10
High School Placement Guidebook
11 Jefferson Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 783-3270
www.brooklynwaldorf.org
2017-2018 Edition
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Choices …………………………….…………………………..……………….…………………..….………...... 3
· Boarding Schools
· Public and Independent Schools
· Waldorf Cohort Schools
· Discussing Schools
Attendance ……………………….……………………………………………...………….…………………….4-5
· Why It Matters When Applying to High School
· High School Visits & High School Visit Procedure
Student Reports …………………………………………………….…………………………………………….5
Applying……….………………………………………………………….………………………….………...…....5-6
· Independent (Private) High School Application Cap
· Application Fee Waiver
· Requesting Recommendations & Student Assessment Reports
· Deadlines
Standardized Tests …………………………………………………………….………….……….………….7-9
· Independent, Catholic, Public
· Test Options, Test Preparation, Registering for Standardized Tests
High School Placement Timeline & Notes……………………………….…….……..……10-19
· Individual Meetings with Counselor
· Parent Essays
· Before the Interview
· What to Consider
· Guidelines for Interviews
· Questions Interviewers Might Ask
Students with Learning Differences ……………….…………….……………………………19-20
Directory of Independent Schools………………..………….…….………………….……….21-23
Suggested Public Schools…………………………………………………………….………………..24-28
Contacts & Resources …………………………………………………………….………………….…………29
TYPES OF SCHOOLS: CHOICES
Boarding Schools
Boarding school students live at their school. Some boarding schools also have students who attend by day and return home to their families in the evening.
The campuses often offer university-level facilities, which make this option immediately appealing. The freedom and challenge of living on one’s own and the accessibility of faculty and friends are some amazing reasons for going away to a boarding school. There’s even a Waldorf boarding school New Hampshire, the High Mowing Waldorf School.
Public (City) Schools and Independent (Private) Schools
Some students are simply ‘city’ kids, who thrive on the experience only a city can provide. There are hundreds of schools, both independent and public, to choose from in New York City alone. The Department of Education recommends that families start thinking about and exploring public high school options as early as sixth grade. We recommend parents visit high schools throughout the fall, where permitted, and spring terms of their child’s seventh grade year.
Waldorf Cohort Schools
If you are interested in continuing with Waldorf education, there are some great options in and around NYC. You could consider the Rudolf Steiner School on the Upper East Side or The Waldorf School of Garden City out on Long Island.
Talking about Schools
Perhaps you already have a list in your mind of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ schools. Instead of thinking in terms of ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ think in terms of ‘fit.’ The name of a high school is of little importance. The best high school is the one in which your child is best able to learn and grow, and which fits in with your family’s values and lifestyle. Regardless of where you choose to go, we are here to help you find high schools that are a good fit for you and to help you to get there!
ATTENDANCE
Why It Matters
A student’s attendance record is an important part of the high school admissions process. Absences and tardies are reported on every student report, and a high number can jeopardize a student’s acceptance to high school. With that said, if your child is ill please do not send him or her to school. Absences due to illness are excused with an accompanying doctor’s note.
High School Visits
The Brooklyn Waldorf School recommends that parents visit high schools without their child over the course of their seventh grade year, unless the high school offers an evening or weekend Open House, Information Session or Tour. Once you have narrowed down your options you can bring your child to have a look in the early fall of eighth grade. Please note: many independent high schools provide a tour the day of the interview.
Once students receive admissions decisions, accepted students will be invited to revisit the high school. These visits take place in the spring, typically between the middle of February through the end of March. These visits are not required, thus early departures, tardies, or absences as a result of a revisit are not excused.
High School Visit Procedure
The Brooklyn Waldorf School understands that your child will have to miss class time to interview at high schools. Parents should make an effort to schedule interviews on the same day (2 per day), when feasible, or during after school hours. Please adhere to the following procedure after making arrangements to visit a school:
· Once the visit or interview has been scheduled, fill out the High School Visit Form with information about your visit (e.g. name of school, reason for visit, date and time of visit,) and submit to the class teacher for approval. Please submit the form at least one week in advance of your scheduled visit.
To the best of your ability, try to avoid rescheduling interviews. If a high school visit or interview needs to be rescheduled, please submit a new form to the class teacher following the same procedure above and indicate that the visit is a rescheduled visit on the form.
Should your plans change and you’re no longer able to make a scheduled appointment, kindly call the high school’s admissions office so they can give your appointment to someone else.
STUDENT REPORTS
Student reports required as part of the high school application process are as follows: fall & final seventh grade, fall 8th grade, and in some cases, sixth grade end of year. Main lesson and subject teachers will enter grades and comments in our reporting database, BigSIS. Attendance is also reflected on each student report.
Remember to follow up with teachers regarding the academic progress of your child before and at Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parents can also monitor their child’s attendance via the BigSIS parent portal.
APPLYING
Completing high school applications is an exciting process, but it can be time-consuming. Make sure to set aside ample time to complete forms and answer questions. Luckily, most city schools now use a common online application system, Ravenna.
Parents and students should be prepared to spend a few hours filling out short answer questions for each application. These may be different from school to school.
Independent and select screened public high schools request 1-2 essays in the applicant’s own writing. Students will have to submit a graded writing sample with teacher’s comments, which can come from spring of seventh grade or fall of eighth grade. However, several independent schools also require an eighth grade essay with grades and teacher’s comments. Additionally, students can be asked to choose an essay topic from a handful of ISAAGNY (Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York) essay prompts. This essay is typically 750 words and should be typed. There are select independent and screened public high schools that may request an additional or separate essay from the above mentioned.
Students should work independently on their part of the applications and essays, but parents may proofread. High schools want to learn about your child from these sections. It’s a great way to ensure a good fit!
Please note: Most high schools will not schedule an interview until the application is complete. Some schools require the ISAAGNY essay completed and submitted with the initial application.
Independent (Private) High School Application Cap
The Brooklyn Waldorf School suggests that parents do not apply to more than 9 independent high schools. For families applying for financial aid- between 6 and 8 independent high schools is recommended to increase your chances of being accepted with aid. Please speak with the BWS High School counselor for more information. We’re happy to help!
Application Fee Waiver
Some independent schools offer application fee waivers. Schools appreciate when a family can make a partial contribution towards the application fee. Unfortunately, not all independent schools will be able to accommodate your request for a full or partial application fee waiver. While most schools prefer you contact their admissions office directly with this request, some prefer you go through your school’s counselor. If you need an application fee waiver, please contact the High School counselor.
Requesting Recommendations & Student Reports
Recommendations and student reports are important components of the application process. You can download recommendation and transcript request forms from the school’s website, or in some cases, a link can be sent from the online application system directly to the teacher and counselor. High schools typically request a recommendation letter from an English and Math teacher. Select schools may allow you to submit an additional recommendation letter from a language teacher or a teacher of the student’s choosing. Please see deadlines below.
Deadlines
Recommendation and transcript request forms should be submitted to the high school counselor as early as possible in the fall term. Teachers need ample time to write recommendation letters, so earliest is best. The deadline is December 1st. Unfortunately, we cannot accept requests after this date.
STANDARDIZED TESTS
Independent (Private)
If a student is applying to an independent high school in or an out-of-state they usually have to take a standardized exam as part of the high school admissions process.
Most independent high schools require a score report from the ISEE or SSAT. ISEE and SSAT test registration typically go live in August. Parents are encouraged to register as soon as possible, as test dates and sites fill up quickly.
ISEE Registration
Students may register to take the ISEE up to three times in a 12-month admission cycle, once in any or all of three testing seasons. The seasons are Fall (August-November), Winter (December-March), and Spring/Summer (April-July). Please register your child to sit for the exam in mid-late November of their eighth grade year. For the 2017-18 school year, testing for a single exam in a large group at a school is $105, testing in a small group at a Prometric office is $175, and individual administration at a Prometric office is $185. Additional fees apply for late registration, phone registration, and walk-in registration. The score report typically arrives by mail between 7-10 business days after test administration. Please visit the ISEE website for more information on expediting scores. As the Brooklyn Waldorf School is not an ERB member you cannot request a copy to be mailed to us directly.
SSAT Registration
The SSAT can be taken more than once. If your child is enrolled in test prep it is best to register for an SSAT date in early December of eighth grade to maximize on material learned, though you may register for an October or November test as well. If parents are not satisfied with the ISEE results, the SSAT can be taken in December and again in early January if needed. The registration fee will be $127 each time you take an exam for the 2017-18 school year. Registration closes 3 weeks prior to the desired test date.
Parochial/Catholic
If families are interested in applying to Catholic high schools, they must register for the TACHS. Some Catholic high schools will offer an onsite high school placement test for those who missed the TACHS.
TACHS Registration
Parents can register online for the TACHS beginning in late August through mid-October. The registration fee is $63 for the 2017-18 school year.
Testing Accommodations
Should your child need testing accommodations for any of the aforementioned tests, please register for the test with accommodations and submit all necessary paperwork to the Learning Support Teacher, Ms. Hannah Bleier. Students must have an IEP, psychological evaluation, or documented evidence of learning challenges on file with the school.
Other Assessments
Some independent high schools have their own assessment, which students take on their interview day. The assessment varies from school to school, but may cover English, Math, and writing.
Public
If you plan to rank screened public high schools on the DOE High School Application, test results are required. Since Waldorf students do not regularly take standardized exams, the screened public high schools will accept test results from the ISEE or SSAT. Parents must submit a copy of their child’s test results to the high school counselor to ensure screened public schools receive it before they rank applicants. There are a few public high schools in NYC that require students to take their own assessment onsite, such as Bard High School. This is in addition to submitting the ISEE or SSAT results.
A Review of Test Options
Test / What High Schools Accept This Test? / OverviewISEE
Independent School Entrance Exam / Independent, select Boarding, Screened Public / The ISEE consists of five sections at three levels designed to measure the verbal and quantitative reasoning and achievement of students in grades 4-11 seeking admission to grades 5-12. Students seeking admission to grades 9-12 take the Upper Level.
www.iseetest.org.
SSAT
Secondary School Admission Test / Boarding, Private/Independent, Screened Public / The SSAT is a multiple choice test designed for students in grades 3 through 11. Both the Middle and Upper level SSAT consist of verbal, quantitative (math) and reading comprehension sections. In addition to the sections listed above, the test includes a writing sample portion.
www.ssat.org/ssat/test/test-main.html.
TACHS
Test for Admissions Into Catholic High School / Catholic, Parochial / Students in the eighth grade during the 2016-17 school year, wishing to apply for Fall 2017 admission to Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens and Archdiocese of New York, are eligible to take the TACHS Exam in November 2016.
www.tachsinfo.com
SHSAT
Specialized
High School Admissions Test / Specialized Public only / Students in grades 8 or 9 who wish to apply to NYC’s Specialized High Schools must take the SHSAT and submit an application listing their choices of schools in order of preference. The SHSAT is a timed multiple-choice test with 2 sections, verbal and math, which must be completed in a total of 2 ½ hours.
Read the Specialized High School handbook to learn more about applying to one of these schools. http://schools.nyc.gov/accountability/resources/testing/shsat.htm
Test Preparation
There are many ways a student can prepare for a standardized test: a practice test book for individual study, exploring online resources, enrolling in a test prep program, or hiring a private tutor. The Brooklyn Waldorf School provides test prep in class starting in 7th grade. By 8th grade students will be getting 2 hours and 20 minutes of dedicated test prep per week before test season, now included with your child’s tuition.