Thank you for your interest in our unique school.Nysmith School for the Gifted is a private, co-educational day school offering a specialized curriculum for talented learners. Nysmith offers classes from preschool (age three) through the eighth grade. We invite you to spend some time on this site learning about the amazing things taking place in this school and then come see for yourself. As a first step to application, we encourage parents to visit Nysmith School to see our classes in action while touring the campus with a director. Following the tour, parents may submit an application and get the process started for their child’s educational adventure.

  Application Procedure    

  Check List    

  Timeline    

  Financial Aid 

Application Procedure

Procedure for Application to Kindergarten through Eighth Grade

1. We recommend that one or both parents visit the school to learn more about the programs, see the facilities, and observe the daily routines. You will see firsthand how Nysmith differs from other schools and we will get a sense of your concerns and your insights into your child.
   
2. The completed application must be accompanied by a one- time application fee of $250.00 in order to have your child evaluated for enrollment.  We want to be as sure as we can that Nysmith is the right place for your child, and we ask our staff to devote significant amounts of time observing and evaluating. Consequently, this fee is non-refundable.
   
3. Students entering first through eighth grade must have an intellectual assessment and a copy of the student’s current report card as well as the final report card for two previous years (transcript) must be sent to Admissions office. The parents arrange for the summary of the intellectual assessment, administered by a psychologist, to be sent to the Admissions Director. Academically, students must be performing on or above grade level.
   
4. Applicants are required to have two recommendation forms completed by present teachers or the principal sent directly to the Nysmith admissions office by the current school.
   
5.  Applicant class visit: When the required paperwork has been received, the student visit will be scheduled. All prospective students, 1-8, need to spend two full days in the classroom; prospective kindergartners must spend one day.  This very important visit permits your child to experience our unique program and concurrently affords our faculty the opportunity to evaluate your child for placement at Nysmith School.  We work very hard to be as confident as possible that your child will be successful in our exciting and challenging program. 
   
6. The Nysmith School has an ongoing enrollment policy during the school year; a student may be admitted mid- year if space is available.  If a student is enrolling for the fall semester, the Student Selection Committee represented by the Admissions office will notify the parent(s) and student of acceptance by mid- February.  We will not be able to offer an enrollment contract until all the required paperwork and the application fee have been submitted.  
   
7. TheIQ scores, recommendations by current teachers, Nysmith teacher assessments, etc., are solely for the purpose of evaluation of your child for admission. As such the previously listed forms are kept confidential and are purged from the file when the admissions decision has been made.  The required paperwork does not reserve a space for your child.
   
8. Once a contract has been tendered and you have been notified by phone, we request that you return the signed tuition agreement and the required enrollment fee- approximately 20% of the total tuition cost.  Upon receipt of the signed contract and enrollment fee, a space will be reserved for your child in the appropriate class.  We will not be able to reserve a space should you not respond within the time allotted. TOP

Procedure for Application to Preschool

1. We recommend that one or both parents visit the school to learn more about the programs, see the facilities, and observe the daily routines. You will see firsthand how Nysmith differs from other schools and we will get a sense of your concerns and your insights into your child.
   
2. The completed application must be accompanied by a one- time application fee of $250.00 in order to have your child evaluated for enrollment.  We want be as sure as we can that Nysmith is the right place for your child, and we ask our staff to devote significant amounts of time observing and evaluating. 
   
3. Consequently, this fee is non- refundable.
   
4.  Applicants are required to have one recommendation form completed by a current teacher or an administrator if the child is enrolled in a daycare or preschool program.
   
5. Prospective Beginners (age 3) and PreK (age 4) students will be scheduled for a visit only after all paperwork has been received. The visit permits your child to experience our unique program, and concurrently affords our faculty and / or the Preschool Director the opportunity to evaluate your child for placement.
   
6. The Nysmith School has an ongoing enrollment policy during the school year; a student may be admitted mid- year if space is available.  If a student is enrolling for the fall semester, the Student Selection Committee represented by the Admissions office will notify the parent(s) and student of acceptance by mid- February.  A contract will not be offered until all required paperwork and the deposit have been submitted.
   
7. The recommendation form and Nysmith assessment is solely for the purpose of evaluation of your child by the Student Selection Committee; the required registration paperwork does not reserve a space for your child.  Once a contract has been tendered and you have been notified by phone, we request that you return the signed tuition agreement and the required enrollment fee- approximately 20% of the total tuition cost.  Upon receipt of the signed contract and enrollment fee, a space will be reserved for your child in the appropriate class.  We will not be able to reserve a space should you not respond within the time allotted. TOP

Quick Checklist for Parents

Requirements for application:

1. Completed application form with the $250. non-refundable fee
2. IQ test scores (Required for grades 1-8 only)
3. Transcript of grades ( Required for grades K-8)
4. Two teacher recommendations for grades K-8; One teacher recommendation for Preschool
5. 2-day visit (rising 1st- 8th graders), 1-day visit (rising kindergartners), visit by appointment for preschool; VISITS WILL BE SCHEDULED ONLY AFTER ALL APPLICATION PAPERWORK IS REVIEWED.

Completing Enrollment

1. Paperwork and deposit required to activate contract and reserve a class space for your child:
2. Signed contract/ tuition agreement
3. Non- refundable enrollment fee- approximately 20% of total tuition costs TOP

Timeline

Come and see for yourself.  Tours and Application may take place twelve months a year.

Fall Enrollment:

1. Tour during the fall preceding the desired year of enrollment
2. Notifications sent by mid-February
3. Application process must be completed by late January
4. After mid-February, applications are processed on a rolling basis

During School Year Enrollment: 

Handled on an individual basis.