comfortable tackling our rigorous curriculum. Equally important is the social visit of the child. Through this process, we are able to determine whether his/her potential classmates are a good match. We want our students to be challenged appropriately while being comfortable with social interactions at school.

Q. Do I need to submit a complete application before I visit the school?
A. It is our practice to have a completed application with the corresponding application fee prior to scheduling students for a visit.

Q. What does my child do when he / she comes for a visit?
A. The purpose of the visit is to ensure that your child is a good fit for Sage and that Sage is a good fit for your child. During the visit, the teachers will engage in a number of activities that help us understand your child’s learning styles, areas of passion, and general math and reading levels. In addition, your child will spend time with age-similar peers. This allows for your child to determine if there is a level of comfort with our current students. Prospective students tell us that the day is “very fun!”

Q. Can I visit classes?
A. We encourage parents to visit Sage while school is in session. That way, visitors will be able to experience actual lessons to assess the level of fit for the student. Should additional time be desired, we are happy to set up a return visit.