The Admissions Process

Pardes Jewish Day School (PJDS) is an independent co-educational day school. It is open to children of all Jewish denominations embracing, with the acceptance, the diverse beliefs of our Jewish community. We have a fundamental belief that not only is our school a place of learning, but is a place where G-d's presence resides. It is our hope that the experiences gained at PJDS will help your children develop into well-rounded, thoughtful, knowledgeable adults who are committed to the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and are contributing members of the society in which they live.

All students applying for admissions to PJDS must complete the application process in order to be considered for admission to the school. Students will be admitted based on the school's ability to meet the child's academic, social, emotional and physical needs, and on the basis of available space. PJDS retains the right to select a student for admission or to re-enroll a student. The Admissions Committee reviews the completed applicant's file and has the ultimate discretion in accepting an applicant. The Head of School will hear any appeals from the parents of the applicant if necessary. Parents will receive notification of admission status from the Director of Admissions. Admissions decisions are made independent of financial need. All financial assistance is awarded on the basis of need and each request receives careful individual consideration by JTO (Jewish Tuition Organization) and/or Pardes Jewish Day School. PJDS admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. PJDS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the educational policies, scholarship programs and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Step By Step Through Our Admissions Process:

  1. Review the Admissions Packet.
  2. Call Pardes Jewish Day School (480-991-9141 ext. 503) for further information and to make an appointment with the Admissions Director for a personal tour of the school.
  3. Complete and submit the application along with the $100 application fee.
  4. Submit the Permission to Release School Records (74kb Acrobat PDF) form to an official at the applicant's current school. Give the Teacher Recommendation Form (87kb Acrobat PDF) to the applicant's current teacher.
  5. Once all paperwork has been submitted, schedule a classroom visit to enable your child to experience the school and to allow our staff to get to know your child. During the visit, your child will meet students in the class and participate in the academics, specialty classes and athletics at PJDS (1st through 8th grade).
  6. Admissions Process for Kindergarten: All kindergarten applicants to Pardes Jewish Day School are requested to attend monthly observation/play-dates that will be held on the Pardes campus. The purpose of these meetings is to observe your child with other children who are applying and assess their readiness for our kindergarten program. During the play dates, your child will meet our three wonderful kindergarten teachers and prospective kindergarten students in an interactive environment for approximately 2 hours. The first observation/play-date for the kindergarten class will be an Open House Festival with specific programs planned to enrich and provide an opportunity for us to get to know you and for you to get to know us better! Mark your calendar for the last Sunday in October.
  7. If your family is in need of financial aid, please set up a confidential meeting with the Admissions Director. PJDS participates in the community Jewish Tuition Organization (JTO) that evaluates requests and makes award determinations. Those applying early have an increased likelihood of receiving scholarship funds.

Providing individual attention to each student and family is a hallmark of PJDS. We look forward to having the opportunity to meet with you and to begin the admissions process.