New Extended Day registration process (APS) - no longer first come first served

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year and the year before, the site crashed, because of the incredible demand, which is the source of the "panic" they site. Yes, there's huge demand because they open an SINGLE WINDOW of registration time for an enormous student population. How about break it up by school and leave it as first come first served, and maybe incorporate the "re-enroll unless you opt out" as well, to further decrease stress on their crappy IT system.

I don't have time for this. What a mess.

This is so logical. At McK a few years back it filled up in March so parents who didn't immediately re-enroll got waitlisted even before the end of the school year so before the K kids even registered.

DS got waitlisted last year for McKinley even though I registered on "opening day" but later in evening after kids bedtime. I too was locked out in AM and could not take day off to wait in line. Apparently, if I had called the office to complain about system being down, the office would have taken my name to give me higher priority. Who knew.

This is especially difficult for those of us who are single parents or inflexible work hours/shifts or long commutes (ahem, lots of us) prohibiting flexible drop off and pick up.

This is also the year they expanded capacity. McK is beyond overcrowded if they can't serve the community's needs.

No, no. Everything is fine. John C and CB told me so. Nothing to see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought that Arlington (unlike Fairfax) would hire additional staff to accommodate all the families who want Extended Day? As in, there might briefly be a waitlist but then everyone gets in before September....Not true?

Avoiding the SACC waiting list nightmare was one of the reasons we chose Arlington over McLean.

I thought this as well. However, why was everyone crashing the system to register if they were guaranteed a spot? I don't quite understand that.

This is what the website says:

Is my child guaranteed a spot in Extended Day?
At most schools there each child will be enrolled, however there are waitlist each year at some schools. Children may be placed on a waitlist if the Extended Day program at the particular school has reached capacity.

Why are there waitlists at some Extended Day programs?
Waitlists occasionally occur due to staff and/or space needs. If additional staff is needed, we hire additional staff. If more space is needed, we work with school administrators to identify additional space for use by Extended Day.

Wow, I feel so naive. I had no idea that happened at McKinley, as PPs are reporting. Are there other schools where families didn’t get a slot and had to make other arrangements?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought that Arlington (unlike Fairfax) would hire additional staff to accommodate all the families who want Extended Day? As in, there might briefly be a waitlist but then everyone gets in before September....Not true?

Avoiding the SACC waiting list nightmare was one of the reasons we chose Arlington over McLean.

I thought this as well. However, why was everyone crashing the system to register if they were guaranteed a spot? I don't quite understand that.

This is what the website says:

Is my child guaranteed a spot in Extended Day?
At most schools there each child will be enrolled, however there are waitlist each year at some schools. Children may be placed on a waitlist if the Extended Day program at the particular school has reached capacity.

Why are there waitlists at some Extended Day programs?
Waitlists occasionally occur due to staff and/or space needs. If additional staff is needed, we hire additional staff. If more space is needed, we work with school administrators to identify additional space for use by Extended Day.

Wow, I feel so naive. I had no idea that happened at McKinley, as PPs are reporting. Are there other schools where families didn’t get a slot and had to make other arrangements?

Our option school has had a waitlist in the past. I don’t know how long the waitlist was because we made other arrangements.

[Anonymous]

My child attends a school that typically has a waitlist so I am a little nervous about this new process. On the other hand it's nice to not have to worry about registering at 9am (when I am teaching in an APS classroom)

[Anonymous]

It's funny how APS is spinning this as an equity thing when there are some schools that never have guaranteed extended day (smaller populations) and others where families have to lottery in. I'm not sure APS understands equity.

[Anonymous]

Thankful we are almost done with elementary and many (happy) years of APS extended day. Also thankful to have been at a school that isn’t oversubscribed. I actually do think it should be the responsibility of school districts to provide quality aftercare options for working parents. They can of course use other options but many people don’t have a lot of other options and extended day allows parents to work or study so they can better support kids in their education.

I think the lottery is more fair and less stressful than the mad rush and habitually breaking the internet but I think once you receive a spot at a school (either because program is routinely not full or via lottery) you should be allowed to enroll all siblings and also keep the spots until you opt out or child graduates. There will be attrition each year meaning new families will be able to apply for the new spots. Why make parents who had care lined up lose it a year later in a lottery and have to scramble? Each school can set dates to renew for the following year and then only the new families would have to lottery and the re registration would get spaced out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought that Arlington (unlike Fairfax) would hire additional staff to accommodate all the families who want Extended Day? As in, there might briefly be a waitlist but then everyone gets in before September....Not true?

Avoiding the SACC waiting list nightmare was one of the reasons we chose Arlington over McLean.

I thought this as well. However, why was everyone crashing the system to register if they were guaranteed a spot? I don't quite understand that.

This is what the website says:

Is my child guaranteed a spot in Extended Day?
At most schools there each child will be enrolled, however there are waitlist each year at some schools. Children may be placed on a waitlist if the Extended Day program at the particular school has reached capacity.

Why are there waitlists at some Extended Day programs?
Waitlists occasionally occur due to staff and/or space needs. If additional staff is needed, we hire additional staff. If more space is needed, we work with school administrators to identify additional space for use by Extended Day.

Wow, I feel so naive. I had no idea that happened at McKinley, as PPs are reporting. Are there other schools where families didn’t get a slot and had to make other arrangements?

Yes - they list Glebe, Key, ASFS, ashlawn, Abingdon and a few others as having waitlists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how APS is spinning this as an equity thing when there are some schools that never have guaranteed extended day (smaller populations) and others where families have to lottery in. I'm not sure APS understands equity.

Equity because -
Not everyone has access to a computer at 7am or 12am or whatever time they pick.
Not every parent speaks English to clock the buttons fast enough to “win”

Sure it’s annoying to worry about this every year, but it is more fair to all families.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP for pointing out that the waitlist schools are listed in the announcement: “In recent years, the following schools have reached capacity, resulting in waitlists: Abingdon, Arlington Science Focus, Ashlawn, Claremont, Glebe, Henry, Key, McKinley and Tuckahoe.”

That’s a lot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thankful we are almost done with elementary and many (happy) years of APS extended day. Also thankful to have been at a school that isn’t oversubscribed. I actually do think it should be the responsibility of school districts to provide quality aftercare options for working parents. They can of course use other options but many people don’t have a lot of other options and extended day allows parents to work or study so they can better support kids in their education.

I think the lottery is more fair and less stressful than the mad rush and habitually breaking the internet but I think once you receive a spot at a school (either because program is routinely not full or via lottery) you should be allowed to enroll all siblings and also keep the spots until you opt out or child graduates. There will be attrition each year meaning new families will be able to apply for the new spots. Why make parents who had care lined up lose it a year later in a lottery and have to scramble? Each school can set dates to renew for the following year and then only the new families would have to lottery and the re registration would get spaced out.

The example they gave at kindergarten night was the lesson learned in Fairfax county. They used to re-enroll existing families every year and there were families who never made it off the wait list in 6 years. How is that fair that some people win a lottery that sets them up for K-5 and others are perpetually shut out because every year there are the waitlist kids from all grades plus a new K class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thankful we are almost done with elementary and many (happy) years of APS extended day. Also thankful to have been at a school that isn’t oversubscribed. I actually do think it should be the responsibility of school districts to provide quality aftercare options for working parents. They can of course use other options but many people don’t have a lot of other options and extended day allows parents to work or study so they can better support kids in their education.

I think the lottery is more fair and less stressful than the mad rush and habitually breaking the internet but I think once you receive a spot at a school (either because program is routinely not full or via lottery) you should be allowed to enroll all siblings and also keep the spots until you opt out or child graduates. There will be attrition each year meaning new families will be able to apply for the new spots. Why make parents who had care lined up lose it a year later in a lottery and have to scramble? Each school can set dates to renew for the following year and then only the new families would have to lottery and the re registration would get spaced out.

I don't disagree in theory but it is often difficult to fill these jobs. The hours aren't great if you have your own kids which is why many people are looking for part-time work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how APS is spinning this as an equity thing when there are some schools that never have guaranteed extended day (smaller populations) and others where families have to lottery in. I'm not sure APS understands equity.

Equity because -
Not everyone has access to a computer at 7am or 12am or whatever time they pick.
Not every parent speaks English to clock the buttons fast enough to “win”

Sure it’s annoying to worry about this every year, but it is more fair to all families.

No, it's not. A handful of schools have waitlists while other schools are guaranteed spots. That's not equitable. All APS students should have the same chance of getting a spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny how APS is spinning this as an equity thing when there are some schools that never have guaranteed extended day (smaller populations) and others where families have to lottery in. I'm not sure APS understands equity.

Equity because -
Not everyone has access to a computer at 7am or 12am or whatever time they pick.
Not every parent speaks English to clock the buttons fast enough to “win”

Sure it’s annoying to worry about this every year, but it is more fair to all families.

No, it's not. A handful of schools have waitlists while other schools are guaranteed spots. That's not equitable. All APS students should have the same chance of getting a spot.

Exactly.

Also, online wasn't the only option for registration -- parents could also go to the Education Center and enroll in person. I am decidedly not happy about this new registration process and would much rather they upgrade their servers so the system doesn't crash when everyone logs on. Or maybe they make a special exception and enroll students for parents that don't have computer access -- or something. But this process they are proposing that I'm only hearing about now because of someone posting it on DCUM is b.s. I'm lucky in that my kid is old enough to be on her own after school if needed (we are at a school with a waitlist), but I don't really want to have to make that choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thankful we are almost done with elementary and many (happy) years of APS extended day. Also thankful to have been at a school that isn’t oversubscribed. I actually do think it should be the responsibility of school districts to provide quality aftercare options for working parents. They can of course use other options but many people don’t have a lot of other options and extended day allows parents to work or study so they can better support kids in their education.

I think the lottery is more fair and less stressful than the mad rush and habitually breaking the internet but I think once you receive a spot at a school (either because program is routinely not full or via lottery) you should be allowed to enroll all siblings and also keep the spots until you opt out or child graduates. There will be attrition each year meaning new families will be able to apply for the new spots. Why make parents who had care lined up lose it a year later in a lottery and have to scramble? Each school can set dates to renew for the following year and then only the new families would have to lottery and the re registration would get spaced out.

The example they gave at kindergarten night was the lesson learned in Fairfax county. They used to re-enroll existing families every year and there were families who never made it off the wait list in 6 years. How is that fair that some people win a lottery that sets them up for K-5 and others are perpetually shut out because every year there are the waitlist kids from all grades plus a new K class.

+1 You think it's bad here? SACC in Fairfax is much worse. This way seems more fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thankful we are almost done with elementary and many (happy) years of APS extended day. Also thankful to have been at a school that isn’t oversubscribed. I actually do think it should be the responsibility of school districts to provide quality aftercare options for working parents. They can of course use other options but many people don’t have a lot of other options and extended day allows parents to work or study so they can better support kids in their education.

I think the lottery is more fair and less stressful than the mad rush and habitually breaking the internet but I think once you receive a spot at a school (either because program is routinely not full or via lottery) you should be allowed to enroll all siblings and also keep the spots until you opt out or child graduates. There will be attrition each year meaning new families will be able to apply for the new spots. Why make parents who had care lined up lose it a year later in a lottery and have to scramble? Each school can set dates to renew for the following year and then only the new families would have to lottery and the re registration would get spaced out.

The example they gave at kindergarten night was the lesson learned in Fairfax county. They used to re-enroll existing families every year and there were families who never made it off the wait list in 6 years. How is that fair that some people win a lottery that sets them up for K-5 and others are perpetually shut out because every year there are the waitlist kids from all grades plus a new K class.

+1 You think it's bad here? SACC in Fairfax is much worse. This way seems more fair.

We are in SACC in Fairfax County. They still re-enroll existing families first. Open spots are given to those on the waitlist, in number order. Siblings got priority on the waitlist. You get on the waitlist a year + in advance, using only a phone in option. This system worked fine for us - we found alternate care options before we got off the waitlist, and now don't have to worry about getting in each year.