At The Acorn, enrollment is designed to give our current families and returning students an opportunity to continue their Acorn journey while also welcoming new families into our community.

Enrollment generally follows this order:

Returning Students – Current Acorn students are given the first opportunity to enroll for the following school year.
Siblings of Current Students – Families with siblings who are not yet enrolled are given the next opportunity to join the Acorn community.
New Families – After returning students and siblings have had the opportunity to enroll, available spaces are offered to new families.

Because class sizes are intentionally kept small, space is limited and some classes may fill before all interested families can be accommodated. Enrollment is based on available space within each class and program as well as based on the order of application.

If a class reaches capacity, families may be invited to join a waitlist and will be contacted if a space becomes available.

We encourage families to begin the application process early. We are always happy to answer questions, help families understand their options, and guide you through the next steps in joining The Acorn.

Once you begin the enrollment process at The Acorn, we will be here to guide you through each step and answer any questions along the way. You’ll complete your child’s enrollment forms, submit the required records, and provide the information we need to prepare for a successful start. Many required forms are found in Parent Corner.

Once enrollment is complete, you’ll receive important information about your child’s class, teacher, school calendar, and what to expect on the first day. Throughout the summer, we’ll share helpful reminders and opportunities to connect with your child’s teacher and the Acorn community. By the time the school year begins, you and your child will feel welcomed, informed, and ready to grow, learn, and discover together.

Parent Corner & Required Forms

When a student is considered a good fit for their requested program, but space isn’t immediately available, the student is placed on the waitlist. We have both program level and class waitlists, and parents will be notified when an available space becomes available. A student does not have a specific place in the wait pool, but will be offered an available space based on the class composition. Most often, openings will occur in the late spring, but more often openings become available over the summer. It is important to keep The Acorn updated in your interest to attend, as well as contact information.

Our Preschool program is half-day, giving young children a thoughtfully paced experience that balances play, exploration, learning, and time to recharge. Families can choose from a variety of morning and afternoon class schedules to find an option that works best for their child and family. While space is limited, we also offer Bridge and extended-day options for families who would like additional time at school.

Tall Oaks is The Acorn's Grade School campus, serving children in First and Second Grade with the goal of expanding to Third Grade in 2027-2028 and one grade level every year after. Our elementary-aged grade school program extends the Acorn experience beyond the early childhood years, combining strong academic foundations with hands-on, project-based learning, outdoor exploration, creativity, and meaningful relationships.

Families begin by submitting an application, followed by an opportunity to tour the campus in a parens/guardian only event, meet with school leadership, and learn more about our program and approach to education. Students may also be invited for a student visit or classroom experience as part of the admissions process. We encourage families to begin the process early, as space in our Grade School program is limited.

Yes! After submitting an application, families are invited to schedule a Kindergarten student visit, giving your child an opportunity to spend time in the classroom and experience The Acorn firsthand. The visit allows us to get to know your child while helping them feel comfortable and excited about joining our Kindergarten community.

Kindergarten meets from 8:40 AM–12:00 PM on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and from 8:40 AM–2:00 PM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In the spring, Kindergarten adds a full day on Thursdays, with students attending from 8:40 AM–2:00 PM. This thoughtfully paced schedule provides a balance of focused learning, play, exploration, and time to recharge throughout the week.

For our two-day pre-school programs, we require children to be 2 years 8 months by September 1 and typically limit enrollment to older 3-year-old children. For our 3-day preschool program and bridge programs, we enroll 3-year-olds as well as 4-year-old children. 

For our 5-day preschool class, we aim for older young 4 year old and young fiver year old. Our 5-year-old program, known as our Gift of Time class, is by invitation only for 4-year-old children who just miss the cutoff for Kindergarten and  5-year-old children seeking an extra year of growth before entering Kindergarten. 

Kindergarteners must be 5 years old on September 1 to qualify. 

Five of our preschool classes have mixed age groups, with three and four-year-old students, carefully balanced by age and gender. Four other classes are age specific: Kindergarten for five-year-olds, the Five-Year-Old Class for children turning five in the summer who need a little more time or for those turning five in the fall who are ready for more expectations; and the Two-Day Classes for three-year-olds and those turning three in the fall.

Families who choose to pay tuition in advance may receive a discount as a thank-you for making an early commitment to The Acorn.

Pay in Full: Receive a 3% tuition discount when the full annual tuition is paid by July 1.
Pay by Semester: Receive a 2% tuition discount when tuition is paid in two semi-annual installments.

Monthly payment plans are also available for families who prefer to spread tuition payments throughout the school year.

We offer flexible tuition payment plans to meet the needs of your family. You may choose the option that works best for you:

One Annual Payment – Pay tuition in full by July 1 and receive a 3% tuition discount.
Two Semi-Annual Payments – Split tuition into two payments and receive a 2% tuition discount.
Monthly Payment Plan – Spread tuition over the school year with convenient monthly installments.

Preschool & Kindergarten: 9 monthly payments

First & Second Grade: 10 monthly payments

The Acorn is an approved school of the TEFA program. Applications for TEFA begins each year in February and the state begins notifying families in April of awards. Beyond TEFA awards, The Acorn doesn’t presently provide need-based tuition assistance for qualifying families outside TEFA awards.

The Acorn also accepts Child Care Aware of America CCAoA) is a national nonprofit organization that partners with the Department of Defense to administer child care fee assistance and resources for eligible military and defense families.