UCDS uses student visits, parent questionnaires, teacher recommendations, parent interviews and testing information (for Kindergarten applicants and older), to create a complete picture of each child and his or her family. The entire faculty and staff work together to build classes that reflect balance and diversity. We aim to create peer groups for children that foster academic rigor, respect and risk taking. We create classroom communities that allow for the joyful discoveries that make the learning process engaging.

The admission season opens the fall of the year prior to your child's start at a school. For example, if your child will start Kindergarten in September 2009, you will want to begin the application process in the fall of 2008. The application process usually closes in early to mid-January. In order to apply to UCDS, at least one parent or guardian of the applicant must attend a school tour during the current application season.

Preschool and Kindergarten are very popular ages to enter an independent school. Beginning the application process the fall before you plan for your child to enter school will help you move through the admission experience with the greatest ease.

Admission for 2008-2009 school year is closed.
Thank you for your interest in UCDS. Please check our website for information about 2009-2010 applications in September of 2008.

We build our classes at our Early Elementary Program over the course of three years. We accept the first third of a given class as three year olds, the second third as four year olds and complete the class by accepting the final third to Kindergarten. For the 2007-2008 school year, we were able to accept one out of every six applicants to our Early Elementary Program. Acceptance into our Elementary Program is based on attrition and can vary in number and grade level each year.

We use testing as one piece of information that helps us learn about a child. Test scores help us think about a student's strengths and challenges and aid us in building academic balance and diversity into our program. UCDS does not employ a score cutoff.

Each year, we create a new wait pool of applicants from the current admission season. The wait pool is very small and is made of applicants that we feel would be excellent peers for a given class but for whom we simply did not have enough spaces. We use the wait pool to fill openings.

For the 2008-2009 school year, children must be three years old by June 1, 2008 to begin preschool. To apply for Kindergarten, children must be at least five years old by June 1, 2008.

Siblings do not attain automatic admittance to the school. UCDS adheres to our philosophy of considering each individual student when thinking about his or her education. Sibling families complete the same application process as their peers when considered for admission.

Tuition is determined annually by the Board of Trustees. The 2007-2008 school year full-day tuition is $16,888; half-day tuition is $10,977. Financial aid is available.

Field trips, overnights and special programs create added cost to a family over the course of the school year. These costs vary annually depending on the school's concept study and the class' interests. In the 2006-2007 school year, the average additional cost was around $750. Financial aid is available for families for these extra events.

Extended Day Care and After School Clubs are the other costs a family may encounter. Childcare is available free of charge from 7:30 a.m. until the start of classes. After school care lasts until 6:00 p.m. Fees for the 2007-2008 Extended Day Program will vary depending on the number of days selected. For example, the rate for five afternoons a week is $250 per month. The program is also available on a drop-in basis for $19 per day. After-school clubs including Chess, Cross Country or Art Club are offered to students as well. The fees for these programs are based on their duration and needs. Financial aid is also available for Extended Day Care and After School Clubs.

Every member of the parent body is automatically a member of our Parent Association. The Parent Association is a dynamic group of parents that organizes and hosts a wide range of social and curricular events over the course of the school year. Families are welcome to be as involved as they like in the Parent Association. Additionally, parents may help with some after-school clubs or chaperone field trips and overnight excursions.