Become a Brightworks
Family

A Step-By-Step Guide

 
 

Step 1: Let’s Connect

Say Hello!

We love hearing from curious families. Please reach out to let us know what grade(s) you’re considering and if there are any questions we can answer to support your school search.

Join us for an Event!

  • Our fall open houses and tours will be open for registration late August.

  • 2025 Open Houses

    • September 20, 2025

    • October 18, 2025

    • November 15, 2025

    • December 10, 2025 (evening)

Informational Open Houses, virtual events and community educational events happen each fall and winter. For the most part these are open to prospective students of all ages. Sessions are designed to share information about our program generally, answer your more specific questions and help you get a feel for the school.

Follow Along

Read more about the goings-on at Brightworks by reading our blog or following us through social media! Updates are posted by staff and current parents.

Dive In

From our origins to the day-to-day experience, our informational videos walk you through some core facets of the Brightworks experience. Please scan through the videos to get a sense of the curriculum and pedagogical approach of our school. 

 

Step 2: Fill out an Application

We take your application very seriously, and consider it to be a critically important part of the process of discovering whether there is a good fit between Brightworks and your student, and Brightworks and your entire family.

Given Brightworks’ unique approach to a child’s education, it is important that both the school and family applying have ample opportunity to explore ideas, questions, thoughts, and feelings, and our application serves as a springboard for those later conversations.

All applications, application fee, and supporting materials for the 2025/2026 school year are due by Thursday, January 15, 2026 for priority consideration. We do continue accepting applications after this date, though the timeline of subsequent events may vary.

We are supported by the online application system Ravenna and encourage families to sign up for an account and use the online system to track required materials and application status.

Every family is welcome to apply, and should contact us if the application fee presents a hardship for your family. Applications received after spots have been filled will be placed in our wait pool. Should a spot open during the year, we will reopen the enrollment process and consider wait pool applicants for placement at Brightworks.

Step 3: Learn about Tuition Assistance

  • Apply Via Clarity & designate Brightworks as one of your schools

  • DUE: 1/15/26 for priority consideration.

Tuition for the 2024/2025 school year was $41,853. Brightworks is dedicated to providing need-based tuition assistance where possible. This program currently assists over a third of our families. Our tuition assistance is reserved for families with demonstrated inability to pay for full tuition.

We encourage all families who are experiencing financial hardship to fill out the Tuition Assistance Application via the 3rd party platform, Clarity. This tool helps us assess families’ ability to pay for tuition. Please read our Tuition & Aid page for more information.

We also encourage lower-income families applying to private school for the first time to apply for tuition funding through the BASIC fund. Please visit their website for more information.

Step 4: Family Conversations

  • After we have received your child’s application and supporting materials, we’ll set aside time to get to know one another either in person or via zoom. These typically take place December through February.

After the application deadline, we will contact applicant families to arrange a conversation with our Admissions Team. These conversations happen over Zoom or in person and typically last 45 minutes. We will be in touch with scheduling information in once the application materials have been completed.

This is a conversation between your family and our team aimed at deepening your understanding of our approach and clarifying our understanding of your needs and aspirations so we can figure out if Brightworks is the right fit for your family.

Step 5: Student Visits

  • After applications, we’ll share dates for student visits. These typically take place in February and March and give prospective students an opportunity to see Brightworks in action and families another chance to take an in person tour.

One of our favorite parts of the admissions process is meeting prospective students during a visit to the school in February or March. We email all applicant families with further information and registration information after the January application deadline.

Step 6: Notification of Acceptance

Admissions decisions are made thoughtfully, based primarily on the family’s and school’s shared vision regarding educational approaches and practices. There is no preference given for the date your application is received, although we do give priority to siblings of current students.

Notice of first round acceptances will be released on March 19, 2026. Enrollment agreements and deposits will be due the following week.

Students to whom we are not able to offer admission will be placed in our wait pool upon request, in case there are fall, winter, or spring admissions openings.