FAQs

Complete an online inquiry form or begin an online application through Ravenna. You will be invited to our next Visiting Day.  As placements become available for your requested grade, the school will contact you.

Tours are given on calendared Visiting Days only to families on our admissions list.  Tours after Visiting Days will be given based upon availability in requested grade levels.

The admissions cycle begins in December when current families are asked to reregister.  Based on that information, availability is determined.  Beginning in January and throughout the spring, applicants are offered placements. After the applicant submits all necessary forms, completes an assessment, and visits the school, registration will take place.

SSM students can attend 3 or 5 half or full days.  SSM students staying in the afternoon participate in a rest.  Preschool students attend 5 days which can be half or full.  Students younger than 4 rest, while older students continue with activities in the afternoon.  

For either program, students must be 2.5 by September 1st and potty trained.  The SSM program introduces students to the Montessori philosophy within a more traditional preschool setting and routine.  The Montessori preschool students move through the scope and sequence of the Montessori materials in the prepared Montessori environment.  Many students will stay in the preschool program for more than one year.  The pre-kindergarten year must be completed in the Montessori preschool level.  

The assessment your child completes with us during the admissions process will help us determine whether SSM or preschool is a better fit.

We have approximately 60 full-time teachers, 20 part-time teachers, 30 staff members, and 9 administrators.  The student to teacher ratio is 8:1.

We have 580 students in preschool through grade 8.

Our students come from 15 school districts over a 30-mile radius.  The population's ethnicity is 7% African American, 2% Asian, 89% Caucasian, 1% Hispanic, and 1% Multi-Racial.  The percentage of boys and girls in the total enrollment is equal.

The education our students receive is an incredible value.  We do our very best to keep our tuition as affordable as possible.  Financial aid is available through corporate donations e.g. the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC), as well as the Academy’s own scholarship endowment for families in need of financial assistance.  Families residing in Philadelphia may also apply to Children’s Scholarship Fund.  Funds are limited though, and current school families receive precedence in the distribution of monies available.  A typical gift size is $3,000, and families will need to make full tuition payments until monies for that year are released and can be applied to their tuition account.  The BLOCS Frequently Asked Questions list is a great resource to learn about family eligibility requirements and the aid application process.  If you are interested in financial aid, please let our office know so we can look for your information and process it quickly.

According to state law, children must be 5 years old to ride a school bus.  Students within a 10 mile radius are provided with busing to the Academy through their school district.  Philadelphia School District begins busing in grade one.

98% of graduates attend private Catholic high schools with top choices including: Gwynedd Mercy High School, Holy Ghost Preparatory School, La Salle College High School, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Saint Basil Academy, and Saint Joseph Preparatory School. 

Ancillae-Assumpta Academy is a private Catholic school that warmly welcomes families and students of all faiths into our community.  Children of other faiths participate in the study of the Catholic faith, share in liturgical worship and prayer experiences, and are involved in service to others.  At the same time they are encouraged to share their own beliefs and religious practices.

Approximately 12% of our students belong to other faith traditions while students who are Catholic represent 66 parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.   We strongly encourage participation in parish life and frequently draw lessons from the parish experience. 

Yes.  Extended Day is available 7:15 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. before school and 3:10 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. after school.  Families may register for the program full-time or drop-in any day a need may arise.

The number of new students each year depends upon the openings in each grade level.  The majority of our new students are in Stepping Stones into Montessori and Preschool.  The higher the grade level of an applicant, the fewer placements we typically have available.

Resource Learning provides support to students and teachers to ensure that the diverse learning needs of the community are met.  As an inclusive school that values diversity, we recognize that children may learn differently, but all children can learn.  Support is provided by school personnel as well as the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit staff.   Services include individual and small group instruction in the areas of language arts and math, speech and language assistance, guidance, challenge, organizational techniques, and study skills.  The Health Office develops Care Plans for students with medical needs especially for students with food allergies.  The school adheres to a strict food allergen policy.  

Please share with us any special needs your child may have so we can determine together if the Academy is the school that can best meet those needs.

In Stepping Stones into Montessori and Preschool, the student-teacher ratio is 9:1. There are 3 clusters in Kindergarten with an average of 18 students.   In grades 1 - 3, there are 2 homerooms each with a homeroom teacher and a partner teacher.  Class sizes average at 27. Grades 4 - 8 have 3 homerooms with approximately 19 students.