Registering for APS extended day

[Anonymous]

It looks like if we didn’t use extended day last year, we need to register in phase two. Is that correct? For phase two, does everyone who registers between June 8 and 22 goes into a lottery for a spot. Does it matter if I register at 8am on June 8 or register later in phase 2? I think everyone who registers during phase 2 gets a lottery number and it doesn’t go by earliest registration. Is that right?

[Anonymous]

We're in the same boat. Yes.

For me, I am a little frustrated that 2 years ago, the plan was that every family would have a spot so long as they registered in time. Now it seems like APS is not expecting to have enough staff and we'll be doing lottery. Just one more PITA to deal with as we all try to get to normal. The new start times really make extended day something more of us will need, when this year we could get by without it. I hope they can address this.

[Anonymous]

I think for 21–22 only Cardinal had a waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Our school is so under enrolled I’d be surprised if it had a waitlist. Maybe they can’t get staff though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat. Yes.

For me, I am a little frustrated that 2 years ago, the plan was that every family would have a spot so long as they registered in time. Now it seems like APS is not expecting to have enough staff and we'll be doing lottery. Just one more PITA to deal with as we all try to get to normal. The new start times really make extended day something more of us will need, when this year we could get by without it. I hope they can address this.

What do you think APS should do to solve this- they can’t run a program without enough staff. Extended day is hard to find people just like bus drivers because of the split hours. It’s not a full time job and the pay is low. Either way it’s better than FCPS where you can be on a multi-year waiting list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat. Yes.

For me, I am a little frustrated that 2 years ago, the plan was that every family would have a spot so long as they registered in time. Now it seems like APS is not expecting to have enough staff and we'll be doing lottery. Just one more PITA to deal with as we all try to get to normal. The new start times really make extended day something more of us will need, when this year we could get by without it. I hope they can address this.

I think it was partially due to registration issues caused by the first come first serve sign ups. Pretty sure the whole system crashed. Also, parents who can’t be on their computer at 7 am actually get a shot to get their kids signed up. But, as PP said, only one school had a waitlist this year so it might not even be the issue people are making it out to be- APS will hire more staff if they need to and have candidates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat. Yes.

For me, I am a little frustrated that 2 years ago, the plan was that every family would have a spot so long as they registered in time. Now it seems like APS is not expecting to have enough staff and we'll be doing lottery. Just one more PITA to deal with as we all try to get to normal. The new start times really make extended day something more of us will need, when this year we could get by without it. I hope they can address this.

Just noting they had the same process last year and it ended up that only Cardinal had a wait list. I think it's to avoid a first come first serve IT fiasco.

[Anonymous]

Regardless of when you register, if you do it during the spring/summer sign up window, you're highly likely to get a spot. They really try hard to meet the demand before the start of the school year.

However, people who don't sign up at the beginning of the year and decide mid-year that they want afternoon extended day will probably be out of luck. I know families who tried to sign up in Jan/Feb at our school were put on a waitlist and never got off. It's hard to find additional workers mid-year.

[Anonymous]

Good to hear this might not be an issue. It's not like there are other options, outside of hiring a sitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good to hear this might not be an issue. It's not like there are other options, outside of hiring a sitter.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm but there are other options- code ninjas, taekwando places, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good to hear this might not be an issue. It's not like there are other options, outside of hiring a sitter.

I can’t tell if this is sarcasm but there are other options- code ninjas, taekwando places, etc.

In Arlington? I don’t think any of them pickup from APS schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat. Yes.

For me, I am a little frustrated that 2 years ago, the plan was that every family would have a spot so long as they registered in time. Now it seems like APS is not expecting to have enough staff and we'll be doing lottery. Just one more PITA to deal with as we all try to get to normal. The new start times really make extended day something more of us will need, when this year we could get by without it. I hope they can address this.

I think it was partially due to registration issues caused by the first come first serve sign ups. Pretty sure the whole system crashed. Also, parents who can’t be on their computer at 7 am actually get a shot to get their kids signed up. But, as PP said, only one school had a waitlist this year so it might not even be the issue people are making it out to be- APS will hire more staff if they need to and have candidates.

Lol registration opened at midnight! I remember staying up until midnight and having to keep trying until 2-3 am because the site would crash even at midnight!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same boat. Yes.

For me, I am a little frustrated that 2 years ago, the plan was that every family would have a spot so long as they registered in time. Now it seems like APS is not expecting to have enough staff and we'll be doing lottery. Just one more PITA to deal with as we all try to get to normal. The new start times really make extended day something more of us will need, when this year we could get by without it. I hope they can address this.

I think it was partially due to registration issues caused by the first come first serve sign ups. Pretty sure the whole system crashed. Also, parents who can’t be on their computer at 7 am actually get a shot to get their kids signed up. But, as PP said, only one school had a waitlist this year so it might not even be the issue people are making it out to be- APS will hire more staff if they need to and have candidates.

Lol registration opened at midnight! I remember staying up until midnight and having to keep trying until 2-3 am because the site would crash even at midnight!

And let’s not forget that year that the site crashed at midnight so they nullified the registrations and reopened registration at noon on a Saturday— only to have it crash then! If you got through the phone line they told you to register in person so there was a mad dash of over a hundred parents to the extended day office. Let me see if I can find the thread here for shits and giggles!

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/624035.page#10479477

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/632257.page

Good times!

[Anonymous]

Where do you sign up for the lottery?