Exploring Wingra

Hello! Welcome! I am so glad you are here. Whether researching for a future Nest student or looking for a different learning ecosystem for your middle school-aged kid, I can help find the information you are seeking.
To start, I would love to send you a virtual PDF tour to introduce you to the campus and the Wingra philosophy. Please email johanna@wingraschool.org, and I will happily send it your way. Once you have had a chance to look over the PDF tour, please reach out to set up an individualized enrollment meeting with Debbie Millon, the Head of School.
Below is an excerpt from a recent email from Debbie to current Wingra families. It speaks volumes about what we do at Wingra, and I hope it resonates with you as well.
Warmly,
Johanna Schmidt
Director of Enrollment & Marketing
“…Wingra School has been doing something different since 1972, and we’re going to continue to be innovative and responsive, especially in a time of need. In the wake of standardized tests being cancelled and school day minimums being waived, schools across the country are asking themselves—some of them for the first time—what really matters when it comes to education. At Wingra, we have always prioritized creating a school that gives students the tools they need to be active and engaged citizens, and to promote lifelong learning. Each year, the content of our programming is informed by what’s going on around us: what’s in our communities, what’s on our students’ minds. Our Sky students studied watersheds during the Madison flooding; they visited Tenney Locks and researched water contamination. This moment isn’t any different. Our Sky teachers now crafted a unit on social isolation and connections.”
“…With our collective creativity, patience, compassion, and optimism, we will find new meaning in John Dewey’s idea that ‘the only ultimate value that can be set up is just the process of living itself.'”

Virtual Open House

Join us for conversations with teachers, students, parents, and staff.

Virtual Open House – January 28 from 6:00-6:30 pm. Our Open House will be followed by conversations and a Q&A with our alumni from 6:30-7:15 pm. Please email johanna@wingraschool.org with any questions!

Would you like to receive our bi-monthly newsletter for families considering Wingra?  Click here.

Admissions Process at Wingra

We are honored you are considering Wingra for your family. We are excited to share our school, community, and educational philosophy with you. Through this process, we will get to know each other and identify how Wingra can meet your educational goals.

School Tour

Begin your exploration with a visit! While these tours are typically conducted in person, you can now get your questions answered by scheduling an individual phone or video conference. Just email info@wingraschool.org. We can also send on a copy of our PDF tour!

Application

Fill out the online application. It includes a parent questionnaire, a comment form that should be filled out by your child’s current teacher, and an application fee of $100, which is also able to be paid online.

Student Visit

While nothing can replace the opportunity for us to meet your child and for them to experience Wingra in person, we are temporarily suspending student visits. Instead, upon receipt of your completed application, and depending on the age of your child, we will coordinate with you for any next additional steps.

Admissions Decisions

We will communicate with you throughout this process and be here to answer any questions you may have as we partner to determine if Wingra meets your educational goals and dreams. Approximately two weeks after receiving your completed application, we will share options for enrollment of your child.

See Wingra’s community of learners in action and email johanna@wingraschool.org to  schedule a tour today!

What do our graduates have to say about their experience at Wingra?

Ilana Rosen
Ilana RosenWingra Grad 1998
Wingra taught me unrelenting compassion for others, critical thinking skills, and to value education and learning.
Ethan Witkovsky
Ethan WitkovskyWingra Grad 1998
Wingra School was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I would not be where I am today without the care, education, and values that I internalized during my time at Wingra.
Lily Sasse
Lily SasseWingra Grad 2000
Wingra was idyllic in many ways – little to no bullying, unconstrained learning environment, and encouragement from peers and teachers.
Mihkail Kazi
Mihkail KaziWingra Grad 2008
A Wingra education both advances your creative skills and your imagination. It helps you see problems from different angles that your peers do not see.
Emily Ptak-Pressman
Emily Ptak-PressmanWingra Grad 2009
From Wingra I gained the tools to learn, communicate, question, collaborate, create change, and be confident in myself and my community.
Maddy Brazas
Maddy BrazasWingra Grad 2013
The value of the education I received is huge! You don’t just get fed information, you get to understand it!
Lauren Mazur
Lauren MazurWingra Grad 2011
Wingra has taught me the most important lesson of all, how to advocate for myself and navigate for success.
Olivia Dregne
Olivia DregneWingra Grad 2014
When you get to high school you realize the greatest resources are your teachers. At Wingra you learn how to access that resource. We have learned to see teachers as allies. They want us to succeed.
Colin DavisWingra Grad 2009
Wingra gave me a notably wider and different set of academic experiences than many of my peers, which was a substantial advantage.
Anna ThalWingra Grad 2009
With my Wingra education I have tried to learn and understand everything taught to me instead of just memorizing to pass the test. This mindset makes class more interesting and helps you a lot more in the long run.

Wingra School had an absolute impact on who I am. It takes a lot of early encouragement to feel confident enough to take creative risks in comedy. It’s hard to imagine that I would have found affirmation for such a nonstandard focus anywhere else—and it’s hard to imagine a school that values the particular talents and interests of individual children more than Wingra. — Ben Wikler, former Wingra student who wrote for The Onion, was the Executive Vice President of Change.org, and is currently the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

2020-2021 Tuition

Wingra is an independent school and our tuition-based model provides us the independence to create curricula, schedules, and assessment practices that honor development of the whole child. Your tuition payment is an investment in, and a gift to, the future.

Wingra School offers three payment plan options to better accommodate our families and the range of economic resources available to them.

One-Payment Plan

$16,520

Due June 2020

Two-Payment Plan

$16,610

$8,305 (due June 2020)
$8,305 (due December 2020)

Monthly Plan

$16,680*

$1,390 (due each month)
12 payments: June 2020 through May 2021
*plus annual TADS processing fee of $45 for each household

Are there additional costs? An annual activity fee of $75–$150 is due at the beginning of the year. Optional pizza and hot lunch are offered two days each week. Our Extended Day Program is offered daily at an additional cost (daily Early Care at 7:45 is free!).

Tuition Assistance

Joyce Perkins
Former Wingra School Director

Wingra School is committed to a tuition assistance program that ensures families of all economic means can afford a Wingra education. To fulfill this commitment, we offer needs-based tuition assistance.

Named after a former Wingra School Director, the Joyce Perkins Tuition Assistance Fund has provided more than $2.8 million in tuition assistance over the last 30 years. The Wingra community has contributed generously over the years to continually increase the amount of assistance available.

Approximately 25% of our families currently receive assistance. Applications for Tuition Assistance are due by March 15 of the year preceding enrollment. A committee reviews applications and sends out tuition assistance offers in April.

How To Apply For Tuition Assistance At Wingra School 2020-2021

Apply for tuition assistance here.

Please also fill out this Tuition Assistance Acknowledgement Form so that you are immediately added to the tuition assistance pool of applicants.

  • Families new to Wingra need to submit an Application for Enrollment prior to applying for Tuition Assistance. Both processes may occur concurrently and enrollment may be accepted contingent on tuition assistance awards in April without penalty.

  • Assistance is awarded to all Wingra families on an annual basis; families re-apply for tuition assistance each year.

  • Prior year tax documents are requested as part of the tuition assistance application. Please plan to complete your taxes early to help expedite the process.

  • Questions about tuition assistance? Please contact Bonnie Schey, Business Manager, by email or at (608) 238-2525.