May Institute

Admissions

Thanks so much for your interest in the May Center for Child Development schools.

The admissions process varies somewhat at each of our schools. The information provided below is specific to the May Center day and residential school in Randolph, Mass. For specific admissions information about our other schools (Woburn and West Springfield, Mass., and Santa Cruz, Calif.), please contact each program directly.

Admissions Process

At the May Center for Child Development in Randolph, Mass., our two main objectives during the admissions process are to share information about our school services with families and professionals, and to work to determine if a student will be an appropriate fit for our school. We realize that each student has a different learning style and unique skill set, and our priority is to help meet the individual needs of each student accepted to our program.

Step 1: The admissions process for a student begins with a referral to the school. A referral packet should be sent to our Admissions Coordinator, Melissa Scarry. Typically the referral source is the public school district or, in some cases, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS). If a student is not funded through the school district, a parent may submit a private pay referral for their child.

Referral packets may differ on a case-by-case basis, but the following documents are necessary to begin the process for each child:

  • Referral letter from the public school district or funding source
  • Current assessments and an IEP, which state the student’s diagnosis
  • Prior evaluations by any professionals (i.e., PT, OT, Ed, Speech, Home, etc.)
  • Behavior Support Plan or similar document, if available
  • Supporting skill and behavioral data or program reports, if available
  • Discharge summaries from any prior hospitalizations, if warranted and available

Once Melissa receives the referral packet, she will begin the review process with our school’s clinical and educational team.

Step 2: During the review process, the team may request additional materials or ask to speak with other parties knowledgable about the student. We will also contact the referral source and the family to schedule a visit to the school and a screening of the student.

Step 3: Melissa will provide a tour of the school and our clinical team will conduct the student’s screening. If the family is seeking a residential placement, Melissa will also provide a tour of our community-based residential homes.

Please note: A referral is not necessary to receive a tour of any of our schools. We welcome anyone who is interested, school personnel and families alike, to schedule a visit at any time.

The final admissions decision is usually made within 1-5 business days following the screening. Melissa will inform the referral source and the family of our final admissions decision.

Step 4: Various documents must be submitted in order to complete the admissions process and enroll the student into the school. Some of these are the responsibility of the May Center and others are the responsibility of the family and/or referral source. Melissa will provide a list of the documents needed prior to the student’s admission date. These include:

  • An up-to-date IEP that reflects the May Center’s service delivery grid (some changes may need to be made to the existing IEP to reflect the May Center’s models of instruction)
  • Completed funding documents for tuition
  • Completed, required application documents
  • Placement Agreement
  • Completed Medical Consent Forms
  • Records of Medical/Dental annual exams completed within the last 12 months
  • Proof of Medical Insurance
  • Record of Immunizations
  • PMT Hold Agreement
  • Mode of Transportation/Emergency Release

Please note: Admission dates are set on a case-by-case basis. We consider all requests from the family and school district when determining the start date for each student.

Tuition

As a Massachusetts Chapter 766-approved provider of private day and residential schools, our tuition rates for students from the Commonwealth are set by the state’s Operation Services Division (OSD). The rates set by OSD vary for each private school and depend on the programs and services offered at the school. Tuition rates for all Massachusetts Chapter 776-approved private schools are available on the mass.gov website.

 

For Families –
What to Expect After Your Child is Accepted

Before Admission

We will schedule an intake meeting with your family to take place shortly before your child begins in our school. This provides an opportunity for your family to meet with the Family Services Coordinator, Clinical Director, and educational staff. We encourage you to share questions, concerns, and information with our team, and to discuss specific ways that we can support your child and family.

On the Day of Admission

If your child will be a moving into one of our community-based homes, your family will have the opportunity to visit the residence, unpack, and set up his or her room. We encourage you to bring any of your child’s personal belongings that are familiar and comforting, and to decorate the room so it reflects your child’s interests and personality.

We will work diligently to address your needs and concerns before, during, and after the move. We strive to make our residences feel warm and inviting and we want the students to feel like their residence is truly a home-away-from-home.

After your child’s first day at school, a member of our educational staff will call you to provide an update on his or her first day.

After Admission

We understand how crucial it is to have open communication between your family and our staff. We encourage you to contact your child’s teachers and/or staff at any time with questions. We will provide ongoing communication on your child’s progress and recap daily activities so you are aware of what goes on throughout the day.

Families of day students can expect daily communication with the classroom teacher via the daily home log, and weekly communication via emails, phone calls, and/or direct conferences.

Families of residential students can expect weekly contact with the residential staff for updates. We encourage you to have as much communication with your child as you desire. You can call, email, Skype, or visit your child’s home as often as you like. We have an open-door policy – you are always welcome to pick up your child for anything from an afternoon trip to the beach to a week-long vacation with family. We do ask for as much advanced notice as possible so we can help prepare your son or daughter for the transition.

For information regarding admissions into our Randolph school or residential program, please contact Melissa Scarry, Admissions Coordinator, at 781.437.1281 or mscarry@mayinstitute.org.