Our Lady of Mount Carmel School
FAQs
We hope that the following information will answer some questions as you begin to explore educational opportunities for your child and school communities for your family. Elementary school is a family experience!
FAQs
The school is located in Redwood City, in the historic Mount Carmel district, at the corner of Grand Street and Katherine Avenue. The school is an integral part of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, which is the block framed by James, Fulton, Katherine, and Grand Streets. The school is one block behind Sequoia High School, which is on El Camino Real.
The maximum class size is ~36 students for grades K-8, 15 for TK, 15 for Preschool.
Yes. TK and Kindergarten each have a full-time instructional aides. Grades 1-5 each have a nearly full-time instructional aides. Our current staff to student ratio is 1:12.
Students applying for Kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 1st of the year in which they start school.
Kindergarten is a full day program - Monday - Friday: 7:53am - 3:00pm, except Wednesday: 7:53am - 12:50pm;
Students applying for TK must child must turn five during the school year (note age change from prior years). OLMC will assess for TK readiness.
TK schedule is: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 7:53am - 1:30pm; Wednesday - 7:53am - 12:50pm
The TK, Kindergarten Resource Specialist will individually assess children entering TK or Kindergarten. The first grade teacher or Resource Specialist will test students entering first grade. The classroom teachers or the Resource Specialist will test the older applicants.
All new families will meet with the Pastor and the Principal as part of the application process. For students entering TK or Kindergarten, the assessment lasts between 20 and 25 minutes and takes place while parents are interviewing with the Principal and Pastor. For students entering grade 1 the testing takes about 35 to 45 minutes, and for those entering grades 2 through 8 testing times are between 1 hour and 1 hour 45 minutes. For the older applicants, every effort will be made to schedule parent interviews at the same time as the testing.
Our extended care program, A Kid's Place, is available at 7am-5:30pm before and after school to all enrolled students in grades TK-8. (TK students younger than 4.9 years must wait until they reach 4.9 years to attend A Kid's Pace.)
Yes. The school participates in The Basic Fund, the Archdiocesan Tuition Assistance Program, and the Our Lady of Mount Carmel School Tuition Assistance Program. Please see the Tuition Assistance page for important due dates and further information. Please note: The BASIC Fund, which is designed to assist families transitioning into private school, has a March 15 deadline, so it is essential to meet this March 15 deadline and submit a complete application before you hear our admissions decisions.
No, there is open enrollment at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and all applications received by January 31, 2025 will be reviewed together. After January 31, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis based on available seats in classes.
Yes. The school has two Open Houses: an evening in November and a Sunday afternoon in January each year. At this time you will be able to visit the classrooms and talk to the faculty and administration. You will also have the opportunity to meet with current parents, students, alumni, and School Board members. In addition, school tours are available, by appointment only, at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday mornings, from November-January, when school is in session.
Most faculty members are credentialed with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and most faculty members have Masters degrees. Please visit our Faculty/Staff page to learn more about our extraordinarily talented team.
Many students of each graduating class choose to continue their Catholic education and are accepted into the Catholic College Preparatory High School of their choice, including Junipero Serra, Notre Dame, Mercy, Sacred Heart Prep, Saint Francis, Bellarmine, Saint Ignatius, and Woodside Priory. We also have students who attend local public high schools in the Sequoia Union High School District, including Sequoia, Woodside, Summit, and Everest in Redwood City, as well as Carlmont in San Carlos and Menlo-Atherton in Menlo Park.
