Join Our School Community

Imago Dei offers you and your children an education focused on first-rate academics, a safe and nurturing environment, and a strong partnership with your family. Together, we will build a solid foundation for their future.

Please note, in keeping with our mission to offer a vibrant, rigorous, and holistic Christian education to families of all ethnicities and income levels in the Northside of Richmond, Imago Dei is not a “first-come, first-served” school. Instead, we strive to find the right students and families to ensure there is a mutually beneficial fit.

Admissions & Community Liaison

Hi! I’m Alana Smith. I serve as the Admissions and Community Liaison for Imago Dei Neighborhood School. It is my privilege to share about Imago Dei with the Northside community, and in particular, to meet with parents considering if Imago Dei is a good fit for their family.

NOTE: Due to extremely high interest, we are not able to accept any new applications for the 2024/25 school year.

Admissions Process

Admission Criteria

To honor our vision for an ethnically and economically diverse school community, Imago Dei is not a first-come, first-served school.

There are three broad categories we consider in the application process.

Economic Diversity
Family Commitment
Student Readiness

Click here for further explanation of each criteria.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Income: We are committed to serving an economically diverse student body. It is our vision and joy to prioritize families who normally would not be able to afford a private, Christian education.

Location: As a neighborhood school, we are committed to families who live in the city of Richmond, with a particular heart for the Northside and East End. Space-permitting, we will enroll students from the greater Richmond metro area.

Ethnicity: We are committed to reflecting the beauty of our community, serving a culturally and ethnically diverse student body.

FAMILY COMMITMENT

Welcome Visits: We believe God has given parents the primary responsibility for the education of their children. Each September, we ask parents/guardians to host their child’s teacher for a short visit (either in their home or at another comfortable location), allowing the adults most central to the child’s success to build a strong partnership early in the school year.

Parent Teacher Conferences: Just as parents host teachers in their home early in the school year, parent-teacher conferences allow the teacher to host parents in the classroom two times during the school year. These conferences build the partnership between home and school, focusing on the holistic well-being of each child.

Financial Stewardship: As in independent school, Imago Dei receives no government funding to operate. All expenses, including teacher salaries, are made possible through parent tuition payments and philanthropic giving. Prompt payment of tuition commitments is essential to the health of the school, and is a basic requirement for continued enrollment.

Volunteering: While not required, parents and guardians are warmly invited to visit and volunteer at Imago Dei; a wide variety of opportunities will be made available throughout the school year.

READINESS

Academic: We work with students from all backgrounds to ensure success through an academically excellent, gospel-centered, liberal arts curriculum. While Imago Dei is not equipped to meet significant learning challenges, small classes allow moderately individualized academic support. If this is a concern for your student, please let us know as part of the admissions process.

Behavior: We want to ensure that each student displays age-appropriate readiness in the areas of social and emotional development to set them up for success in the classroom and beyond. We also believe a child’s education is enhanced by a beautiful and orderly environment. We seek to work with parents to develop the biblical virtues of kindness, reconciliation, respect, and self-discipline in each Imago Dei student.

Please note: A child must be 4 years of age by September 30th of the year he/she would begin Pre-K and 5 years of age by September 30th for Kindergarten.

Address and Parking

Our school is located at 4103 Monument Avenue. Please enter through the office doors located on the back of the building nearest Antrim Avenue. Ample street parking is available.

Open Houses

Evening Open Houses are held throughout the fall and winter. Each Open House provides time to explore classrooms and common spaces, and to visit with administrators, beginning at 6:30, with an information session from 7:15 - 8 pm. Families welcome. Upcoming Open Houses:

Tuesday, October 29

Tuesday, November 19

Tuesday, January 14

Please register your plans to attend by clicking below.

Register for an Admissions Open House

Can’t attend an Open House? Reach out to Admissions Director Alana Smith to schedule a Wednesday introductory tour: admissions@imagodeirichmond.org.

How to Apply for Fall 2025

Admissions Open Houses are held in the fall and winter. Following Open Houses, those families interested in moving forward will fill out an application and schedule a family meeting.

If you are not able to attend an Open House, please schedule a tour with our Admissions Director.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Families who move through our process can expect to:

Attend a Tour or Open House.
Complete an application. Our Admissions and Community Liaison will provide the application following a tour or Open House . After reviewing the application, she will let you know your next steps: moving forward, holding, or not moving forward. If moving forward ...
Gather financial and school records. If applicable, have your child's current teacher (or other close adult) complete this questionnaire. Then, schedule time to …
Participate in a family meeting with our admissions team. This will give your family an opportunity to ask additional questions, review school commitments, and more. School records and financial forms should be submitted at this time. All financial forms (current AGI as evidenced on your most recently filed1040, or your past two paystubs if your 1040 is not an accurate picture of current finances) will be confidentially reviewed.
Students will participate in a grade level placement assessment.

If you have any questions during any part of the process, please email admissions@imagodeirichmond.org or call 804-716-7265.

Admissions Decisions

For those moving forward, the admissions offer will include the family’s expected tuition payment. Families will be asked to confirm their intention to enroll within two weeks.

School Year Schedule

Classes begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. each school day. Students may be dropped off 20 minutes before school begins, and should be picked up no later than 15 minutes after school dismisses.

A fee-based after school program is offered until 5:15 p.m.

Variable Tuition

IMAGO DEI OFFERS VARIABLE TUITION PLANS, BASED ON INCOME AND FINANCIAL NEED.

Within the city of Richmond, the cost to educate an elementary student is approximately $14,000. While public schools rely on funding from local, state, and federal government sources, independent schools must collect tuition to operate.

At Imago Dei, we believe the full expression of the kingdom of God depends on a community that is rich in diversity. Because this is fundamental to our mission, we raise money each year to ensure that we have a tuition plan to fit every family.

The amount of tuition paid by each family is primarily determined by household size and income, however additional factors may be considered, particularly for families facing extenuating circumstances. Each student’s specific tuition rate is confirmed through submission of financial paperwork. As helpful, we are happy to discuss potential tuition rates for your family as you enter the application process. Payments can be made in one lump sum, or divided over ten months (September - June each academic year).

NOTE: A significant multiple student discount is applied when a family’s tuition rate is established.

Pre-Kindergarten Tuition

Imago Dei offers a small, full day Pre-kindergarten class in conjunction with our elementary program. Tuition for this program is capped at $7,500. Morning-only Pre-Kindergarten is also available, with a tuition cap of $4,500.

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Imago Dei Neighborhood School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.