Frequently Asked Questions
Admissions
How do I apply and what are the application requirements?
The admissions process at Wingra mainly involves gathering information about applicants from parents and past or current teachers. Requirements for admission include: a completed student application form, a completed teacher comment form, and $100 application fee.
Our priority application deadline is March 1. Read more about the application and requirements.
What are the application deadlines?
Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. Our priority application deadline is March 1. If space is
available, a child may be admitted to Wingra School at any time during
the school year. Read more.
Are there school tours or open house events available?
Yes. Tours can be scheduled by calling the office at (608) 238-2525. We host two open houses each year, one in November and one in February. Read more.
How are admissions decisions made?
At Wingra School
we believe that learning is a lifelong process that is engaged in by each
person in a unique way. We believe that individual learning is enhanced
when it occurs in a cooperative and caring context. We believe that the
lives of children are enriched when they learn within a diverse community
that recognizes and appreciates differences among people. There is no
profile of the "ideal Wingra kid," and we do not use any form of testing
in our admissions process. Read more.
When will I find out if my child is accepted?
Contracts are offered to returning families and for siblings of returning
families in February. New families are offered contracts at this
time on a space-available basis or are put on a waiting list if space
is not available. If Wingra School is not able to offer admittance by
the beginning of the school year, the application fee is refunded.
How many students are accepted into each level?
A maximum
of 24 students are in each classroom. We maintain a low student to teacher ratio (approximately 12:1), and often a student teacher from the University
of Wisconsin-Madison or Edgewood College is also in the classroom.
Is Wingra a good choice for my family?
Wingra appeals
to parents who want their kids to be excited about school and learning.
Our families have a high regard for education; many parents themselves
are educators. Parents who choose Wingra are oftentimes self-starters,
good thinkers, and involved community members—people who think off the
page and are willing to explore alternatives. Read more.
How do you
deal with children who have special learning needs?
Because we recognize
the benefits of bringing together diverse groups of learners, there is
no profile of the "ideal Wingra kid." We do not use any form of testing
in our admissions process. Most students who apply to Wingra are offered
However, as a small school with a cooperative
community focus, we do recognize certain limitations when considering
students for enrollment. Wingra does not employ specialists to serve children
with exceptional educational needs. While the training and dedication
of our staff allows us to teach a variety of children, some with significant
learning differences, we reserve the right to determine that an applying
child would be better served in a setting where specialized interventions
are offered as part of the school program.
What
kind of diversity among students do you have?
Our families
are diverse in family structure, sexual orientation, religion, age, and
educational backgrounds. Our ethnic diversity reflects that of Dane County. We continually strive to increase our socio-economic diversity
through tuition assistance. We are committed to attracting students
and staff of varied backgrounds, and our classrooms draw strength from
a positive recognition and appreciation of diversity.
Is
child care available before and after school?
An Extended Day program is offered by Wingra each day after school between dismissal and 5:45 p.m.
Do
you have a PTA/PTO?
A Wingra School
PTA existed briefly in the past, but it does not currently meet. When
recently polled about their interest in a PTA, Wingra parents generally
felt there wasn't a need for a separate PTA/PTO organization.
Do
you have extracurricular activities?
Extracurricular
activities and enrichment opportunities are offered when there is student and parent interest. Currently there
is an active before-school Hebrew class that meets at Wingra.
Do
you have a sports program?
Wingra does
not have its own sports program, although Wingra students are active in
Madison area sports leagues, such as the Madison
Area Youth Soccer Association and the YMCA sports leagues. Since teams
are formed with children from the same school, Wingra friends often play
on teams together.
Tuition and Financial Assistance
What are the tuition and fees?
Wingra offers three payment-plan options to better accommodate the
range of economic resources available to our families. The monthly payment
plan allows for an easier monthly payment schedule at a slightly higher
cost. The annual payment plan provides a discount for families able to
pay the entire tuition at the beginning of the year. Read more about payment plans and tuition fees.
Do you offer
scholarships or financial aid?
Yes. Please read more about Wingra's tuition
and financing options.
Do
you have a discount for tuition for families with more than one child?
No.
Families pay full tuition for each child.
Daily Life
What
is the maximum number of students in each class? What is the teacher/student
ratio in the classrooms?
A maximum
of 24 students are in each classroom. We maintain a low student to teacher ratio (approximately 12:1), and often a student teacher from the University
of Wisconsin-Madison or Edgewood College is also in the classroom.
What are
the school hours?
Arrival time
is from 8:30 to 8:45 daily. Dismissal time is 2:00 p.m. on Mondays
and 3:15 the rest of the week. An Extended Day program is offered by Wingra each afternoon between dismissal and 5:45 p.m.
What
is a typical day like?
The Wingra
school day has a flow to it that children come to know and expect. Read
more about a typical day at Wingra school.
Will
my child go on field trips?
Field
trips and community involvement are an important part of our curriculum.
We select trips that are age-appropriate, relevant to the curriculum,
and inexpensive. Most classrooms visit the Madison Public Library each
month. Many trips are taken by city bus (the school is on the bus line).
How long
is lunch time? Do you have a hot lunch program?
All Wingra School students eat together. The younger classrooms come in from recess at 12:15, and settle into the lunch period before the older children arrive at 12:25. The lunch period ends at 12:45. Traditionally, Monday is Pizza Day, delivered by Glass Nickel Pizza. Friday is Hot Lunch Day, cooked up at the Willy Street Co-op and served by Wingra School parents. All other days, children bring
their lunch from home.
Will
my child have recess?
Yes, Wingra
kids play outdoors one-two times every day. Most mornings there is time set aside for physical activity, skill-building and team-building activities. Before lunch, there is an all-school recess from 11:45-12:25. In the winter, we go
out unless the wind chill is –15° F or colder. On snowy winter
days, we often sled on the front playground.
How
do you provide for the safety of Wingra students? What is your policy
towards physical violence, aggression, and name-calling?
We are committed
to straightforward, direct communication, social problem solving, and
conflict resolution and do not tolerate provoking or abusive language
or behaviors. Starting in the youngest classrooms, children are taught
how to resolve conflicts non-violently and with dignity.
Will
my child have flexibility of movement, free time?
Daily life
in Wingra classrooms reflects a respect for a child's need to move, converse,
and be active. Wingra School has recess before lunch, to allow children to expel energy and build an appetite for their meal. Much of the school day includes work times during which
children can move and make choices.
Can
parents help in the classroom?
Yes, parents
are welcome at the school and give of their time, energy, and skills.
Parents provide snacks and occasionally go along on field trips or assist
in the classroom.
Wingra School's Curriculum
What
do you mean by "progressive education"?
Progressive
education provides rich learning experiences centered around the real
lives of children. Individual instruction is emphasized, and there is
informality in the classroom. The curriculum is broad, integrated, and
built around the interests of the children.
Several pages on this website explain more about progressive education.
We think the description of progressive education in the chart showing the differences between traditional and progressive education is a good description of the approach that
teachers strive for at Wingra School. See also "our approach" and "teaching with
themes."
Do you
teach a foreign language?
Yes, Spanish is part of the curriculum for all ages.
Do you have separate teachers for Art, Music, Spanish and P.E.?
Yes, all classrooms participate in art, music, Spanish, and P.E. classes each week. Read more about Wingra's art and music program on this website.
Will my child receive computer instruction?
Yes. The library
and technology program at Wingra is very strong and is designed to complement
and enrich the classroom thematic units. Each classroom at Wingra has
several computers available to its students. Read more about the library and technology program at Wingra.
What can I expect my child to learn at each grade level? How
is reading taught here? How is math taught?
To learn more
about how Wingra teachers approach these subject areas, follow the subject
links on the descriptions by subject page.
If individual children are reading or doing math at higher or
lower levels than their peers, how will their needs be accommodated?
We firmly believe
that children best acquire skills when they are developmentally ready
to do so. Therefore, instruction at Wingra is constructed to suit the
needs and strengths of individual learners. Each Wingra classroom is staffed
with 2 certified teachers, which gives our teachers the opportunity
to plan and deliver engaging and developmentally appropriate instruction
for each class.
If you don't
give grades or do standardized testing, how are children evaluated at
Wingra?
Student progress at Wingra is
assessed in a way that gives a complete review of the growing
child as a learner. Read more about our
assessment process.