Naturally, many questions will arise throughout the admission process. We’ve listed some of the most frequently asked questions below. For other questions or to speak with the Admission Office, please reach us by phone (717-763-7811 x313) or email to Jessica Warren. We also recommend you complete the online inquiry form and a representative from our Admission Office will contact you.
How old does my child have to be for admission to Harrisburg Academy?
Harrisburg Academy begins with a preschool program – Harrisburg Academy Threes (HATS). If your child will be 3 years old by September 1, 2010, you may submit an application for admission to either the full-time or part-time HATS classes for the 2010-11 school year. Students who will be turning 3 years old during September 2010 will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We take into account other factors, besides age, before admitting a child to HATS. Students are not guaranteed admission to HATS based upon age requirements alone. Students applying to Junior Kindergarten (JK) or Kindergarten for the coming 2010-11 school year must 4 or 5 (respectively) by September 1, 2010.
Do you have an after-school program or vacation coverage?
Harrisburg Academy offers before- and after-school care for all students in the Early Childhood program (HATS, JK, and Kindergarten) and Lower School (Grades 1 through 4), plus an after-school program for Middle School students. There is no charge for before-school care, which starts at 7:30 AM. Fees for Lower School after-school care depend on use. The Middle School Homework Club currently carries no fee for the 2009-10 school year but an annual registration fee of $50 is required. Harrisburg Academy also offers extended coverage for students in HATS through Grade 4 during most holidays, vacations, and teacher in-service days. Harrisburg Academy’s summer camp program is available during the summer break on a part-time or full-time basis.
What are your application and testing deadlines?
December 11, 2009, is the Admission Application Deadline for applicants to JK, Kindergarten and Grade 1. This early application deadline is due to the likelihood of a wait pool and few spaces for new students. February 19, 2010, is the Admission Application Deadline for students applying to HATS and Grades 2-12. This is also the application deadline for international students. Admission testing for JK/K/1 and HATS Play Dates will be held on Saturdays in February, March, and April. Applicants to grades 2-12 will complete their admission testing during their “shadow” visit day. Because Harrisburg Academy usually has new students at all grade levels, we will accept applications throughout the entire year. However, the best time to submit an admission application is before the deadlines. Classes may fill with these “first round” applicants. If so, qualified students are placed in a wait pool until space becomes available. We do accept applications up to two years in advance of the time your child would begin school.
Do Harrisburg Academy students wear uniforms?
The Academy has a dress code policy that is outlined on our website. The dress code applies to all students, HATS through Grade 12. Formal school uniforms are not required.
How many students are in each class?
Harrisburg Academy operates a “two-section” program in which there are two main classes or group per grade or subject. In HATS, the maximum class size is 17 students. For JK and Kindergarten and grades 1 through 4, the maximum class size is 18 students. Classrooms for HATS, JK, and Kindergarten each have two full-time faculty members – a full-time teacher and a full-time assistant teacher. In Middle and Upper schools, class sizes vary depending on grade and subject, but generally average 13-18 students per teaching classroom. Enrollment varies from 20 to 40 students per grade, with 2009-10 enrollment school-wide at about 420 students.
Can my child get transportation to Harrisburg Academy?
Area public school districts are required by law to provide free transportation to private schools within a 10-mile radius of the school. Currently, the following public school districts provide busing to the Academy:
Central Dauphin Lower Dauphin Steelton-Highspire
Cumberland Valley Middletown Susquehanna Township
East Pennsboro Mechanicsburg Susquenita
Harrisburg City Northern York County West Shore
While students traveling from Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties generally rely on family carpooling, bus transportation is available for a fee to and from Hershey and Carlisle. The Hershey bus serves students from Hershey, Hummelstown, and Middletown. The school will initiate bus service from Lancaster or York at a time when there are enough enrolled students from that county to make the per-student charge affordable and reasonable. Students in HATS and JK cannot ride the public school bus. However, students in all grades, HATS through 12, can ride the Academy-operated Hershey and Carlisle bus routes.
For additional information about admission – as well as transportation, campus size, and location – please refer to the At-A-Glance information sheet.
If you have further questions, please contact the Harrisburg Academy Office of Admission at (717) 763-7811 x313, or email Jessica Warren. You may also fill out the online inquiry form and the Admission Office will contact you.
