We are fortunate to be part of a community that deeply values education and offers a wide range of educational options for families seeking the best fit for their children. While we strive to meet the diverse needs of our students, we recognize that Hilldale may not be the right fit for every child. During the admissions process, we work closely with parents to help determine if Hilldale is the best match for their child’s needs and goals. Please review the following to see if Hilldale might be the right fit for your family.

• Hilldale is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for children who seek greater academic challenges. Whether your child is above average, gifted, or twice-exceptional, Hilldale may be the ideal place to support their intellectual curiosity and personal growth.
• At Hilldale, we accelerate our curriculum by working one grade level ahead while maintaining age-appropriate support for social-emotional development. Our goal is to challenge students where they need it and provide support where they need a boost. We look for students who are not only ready but eager to embrace greater acceleration—both in the depth of content and the pace of learning.
• At Hilldale, we base enrollment decisions on readiness for the grade level rather than age alone. While we recognize that some children may be gifted, we have found that a child who turns five in January may struggle with the emotional and social demands of our Kindergarten program. These children often benefit from more playtime to develop important age-appropriate skills. Structured academic tasks that require sustained focus can be overwhelming for children who are not yet five, making them less prepared for the expectations of our Kindergarten curriculum.
• Each child is assessed through the parent application, teacher recommendations, standardized test results, readiness indicators, a classroom visit, and a parent-principal interview. The principal and admissions director carefully review all information to determine your child's readiness and fit for the class.
• If a child is not speaking English fluently prior to the assessment, it can be very difficult to determine whether or not he or she will be successful in the Kindergarten program.   All students must be speaking and understanding English fluently prior to starting Kindergarten through Eighth Grades. We have a very rich and diverse community with many bilingual children. We want to support the development of both languages; however, primary instruction at Hilldale is in English, and it is required that children can both understand and speak English. 
• If a child understands English well but has limited speaking skills, they may still do well in the Kindergarten assessment. However, if a child has little to no English speaking or comprehension skills, they may struggle to keep up with their peers as instruction begins immediately at the start of the year. To prepare your child, set aside 30 minutes of English-only time daily. Simply name things to build vocabulary and comprehension. We also recommend reading one English book each night alongside books in your native language. Starting these practices 6-12 months before the assessment will help your child feel more comfortable and allow us to better assess their readiness for the program.