Does anyone feel unfair because of sibling reference?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that sibling preference is fair to only children. Should not be a preference.

That's because you either haven't thought very hard or just aren't good at it. Keep trying.

[Anonymous]

Being bumped back is frustrating, but the preference makes all the sense in the world. You should generally treat the waitlist as meaningless - do not make plans based on assumptions that you'll get off a waitlist sometime in the summer. In fact, make your plans based on the idea that your child will start school at kindergarten and treat anything that happens before that as a bonus.

[Anonymous]

You should be more concerned about MD kids getting into DC schools for PK without paying a dime. 3 kids in my child' class live in MD and they've been at the school since PK. Now in 3rd grade. And their sibs too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that sibling preference is fair to only children. Should not be a preference.

We've been through this before....The first kid in every family -- whether the family has one or multiple children -- faces the same situation.

[Anonymous]

My son (older kid) didn't get a PK 4 spot but my daughter (younger kid) got one because of her brother. If you have another kid then you might be pretty happy to have the preference.

It's just how the cookie crumbles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being bumped back is frustrating, but the preference makes all the sense in the world. You should generally treat the waitlist as meaningless - do not make plans based on assumptions that you'll get off a waitlist sometime in the summer. In fact, make your plans based on the idea that your child will start school at kindergarten and treat anything that happens before that as a bonus.

Thank you. I did exactly same with your comments. Accepted another plan . Still feel unfair when someone even did not go through the whole process and got the offer. But I know we all need to accept the fact that it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's hard to keep perspective, but OP all of the siblings who are getting in 'ahead' of you live IB as well.

Chances are at least some of their older siblings were not able to enroll when they were in PK4.

If you have a younger child, he/she will easily get in once your child is in K or above.

True, but I suspect they would have moved IB since the lottery. Why else add the younger siblings so late in the process? It sucks but once OP gets a spot in PK4 or K they'll have the same advantage over other young families trying to get a placement for 1st born.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my siblings never gave me references. so jealous.

OMG. Again, it's preference not reference. And when you start using terms like heartbroken I have a hard time feeling sympathy because you just strike me as overly dramatic. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my siblings never gave me references. so jealous.

OMG. Again, it's preference not reference. And when you start using terms like heartbroken I have a hard time feeling sympathy because you just strike me as overly dramatic. Ugh.

Uhm, the PP you're responding to is obviously not the OP and was joking about the same mistake you pointed out. Read again.

[Anonymous]

Given that PreK is by lottery (certain schools excepted), I think the OP has a point.

If a student was not in the initial lottery for the school as IB, they should stay with their original profile. If the child was not in the initial lottery, they should be added to the
back of the waitlist.

It is difficult for families to have children at separate schools. I know b/c we did it as 1 sibling did not clear the waitlist for a charter and the other got in one year. I spent a year of 2 drop-offs, schedules, etc. But - the other option was 2 drop offs and I was paying for private PreK. Why should someone moving into the neighborhood get priority for free PreK over an established resident?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should be more concerned about MD kids getting into DC schools for PK without paying a dime. 3 kids in my child' class live in MD and they've been at the school since PK. Now in 3rd grade. And their sibs too.

So report them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given that PreK is by lottery (certain schools excepted), I think the OP has a point.

If a student was not in the initial lottery for the school as IB, they should stay with their original profile. If the child was not in the initial lottery, they should be added to the
back of the waitlist.

It is difficult for families to have children at separate schools. I know b/c we did it as 1 sibling did not clear the waitlist for a charter and the other got in one year. I spent a year of 2 drop-offs, schedules, etc. But - the other option was 2 drop offs and I was paying for private PreK. Why should someone moving into the neighborhood get priority for free PreK over an established resident?

Agree with this. There should not be a preference for pre-k.

-Mom of 4 kids

[Anonymous]

"Established resident"

*wanking motion*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should be more concerned about MD kids getting into DC schools for PK without paying a dime. 3 kids in my child' class live in MD and they've been at the school since PK. Now in 3rd grade. And their sibs too.

Irrelevant. Start a thread about boundary cheaters if you want to vent you spleen. It will be 20 pages long within the week.

[Anonymous]

Wait until you have a second child - would it be right for you to shlep all over town to drive the kids to TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS when they could attend the same one?

Don't follow your numbers so closely, OP. You'll give yourself severe anxiety.