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ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES
Eligibility
The Pinewood American international School welcomes qualified applicants of all nationalities who meet admissions requirements and clearly demonstrate potential to be successful in our programs.
Applications are accepted at any time throughout the school year, except for Grade 12, in which case students must be in attendance the entire school year in order to graduate from Pinewood.
Citizenship. In accordance with Greek law, students applying for admission in Kindergarten - Grade 6 must possess a valid non-Greek passport. There are no nationality restrictions for Grades Pre-K and 7-12 and Greek national student applications are welcome for enrollment at those levels.
English Proficiency. Students with limited English proficiency in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 6 are considered eligible for admission. As a result of language screening and evaluation, special ESL classes are provided for students who will benefit from such additional language instruction. A separate English Proficiency Policy exists for secondary students (see below.)
Age Limitations - Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 1. To be eligible for Pre-Kindergarten, a child must have reached the age of three by December 31, 2009; for Kindergarten the age of five by December 31, 2009; for Grade 1 the age of six by December 31, 2009.
Records for the previous school year are necessary for Kindergarten to Grade 8. Students entering the high school (Grades 9-12) must produce complete school records from all previous secondary years, Grades 8 and above. In certain cases, the school may request grades and other documentation directly from the previous school.
Health Records
The school desires health records for all students, particularly with regard to hearing, vision, and any special medical conditions and restrictions that may exist for each child. The school's basic Certificate of Child's Health must be filled out completely by the parents and a physician and submitted before the child may enroll at Pinewood. Families in need of local physician services may obtain references from the Administrative Assistant.
Students With Special Needs
Assistance and programs for children with serious learning, emotional or physical disabilities are unavailable at Pinewood. Parents of special needs children should also be aware that adequate educational programs and facilities in English do not exist in the larger Thessaloniki community. Pinewood reserves the right to deny admission to any student who, in the opinion of the school's Admissions Team is in need of such special programs and support services.
Grade Level Placement
Students are placed in the appropriate grade level based on age, previous schooling, and ability, as determined by Pinewood administration after a thorough review of application materials, assessment results, and consultation with the Admissions Team.
Language Admissions Policy for Secondary Students
Secondary Admissions standards for English language proficiency have been specified for each grade level according to levels of proficiency defined by the ESL Placement test. These guidelines are as follows.
Grade Level Recommended ESL Level at time of admission:
Grade 7 ESL Level 1 or higher
Grade 8 ESL Level 2 or higher
Grade 9 ESL Level 3 or higher
Grade 10 ESL Level 4 or higher
Grade 11 ESL Level 5 or Exit ESL
Students in Grade 7 may be admitted if they place at ESL Level 1 and above, Grade 8 students may be admitted if they place at ESL Level 2 and above, Grade 9 students may be admitted if they place at ESL Level 3 and above, Grade 10 students may be admitted if they place at ESL Level 4 and above. Grade 11 students may be admitted only if they place at ESL Level 5 or Level Exit ESL.
Admissions Decisions
Each complete application for admission is throughly reviewed in a timely manner by the school's Admissions Team. In addition to the student's potential for success in Pinewood programs, other factors in the decision-making process include class sizes, academic and social considerations, waiting lists, and the desire for a diverse, well-rounded and performance oriented student population.
The Admissions Team consists of the Administrative Assistant, the ESL teacher/evaluator, the Curriculum and Studies Coordinator, and the Director.
Procedure for Registration of Students for 2010-2011
Upon acceptance for admissions (new students) and all returning students must register for each new school year that they plan to attend Pinewood.
For student registration, the following procedure is required:
A Pinewood Registration/Application form and the school's Health Form must be obtained from the Administrative Assistant, filled out completely and returned. A general Parental Permission Form for field trips must also be signed. The following documents must be brought to the office for verification and photocopying (to be returned thereafter):
- Pre-Kindergarten: A valid passport, a Birth Certificate, and one passport size photograph.
- Kindergarten - Grade 9: A valid passport from a country other than Greece, a Birth Certificate, and one passport size photograph
- Grades 7-12, all passports, including Greek, are accepted.
- Student's Residence Permit from the Greek Aliens' Bureau (if required and already issued)
- New students: grades and school reports for the student's school years immediately prior to enrolling in Pinewood. Students applying to Grades 9-12 must also furnish reports and/or official transcripts for all secondary grades (Grade 7 and above)
- Students of Greek origin must provide school records for the previous four years from the school attended abroad, officially translated into Greek.
A pre-enrollment deadline of April 1 has been established in order for the school to better plan for the year ahead, adjust class enrollments and order supplies more in a more efficient and timely manner. A non-refundable Pre-Enrollment Fee will be required by the April 1st date for enrollment the following school year. This non-refundable payment is deductible from next year’s tuition if paid on time. If not paid by April 1st, the Pre-Enrollment Fee shall be added to tuition. In order for a child to be re-enrolled the following year, all outstanding financial obligations must be cleared. Parents are required sign the Payment Policy Declaration in order for their child to be considered enrolled, thus confirming their capacity to pay the required School Fees. Upon confirmation of your child’s (children’s) enrollment for next year, the first payment, equal to one-sixth of the tuition and fees, must be made within 30 days. When the above requirements have been completed, the Registration / Application form must be taken to the Business Office where payment arrangements may be made and an invoice issued.
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