Join us for our virtual Open House which took place live on January 10. We invite you to begin by meeting co-founder and head of Birchwood School of Hawken Charles Debelak, co-founder and Birchwood’s director of curriculum Helene Debelak, and head of Hawken School D. Scott Looney as they discuss Birchwood’s mission to develop the intellect and the character of each student.

Meet preschool teachers Maggie Mulloy and Pam Brady, and kindergarten teachers Ester Chen and Casey Hallett as they describe the daily routines of Birchwood’s youngest students as well as our approach to meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of each child.

Join Mike Sprau and Rana Bottino as they provide a brief overview of the education our elementary students receive at Birchwood. They discuss subject specialists, individualized attention, small classes, talent development, the success cycle, and the development of good character.

Join Nicole Gregory and Jennifer Seward as they provide parents with a brief overview of the education our middle school students receive at Birchwood. They discuss subject specialists, individualized attention, small classes, talent development, the success cycle, and good character development.

Join Charles Debelak for a brief overview of character development and Joe Parrino ‘88 who gives an outline of Birchwood’s over 20 Signature Programs. Each student has the opportunity to participate in all of these enriching programs. 

Acceptance to Birchwood is dependent on two factors: applicant qualifications and availability of space and resources. Because spaces are limited and the applicant pool is competitive, it is to the candidate’s advantage to complete their application by the admissions deadlines listed below for entry in the fall of 2021. Applications completed outside this timeline are considered on a rolling admission basis and are subject to limited space and/or limited Flexible Tuition. 

Students must have completed and submitted all required components of the application by the January 15, 2021 deadline to be considered for admission. Families will receive decision notification on February 12, 2021 and will have two weeks from the date of notification to respond to the offer of admission. 

Application Deadline, Grades PS-8	January 15, 2021
Flexible Tuition Deadline, Grades K-8	January 15, 2021
Notification Date, All Grades	February 12, 2021
Reenrollment of Current Families Opens	January 4, 2021
Reenrollment of Current Families Deadline	January 15, 2021

Birchwood’s application process allows us to get to know your child and your family. Please note that there may be changes to the procedures below to comply with COVID-19 safe practices and testing availability.

1. Create an application account on Ravenna at https://www.ravenna-hub.com/schools/55183
2. Delegate recommendation forms for preschool and kindergarten to a caregiver or teacher
3. Print and submit school records release for grades 1-8 with recent report cards and standardized or other testing documentation
4. Attend a preschool screening or kindergarten assessment
5. Schedule a student visit or online interview for students entering grades 1-8

We can assist Cleveland families interested in participating in the Cleveland Scholarship Program as well as families who would like additional information on applying for Flexible Tuition. Please email Director of Admissions Linda Miyares at admission@birchwoodschool.org.