Admissions Policy & Procedures
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School Admissions Policy:
To advance an orderly and equitable admission for children to Immaculate Heart of Mary School, the following policy shall be followed with an intent toward advancing improvement based on the changing needs of the parish membership, the school ministry’s overall mission, and other pertinent factors that the administration deems relevant toward that mission.
The primary goal of the School is to provide a Catholic education to the children in the parish in accordance with Archdiocesan guidelines and recommendations. All students will participate in all required classes and liturgies. The School will make reasonable efforts to accommodate students with physical, emotional, social, learning, or other challenges. It is also a goal of the School to encourage the parish to provide financial support to economically disadvantaged parish families who wish to attend the School.
Once adopted, amendments to this admission policy must be accomplished through the parish pastor and the School Commission.
Admissions Priorities for Grades Kindergarten through 8:
The approximate enrollment for any given year is 25 students per classroom (50 per grade level) in grades K-8. Beginning with the enrollment date, which is established each year by the School administration, students will be selected and placed in the appropriate grade based on the following categories in descending order of priority:
1. Current students at IHM school.
2. Siblings of current IHM students.
3. Catholic children of Active IHM Parishioners who are also graduates of IHM School.
4. Catholic children of Active IHM Parishioners.
5. Catholic children of non-participating parishioners who are children of alumni or siblings of a graduate of IHM School.
6. Catholic children of non-participating parishioners.
7. Non-Catholic children of non-participating parishioners who are graduates of IHM School.
8. Non-Catholic children of non-participating parishioners.
Within these categories priority will be given according to the parish registration date of any family, and/or according to the date of application.
Please note that children must be five (5) years of age by August 1st of their Kindergarten year. Children will be conditionally accepted into Kindergarten with full acceptance contingent on displayed readiness on the Kindergarten Screenings typically held in February or March.
IHM Applications for a given school year open every year on February 1, approximately 18 months before the actual school year begins (i.e. the 2026-27 school year application opens on February 1, 2025). Applications are accepted throughout the year, and our enrollment timeline is as follows:
- November/December: Re-enrollment for current IHM School Families. Current families are required to have submitted a new application for any incoming Kindergarten child.
- January: Re-enrollment continues for current IHM students in grades K-7 (due by February 1).
- Mid-January: Enrollment invitations emailed to those on the Kindergarten waiting list.
- Mid-February: Enrollment invitations emailed to those on the waiting lists for grades 1-8
- April 15: All new family tuition deposits (non refundable) must be made to secure a spot in the upcoming school year.
If enrollment offers are declined, IHM will send enrollment invitation emails to the next family on the waiting list.
If any student is selected for an incoming class, their siblings will be placed in category number 2 above after one semester enrolled.
Admission Wait-List (K-8)
Students not selected for admission to the school will automatically be placed on a wait-list. If an opening becomes available, students on the wait-list will be given priority for those openings in the same order of preference as detailed in the Admissions Priorities section above. The wait-list will exist from year to year only; and the wait-list for each school year shall be established after the selection process for the upcoming school year has ended and shall terminate when that school year ends.
Admissions for Transfer Students
Students in good standing from another school will be considered for transfer admission after the following has been accomplished:
1. Application forms, including birth certificate and immunization records, are completed and submitted to the administration.
2. A school tour (including a conference with the principal, parents, and the student) and a shadow day have been held.
3. Previous records have been supplied to the administration from the current school, including: current and historical report cards, standardized test results, individual education plan (IEP) or 504 plan, any medical or psycho-educational testing information/reporting, disciplinary record, and attendance report. If records are not available, the principal shall require testing of the child to determine acceptance and/or placement.
4. If requested, the parents have provided a written statement indicating their reasons for enrolling their child.
5. If the Principal, in the Principal’s sole discretion, determines that it is in the school and the student’s best interests, and if there is an opening, the student will be admitted on a probationary status for one semester. If during this probationary period there are any concerns, a student may be asked to withdraw their attendance at IHM School. The recommendation and decision of the school is final.
Prioritization of placement of applicants for transfer will occur in the same order and by the same criteria as detailed in the Admissions Priorities section above. Although ultimately subject to the principal’s discretion of what is in the school’s and child’s best interests, as a general rule, IHM does not accept 8th grade students unless special circumstances exist.
Immaculate Heart of Mary supports the disciplinary decisions of other schools. Therefore, a student expelled from another school may not be considered for enrollment regardless of the family’s parish status until one year after the expulsion date.
Immaculate Heart of Mary School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, or athletic and other school-administered programs.