1. Home -
  2. Registration Selection Process -

How To Enroll

ECDC Registration Priority Categories & Selection Process

To be included in the initial registration selection process (lottery), please return the registration form with the registration fee no later than the program’s registration due date.  Registration forms will not be processed without the registration fee.

Registration forms recieved after the program’s registration due date will be processed on a roll-in, first come/first served basis after the initial selection process is completed. 

Results of the registration selection process will be distributed to families within one month of the program’s registration due date.

School Year Preschool Registration 

  1. A random selection process within each Priority Category, beginning with Category #1, will be used to fill available openings. Selection will proceed in order through the respective Priority Categories (either ECDC-SMC or ECDC-ND) moving to a lower Priority only after children in a higher Priority Category have been enrolled, if openings exist and requested schedules are available.
  2. Children not successfully registered as a result of the selection process will automatically be placed on the appropriate activity room Waiting List according to their position or standing (e.g., First, Fifth, etc.) resulting from the random selection process within each Priority Category. Families placed on a Waiting List will be notified promptly.
  3. A $50.00 non-refundable registration fee is required for each preschool child. To be included in the initial selection process, please return the preschool registration form found on the ECDC website with the required registration fee, no later than February 15. Results of the School Year enrollment process will be distributed to families by March 15.
  4. IMPORTANT – Parents withdrawing or reducing a child’s school year enrollment schedule after May 1st are responsible and liable for the payment of the full tuition of their original enrollment schedule through the month of December or until another child is enrolled to fill the vacated or reduced enrollment schedule.
  1. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-SMC School Year Program
  2. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-ND School Year Program
  3. Saint Mary’s College (SMC) Staff, Students, Administration, and Faculty Families
  4. Notre Dame (ND) Staff, Student, Administration, and Faculty Families
  5. SMC Alumnae and ND Alumnae (i) Families
  6. Holy Cross Order Employee Families
  7. Public Families (no affiliation), ECDC-SMC is open to the public

*Affiliated families have at least one parent or legal guardian: (a) employed by SMC, ND or Holy Cross Order; or (b) enrolled as a student in an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree program at SMC or ND; or (c) who is an SMC alumna or an ND alumnus(a).

    1. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-ND School Year Program
    2. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-SMC School Year Program
    3. Notre Dame (ND) Staff, Student, Administration, and Faculty Families
    4. Saint Mary’s College (SMC) Staff, Students, Administration, and Faculty Families
    5. ND Alumnae (i) and SMC Alumnae Families
    6. Holy Cross Order Employee Families
      (ECDC-ND is not open to the public)

    *Affiliated families have at least one parent or legal guardian: (a) employed by SMC, ND or Holy Cross Order; or (b) enrolled as a student in an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree program at SMC or ND; or (c) who is an SMC alumna or an ND alumnus(a).

    Kindergarten Registration 

    1. Registration for Kindergarten enrollment will follow the Priority Categories beginning with Priority Category #1, enrolling children requesting a full day schedule; thereafter if openings exist, children requesting a half day schedule (i.e., morning only or afternoon only) if requested schedules are available.
    2. Parents desiring to change their child’s Kindergarten schedule from full time to part time after registration is completed will move to the end or bottom of the part time Waiting List.
    3. A nonrefundable Registration Fee of $100.00 is required for all Kindergarten enrollment schedules. To be included in the initial selection process, please return the Kindergarten registration form found on the ECDC website with the required registration fee, no later than January 15. Results of the Kindergarten enrollment process will be distributed to families by February 15.
    4. A nonrefundable deposit equal to 2 weeks tuition is due by June 1st. This deposit will be applied to Kindergarten tuition.
    5. IMPORTANT – Parents withdrawing or reducing a child’s Kindergarten schedule after May 1st are responsible and liable for the payment of the full tuition of their original requested Kindergarten schedule through the month of December or until another child is enrolled to fill the vacated or reduced Kindergarten schedule.
    1. Families enrolled in the current ECDC-ND SY Program
    2. Families enrolled in the current ECDC-SMC SY Program
    3. Notre Dame (ND) Staff, Student, Administration, and Faculty Families
    4. Saint Mary’s College (SMC) Staff, Administration, Student and Faculty Families
    5. ND Alumnae(i) Families
    6. SMC Alumnae Families
    7. Holy Cross Order Employee Families

    Summer Camp Registration 

    1. A random selection process within each Priority Category, beginning with Category #1, will be used to fill available openings. Selection will proceed in order through the respective Priority Categories (either ECDC-SMC or ECDC-ND) moving to a lower Priority only after children in a higher Priority Category have been enrolled, if openings exist and requested schedules are available.
    2. Children not successfully registered as a result of the selection process will automatically be placed on the appropriate activity room Waiting List according to their position or standing (e.g., First, Fifth, etc.) resulting from the random selection process within each Priority Category. Families placed on a Waiting List will be notified promptly.
    3. A $50.00 non-refundable registration fee is required for each child. To be included in the initial selection process, please return the summer registration form found on the ECDC website with the required registration fee, no later than February 1. Results of the Summer enrollment process will be distributed to families by March 1.
    4. IMPORTANT – Parents withdrawing or reducing a child’s summer enrollment schedule after April 15th will be responsible and liable for the entire summer tuition whether or not the child attends the entire ECDC summer program or until another child is enrolled to fill the vacated or reduced summer enrollment schedule. Parents pay tuition for the entire summer program, including all absences due to vacations and illness.
    1. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-SMC School Year Program
    2. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-ND School Year Program
    3. Affiliated families* with children who attended ECDC last summer program
    4. Saint Mary’s College (SMC) Staff, Student, Administration, and Faculty Families
    5. Notre Dame (ND) Staff, student, Administration, and Faculty Families
    6. SMC Alumnae and ND Alumnae(i) Families
    7. Holy Cross Order Employee Families
    8. The Public, ECDC-SMC is open to the public

    *Affiliated families have at least one parent or legal guardian: (a) employed by SMC, ND or Holy Cross Order; or (b) enrolled as a student in an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree program at SMC or ND; or (c) who is an SMC alumna or an ND alumnus(a).

      1. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-ND School Year Program
      2. Affiliated families* enrolled in the current ECDC-SMC School Year Program
      3. Affiliated families* with children who attended ECDC last summer program
      4. Notre Dame (ND) Staff, student, Administration, and Faculty Families
      5. Saint Mary’s College (SMC) Staff, Student, Administration, and Faculty Families
      6. ND Alumnae and ND Alumnae(i) Families
      7. Holy Cross Order Employee Families
        (ECDC-ND is not open to the public)

      *Affiliated families have at least one parent or legal guardian: (a) employed by SMC, ND or Holy Cross Order; or (b) enrolled as a student in an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree program at SMC or ND; or (c) who is an SMC alumna or an ND alumnus(a).

      The Early Childhood Development Center admits students of any race, color, religion, gender, and national or ethnic origin​