Frequently Asked Questions

St. Thomas is a PK3—Grade 5 school. Students applying for preschool must be three years old by September 1.

Prospective families interested in partnering with St. Thomas for their child’s education must meet the following requirements: 

• Complete an application form and pay the application fee 
• Attend an Admission Open House
• Participate in a Parent Meeting with the Director of Admission 
• PK - K candidates must attend a Playgroup Evaluation 
• Grades 1 - 5 students must spend a day at St. Thomas for a Shadow Day Evaluation 
• Submit school transcripts (if applicable) 
• Provide a teacher recommendation (if applicable) 
• Upload a copy of the birth certificate and a family photo 

St. Thomas mandates immunizations as required by the Florida Department of Health. To attend our School, each student must upload a completed Florida Certificate of Immunization (form DH680) and a School Entry Health Exam (form DH3040) to the Magnus Health portal. Health forms must be current and submitted annually before the start of school for all new and returning students. 

An exemption from immunization requirements is permissible only with a physician's certification as to the need for either a temporary or permanent medical exemption. An exemption from these requirements is not permissible for religious, philosophical, personal, or other reasons.

St. Thomas has three PK3 and four PK4 classes, with approximately 15 students in each class. Priority is given to siblings of current students, alumni, and parishioners. Each year, the number of spaces available varies based on priority applicants and attrition.

St. Thomas has been classified as a low-risk school by the Coral Gables Police Department. However, safety and security are our top priority and the school has implemented several measures to mitigate risk. This includes: 

• All community members and visitors must pass through the School’s Guardhouse and be screened by security. 
• We employ two full-time security officers and two armed Coral Gables police officers who remain on campus all day. 
• Additionally, we have an additional Coral Gables police officer who assists us in directing traffic during arrival and dismissal times. 
• We utilize AI facial recognition terminals to release children safely. 
• Cameras are used to identify approved license plate numbers and monitor visitors.
• Security cameras are strategically placed throughout the campus and are monitored regularly.
• All faculty and staff are CPR-certified, EpiPen trained, and participate in ALICE crisis simulations. 
• All employees and substitutes undergo a screening process, including background, fingerprint, and drug testing. 
• St. Thomas employs a full-time registered nurse

St. Thomas’ hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 

Classroom doors open at 7:55 a.m.; attendance is taken at 8:10 a.m. daily. 

• PK-3: 8:10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 
• PK-4: 8:10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Kindergarten - Grade 5: 8:10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Early care is available Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m., while aftercare is offered until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

St. Thomas proudly offers a robust sports and enrichment Quest program for all grades. Students can participate in acting, art, basketball, cheerleading, chess, choir, dance, flag football, lacrosse, piano, soccer, tae kwon do, tennis, robotics, volleyball, and more.

Our classroom sizes are approximately 14-18 students, with three to four sections per grade.

PK-3 - Grade 1: Two teachers are assigned to each PK-3, PK-4, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 classroom. 

Grade 2 - Grade 4: One teacher serves as the lead instructor in each classroom. With an associate teacher assigned to each grade level.

Grade 5: Mirroring the middle school model, 5th grade is departmentalized with core subjects taught by four separate teachers: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. 

Specialized teachers in art, music, science, dance, physical education, innovation/technology, literacy,  library, and Spanish, as well as a seasoned team of learning specialists with backgrounds in neurodiversity, support all grade levels.

We accept students of all faiths and promote personal formation through moral, spiritual, intellectual, creative, physical, and social development. The school-wide chapel is offered weekly, along with grade-level spiritual instruction once a week. Parents are welcome to attend either service and join their students in worship.

Along with providing strong academics, St. Thomas places equal emphasis on children's spiritual and social-emotional formation, thus educating the whole child.

Episcopal schools are built on the pillars of worship, community life, religious formation, and the commitment to social justice.

Yes, tuition covers the cost of daily lunch provided by Sage Dining. For more information on our lunch program, visit their website.

St. Thomas does not accept any scholarships, including those provided by the Step Up program, such as the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) and The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO).

We offer need-based tuition assistance to students in kindergarten to grade 5. The school uses Clarity Tuition—an outside service that collects and processes all paperwork—to help the school's tuition assistance committee determine financial need. Completed applications and corresponding documents are thoroughly reviewed by our committee in an equitable manner and, if granted, are awarded for one year. Further information can be found by clicking here.

Continuous Enrollment is a common-sense approach to enrollment, followed by almost all middle and high schools and colleges, and is being adopted by many independent schools nationwide.

Rather than an opt-IN annual re-enrollment process, Continuous Enrollment is an opt-OUT process. In other words, if you are returning to St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School after initially enrolling, you will never have to fill out another re-enrollment contract.

We assume that you will return unless you inform the School otherwise by completing the online OPT-OUT form.

No student will be considered for re-enrollment for the succeeding academic year unless their billing account is current, and they are in good academic standing.

St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School reserves the right to withdraw acceptance and terminate the enrollment contract based on determinations, made by St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School in its sole discretion, that the Student did not satisfactorily complete the school year either academically or behaviorally.

Advisors meet and guide parents of grade 5 students through the middle school application process and assist them in determining the most suitable "fit" for their child. Historically, our graduates have gained acceptance to their top-choice schools that represent the finest middle and high schools in South Florida.

The school is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS).