Admissions Policy

The mission of the schools and early childhood centers of the Diocese of Raleigh is to engage our school/center communities in creating quality education within a Catholic environment that fosters the current and future development of the whole child.

Openings in the school will be filled in the following order:

1. Children already in the school who wish to reapply.
2. Siblings of parishioners and children enrolled in the school as of the previous school year.
3. STM Parishioners - applies to all REGISTERED, ACTIVE, AND CONTRIBUTING members of the parish.
4. Other Catholics - supporting documentation is required.
5. Other applicants. If there are more applicants in any of the above categories than there are available openings, selections for admittance will be done by waiting list.

To be eligible for acceptance and parish tuition rates for the school year, you must meet the following criteria:

• REGISTERED: Have been registered at St. Thomas More Church for one year as of March 15, of the previous year, unless you recently moved into the Triangle area. If you have recently moved into this area, documentation must be provided by your previous parish verifying that you were a registered, active, and contributing member of that parish.
• ACTIVE: Have attended weekly Mass at STM since March 15, of the previous year.
• CONTRIBUTING: Have contributed financially to the support of the Church in a regular and identifiable way through parish envelopes or checks since March 15, of the previous year. Contributions cannot be made in a lump sum and cannot be made retroactive in order to qualify for the reduced rate. If your tuition payments are delinquent for two months, you are in danger of losing your eligibility to continue your education for the rest of the year.

STUDENTS ENTERING FROM OTHER SCHOOLS: The administration of St. Thomas More Catholic School reserves the right to interview all children transferring from other schools and the parents of those children. We require copies of standardized scores, report cards, teacher recommendations, and any other samples of schoolwork that will help us to assess the child's academic readiness. We reserve the right to test any new applicant to determine their grade level, placement and acceptance and to do screening for Pre-K applicants. If we determine that we cannot meet the needs of the student, the parents will be advised to seek other placement. Acceptance emails will be sent out in February.

AGE AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: All new students must present original birth and baptismal certificates as well as a complete record of immunizations. One Teacher Assesment Form for preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade when applying, is also required. Two  differnt Teacher Assesments is required for 2nd - 8th grade. An application fee is needed to complete the process.

Preschool and Kindergarten Age Requirements: Students must be;

• 3 years old by August 31st for PK 3 (Students must be potty-trained and able to manage their toileting needs with limited assistance)
• 4 years old by August 31st for the PK 4· 
• 5 years old by August 31st for Kindergarten

IMMUNIZATIONS: North Carolina law requires all children in the state to receive certain immunizations. Click here for more information and state requirements.

RE-ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS:
Re-enrollment for 2024-25 is now open through the FACTS Family Portal, streamlining the process with no paperwork. Reminder: the deadline is February 1, 2024, with a late fee of $50 thereafter, potentially affecting seat availability.

Re-enrollment for students attending St. Thomas More Catholic School will occur in January. If tuition payments are not current, re-enrollment will not be accepted. If we determine that we cannot meet the needs of a student or if the student is interfering with the education of other students, we reserve the right to refuse re-enrollment. We will do all that we can to assist parents in finding an alternative that would best serve the needs of the child.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES:
All necessary school supplies and materials your child will need each year are included in your tuition and supplied by the school.  You are only responsible for purchasing a backpack, lunch box, and water bottle for your child.