Enrollment

Open enrollment for fall 2026 will begin in January 2026 for current families and then approximately two weeks later for new families. Enrollment fills up fast! Sign up for email updates to receive important information in advance so you’re ready to register before enrollment begins.

Yes, we are still accepting applications for the current school year. To begin the application process, click here.

• We open for new family applications shortly after our priority window for currently enrolled families, typically in late January/early February, and the primary application window closes approximately one week later.

• New families must apply and submit the application fee* before the deadline for each child they wish to enroll. Notification of acceptance is sent in late February, and accepted families have 48 hours to submit supplemental paperwork and the nonrefundable last month’s tuition prepayment to secure their child/children’s space.

• If a spot is not available for your child, your name will automatically be moved to our waitlist for that age group. If space for your child does not become available by the end of August of the school year you applied for, the $200 application fee minus a $50 administrative fee will be refunded to you via check. If we can offer you a spot during the program year, and you decline or do not accept it, the $200 application fee will not be refunded.

• We also welcome new families to apply throughout the year and we accept new children as space permits.

• Families with children currently enrolled in the Schwartz ECS may re-enroll their child and/or submit a sibling application during our priority enrollment window, which typically opens in mid-January.
• For continuing children, re-enrollment must be completed within the priority enrollment period to guarantee a space, otherwise the child may be moved to a waitlist.
• Sibling applications must be accompanied by the application fee* and submitted by the deadline to be considered during priority enrollment, otherwise the child may be put on a waitlist.
• Siblings will be admitted as space allows, and families have until the end of the re-enrollment period to complete the supplemental paperwork, which will secure the sibling’s spot and charge the nonrefundable last month’s tuition prepayment to the family’s payment source on file.
• *The application fee is non-refundable unless we cannot offer the child a space in our program, in which case the SJCC will issue a full refund less a $50 processing fee.

Priority for enrollment goes first to currently enrolled children, then to siblings of enrolled children, and then to new applicants. Considerations for admission of new applicants include the family’s reason for choosing Schwartz ECS, application submission date, and more.  

We regret that we don’t have enough space for every child and family that wants to attend the Schwartz Early Childhood School. If a spot is not available for your child, your name will automatically be moved to our waitlist for that age group. If a space opens up mid-year, we will contact the family via email and they will have two (2) business days to respond and register for the program before the space is offered to the next person on the waitlist.

Every year ahead of enrollment, we set our tuition rates, looking to other quality early childhood programs—Jewish and secular—as a guide, and considering the journeys of the families in our program. In a typical year, we increase our tuition by approximately 3-4% (consistent with the average cost increase of childcare centers in our area) to account for inflation and other expenses.

The Stroum Jewish Community Center is committed to ensuring that our programs and services are accessible and welcoming to all. We believe that all families wishing to provide their children with an early learning experience rooted in Jewish values should have that opportunity. Need-based tuition assistance for the Schwartz Early Childhood School is available through our confidential application process. Visit our Tuition Assistance Page for more information.