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Admissions Process for our PreK & Kindergarten Programs

Orchard Valley offers Early Childhood programs for PreK and Kindergarten age children at its Grace Farm campus, situated on 55 beautiful acres of rolling hills and river frontage in East Montpelier. Interested in joining our school?

1) Visit

We invite you to visit our beautiful campus and witness the magic of a Waldorf Early Childhood education. Join us for a scheduled tour or contact the Admissions Director to schedule.

Upcoming Scheduled Tour Dates
Thursday, November 6th at 9am

2) Apply

We welcome applications for the Farmhouse PreK program for children who will turn 3 years old by September 1st of the enrollment year.

If a child is 5 years old by September 1st they are then considered to be "of kindergarten age" and may complete 1-2 years of kindergarten (depending on birth date and readiness) prior to rising to 1st grade.

2025-26 - We are accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year for a few remaining morning spaces! Please contact our Enrollment office for more information.

2026-27 - Applications are open for the 2026-27 school year. Please apply through our online admissions portal, TADS:

3) Meeting with Teachers

Once an application has been received, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be contacted to schedule a meeting with the class teacher. This meeting is an opportunity for parents to learn more our program and Waldorf pedagogy and for our teachers to learn more about your hopes for your child’s education.

4) Admissions Decisions

Admissions considerations include, but are not limited to: date application was received, sibling relationship to enrolled students, teacher assessment of a child’s readiness for the program, willingness of family to work with the Waldorf philosophy including the media policy, and a commitment to Waldorf education. When the number of applications exceeds capacity, we will create a waiting pool.

Parents are notified by email of the admission decision.

5) Tuition and Financial assistance

PreK

Regardless of parental income or circumstance, all children who are age 3, 4 or 5 on or before their school district’s kindergarten entry date (and who are not enrolled in a state-accredited, public or private kindergarten) are eligible to receive Act 166 PreK funding until their 6th birthday.

For the 2025-26 school year the Pre-K funding grant is $3,982 per child. Click here for more details. Also see: PDF of .

Families in our PreK program may also want to look into the .

Kindergarten:

Children in our Kindergarten program will pay tuition according to our Tiered Tuition model.

6) Enrollment

Completing a contract through our online parent portal and paying a non-refundable enrollment deposit finalizes enrollment. Deposits paid will be credited toward the tuition obligation. School policy and state law require that all enrollment forms must be returned to the school prior to a student attending class. 

We are here to answer any questions you may have and to help you with your application. Please contact us via the convenient form button below or directly at (802) 456-7400 or at enrollment@ovws.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

�山ǿ�� does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), ancestry, national origin, immigration status, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, political affiliation, or marital status in the operation of its programs or in its admissions, hiring, or financial aid decisions.

Learning about Waldorf Education

Orchard Valley offers a comprehensive Waldorf education and works hard to uphold Waldorf ideals. There is the hope and expectation that parents at Orchard Valley will choose to educate themselves so they have a basic (or perhaps a deep) understanding of the main tenets of Waldorf education. For your child to achieve the most benefit from his/her education, it is important that parents be in agreement with and supportive of the school’s philosophy and the work teachers are doing in school each day.

Please visit our Why Waldorf page for more information about Waldorf education.

Student support services at Ovws

�山ǿ�� provides all students with an education that is rich in literacy and numeracy foundations, music and art, and developmental movement opportunities. Our diverse pedagogical approach allows us to meet the needs of many types of learners. We also recognize that some students have learning needs beyond what the faculty and staff at �山ǿ�� have the resources to provide. For this reason, and with the success of each student in mind, we emphasize open conversations with families regarding learning needs early in our application process. 

At the time of applying, we ask families to share current or past IEPs or 504 Plans along with any learning or behavioral/social-emotional assessments or evaluations. As part of the admissions process, faculty and staff will consider the feasibility of proposed modifications and academic or other learning supports. Please note that by enrolling in an independent school in the State of Vermont, you are waiving your rights to the support services provided by the public school system.

Like many independent schools, �山ǿ�� has the capacity to support students with mild to moderate disabilities and support needs. We do not have Special Education teachers on staff, but we do have a two-person SEAK (Social, Emotional, Academic, and Kinesthetic) Team who facilitate outside services, connect families and teachers with resources, and make recommendations for support. In some cases, outside support services may be recommended, which would be an additional cost to the student’s family. 

Discretion and Conditions for Enrollment

�山ǿ�� retains the sole discretion to decide whether to enroll a student or continue enrollment, as well as the conditions for continued enrollment. We consider all influencing factors in these decisions, including the availability of resources, the demands on the faculty and staff, and the impacts on the learning experience of other students in the class and school community. Your child’s best interest is at the heart of our work, and ensuring their success is our highest priority.