Our kindergarten program is large, stimulating and fast-moving, with many transitions and multiple specialists for children to get to know. Upon review, and after much thought, research and experience, we have instituted an Age Cap and Cutoff policy. A child must have a birthdate between May 1, 2019 to July 1, 2020 to enter kindergarten in the 2025-26 academic school year. Applications for kindergarten begin August 1, 2024 and are due December 6, 2024.
Each year we enroll approximately 50 new students into our kindergarten class, representing a broad range of zip codes and preschools. We welcome applications for grades 1-5, but our openings in these grades are based upon attrition. It is possible that no openings will be available in those grades, but we invite highly qualified applicants to be part of our unranked wait-pool. This group of students is then considered if a spot opens between April and September.
A wide variety of students excel in our developmental program. We look for a broad range of students who reflect the social, economic and racial diversity of Los Angeles. Gender balance is also important at each grade level. We look for curious children who are eager to learn and have different emerging interests and talents. Because our kindergarten program is lively and engaging, with many transitions, we look for children with the emotional maturity to thrive in that environment.
We offer Elementary School tours from September through January as part of the application process. Please click here to learn more and register for a tour.
No, we do not give assessment tests to predict a child’s level of readiness. Instead, we rely upon in-depth discussions with parents/guardians, early childhood educator recommendation forms, and in-person group visit day. The information from the admission process allows us to determine if a child is a match for Crossroads.
No. Current parents and Trustees are not involved with the admission evaluation process, so an applicant’s relationship with them has no influence on admission decisions.
Crossroads does not accept personal letters of recommendation as part of a student's application file. We believe that including only required application pieces ensures a level of fairness for all applicants, embodying Crossroads' commitment to inclusion, equity and social justice.
While we give preference to sibling, alumni and employee families, we do not guarantee admission. Ideally, we would like all members of a family to attend Crossroads, but we know that what is right for one child might not necessarily be right for another. We look at each child individually and thoughtfully with an eye to their various needs, strengths and learning styles. Our goal is to ensure that each child feels secure and successful in our learning environment. We believe that it is important for Crossroads to maintain a healthy balance between new and sibling families.
Legacy applicants are defined as either 1) the adopted or biological children of a parent who attended Crossroads School, or 2) the biological or adopted siblings of Crossroads graduates. Step-children, foster children or other children living in the home will not automatically qualify for legacy status, but will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The depth of each legacy applicant’s connection with the School (whether the parent graduated, how long they attended Crossroads, how active the parent has been as an alumnus/alumna, etc.) may also be taken into account in the applicant review process.
Yes. We have found that it is crucial to have the most current and complete information possible when considering an applicant for admission. Therefore, students wishing to reapply for the following year must submit a new application.
While there are no scholarships at Crossroads, grants through our Affordability Program are allocated based upon financial need. Please see the Affording Crossroads page for more detailed information. Socio-economic diversity is one of the School’s founding commitments. Crossroads dedicates over $10 million in grants to families from a wide range of income brackets, benefiting one in four students.
At the heart of all of our educational programs is the nurturing of the social, emotional, physical and spiritual development of each child. Springing from our roots in progressive education, we know that learning should be experiential, child-centered and socially mindful. The beginning years (K-2) of our program allow for the many variations that are a natural function of child development. Accordingly, little homework is given through second grade. From third to fifth grades, students are given increased homework responsibilities, long-range projects and problem-solving opportunities in a non-competitive atmosphere.
In Elementary School, grades K-5, there are approximately 26 children per class and two classes per grade. Each class is staffed with two full-time teachers. Students attend nine specialized classes throughout the week in groups of 13. Specializations include library, STEAM Lab, science, art, music, drama/dance, Spanish and physical education (PE). Students attend PE daily in kindergarten through third grades and four times per week in fourth and fifth grades. When half of the class is with a specialist, the other half is in the classroom, engaged in small group work and one-on-one activities. Each child receives personalized attention in the half groups and an opportunity for collaboration and socialization in the full group setting.
One of the five founding commitments in the Crossroads philosophy is to the development of a student population of social, economic and racial diversity. Our community is a blend of cultures, ethnicities, socio-economic statuses, religions and family types. Within our community of learners, 54% identify as students of color and 38% of our K-12 faculty members identify as people of color. Our families come from 91 different zip codes, and one in four students receives grant awards from our Affordability Program. In our current kindergarten class, 51% of students identify as students of color, the families come from 31 preschools and 20 different zip codes and there are 49 different parent professions.
In the Elementary School, an all-school Social Justice Week launched in 2015 has strengthened our commitment to equity and inclusion. Developmentally appropriate and thought-provoking activities at each grade level produce deep discussions, compelling student presentations and awareness of the need for more equity and fairness in our world and compassion for our classmates and neighbors. Social Justice Week continues to be a critically important aspect of the curriculum.
In 2019, Crossroads launched our groundbreaking Equity & Justice Institute to deepen and extend our work and find meaningful solutions to the challenges our students will inherit, including racism, sexism, poverty, war, environmental degradation, educational inequities, religious persecution and genocide.
Learn more about the School's commitment to diversity and inclusion here.
Crossroads is a true community and every parent/guardian automatically becomes a part of the Parent Association. The parent/guardian/school partnership is essential and we welcome involvement through a range of opportunities, such as joining the hospitality committee, working in the library, serving school lunch, participating in the Crossroads Fund Phon-a-Thon or being a classroom parent. Because we know many parent/guardians have significant work commitments, we make sure there are opportunities for participation in a variety of ways.
Yes. Our before- and after-school program is called Hang Out. The program includes early morning care (at no additional fee), daily and "drop-in" after-school care and enrichment classes, such as jazz band and strings. After-school athletics are offered beginning in grade five.
We offer four bus lines in the morning and afternoon for an additional fee. (Financial assistance is available). All four of the buses have a return trip that picks up from both campuses and leaves school by 3:30 p.m. We also offer zip code lists and maps in order to encourage carpooling.
Please visit our Transportation page for more detailed information.
