Sonoma Country Day School

SCDS requires all parents to take a tour of the school. Tours provide the opportunity to meet the headmaster, observe classes, speak with teachers and students, and ask questions, and are conducted on selected Tuesday mornings from 8:15 to 10:15 a.m. Please refer to the Tour and Testing Calendar for open dates and call 707-284-3200 to schedule a tour. Special visits may be arranged during the summer for families relocating from out of the area.

Pick up an enrollment application form on your tour and fill it out. Submit your application with the $150 non-refundable application and testing fee. Use the return envelope in the packet or mail to:

Admissions
Sonoma Country Day School
4400 Day School Place
Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Financial aid applications are available online. New families need to complete the application by the admission deadline and submit a current year 1040 tax return when available. Notification of awards are sent with the admission letter. Contact the Admissions Office at 707-284-3215 or admission@scds.org with questions about completing the application process.

For additional information about the financial aid process, please see Admissions >> Application Process >> Financial Aid.

SCDS also offers tuition payment plans.

For more general questions about Financial Aid, please call the Business Office at 707-284-3250.

SCDS requires two recommendations for prospective students, one from a teacher or administrator and one from an individual who knows your child well. Forms and return envelopes are included in the application packet, and must be mailed or faxed to 707-284-3254.

Students entering first through eighth grade are expected to spend a typical academic day, 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., attending classes, talking with teachers, and interacting with current students. The school will contact you to schedule a visit once your application has been received.

Prospective students bring a lunch, dress in clothing similar to the school uniform (navy or white polo shirt, khaki pants and closed shoes), and meet in the administrative reception area at 8:05 a.m., where student guides will be waiting to escort them to classes and introduce classmates and teachers. Parents pick up their children in the reception area at 3:00 p.m.

Kindergarten applicants come for an assessment visit (see Step 7).

Students applying for kindergarten come for an assessment visit on the second Saturday in March. Visits take place in the classroom with teachers and other prospective students. Inside the classroom, children interact with other applicants and participate in typical kindergarten activities such as visual matching and rhyming. Teachers are there to observe students’ individual social, cognitive and physical skills. The school will contact you with more details once your application has been received.

Students applying for second through eighth grade come for an assessment on the second Saturday in March as well. Activities include a brief essay, small group exercises, and a standardized test. First grade applicants are assessed during their day-long visit to the school. If the need arises, additional testing dates may be scheduled.

Standardized tests and assessments are used primarily as guides and are not the sole determinant of admission to SCDS.

SCDS notifies first round applicant families of the enrollment status of their children by early April. Applicants in the second round are notified by mid-summer. Families who are offered admission then have two weeks to accept and send in signed contracts.