OPEN ENROLLMENT IS NOW CLOSED

Heartwood is a small, tuition-free K–8 public charter school rooted in place-based learning, strong academics, and deep connections to nature and community. Families who feel aligned with our program are encouraged to apply for the 2026-27 school year. If applications in any grade exceed the number of available spaces, a lottery will be held. Please see below for details about our enrollment process.


2025-26 Rolling Admissions

We may have a couple spaces available for the current school year if you would like to transfer your child into our program. Please email hello@heartwoodeducation.org or call (603) 696-1856 to inquire whether there is an available spot. If the grade level you apply for is full, you will be placed on the current (25/26) waitlist.

2026-27 Enrollment

The open enrollment period for the 2026-27 school year was February 16th–March 16. .Online applications are now closed, but will reopen for rolling admissions/waitlist after the lottery.

There were more applicants than spots available, so a lottery will be held to determine placement and our waitlist

The lottery will be held at the Chapel at the Bellevue Barn (685 Presidential Hwy, Jefferson, NH 03583) at 4:30 pm on Wednesday, March 25. You may also join remotely at: https://meet.google.com/fzh-ejcw-ohf


 

Enrollment Information:

LOTTERY PROCESS

  1. Open enrollment will run from February 16-March 16. Families submit applications online during this period. Applications do not carry over from year to year and families must re-apply each year if they did not secure a spot. A student may enter kindergarten if their chronological age will be five years on or before September 1 of the year of entering kindergarten. There are no exceptions to this rule.

  2. Once open enrollment closes, we will determine whether there are enough available slots for all of the prospective students. If the number of prospective students per grade-level exceeds the number of available spaces, we will hold a lottery. The lottery process randomly selects students to fill the available number of student spots. The lottery will is open to the public and will also be live-streamed. The lottery selection date is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25. The lottery is complete only once every applicant from that year’s lottery has been pulled. This determines the order of our waitlist.

  3. Families will be notified of the results of the lottery by email. Families of admitted students have 48 hours following notification of admission to submit their Commitment Form. Submission of the Commitment Form will result in securing the student’s place in the class. If a Commitment Form is not returned to Heartwood within 48 hours, that space will be offered to the next family on the waitlist. Commitment Forms will be emailed to admitted families.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Heartwood Public Charter School offers automatic re-enrollment to its students. In order to secure this space, currentfamilies who would like to continue to attend Heartwood are required to submit a completed Commitment Form each year, so there is clarity about available spaces before the lottery that is held for new families. Commitment Forms will be sent home with each student, may be downloaded from our website, or may be picked up from your child’s teacher or in the main office. Returning Commitment Forms will go out Monday, March 2 are due back Thursday, March 5 by the end of the day. If Commitment Forms are not returned by the deadline, that student’s space for the 2026-2027 school year will be forfeited.

ENROLLMENT PRIORITY

All chartered public schools shall accept qualified pupils from any school district. Per NH law, New Hampshire students are given preference over out of state students—a pupil who meets the admission requirements of a chartered public school, and who is a resident of New Hampshire, shall be given absolute admission preference over a nonresident pupil. Once admitted, chartered public school pupils need not reapply for admission for subsequent years.

At HPCS, priority is given to the following groups:

  • Children of HPCS Founding Board members

  • Siblings of currently enrolled students

  • Children of full-time HPCS employees

For more information about NH charter school policy, visit 194-B:2 Chartered Public Schools; Establishment; Parental Choice; Admission. 

ENROLLMENT ASSESSMENT

There is no standard assessment for any incoming students; however, families should talk with the administration about any concerns they might have to ensure Heartwood is a good fit for their child.

OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS

Out-of-state students may attend Heartwood. While NH residents must be given preference, our current cohort of students come to us from all over the North Country—from Lancaster, Whitefield, Jefferson, Bethlehem, Littleton, Berlin, Groveton, and beyond—as well as several Vermont towns. Tuition applies for out-of-state students, though as Heartwood is a state approved Public Charter School, your school choice district may cover the costs. Please contact us or apply now to learn whether Heartwood is right for your family.