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Big news! We are offering an Early Decision deadline for Kindergarten! All our admissions deadlines are now earlier than previous years.Our admissions season for the following fall now begins in September with our Discover Countryside Open House. Applications for the next school year will become available online in September.

An application for admission consists of:

  • parent tour or attendance at an admissions event to learn about the school
  • parent questionnaire
  • teacher recommendation
  • student questionnaire for applicants for grades 3-7
  • photocopies of the last year's and current year's report cards for applicants to grades 1-7
  • standardized test scores (if available, and not required for applicants to kindergarten)

Once the written application is reviewed, students for whom there is a potential opening will be invited for a small group visit (for kindergarten applicants) or to an individual visit in the classroom (for 1st through 7th grade applicants). We are unable to accept new students into 8th grade.

Applications are available starting each September for admission for the next school year beginning each August. We have four deadlines for applications with the earliest date being for our Kindergarten Early Admissions (in mid-October) to our Middle School applications (late February). See our calendar for exact dates.

All applications submitted by the due date are evaluated equally, without regard to "first come, first served." Applications submitted after the deadlines will be reviewed until all openings are filled.

If there is no space available for a qualified student, we place them in a wait pool in case an appropriate opening occurs. The wait pool expires when the next admissions season begins.

Countryside does not form a wait pool prior to review of applications. However, we do maintain a list of interested families and their contact information, so that we can send invitations to information meetings and applications when available each fall.

Applications for financial aid should be submitted at the same time as the application for admission. Families will be notified of their aid award in the same packet as their acceptance. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed only if space remains available.

download applications

Admissions Timeline:

Discover Countryside Open House
Sunday, September 28, 2025   2 p.m. - 4 p.m. (in-person)

Individual tours begin
Late September

Applications available online
September

For applicants to K (early decision)

We will fill many slots in our Kindergarten class during our early decision admissions process.

Discover Countryside Open House
Sunday, September 28, 2025   2 p.m. - 4 p.m. (in-person)

Personal Tours:
By appointment, beginning Monday, September 29, 2025

Applications for Kindergarten (early decision) due
Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Small group visit for Kindergarten (early decision)
Saturday, October 25,2025

Families will be notified of admissions decisions by Thursday, October 30, 2025. Applicants who are not accepted in this round will have their applications automatically rolled over to our regular decision round.

For applicants to K (regular decision)

Elementary Admissions Webinar
Tuesday, December 2, 2025  7 p.m. (virtual information meeting)

Applications for Kindergarten (regular decision) due
Friday, January 30, 2026

Small group visit for Kindergarten (regular decision)
Saturday, February 7

Families will be notified of admissions decisions by Saturday, February 14, 2026.

For applicants to 1st - 5th grade

Elementary Admissions Webinar
Tuesday, December 2, 2025  7 p.m. (virtual information meeting)

Applications for 1st-5th grade due
Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Visits begin for 1st - 5th grade
mid January

Decisions are sent 1-2 week after student visit

For applicants to 6 - 7th grade

Middle School Admissions Webinar
Tuesday, February 3, 2026  7 p.m. (virtual information meeting)

Applications due
Friday, February 27, 2026

Class visits begin
February or as soon as your application is submitted

Decisions are sent 1-2 week after student visit

Judy Kaplan

 

Judy Kaplan

Admissions Director
217.355.1253
kaplan@countrysideschool.org

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