Our admissions team is available and excited to get to know you and your family: Now Accepting Applications for the 23-24 School Year
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The Mission of The Unquowa School is to develop, educate and prepare our family of children with an unafraid spirit to achieve their personal best in a changing world.
Welcome
The Unquowa School is a learning community where children are known and parents are actively engaged. Our goal in the admissions process is to assist each family in making a well-informed decision for their child. At Unquowa, we consciously limit enrollment at each grade level in order to maintain a culture where children, teachers and parents across the grades are able to know each other and feel like part of the larger learning community.
“We love the progressive, thoughtful approach, incredibly nurturing environment, masterful teachers, the focus on the whole child, and the time and attention that each child receives. Things that you read about in the NY Times Education articles like mindfulness, student driven learning, and farm to fork experiences for students aren’t just thrown into the program here because they are popular at the time… but have been integrated as a genuine part of this school for years because Sharon and the teachers have studied and seen the importance of such approaches. It is an authentic learning environment modeled by gifted leadership and teachers.”
— Unquowa Parent
Curious if there is space available in a given grade? Have other questions? Please contact us at (203)367-3151 or admissions@unquowa.org.
Application Process
First, take a look around!
Next, schedule a visit with our admission team. We look forward to talking with you about the educational options for your child. We are here to guide you through the process, so please call us, email us, or complete the online inquiry form.
Click HERE for the Application Process Checklist
Admissions Timing
- New student application deadline is February 15
- New student contracts sent out in late February, due back in early March
- Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed and processed. Depending on availability, accepted applicants will either receive a spot or will be placed on the waitlist.
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Downloadable Resources
For everyone’s convenience, this page is full of required and informational forms, documents and brochures that are posted for easy viewing, downloading and printing.
View Resources →
Tuition Information 2023/24
| PreK | $24,500 |
| Kindergarten through Grade 4 | $39,700 |
| Grades 5 through 8 | $41,900 |
At Unquowa, tuition covers the cost of both lunch and snack, and early drop-off at 8:00 a.m. Note that there is an additional green fee for K through Grade 8 that covers all consumable supplies as well as an additional technology fee for Grades 5 through 8 to support our 1:1 Chromebook initiative.
OPTIONAL COSTS
Early Bird program for PreK – Grade 8, 7:30-8:00am – $10/day.
Owls after-school program for PreK – Grade 8, 3:30-6:00pm – $25 per day. There is a reduced cost for families receiving financial aid. Please contact the Business Office for information.
Financial Assistance
The Unquowa School’s Financial Assistance Program has a twofold purpose: to provide students an opportunity for an education which might otherwise be inaccessible for them and to provide the School with a well-qualified student body reflecting socio-economic diversity. At Unquowa 35% of our student body receives financial assistance. All requests for tuition assistance should be made directly to the Business Office.
Financial need is defined as the difference between tuition and a family’s ability to pay. The Unquowa School, through the School and Student Services (SSS) calculation process, assesses the financial strength of each family by taking into account many factors. Major factors considered are income (both taxable and nontaxable) and expenses, assets (home equity, real estate, savings, etc) indebtedness, family size, and number of children attending tuition-charging schools or in full time day care. The SSS standard calculation considers these factors and determines each family’s effective income. Out of this income, a portion is protected for necessities. The remaining income is defined as discretionary and a standard percentage of this is considered to be available for education. Financial assistance eligibility is based on the difference between this amount and the tuition.
Financial Assistance Application Process
The Unquowa School offers tuition assistance based on financial need to current and incoming families in Kindergarten through Grade 8. We use a fair and mission-appropriate formula to make awards to families with true need. The process to apply for tuition assistance is as follows:
- Complete and submit Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) (Unquowa’s school code is 7852) as early as possible after November 1 and no later than February 1 for returning students
- Documents listed below must be submitted to the Business Office by March 1 for returning students:
- copy of current year signed IRS 1040 tax form and all supporting schedules
- all current year W-2s
- New families should complete the admission and financial assistance applications concurrently
All information related to the parents’ financial circumstances will be treated confidentially. These forms will only be used to arrive at a fair determination of financial need.
Any questions on the financial assistance application process should be made directly to the Business Office at (203) 362-2561 or janice.cerone@unquowa.org.
Payment Options
A non-refundable deposit is due with the signed contract to complete enrollment. The Unquowa School offers three payment plan options:
- One-time, full payment
- Two-time payment split 60/40
- Ten-month payment plan through FACTS Tuition Management (with first payment made in May)
Downloadable Resources
For everyone’s convenience, this page is full of required and informational forms, documents and brochures that are posted for easy viewing, downloading and printing.
View Resources →
General School
What is the daily schedule?
For Early Childhood and Lower School students, class begins at 8:30, Dismissal is at 3:15. Upper School students begin homeroom at 8:20 and are dismissed at 3:40. Supervised drop-off is available as early as 8:00am and is included in the tuition. Before-hours car is available with our Early Bird Program from 7:30am – 8:00am and after-hours care is available from 3:15pm – 6:00pm for an additional fee.
Do you provide transportation to/from school?
The State of Connecticut provides free school bus service for all students who are residents of the Town of Fairfield. This service includes morning and afternoon pick-up/drop-off but does not include a late pick-up time in the afternoon; all students involved in after-school activities must make other arrangements to be picked up. Unquowa is not able to provide transportation for students who reside outside of Fairfield. Many families coordinate with one another to carpool or split the cost of private transportation.
Is there a dress code?
We do have a daily dress code for students in PreK – Grade 8 as well as a gym uniform for students in Grades 3 – 8. Details and purchasing information are in our Family Handbook, beginning on page 6.
Which towns do most of Unquowa’s students come from?
Our community is diverse. Most students are from lower Fairfield County, many from Fairfield, Westport, Easton, Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford and Trumbull.
Is there an after school program?
Yes, there are many choices! From sports teams, to activities like Improv and Inventors Club, to our Owls after hours care. Read more about after school activities.
What is your vacation schedule?
Our first day of school is the first Tuesday after Labor Day. Long breaks include a two-week winter vacation as well as a two-week spring break at the end of March.
High School Placement
Where do students go after graduating from Unquowa?
Most choose to continue at nearby independent day-schools. Some choose their local, public high school and a small percentage go on to boarding schools. Read our About U.S. newsletter to learn more about where the Class of ’22 is going to High School and the fall plans for our Class of ’18 now that they’ve graduated from High School.
What is the process for high school placement?
Our high school placement conversations with families begin in seventh grade, and our High School Placement Coordinator and Head of School work closely with families throughout the eighth grade year to insure a smooth high school application process and an outcome that provides our graduates with the best fit for the next stage of their education.
Application Process
What is your application deadline?
February 15. Applications received after the deadline will be accepted and reviewed based on availability.
When will I be notified of an admission decision?
New student contracts are sent in late February and due back in mid-March.
Financial Assistance
How do I apply for financial assistance?
The Unquowa School uses the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) provided by SSS as its official application for financial aid. Parents may complete their PFS via the SSS website at www.solutionsbysss.com. In addition to the PFS, families must provide The Unquowa School with a copy of their current year signed IRS 1040 tax form and all supporting schedules, all current year W-2s. All information related to the parents’ financial circumstances will be treated confidentially.
What is the deadline for applying for financial assistance?
Parents should complete their PFS online as early as possible after November 1. The deadline to complete the PFS for returning students is February 1st and the deadline for submitting all supporting documentation is March 1st. New families should complete admissions and financial assistance applications concurrently.
What types of payment plans are available?
The Unquowa School offers three different payment plans: a one-time payment, a two-time payment, or a ten payment plan option through FACTS.
Is financial aid automatically renewed each year?
The Unquowa School requires families receiving financial aid to reapply each year. As long as the student remains at our school, financial aid will generally be renewed each year according to demonstrated need. Changes in such things as income, family status, or the number of children attending tuition charging institutions may result in an increase or decrease in an award. Every application is reviewed annually.
If I am not able to file my taxes until close to the April 15th deadline, will this affect my financial assistance award?
In order to receive your financial assistance award at the same time as your admissions acceptance and contract, your tax return must be submitted by the February 15th deadline. While PFS forms can be filled out using an estimated IRS Form 1040, no final award can be made until the final IRS 1040 is received by the school.
What happens if the parents are divorced or separated?
The Financial Aid Committee will consider the assets of both parents before making any award. Therefore, it is necessary that both parents and their current spouses, if any, complete separate forms.
When will I be notified of my financial assistance award?
Returning students will receive their award letter during the review period which usually extends from the middle of March until the end of May. New students (with completed financial assistance applications and all supporting documentation) will receive an award letter with their letter of acceptance, along with their contract.
Downloadable Resources
For everyone’s convenience, this page is full of required and informational forms, documents and brochures that are posted for easy viewing, downloading and printing.
View Resources →
