Frequently Asked Questions About Daycare Admissions
Admissions Process
A. Yes. Smart Start Academy encourages families to attend one of our Open Houses because it is an important step in our application process. Our open house events last approximately one hour and provide general information about our educational program.
A. Please complete an application and submit same with the $250.00 nonrefundable annual registration fee and a $1,250.00 nontransferable/ nonrefundable security placement fee to ensure your child’s placement into one of our schools. The security placement payment can only be applied to the last academic month of the school year (June.) You will also have to submit a copy of your child’s birth certificate, most recent physical, and immunization records. At the start of each year (July) all re-enrolling families will be required to submit the following annual documents and fees: application, $150.00 application fee, universal health form, and A-45 health form are all available on our website, Smart-StartAcademy.com.
A. Yes. Smart Start Academy accepts applications all year round. Please keep in mind that space is limited. Therefore, we encourage families to submit their application and fees at least 3 months prior to their desired start date.
A. As a courtesy, parents are allowed one postponement of their original anticipated start date. This postponement cannot exceed 30 days from the original start date. If the child is unable to start within this period, the security placement fee and prepaid tuition are forfeited. Security placement fees are nontransferable.
A. Your security placement fee and any prepaid tuition may be applied to your child’s last month of tuition given SSA is notified in writing of the child’s withdrawal 2 full months prior to the departure. Written notification must be submitted by the 1st of the month. If notification is submitted after the 1st of the month, the following month will be considered the first full month’s notice of withdrawal.
Please Note: Security Placement Fees can ONLY be refunded in Tuition Form and are nontransferable. The Summer Months (July and August) do NOT apply toward the 2-month withdrawal notice clause stated above.
A. Parents are responsible to pay for the full program tuition chosen regardless of holidays, inclement weather, and/or desired start dates/student absences.
A. A student must have turned 19 months on or before the 1st of the month in order to be eligible for the 19–35 month tuition rate. A student must have turned 36 months and fully potty trained by the 1st of the month in order to be eligible for the 36 and up tuition rate.
Wait List Policy
A. SSA currently has a waitlist for all age groups at all of our locations. We encourage prospective parents to call the center they are interested in directly for specific wait time information.
In order to be placed on the waitlist, we recommend that prospective parents schedule a tour at their desired SSA Center. Then, a fully completed application with a fee ($150.00) and Security Placement fee ($1,000.00) must be submitted. Please note: The application Fee is nonrefundable.
In addition, prospective families will be asked to sign our “Wait List” Policy upon being placed on one of our waitlist. Our SSA administrators will review and explain the policy in detail before obtaining your signature in order to ensure a full understanding of said policy.
A. Make sure your child has the following items on the first day of school: lunch/snacks, extra clothing, diapers and wipes (if not potty trained), a sheet, and a blanket (full-time students). All items must be labeled with your child’s name or initials.
A. Yes. S.S.A. requires all of our students wear an SSA shirt for security reasons. Once your child reaches our toddler program, he/she will be required to wear the uniform daily. Our toddler – pre-kindergarten classes participate in group walks and visit community parks daily. Therefore, in order to ensure maximum safety, visibility of our students, and security, our students are required to wear an S.S.A. shirt.
S.S.A. supplies one (1) school shirt upon registration. If parents would like additional shirts, a $20–$35 fee per shirt will apply. Prices vary depending on the type of shirt purchased.
A. SSA requires submission of an annual application and fee of $150.00 for all re-enrolling families. The fee includes a uniform shirt and a new backpack at the start of the new year (July).
S.M.A.R.T. Tuition: A yearly fee of $50 is associated with our SMART Tuition App. Yearly maintenance, 24-hour customer service, auto-payment services are all included. (Please note: SMART tuition is a 3rd party vendor/payments are made directly to 3rd party vendor)