Has anyone on EL Haynes waitlists gotten a call/email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, come on, it is obvious what the poster meant. Every charter school asks students who win the lottery to elect to accept the spot. Usually they have 2-3 weeks to do so. If you decline, they move down the waitlist.

Of course - my point is that people who haven't decided will accept the spot and then back out later on when they DO make the decision. That's why there is much more movement after the first day of school, when they see who actually shows up. Getting all worked up now is pointless.

And I point I made earlier in this thread, maybe EL Haynes is on to something, don't bother with the churn now, because you just end up doing a lot of paperwork for folks that don't show up anyway. It is an adminstratively efficient way to run the wait list / lottery.

[Anonymous]

I am fine with that. My only criticism is really about communication. I would appreciate if they just run the wait list that way and communicate as such.

I also can see why others would be frustrated to not know until August, but that is problem the school cant do anything about if everyone has committed.

[Anonymous]

And, the reason is because they have given people 3 months+ to accept. That seems unfair.

But what you seem to be saying is that you want kids kicked out to make a spot for yours. That seems unfair.

[Anonymous]

Fair or no, it's more the reality of school choice and parents hedging their bets. There is no cost to commit and many parents commit to more than one free option (e.g. one or more charter, one DCPS) and wait till end of summer to decide. It's frustrating for most of us planners, but that's the way it's done in DC. Yes, parents should commit early but they don't. They should communicate their true intentions to the schools, but they don't. Or maybe their plans are truly in flux for whatever reason. So the school is left unable to move the list until the last possible moment. The real communication issue seems to be that the PP wants a definitive answer, and the school is unable to give one. It's frustrating, but I don't think Haynes is unique to this reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And, the reason is because they have given people 3 months+ to accept. That seems unfair.

But what you seem to be saying is that you want kids kicked out to make a spot for yours. That seems unfair.

Kicked out? I feel like people still arent getting the point. All of the spots on a WL are held by siblings of kids already in school, especially where the WL matters. Is it really that big of an ordeal for those families to commit within 3 months about going to said school. I am not saying that they have to fill out paperwork, I am not saying that the have to pass blood tests, what I am saying is that you call these families and they say, "yes, right now, I will decide to send the brother of my third grader to ps-3 next year." As far as I know, that has not happened at ELH. They certainly havent said that to me when I called. It has happened at every other charter school that I have heard of. Two Rivers WL has moved several spots already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fair or no, it's more the reality of school choice and parents hedging their bets. There is no cost to commit and many parents commit to more than one free option (e.g. one or more charter, one DCPS) and wait till end of summer to decide. It's frustrating for most of us planners, but that's the way it's done in DC. Yes, parents should commit early but they don't. They should communicate their true intentions to the schools, but they don't. Or maybe their plans are truly in flux for whatever reason. So the school is left unable to move the list until the last possible moment. The real communication issue seems to be that the PP wants a definitive answer, and the school is unable to give one. It's frustrating, but I don't think Haynes is unique to this reality.

I hear you, but the school should just keep them to that. I am all for sibling preference but ELH should not be in the business of fostering a closed-community. It's a public charter. You can only give the existing families so long. Then you have to make them decide. All schools make this tough decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And, the reason is because they have given people 3 months+ to accept. That seems unfair.

But what you seem to be saying is that you want kids kicked out to make a spot for yours. That seems unfair.

Kicked out? I feel like people still arent getting the point. All of the spots on a WL are held by siblings of kids already in school, especially where the WL matters. Is it really that big of an ordeal for those families to commit within 3 months about going to said school. I am not saying that they have to fill out paperwork, I am not saying that the have to pass blood tests, what I am saying is that you call these families and they say, "yes, right now, I will decide to send the brother of my third grader to ps-3 next year." As far as I know, that has not happened at ELH. They certainly havent said that to me when I called. It has happened at every other charter school that I have heard of. Two Rivers WL has moved several spots already.

How do you know they haven't filled out their paperwork and committed to the school? The person you reach by phone may not have all the facts about who has filled out which form. Perhaps the reason you get conflicting information is that you are not speaking with the person managing the list, rather someone who is helping you the best they can with the information they have. And the fact that one charter school list moves is completely unrelated to another. How do you know that the Haynes list will move at all? If I had a spot, I wouldn't give it up for any reason, though I'm not interested in 2R at all and wouldn't hesitate to release a spot immediately.

[Anonymous]

That is my point. That has not been communicated properly. And, it seems to me that the reason is because they are giving existing families more time. If they werent, all they would have to say when you call is, "To date, all families for your grade have committed to a spot, the WL has not moved." That isn't what they say. I dont see why that is difficult to communicate. Instead, they say, "We haven't gotten to the WL yet, check back next week."

[Anonymous]

seems to me that the reason is because they are giving existing families more time

Based on gossip on an anonymous bulletin board.

To date, all families for your grade have committed to a spot, the WL has not moved." That isn't what they say. I dont see why that is difficult to communicate. Instead, they say, "We haven't gotten to the WL yet, check back next week."

That's exactly what they are telling you, just in different words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is my point. That has not been communicated properly. And, it seems to me that the reason is because they are giving existing families more time. If they werent, all they would have to say when you call is, "To date, all families for your grade have committed to a spot, the WL has not moved." That isn't what they say. I dont see why that is difficult to communicate. Instead, they say, "We haven't gotten to the WL yet, check back next week."

I totally agree and understand your frustration. Even if they have a commitment to their existing families, they also need new families for their continued existence. Whatever their reason, I don't think it's a fair strategy. They held their lottery in April. Two months is more than enough time and more than many current families at other schools get to declare their intent to re enroll. The school has probably sent home various reminders and any current family that hasn't responded till now is not very keen on the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

seems to me that the reason is because they are giving existing families more time

Based on gossip on an anonymous bulletin board.

To date, all families for your grade have committed to a spot, the WL has not moved." That isn't what they say. I dont see why that is difficult to communicate. Instead, they say, "We haven't gotten to the WL yet, check back next week."

That's exactly what they are telling you, just in different words.

Got it. So, when they say, we havent started going through the WL yet, they really mean, WL hasnt moved because all families have accepted. I am glad you were able to clear that up. One would assume they would just use the actual words, but I guess "different words" make it more fun for me to figure out the puzzle.

[Anonymous]

Why on earth are you so angry about this?

[Anonymous]

yeah, lady, better pace yourself. You have a lot of months - years! - to go and you'll have a stroke before Halloween at this rate.

This is the way it is. Not the way we that type-A working moms wish it to be, but the way it is.