Admissions

REGISTRATION

Registration for the upcoming school year is held in late February or early March.  Dates are published in the Immaculate Conception Church Bulletin and in the Southwest Times Record.  A non-refundable fee of $125.00 for each student (K-5th) is required at this time and $175 for Preschool students.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

First Priority is given to in-parish Catholics in relation to length of time in the parish, siblings already in attendance, contribution of Time and Talent to parish and school, and frequency of contribution of Treasure to the parish.

Second Priority is given to out-of-parish Catholics with siblings already in attendance.

Third Priority is given to out-of-parish Catholics.

Fourth Priority is given to non-Catholics in relation to siblings already enrolled, contribution of time, talent, and treasure to school community.

The school board reserves the right to make exceptions to the above criteria as deemed appropriate. Registration for current students in all grades will occur first, then letters of acceptance will be sent at a later date to new students.

ENTRANCE AGE

According to diocesan regulations and Arkansas state law, no child will be admitted to kindergarten unless he/she has attained the age of five (5) on or before September 1 of such school year.  No child will be admitted to first grade unless he/she has attained the age of six (6) years on or before September 1 of such school year.  Documentation of the state required immunizations, a state certified birth certificate, and social security card are to be presented at the time of registration of all beginning pupils and transfer pupils.

If the child is Catholic, baptismal certificate must be presented at the time of registration.

Families who voluntarily withdraw their child from Immaculate Conception School during the school year jeopardize readmittance at a later time.

The education of a student is a partnership between the parents and the school. Just as the parents have the right to withdraw a child, the school administration reserves the right to require the withdrawal of a student if the administration determines that the partnership is irretrievably broken.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

No student will be admitted to school unless he/she shows evidence of completing the required immunizations. The minimum requirements for entry into school for the 2024-2025 school year are:

Kindergarten Requirements:

  • at least four doses of Diphtheria/Tetanus/Acellular Pertussis (DTaP), Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTP), or Diphtheria/Tetanus (DT pediatric)

  • at least three doses of polio vaccine, one dose after the age of four

  • two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine
    three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine

  • two doses of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine without accepting history of disease in lieu of receiving Varicella vaccine.
    Exception: If a student has previously received two doses of measles, one dose of mumps, and one dose of rubella before August 1, 2009, the dose will be accepted as compliant to immunization requirements and two MMR are not required.

1st through 12th grade Requirements:

  • at least three doses of Diphtheria/Tetanus/Acellular Pertussis (DTaP), Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTP), or Diphtheria/Tetanus (DT pediatric), Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td-adult) or Tetanus/Diphtheria/Acellular Pertussis (Tdap-adult), with one dose after the age of four

  • at least three doses of Polio, with one dose on or after the 4th birthday

  • two doses of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine

  • and an appropriate series of Hepatitis B vaccine

  • one dose of Varicella vaccine or history of  Chicken Pox disease

The only proof of immunization to be accepted by the school will be a certificate by a licensed physician or health department.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Immaculate Conception School will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, handicap, or national or ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic, or other social administered programs.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

No students will be admitted from another school at any time after the school year begins unless the family is moving into the area from another city, or the family has obtained permission from the pastor.

AUTOMATIC BANK DRAFT

Automatic bank draft is required for the payment of monthly tuition and other school related fees such as after school care, cafeteria, van usage, etc.  Several options of dates will be given for the automatic drafting of either a checking or savings account.  Automatic bank draft for church contributions is recommended.

Kindergarten - 5th Grade

Tuition Policy & Rates

2024-2025 Tuition Rates

Kindergarten - 5th Grade

Tuition for each student in Kindergarten through the 5th Grade is:

$7,780 per year

Tuition rates include all book fees

One mandatory PTO fundraiser per year

  Scholarships are available for Catholics that qualify

Available scholarship amounts are as follows:

1 student: $3,050 making tuition $4,730 per year

2 students: $7,200 making tuition $8,360 per year

3 students: $12,450 making tuition $10,890 per year

(see scholarship application)

Each family is also required to complete 15 hours of parent volunteer services and work one Spring Festival shift.

 

It costs an average of $10,000 to educate a student at Immaculate Conception School. It is through the generosity of our church parishioners and our additional fundraising efforts that we are able to· keep tuition rates lower than actual costs.

 

For Catholics to receive a tuition discount scholarship: At least one parent/guardian must be a registered and active Catholic parishioner. Parent/Guardian and Immaculate Conception student(s) will attend Mass regularly and student(s) has received age-appropriate sacraments. In addition, at least one parent/guardian must support Immaculate Conception or a West River Valley Parish through the use of church envelopes, automatic bank draft, or other regular identifiable contributions in order to receive the scholarship. Review and/or reconsideration of the parishioner scholarship may be made at any time deemed appropriate by the pastor. Scholarships are available for kindergarten through fifth grade only. Preschool students are not considered to be a second or third child in the tuition scholarship chart.

Preschool

Two Day Program: (Tuesday/Thursday)

                                 Preschool Only (dismissal at 12:00)   $152.00 due each month August - May
                                 Preschool Option I (3:15 pm) $253.00 due each month August - May
                                 Preschool Option II (5:30 pm) $304.00 due each month August - May

Three Day Program: (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

                                 Preschool Only (dismissal at 12:00) $230.00 due each month August - May
                                 Preschool Option I (3:15 pm) $425.00 due each month August - May
                                 Preschool Option II (5:30 pm) $529.00 due each month August - May

Five Day Program:

                                 Preschool Only (dismissal at 12:00)   $339.00 due each month August - May
                                 Preschool Option I (3:15 pm) $580.00 due each month August - May
                                 Preschool Option II (5:30 pm) $688.00 due each month August - May        

        Parents may request children who are enrolled for the preschool morning to remain for an extended time

when needed.  Additional charges will be applied.  Extended day until 3:15 is $15.00 and extended day

until 5:30 is $25.00.

 An additional day, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm, will be $25.00.        

Find Us

Immaculate Conception School of Fort Smith223 So. 14th Street Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901479-783-6798479-783-0510 Faxkhall@icschoolfs.org