Enrolling in Our School
Applying to North Star Academy
Thank you for your interest in applying to North Star Academy. Students are most successful at North Star when they are inquisitive, flexible in their thinking, pick things up quickly and enjoy learning. We promote an atmosphere of respectful learners who enjoy exploring diverse points of view.
Admissions for the 2023-24 School Year
Families of second graders in the Redwood City School District interested in attending North Star Academy will take the Cogat7 Assessment in their current second grade class at their school.
Families interested in having their child attend North Star Academy and are in third grade and above or do not currently attend a Redwood City School will be able to sign-up for our admissions assessment being Monday, November 21. Testing for the 2023-24 school year has been scheduled for
Saturday, December 3 @ 9am, 11am, and 1pm
Thursday, December 8 @ 3pm
Saturday, December 10 @ 9am and 11am
Interested families need to sign up their student between November 21 and December 2. The sign up will go live Monday morning at 9am.
NSA Admissions Testing Sign-ups
2023-2024 North Star Admissions
Admissions 2023-2024 Information English
2023-24 Information Night English
We look forward to meeting you and your child as we welcome our new North Star Scholars for 2023-24!
Admisiones Para El Año Escolar 2022-23
¡Gracias por su interés en ser parte de la Academia North Star!
Las familias de estudiantes de segundo grado en el Distrito Escolar de Redwood City interesadas en asistir a la Academia North Star tomarán la Evaluación Cogat7 en su clase actual de segundo grado en su escuela.
Las familias interesadas en que su hijo asista a North Star Academy y están en tercer grado o más o no asisten actualmente a una escuela de Redwood City podrán inscribirse para nuestra evaluación de admisiones el lunes 21 de noviembre. Exámenes para la escuela 2023-24
Sábado 3 de diciembre a las 9:00, 11:00 y 13:00
Jueves, 8 de diciembre a las 15:00
Sábado, 10 de diciembre a las 9 am y 11 am
Las familias interesadas deben inscribir a sus estudiantes entre el 21 de noviembre y el 2 de diciembre. La inscripción se activará el lunes por la mañana a las 8 a.m.
REgistro para pruebas de admision a la nsa
Admisiones de la NSA 2023-2024
Informacion de admisiones 2023-2024
¡Esperamos conocerlos a usted y a su hijo mientras damos la bienvenida a nuestros nuevos alumnos de North Star para 2023-24!
We have prepared this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to guide you through the application process.
When can I sign up for testing?
Testing occurs in December of each year. Those interested in admission for the 2023-2024 school year should check back in November 2022.
How can my student prepare for the test?
Once you have signed up for a CogAT 7 testing appointment, we will email you a test sample prepared by the company, to help familiarize you and your student with the test format. Please be aware that there are other books and programs available. However, we recommend that you use the materials that we make available to you as these are the items that we have found to be closely aligned to the test. The CogAT 7 measures a student’s individual abilities. The very best preparation is getting a good night's sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and coming with a positive attitude about the test. While we should also encourage our students to do their very best on the test, we should also be conscious about not turning our encouragement into pressure.
What do I need to do to complete the application?
Once testing is completed and your students results are received, the next step is to complete the Redwood City School District's School of Choice Application - selecting North Star for your school preference. Information will be shared with those that have completed testing. PLEASE NOTE: only students who have already participated in the December testing will be considered.
When is the application due?
The application will follow the School of Choice application deadline.
What happens if I have not taken the test, but I still want to apply?
Only students who have already participated in the CogAT 7 assessment will be able to apply.
What happens if my child does not qualify?
Students who do not qualify are welcome to reapply in the following year. Each application is evaluated independently regardless of past submissions.
What are my chances of getting into North Star?
North Star Academy takes a holistic approach when reviewing student applications. We assess applicants in a variety of areas. Students receive points based on their scaled scores on three subtests of the CogAT 7. More information on the application process and evaluation will be sent home with the testing results after they are taken.
What happens if my child qualifies?
Once students are considered qualified they will be placed in the computerized lottery.
How does the lottery work?
The lottery is computerized. Priority is as follows:
- Qualified students currently on the North Star Academy waitlist and who have reapplied to remain on the North Star Academy wait list on or before the School of Choice deadline.
- Qualified RCSD students and siblings.
- Qualified Redwood City residents, from within the RCSD attendance boundary, who currently do not attend an RCSD school.
Students who qualify for admission after classes are full will be placed on a waitlist according to priority. The waitlist rolls over each school year. You must fill out a Schools of Choice application each year to stay on the waitlist for the following school year. Students do not need to retest every year to stay on the waitlist, from the following year. Students applying for higher grades will be rolled over to the top of the current waitlist. Newly qualified students will be added to the bottom of the wait list in the lottery priority.
Can you apply from out of district?
The Redwood City School District's Board has updated their guidelines and all applicants need to reside in Redwood City School District boundaries in order to apply.
Can I apply for another year?
Applications are only accepted annually for the upcoming school year. We invite families to apply each fall/winter for the upcoming school year.
Do siblings automatically qualify?
Siblings must qualify on their own merit. Once they qualify, siblings would have priority to be placed together in the lottery system.
What if I have more questions or want to see the school?
If you would like to know more about North Star, please email Principal Sara Shackel at sshackel@rcsdk8.net