Military Families

As a Virginia Distinguished Purple Star School, St. Louis Catholic School welcomes and supports our military students and families from Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, the Pentagon, Fort Myers, the U.S. Coast Guard Station and other military facilities throughout the Washington, D.C. area.

Planning Your Arrival to St. Louis Catholic School

Visit Us!
A visit to the school is an admissions requirement. St. Louis School will be hosting an in-person Open House on October 22, 2023. RSVP is required. Additionally, individual tours, both in-person and virtual, are offered. For more information or to register for the open house or tour, please check out our Visit page or contact Mrs. Kristin Matheis.

Apply
St. Louis understands that military families may be awaiting confirmation of orders prior to applying, but do encourage military families to apply early if there is even a possibility of relocation to the Alexandria area as applications are considered within the order they are received by priority criteria and wait lists at all grade levels are common.

Please visit our Admissions Protocol page for K-8 application instructions. Applications for the upcoming school year are accepted beginning November 1st. Families interested in applying for a mid-year transfer should space be available, should contact the school registrar ([email protected]).

Practicing Catholic, active duty military families relocating to the area within 6 months of the start of school may be considered in that application priority category with a signed Parish Acknowledgement Form from their current parish as well as Baptismal certificates and age-appropriate sacramental certificates for their children. Military families who have resided in the area and are considering a local school transfer will be considered within the appropriate application priority category - parishioner, Catholic or non-Catholic.

In addition to the 5-page application, a complete application packet includes a $60 non-refundable application fee, a copy of the child’s birth certificate and baptismal certificate (Catholic applicants), and proof of custody where applicable. A review of student transcripts, teacher recommendation, and an academic assessment administered by St. Louis School are also included in the admissions process.

Additional Requirements
Upon acceptance and before a student may start school at St. Louis, parents must submit a Virginia Health Form and immunization records to the school nurse. Families who have not yet relocated to the area can download the form here and have their current physician fill out the form. Families with students entering the 7th Grade are reminded that students must also have a Tdap booster and Meningococcal vaccine prior to the start of school.

Tuition & Financial Aid
All active duty military families regardless of faith may qualify for a Catholic tuition rate noted on the Tuition page. Financial assistance may be available through the Arlington Diocese tuition program. Please visit the Financial Aid page for eligibility requirements and application instructions. Deadlines for financial aid are mandatory.

The St. Louis School Extended Day Care program is an approved provider in the Operation Military Child Care (OMCC) Program. Military families may qualify for financial assistance through the Child Care Aware of America Military Fee Assistance program. For more information, please visit Child Care Aware.

Academic Planning for Prospective Students

All academically qualified students are welcome at St. Louis Catholic School regardless of race, creed or ethnic origin. The application process includes an academic assessment and receipt of teacher recommendation for all K-8 applicants and review of student records for students entering 1st-8th Grades. Military families relocating may schedule their assessments with the registrar for a timeframe in which they will be in the local area. Parents of applicants should submit the Release of Student Records form as well as the Teacher Recommendation form to their child’s current school.

St. Louis follows the curriculum guidelines designed and outlined by the Diocese of Arlington Office of Catholic Schools. Additional information on the curriculum and assessments specific to St. Louis may be found under the Academics tab of this website. The comprehensive Diocesan curriculum guidelines may be found here.

Students who wish to enter Kindergarten must be age 5 by September 30th of the school year for which they are applying.

St. Louis Catholic School recognizes that all children learn differently and that some may require accommodations.  In an effort to foster growth and success, the school embraces the challenge to provide assistance and programs to serve students with special needs according to the resources available within the school.  Teachers will make reasonable accommodations as determined by the Student Assistance Plan.  We strive to accommodate students with a variety of special needs. Please visit our Resource Center for more information.