When should I begin the Admission process?
It is recommended to begin the application process one year prior to entry. Student visits and campus tours begin in late September. Children must be three years of age and fully potty-trained by September 1 to enter Early School (3k and 4k), five years of age by September 1 to enter kindergarten, and so on.
Is there an application deadline?
Prairie School admits students on a rolling basis and we do not have specific application deadlines; however, we encourage families to apply in the fall/winter before they wish to enroll.
We will continue to accept applications even after a grade has been filled and will notify applicants if placed on a waiting list.
How do I know if I can afford Prairie?
Prairie offers a limited amount of scholarship money to families who meet the necessary qualifications. Official scholarship applications are available in January of every year. Prior to January, families may complete a Preliminary Family Contribution form, which allows the School to review the family’s financial circumstances to determine if they may qualify for assistance and, if so, in what range. Contact the Admission Office at 262.752.2525 for more information or visit our Investing in a Prairie Education page.
How do we apply for financial assistance/scholarship?
Prairie utilizes FACTS, a third-party organization, to help evaluate a family’s financial need. Based on the information provided, FACTS gives an estimated amount that your family should be able to contribute to educational expenses. This helps Prairie make fair and objective scholarship decisions.
Please contact Tara Nelson (262-752-2507) in the Business Office with questions.
Can my child visit during the school day?
Yes. In fact, students applying to Prairie are required to spend a day getting to know TPS. Applicants for grades 1-12 will spend either a half or full day at Prairie. Applicants for Early School and Kindergarten will remain for a 1.5 hr morning visit on a select Saturday.
When will I know if my child has been accepted?
After all pieces of the application have been submitted and the student has visited and has been assessed, your family will be contacted regarding the admission decision.
Does Prairie have childcare before and after school?
Students in Early School and Primary School are able to attend Stay & Play, our before-and-after-school care program, every day that school is in session. They may arrive as early as 7:30AM and remain until 6:00PM. Stay & Play is also open during faculty inservice days and for one week of Spring Break; families whose children use this service are billed monthly via FACTS.
Students in Middle School are welcome in Prairie’s SRC (library) beginning at 7:30AM; there is no charge for them to remain in this supervised space where they can connect with friends or do homework. Middle School students staying after school will go to Study Hall first (no charge), then proceed to Stay & Play (billed monthly via FACTS) once Study Hall concludes.
Students in the Upper School who arrive before school or stay late are free to be where they need to be — usually in the Upper School Commons. If they are here to use a specific room or facility (i.e. to catch up on a lab or use the glassblowing studio), they are responsible for making arrangements with the appropriate faculty member in advance.
Does Prairie offer busing?
Yes. Our local families are bused by the Racine Unified School District. For our families to the north (Oak Creek/Franklin) and south (Kenosha) we do offer private busing as an option. Click here for more detailed information about transportation services.