middle school casti at a glance 2016-2017
Learning should be riveting, capturing your heart and your mind, leaving you wanting more. At Casti, it is.
438 students in grades 6-12
6:1 student: faculty ratio 15 average class size 47% students of color 20%
students who receive tuition assistance
85% faculty or staff with advanced degrees
100% admitted to a top-choice college
70%
students participate in sports
56% senior class
recognized by the National Merit Corporation.
438 different answers to casti is...
www.castilleja.org ♝ Printed on FSC certified recycled paper, 10% recycled and 10% post-consumer waste.
Castilleja educates motivated women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world. why a castilleja education? Girls take center stage. We believe that there is no better place for a girl than a girls’ school. The combination of opportunity, community, and culture makes a Castilleja education a powerful and transformative experience. Researchers agree: girls’ school graduates demonstrate more self-confidence and ambition and hold more leadership positions after high school. And, they are more likely to earn a doctoral degree. Robotics. Model UN. Chemistry. Photography. Whatever your passion, you’ll find it here. Our Faculty. Inspiring and dedicated. You’ll remember them long after you graduate. A curriculum that’s both broad and deep. You can explore a variety of courses and dig deep when something sparks your passion. Our curriculum encourages girls to explore interdisciplinary connections. Your studies come alive through an array of hands-on projects. The Global Program and Global Week. Students collaborate with faculty and experts on global issues to foster awareness, compassion, and engagement. Global investigations are highlighted junior year with a trip to China, India, or the Dominican Republic.
engaging programs Arts
Leadership
How do you express yourself? Whether you love acting, painting or sculpting, singing with the choir, dancing on stage, or playing with the orchestra, Casti welcomes your talent! You’ll love performing in the Middle School Musical and dancing on stage with Arts with a Heart.
Awareness, Compassion, and Engagement embody the values of good leaders. Dedicated to creating authentic experiences that deepen and broaden classroom learning, the ACE Center introduces community action opportunities, internships, and global investigations to empower girls to lead beyond the Circle.
Athletics About 80% of Middle School students compete on at least one team. With 9 sports in Middle School and 11 in Upper School, you can develop skills, try new sports, and build confidence and camaraderie with your teammates. Go Gators!
Electives Do you love writing, cooking, or robotics? You can choose from a long list of electives, gaining the opportunity to try something new or engage more deeply in an activity or interest.
Innovation Lab In our Bourn fabrication lab you can tinker, build, design, laser cut, 3D print and 3D scan, and more! Your teachers use this space to make learning fun and engaging. Building a love for STEAM is integral to our mission. Get creative!
SEL Social and Emotional Learning at Casti teaches resilience, empathy, and self-awareness. Advisory and Wellness classes, enhanced by our all-girls environment, are among many programs that strengthen students’ personal growth.
2016-2017 admission dates Tuesday, September 27 - Friday, December 9 Campus Visits Saturday, October 8 8:30am Middle School Open House Sunday, November 6 12:30pm Middle School Open House Saturday, December 3 8:30am ISEE Testing at Castilleja School Monday, December 5 7:00pm Diversity and Inclusion at Casti Monday, December 12 6:30pm Tuition Assistance Workshop Saturday, January 7 ISEE Testing at Castilleja
8:30am
Thursday, January 12 5:00pm Application and Tuition Assistance deadline Friday, February 10 5:00pm Tuition Assistance tax forms due Thursday, March 16 Decision letters mailed Friday, March 17 4:00pm Decisions available online Friday, March 24 Enrollment Agreement and Tuition Deposit due
Noon
“We send our daughter to school every day, knowing that she receives the best
The smile on her face is for us the true testament to what a great place Castilleja is for her.” —Parent
education possible.
visiting castilleja To schedule a Campus Visit and register for an Open House, please visit the Admission website, www.castilleja.org/visitingcastilleja. Campus Visit and Interview This fun-filled day provides an opportunity for prospective students to observe classes and meet students and teachers. During the visit day, applicants will also meet with a small group of other prospective students and a member of the admission staff for a brief interview. Campus Visits are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, and applications do not need to be submitted in order to schedule a visit day. An admission staff member will greet you and will also be available to speak with families for 15 minutes after drop-off.
Open House The program begins promptly at the time noted below. Please plan to attend the entire event to take full advantage of this comprehensive program. To register, visit www.castilleja.org/visitingcastilleja or click the registration link from Ravenna. Saturday, October 8, 2016 Sunday, November 6, 2016
8:30–11:45am 12:30–3:45pm
Parent Tours and Informational Coffees Parent tours and coffees are scheduled periodically from October - December. The Head of School and Leadership Team will be available for questions and conversation. Please contact the Admission Office for more information.
Questions? Please call our Admission Office at 650.470.7733 or email admission@castilleja.org.
“Coming to Castilleja is a
decision I would make 1,000 times over!” —Student
making castilleja affordable Castilleja has a robust tuition assistance program designed to meet the needs of a wide range of financial circumstances. We encourage families who cannot afford the full cost of tuition to apply to our program which distributes over $2.6 million dollars to 20% of the student body. It is fairly administered, clearly communicated and consistently applied in accordance with the principles and practices of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the core values of the Castilleja community. The school’s tuition assistance program is designed to support families who demonstrate financial need through the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS), which determines a family’s level of need. Awards range from $6,000-$43,750 depending on each family’s financial situation. Castilleja does not offer merit scholarships.
2016-17 Tuition and Fees:
$44,465
o Tuition o Tuition Insurance o Food Service
$42,870 $325 $1,270
Other Estimated Expenses o Books and Supplies (new or used) o Uniforms (new or used) o 8th Grade trip to Washington, D.C. o Laptop/MS Office o Annual Fund Gift
$100-$300 $200-$300 $2,400 $1,000-$2,000 varies
Tuition Assistance Application Process Families may apply online beginning on November 1, 2016 at www.sss.nais.org. Important deadlines and more information are available at www.castilleja.org/tuition.
Confidentiality Families can be assured that all information concerning tuition assistance is held in the strictest of confidence by Castilleja School. Only those persons directly involved in the tuition assistance decision-making process or in its administration will review this information. For more information please visit our website at www.castilleja.org/tuition.
applying to middle school We are delighted that you are applying to Castilleja for the coming school year. The steps below will help guide you through the application process. The application deadline is January 12, 2017, and students will receive an admission decision on March 17, 2017. Enrollment Agreements are due March 24, 2017. Castilleja is one of the Peninsula independent schools using a web-based application called Ravenna for the submission of online applications. Through Ravenna, you will be able to register for an Open House and Campus Visit, electronically request teacher and principal/counselor recommendations, submit your application online, and track your application progress. Go to www.ravenna-hub.com to begin this process. After selecting Greater San Francisco Bay Area as your primary region, complete the brief student profile, then select Castilleja School in the School Directory.
To do: Campus Visit (with interview) & Open House Arrange a Campus Visit for your daughter and register for an Open House. An admission staff member will interview your daughter during her Campus Visit. To register for a Campus Visit and Open House, click on the appropriate “Register for this event” link on your daughter’s Applications page in Ravenna or visit www.castilleja.org/visitingcastilleja. Middle School Open House dates are: Saturday, October 8, 2016 8:30-11:45am
Sunday, November 6, 2016 12:30-3:45pm
School Forms All school forms are listed on your daughter’s Applications page in Ravenna. We advise that you wait until the school year is underway (mid-November) before asking the appropriate person to complete the recommendation. By clicking the form links on the Applications page, you can email the recommendation form and submission instructions directly to your daughter’s teachers and principal/counselor. Required school forms are: 1.
Transcript Release and Confidentiality form
2. Principal or Counselor Recommendation form 3. Teacher Recommendation forms (for both current and immediate prior year core teachers). For students who have a separate teacher for math, an additional recommendation is required. For students with multiple teachers, please consider the Language Arts teacher as the core teacher. Additional recommendations are not required
Student Questionnaire and Essay, Parent Questionnaire & Application Fee The Student Questionnaire is available for download on your daughter’s Applications page in Ravenna. It should be handwritten in pen by your daughter. When complete, please mail it to 1310 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Please do not attach ribbons, pictures, or any special packaging. The student essay can be typed and submitted online. The Parent Questionnaire should be completed and submitted online. The $75 application fee can be paid by clicking the green button at the top right of the Applications page after your parent questionnaire has been submitted. Standardized Testing Register for standardized testing. Please contact the Admission Office if you need a fee waiver to cover the testing fee. GRADES 6-8: ISEE OR SSAT o
Register online (www.iseetest.org) to take the ISEE (Independent Schools Entrance Exam). Select the San Francisco Peninsula Consortium to see all test sites in our area.
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The test should be taken no later than February 1, 2017.
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The ISEE is offered at Castilleja on two dates at 8:30am: Saturday, December 3, 2016
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Saturday, January 7, 2017
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In registering, be sure to include Castilleja’s school code so scores are sent to Castilleja. Castilleja’s school code is 052330.
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Register at least three weeks prior to the test date. Dates fill up quickly, so please register early.
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The test may be taken at any school location.
SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test). Register at www.ssat.org. Castilleja’s School code is 2152. This test is not offered at Castilleja A note on testing: Castilleja requires standardized testing as part of our admission process in order to gain a better understanding of each applicant. We receive applications from many schools with a variety of academic programs, and test results provide a common denominator. Test results are just one of many factors we consider when evaluating an application and are by no means viewed as the only measure of a student’s capabilities.
Tuition Assistance To learn more information about tuition assistance, please visit www.castilleja.org/tuition.
Questions? Contact the Admission Office if you are unable to complete the application online or have questions: 650.470.7733 or admission@castilleja.org.
application checklist
All application materials must be received by the Admission Office by January 12, 2017. o Student questionnaire (handwritten)
o Principal/Counselor recommendation
o Student essay (online)
o Teacher recommendations current and prior year
o Parent questionnaire and $75 fee (online). Fee waiver available o ISEE or SSAT test results
o Campus Visit:__________ o School transcripts (2015-16 and first grading period 2016-17)