Big Question #3: Is Now the right time to apply?
When can we apply?
Once you are satisfied that you understand what Evergreen is (and isn't) and have determined that it is a fit for your family, the next question is, "When can we apply?"
The short answer is: any time.
Rolling Enrollment
We have a year-round school schedule that enables us to consider applications submitted at any time of the year. Our "rolling" enrollment process means once accepted, your learner can start at the beginning of any 6-week Session scheduled throughout the year.
Flexible Audition Process
Our simple, 2-Part Audition process consists of an Online Application and Informal Interview. If your learner is too young or not quite ready to thrive in our community (see Look-Fors below), you can defer the final step of your Online Application, and remain on the Waitlist until they are ready to complete the final step.
If you have completed Part 1 (Online Application) of the audition and are invited to complete Part 2 (Informal Interview & Readiness Assessment), we'll typically want to schedule it no more than 1-4 months prior to their target Start Date.
Look-Fors: Is your young learner ready to thrive in our community?
Sometimes prospective parents aren't quite sure how to tell whether or not their young learner is ready for our unique learning environment. There are some things that you can look for to gauge whether or not they're ready to thrive:
Curiosity
Learners with an insatiable sense of curiosity about the world and people around them tend to thrive in this particular learning environment. This innate drive is one of the most basic components that fuels our educational model.
Basic Social Skills
The ability to participate in a 15-minute discussion with peers and collaborate respectfully in a group/team environment are two things in particular that help unlock the power of the Socratic process and team-based learning opportunities.
"Pre-Reading" / "Basic Reading" Skills
Check out the ABC's of Literacy website for the 5 pre-reading skills young learners need to be successful readers! Check out Ooka Island's website for the 5 foundational skills, which together allow us to read confidently!
Physical and Mental Independence
In order to thrive in this environment, they must be physically self-reliant and have the developmental readiness to set, remember and pursue simple SMART goals over the course of a few hours every day.
Basic Tech Skills
In order to fully leverage the power of the latest game-based core-skills learning platforms, it is helpful to be comfortable operating a laptop (think: basic apps and programs on a Chromebooks).
What can I do at home to get my child ready for Evergreen Academy?
Everyone develops at their own pace, so fostering a sense of curiosity and wonder in the world around them, making a habit of working letters and numbers into everyday conversation, and reading with them daily is often all they need...the rest is just, well...time and patience!
One simple framework for building these daily habits is to try to focus your interactions into 1 of 3 categories:
Make an observation: : Act as a mirror and keep it as concise, judgement-free and non-emotional as you can. Sometimes it helps to pretend that you are a radio sports commentator and just narrate what you see. (EX: “I see that you…”, “I noticed that …”, "So it looks like Andrew is trying REALLY hard to get that door open...he's using both hands to turn it but it's not budging!...")
Ask a question: Open-ended works best (if it can be answered with a yes or a no, then it’s not open-ended). (EX: “Why do you think…”; “How many X do you think…”; “Tell me about what letters you see…”) If their eyes glaze over, frame your question in a more concrete way. (EX: "What do you think that squirrel over there is doing? Why do you think she is doing that?"; "Wow! That's a tall tower....How many blocks do you think we used?"; "Tell me more about what letters are on the shirt you are wearing...")
Oohs & Ahhhs: : Fostering curiosity, excitement and gratitude can often be achieved by verbalizing the beauty you see, even in the most ordinary of things. (EX: “Wow! Isn’t this neat? What a beautiful butterfly this is! Look look at how it flies! And those colors! How lucky are we?!”)
