Admissions Procedure

The application deadline for 2009/10 is 31 January 2009. Please call 401 274 3325 for an admissions package and full details of the admissions procedure.

Parents / guardians who wish to apply for admission to the French-American School of RI (FASRI) should:

1. Attend an Open House and classroom visit.
2. Complete an application form and return it with a $75 non-refundable application fee.
3. Provide a copy of the last three report cards (for the Elementary grades) and/or a completed evaluation form from the current school or day care as applicable.
4. Schedule a child evaluation and parent interview with the Head of School.
5. Upon notification of acceptance in mid March, first time registration is secured by a $750 non-refundable tuition deposit, required by March 25 before the beginning of the school year or by the date indicated on the contract.

Applications must be received by January 31, 2009 for entry in September 2009. After this date, new applications will be considered according to availability of space. When classes are filled, qualified applicants are placed in a waiting pool. If a space becomes available, the Admissions Committee meets to select the most suitable candidate. Families are notified and must send the tuition deposit to the school within 8 days to confirm enrollment.

Applications and waiting lists are not carried over from one year to the next.

Criteria for Admission

We welcome non-French speaking children up to and including Kindergarten. Our key entry point is at the Pre-school (3 year-old) level. There are usually a small number of openings available at the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten level. Children entering Pre-school must be fully potty trained, socially able to separate from their parents for the school day. From 1st Grade and up, FASRI accepts children from accredited French schools only unless there are special circumstances.

FASRI applies a cut-off date of October 1.

Siblings are given special consideration but are not guaranteed admission.

Maternelle (pre-Elementary) candidates are evaluated for language proficiency (in French and / or English), developmental and social skills, and maturity. Elementary and middle school candidates are evaluated in the French and in English at their current grade level. The school will place students in the grade and class it considers best suited to the child.

2008/09 Grade Structure

Our overall goal is to configure classes that will work well socially and academically, adding new students to each and creating classes or sections roughly equal to one another in terms of sex, language proficiency, achievement level, diversity, and other considerations.

In 2008/09, class sizes in Pre-school and Pre-K are 20 maximum (child to adult ratio of 10:1). In the Elementary grades, class sizes average 15-18. Grade organization is subject to change. FASRI's grades are organized as follows in 2008/09:

MATERNELLE – PRE-ELEMENTARY

Grade	Age	% French / % English
Petite Section / Preschool	3	French immersion
Moyenne Section / Pre-Kindergarten	4	French immersion
Grande Section / Kindergarten	5	90% French/ 10% English
Moyenne – Grande Section / Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten two level classroom	4-5	90% French / 10% English

ELEMENTAIRE et COLLEGE - ELEMENTARY and MIDDLE SCHOOL

Grade	Age	% French / % English
Cours Préparatoire (CP) / 1st grade	6	80% French / 20% English
Cours Elémentaire 1 (CE1) / 2nd grade	7	60% French / 40% English
Cours Elémentaire 2 (CE2) / 3rd grade	8	60% French / 40% English
Cours Moyen 1 (CM1) / 4th grade	9	60% French / 40% English
Cours Moyen 2 (CM2) / 5th grade	10	60% French / 40% English
6eme, 5eme & 4eme / 6th, 7th, and 8th grade two level classroom	11-12	60% French / 40% English

Grade organization is subject to change.

Calendar for 2009/10 Admissions

Date	Event and time	Comments
November 1, 2008	Open House 10am to 1pm	No registration required.
November, 2008: To be announced	Classroom observation 8.45 to 9.20am	Registration required.
November, 2008: To be announced	Classroom observation 8.45 to 9.20am	Registration required.
December-January-February	Parent interviews with Head of School	By appointment, application for admission required.
January 10, 2009	Open House 10am to 1pm.	No registration required.
January 2009: To be announced	Classroom observation 8.45 to 9.20am	Registration required.
January 2009: To be announced	Classroom observation 8.45-9.20am	registration required.
January-February 2009	Evaluations for Pre-school, Pre-K and K 8.15-11.30am	By appointment,application for admission and registration required. Dates TBD.
March, 2009	Deadline for current FASRI families to confirm re-enrollment
March, 2009	Decision letters mailed from school to applicants.
March, 2009	Deadline for receipt of enrollment contract and deposit for new families