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[Hilary]

Hi DorothyWhen you're talking to Placement, can you get us an update on kindergarten and h.s. placements? We were originally told families would hear from the district in April ...Thanks!Hilary

[lbryce]

Anyone heard anything yet?!  I'm assuming no because our youngest in entering kindergarten next year and we haven't received the official letter yet.  He is guaranteed a spot given sibling preference, neighborhood school etc.  I'm guessing  those that don't know their child's placement until the lottery is run are beginning to get impatient.  The deadline for registering was a month ago.

We are hoping to host a "Welcome to School #12" for all incoming kindergartners and their families before the end of the year.   Without knowing when families will be notified, we're afraid to get it on the calendar.  If we wait too long we won't get it on the calendar!  To do a welcome event right it takes some planning.  Staff need to be available. We're hoping to have transportation attend too.  Then once all of the planning on our end is done, it takes awhile to get mailings out via central office.  That can't be overlooked.  How many of us have been notified of an event AFTER it has taken place or the day before.....  That would be a horrible way to welcome a new family....

I'm sure the office of student placement is going crazy with all of the secondary changes being rolled out now for next year.  Now that I've mentioned secondary, has anyone with kids moving on to 7th grade heard anything?   I heard rumors that those going to SOTA were notified...any others??

Sigh......this is no way to keep the "For Sale" signs away........I seem to recall "For Sale" signs being mentioned in another location on the forum as well....

[Hilary]

Apparently the district is now saying the end of May ... because of the budget process (?).  It's a shame that Every. Single. Year. there is something that causes a delay. 

[PamintheWedge]

it certainly makes sense that schools want to organize orientations or welcoming events and that it takes preparation to do well. i can understand your frustration!

i've never faced the kindergarten lottery, but i can see why it's such an important event that gives families their first taste of the district.

i've waited twice now for secondary results. in '08 it was the end of may when we got a letter from central office giving us the complete list of schools that our son had been accepted in.

this year we have heard from 2 individual schools so far - SOTA and World of Inquiry. the rest are to follow later this month.

end of may doesn't seem too bad for such a big district, at least when waiting for placement at the secondary level. and in the case of SOTA and WOI, the schools were allowed to send their own acceptance letters out on the saturday prior to the end of april/spring break. a welcome meeting for incoming 7th graders is already scheduled for later this school year at SOTA, as opposed to two year ago when i believe it was held mid to late summer.

 i see progress, but it sounds like kindergarten could use a boost.

[Hilary]

I agree that end of May is pretty good -- my fingers and toes are crossed! I think Lori and I have been through too many years in which the kindergarten placements came out in July or August (and I'm pretty sure h.s. placements have also come out after the end of the school year  ... maybe the same year you're talking about) so when the deadline starts sliding, we worry! 

I just think it would be really good for the district if it could ever tell families ahead of time when the placement results will be available -- whenever that is -- and then stick to that schedule. I'm not sure that's ever happened! And you're right, kindergarten parents are probably extra sensitive to the whole experience, especially if they're considering other options, such as charter schools.

[JandJmom]

Just when I was feeling a little guilty about calling central office incompetent at the budget hearing,  I learn that K-Lottery results are delayed again.  Lori, Hilary and I sat in a room with Gladys Pedraza- Burgos and she said "we are changing things, it will be done by April 30.  I understand how important it is to the parents."  Real leaders make important symbolic changes happen.

I challenge Gladys to tell me who is the decision maker who said it doesn't really matter if we break our word (as usual) and delay the lottery.

This is the behavior and attitude that causes those for sale signs to pop up.  It is also what drives concerned parents away from doing any work at the district level.  Aaarrrgggghhhhhh!!!!

[lbryce]

Not to beat a dead horse....but I just saw an advertisement in the City newspaper asking people to register their children for kindergarten in the RCSD by May 28th.  I don't want to jump to any conclusions but it read as if the deadline for registration is May 28th (not the previous deadline of March 31st).  This is a far cry from the lottery results being available by mid April.........clarification anyone?! 

[lbryce]

I just called student registration about the kindergarten lottery.  I was told that the lottery results will be out by the end of the month. Upon asking about the May 28th deadline, I was told that the applications being taken now for kindergarten are for different schools? While the person I spoke with was quite friendly it was pretty clear she wasn't interested in discussing the process! 

[lbryce]

Another phone call to the placement office yielded more clarification.  If a child was registered by the March 31st deadline, the results of the lottery will be sent out by the end of May.   Why it takes 2 months from the close of registration to get results is beyond me.  One rumored cause is the number of classrooms at each school had not yet been decided. 

The May 28th deadline is an extension for families that missed the March 31st deadline.  It is my understanding that these applications will not be processed with those that registered on time.    These families will only be able to register for schools in which there are openings.  (Some schools will have already met 100% capacity and will be "closed" for registration).   In the south zone, the schools that are still "open" for registration include:  2, 3, 4, 16, 19, 29, 35 and 44. 

As a side note, given all of the accolades for School 19, I'm shocked that it didn't fill in the first round....