Prospective Families
Admissions and Application Process
Sacred Heart School may be a Catholic school, but we are welcoming of any student regardless of the student’s religious background. Our admissions process starts with filling out a simple application form, which you can fill out HERE for K-8 or HERE for our Montessori Preschool, or you can come to the school and fill out a physical copy. After processing and approving your application we can provide you with a registration packet. We encourage you to read the information below, as it usually answers many of the most frequently asked questions, but if you do have questions not answered here please feel free to call the school office (856-963-1341) or submit your question via the inquiry form HERE.
What We Offer
Montessori Preschool: Our Montessori Preschool program is open to children ages 3 and 4 years old (must be 3 or 4 by September 30th of the school year). It is a full day program, five days a week, that also offers access to our aftercare program that runs until 5:30pm. So what is Montessori? Montessori education is an active, hands-on approach to learning – kids learn by doing! It is an approach that understands how children best learn and develop, and deeply respects each child as a unique individual. It utilizes individual lessons with students, which helps children to learn at their own pace. Montessori teaches academic skills as well as problem-solving skills, confidence, responsibility, and kindness. To learn even more about our Montessori Preschool program at Sacred Heart, feel free to visit our school or call (856)-963-1341. You can also visit the Montessori Classroom Blog at https://montessorisproutsincamden.blogspot.com/. For information on the Montessori Preschool application process go here. If you are feeling ready to apply you can do so online here. For information on how to financially support the Montessori program you can start here.
Lower Elementary (grades K-2): Our Kindergarten class also benefits from the Montessori method of education. In the mornings our Kindergarten participates in mixed aged classrooms, then they spend the afternoon in a single age class. We cap our Kindergarten class at 20 students, and we cap the rest of the lower elementary classes at 22 students. All lower elementary classrooms have a teacher’s aide to assist with the teacher.
Upper Elementary (grades 3-5): Our upper elementary classrooms are capped at 25 students and also have a teacher’s aide in the room to assist the teacher.
Middle School (grades 6-8): Our middle school classrooms are capped at 25 students. Due to the development of the students, and their ability to take care of their own basic needs, a teacher’s aide is not needed for these grade levels.
Academic Assistance: We believe that every child can be successful in school and we are committed to helping them in any way we can. We provide a variety of services for our students who may need extra help in order to achieve academic success. We provide educational testing, tutoring, basic skills instruction in math and language arts, classroom aides, speech, and English as Second Language services.
Student Support Services: At Sacred Heart School we believe in educating and nurturing the whole child. We are very concerned with our students’ academic success as well as their emotional, physical, and spiritual growth. We provide many services to ensure the well-being of each of our students.
- Health – The Camden County Health Department provides a nurse for our school. The nurse administers vision, hearing, and general health screenings. The nurse also cares for the students who become sick during the school day while the nurse is here.
- Guidance – A licensed School Counselor is available to provide counseling for students and their families who are in need of this service.
- Remedial – Remedial help in basic skills areas of Mathematics and Language Arts is provided for those students in need of this assistance through the Compensatory Education and Basic Skills Improvement Program. Educational testing, English as a Second Language, and Speech Therapy are available as well. Volunteer tutors visit during the school day to work with individual students or small groups who would benefit from a little extra help and attention.
Extracurricular Activities: There are a wide variety of extracurricular activities available to our students. These activities give our students the opportunity to engage in activities that they like and are good at, as well as try new things and make new friends. After working hard in school all day, students enjoy being together and sharing common interests. Most of these activities meet immediately after school and are conducted by school faculty. Here is a list of extracurricular activities we currently offer:
- Boys and Girls Basketball (CPS)
- Boys and Girls Track (CPS)
- Girls Softball (CPS)
- Sacred Heart Choir
- CPS Choir (CPS)
- Leadership Group
- Robotics Club (CPS)
- Aviation Club (CPS)
- Cello (CPS)
- Boat Building (Partnership with Urban Boatworks)
- Mighty Writers (Partnership with Mighty Writers)
- Cooking (Partnership with My Daughter’s Kitchen)
After-care Program: The after-care program at Sacred Heart School runs from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. All Preschool through 8th grade students are eligible. Snack is provided at the beginning of the program, after which the students do their homework with supervision and assistance. Upon completion of their homework, the children participate in various activities which may include art projects, music, computer time, and quiet games. The program is closed on half days and when the school is closed. The fee is as follows and must be paid in advance on Mondays (or can be paid monthly in advance):
Tuition
We are a private school, but part of what makes Sacred Heart School special is it’s affordability. This is made possible by our pastor, Father Michael Doyle, who raises money through our Sponsorship Program, which allows us to keep our tuition costs very low. Without this program, the cost per student would be well over $6,000 per year. This year, each Kindergarten through 8th grade student attending our school will receive at least $4,650 from our Sponsorship Program towards the actual tuition cost. Families are only responsible for the remainder of that yearly tuition cost. This works out to $1,250 a year or $125 a month per child for Kindergarten through 8th grade students. There is also a sliding scale of discounts based on how many children you have attending the school. The scale is as follows
Our Montessori Preschool program operates a bit differently in terms of tuition, but is just as affordable. First, if your family qualifies for the “New Jersey Cares for Kids Child Care Subsidy Program” (also known as the voucher from Blackwood) then your child may be eligible to attend our Montessori Preschool at no cost to you. Eligible families should apply for the subsidy as early as possible in order to have a contract in place by the beginning of the school year. For information on how to apply for the subsidy you can go to the following website: http://www.childcarenj.gov/Parents/How-To-Apply.aspx. If your family is not eligible for the subsidy, we are able to offer need based financial aid based on the following scale:
