Prairiewood Application: Waiting List, Scholarship, & Enrollment Lottery -St. Francis

Prairiewood Application: Waiting List, Scholarship, & Enrollment Lottery

This form is to apply for classes and scholarships at Prairiewood Forest School. We only need a new application for returning students each summer. For more information, please visit stfrancisofthewoods.org/school, where you can find class details and deadlines.

Submitting an Application does not guarantee availability or placement. Each Fall and Spring, we receive more applications than we can accept, so we conduct a weighted lottery for open spots (after returning student priority) to help ensure that our scholarship fund’s impact reaches its full potential and that our classes are reflective of our local community. For Summer classes, complete this form only if you desire to apply for scholarships; otherwise, you can enroll directly at stfrancisofthewoods.org/school.

Complete one (1) lottery application per class, for all the students you would like to enroll. For example, if you are applying for 3 students to enroll in 2 classes, you will complete 2 total applications.

Please email any questions to prairiewood@stfrancisofthewoods.org.

Parent or Caregiver Information

Your First Name (this should be the parent/caregiver)

Your Last Name (this should be the parent/caregiver)

Phone Number

Preferred means of communication

Phone call

Text message

Please note that Summer & Winter Scholarship applications are responded to on a rolling basis. Fall 2025 communications about whether your student(s) are invited to enroll or are placed on the Waitlist will be sent by EMAIL from June 9 - July 30. Any applications submitted on or after those emails go out will automatically be placed on the Waitlist for any openings.

Do you wish to apply for financial assistance?

Yes

Student Information

Child(ren)'s Name(s)

Child(ren)'s Birthdate(s) - include year

For which class are you applying (if more that one class, complete an application for each)?

Wednesday Homeschool Co-op (ages 4-14)

Thursday Clover Patch Kids (ages 2-8)

Friday Wild Wanderers (ages 9-13)

Friday Teen Mentors (ages 14-17)

Summer 2025 Scholarship (ages 4+)

Academic Learning Pods (ages 12+)

OPTIONAL Demographic Questions

We strive to offer equitable access to nature programs, making our classes more available to those who tend to have less access, and providing opportunities to engage in nature play and outdoor learning to those who stand to benefit the most. Answering the following questions is optional, but aids us in applying for nonprofit funding grants and in weighting our lottery.

Please check any of the following that apply to your student(s) (OPTIONAL):

A parent or grandparent's first language other than English (example: Spanish) is spoken at home.

At least one enrolling student is, or has been, in a foster care program.

Student(s) reside within the Coyle Public School district.

Student(s) is/are member(s) of the Iowa nation.

Student(s) is/are member(s) of another Indigenous American nation.

Please DO NOT upload any personal financial information. However, if you have a document to support boxes you checked above (such as proof of address or a photo of the child's Tribal identification card), please upload that here.

Forest School education has been shown to be especially beneficial to neurodivergent children, those with emotional, cognitive, and behavioral diagnoses, and to children with physical impairments and developmental delays. We pursue equitable enrollment practices for all our classes, and do not discriminate against students based on disability.

Who has each diagnosis marked above?

Please DO NOT upload any personal financial information. However, if you have a document to support boxes you checked above (such as a referral from an Occupational Therapist), please upload that here.

Siblings

Please note siblings are NOT guaranteed a spot but ARE given priority in the lottery process and will be granted a spot if there is a spot available.

Is any NEW student listed in this application a sibling of a currently-enrolled Prairiewood Forest School student?

Yes

N/A

If yes, what is the currently-enrolled student's name?

How did you hear about our school (if Other)?

I understand that by completing this form, I am only applying for the enrollment lottery, and am not guaranteed a spot in any class.

I understand that should a spot open for my student(s), the school will attempt to contact me via email with a deadline for Handbook completion and tuition payment, and that only completion of those steps will secure enrollment for my student(s).

I confirm that this is the only application being submitted for this class, for all the students living in this household. If I wish to apply for another class, I will complete a separate application for that lottery.

I understand that I will be automatically added to the St. Francis of the Woods mailing list. I will unsubscribe if I do not wish to receive further communications.

After submitting this form, please check your e-mail for a confirmation containing your responses. Watch your e-mail for Lottery results beginning June 9 - July 30. Accepted students must follow the links in that e-mail to enroll. If anyone does not enroll by the deadline listed in that email, those spots will be reopened for another student to enroll, so emails may continue going out until classes begin in September.