wisdom begins with wonder

Admissions

Choosing the right school for your child is such an important decision! We welcome you to learn about our school and look forward to supporting you through the Admissions process.

Visit us and Apply Online:

Voices from The Aspen Grove School Community

“The early childhood years are so important for learning, exploring and teaching kids how to experience life and act around each other. Aspen Grove facilitates all of this!”

Felicia H. (Aspen Grove Mom)

“The teachers are incredible. The staff are responsive, professional, and caring. My son loves going to school”

Lizzie F. (Aspen Grove Mom)

"I can’t imagine Graduate Hospital without Aspen Grove. It has created a sense of community among all the young families and really brought us all together. The parade of strollers past our house every morning always makes me smile.”

Emma H. (Aspen Grove Mom)

Enrollment Process:

Attend a tour
or open house
1
Apply Online
2
Receive link for $150
registration fee*.
Complete payment to be
placed on the waitlist.
3
Receive an
enrollment offer
4
Accept
enrollment offer
with paid
security deposit.
5
New Parent
Orientation
6
Welcome to
Aspen Grove!
7
1
Attend a tour or open house
2
Apply Online
3
Receive link for $150 registration fee* Complete payment to be placed on the waitlist.
4
Receive an enrollment offer
5
Accept enrollment offer with paid security deposit.
6
New Parent Orientation
7
Welcome to Aspen Grove!
*non-refundable

Note On Our Waitlist

The wait list is a fluid process of changing ages of children, desired start dates, consideration for siblings, returning families, etc. and we therefore provide our best estimate. We encourage families to check in periodically with us to understand the status of the waitlist. While the majority of our enrollment is made for September each year, spots may become available throughout the year.

FAQs

​Like the Aspen community of trees that have interconnected roots, we hope to build a community of families that support their children as well as support one another in this journey of raising our special little people. It takes a village! 

  • Infants (6 weeks – 12 months): Full time only.
  • Toddlers (13 months – 3 years): 2 day (Tue/Th), 3 day (M,W,F) and 5 days
  • Primary Circle (3 – 5 years, mixed age classrooms): 2 day (Tue/Th), 3 day (M,W,F) and 5 days

We do not offer half-day options. The 2 and 3 day programs will follow scheduled days only.

Our part time programs are specifically set days: 2-day (T, Th) and 3 day (M, W, F). This allows consistency for both staff and children. Parents will not be able to choose the days their children attend part-time outside of this schedule.

Yes. We welcome applicants that qualify for ELRC. Please contact us for more information.

The parking area on 16th street between Christian and Montrose Streets are 30-minute loading/unloading spots dedicated to the school from 7:30 am – 6 pm on weekdays.

Yes, we have ample stroller storage space for compact strollers.

The safety and security of children at Aspen Grove is a top priority:

  • The facility has multiple cameras, both exterior and interior. Exterior cameras cover entry points into both front and back doors as well provide a street view. Designated parents and caregivers are provided with a key fob to access the main entrance. This key fob is also required to access a second door that leads into classrooms.
  • Parents and caregivers are required to sign children in and out using a 4 digit code system located at the reception area. Children are dismissed to authorized adults only.
  • All classrooms are equipped with cameras for confidential viewing by management should a situation require review.
  • A state-approved emergency plan is in place. This includes shelter of children during an emergency, both at locations away from the facility as well as a shelter in place. Emergency evacuation training is practiced on a regular basis.
  • Fire drills are practiced regularly and all staff are regularly trained in Fire Safety and infant and child CPR.

We ask that all children be up to date on required vaccinations. We will follow documented exemptions per DHS regulation. Please read more at: http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/055/chapter3270/s3270.131.html
Even if exempt, a child may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease.

As of August 19, 2019 the City of Philadelphia, Department of Public Health requires all children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, in all private and public childcare centers to receive 1 dose of the influenza vaccine between August 1st and December 31st. Please contact an Aspen Grove administrator if your child does not receive the vaccine due to medical disability/medical professional recommendation, religious doctrine, tenant or law or personal conviction or creed. MORE INFORMATION

  • Infants nap as needed in their cribs. We will work with families to understand and follow your child’s preferred routine.
  • Toddlers nap anytime between 12:00 pm and 3 pm in their classroom. We provide cots designated for each child. Toddlers have an active schedule with outdoor play in the mornings so we encourage all children to nap.
  • Preschool and Pre-K aged children nap or have quiet time between 1 pm and 3 pm. Designated cots are provided for napping. Quiet activities are an option for children who no longer nap.

Please review the most updated school calendar on the website. For weather-related and emergency closures, we follow the Philadelphia School District.

  1. Go to www.myprocare.com and access using the username and password that was set up to pay the initial registration fee.
  2. Click on “Reports.”
  3. Choose “Customer Charge Credit Summary” from the drop down menu and click on Run Reports. You can choose any time period. For annual tax purposes choose “Last Year.”

As parents of young children ourselves, we believe that the ideal learning environment for a child is one where school is an extension of the home and vice versa. One way of trying to achieve this is to encourage parent involvement and participation in our program. The exchange of experiences and ideas helps us understand your child and his/her context better and encourages you to better relate to your child’s experience at school and help extend that at home. Some ways parents can be involved:

  • Daily reports (up to 3 years): Procare Parent Engagement App
  • Daily pictures: all age groups via Procare Parent Engagment App
  • Quarterly Classroom Newsletters
  • Monthly School Newsletters
  • Email-based updates
  • Monthly Coffee & Chat
  • Parent Information Board including curriculum overview
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Parent Volunteer Group
  • Community events
  • Back-to-School Night
  • Daily reports
  • Please use the notes section to share any relevant information with your class teacher.
  • Teacher emails
    • Each classroom has a designated email address that the teachers will check daily. We ask for your understanding that teachers are unable to respond immediately. All teachers are focused on supervision and being present for your children while in the classroom.
  • Front Desk
    • If you have something that may be more time sensitive to communicate, please call the front desk at 267-239-2504 and we will make sure your information is attended to.
  • Parent Conferences (Fall & Spring)
  • Meetings to be scheduled upon request​

If I decline an enrollment offer I will be removed from the waitlist unless I request a deferral. Deferral requests are addressed on a case by case basis and can be for only up to one year from the date of the initial enrollment offer.

A 2-week security deposit is required once a spot has been offered and accepted. Once a spot has been accepted and the deposit paid, it cannot be refunded if you choose to forfeit your spot. However, after your child starts at The Aspen Grove School, your security deposit will be applied to your child’s last 2 weeks’ tuition if our withdrawal policy is followed.

Once your child has been enrolled, you will have access to our Parent Handbook that details all our policies. All families are required to review and sign an acknowledgement prior to your child’s start date. 

We ask that you first attend an Open House or a tour after which we will share tuition information