Specialty Lottery - Do People Just Enter for Kicks?

[Anonymous]

What is with the gigantic movement on the waiting list numbers? Do people just enter for kicks?

I know that some people just decide to go private, or they prefer one of the Charter Schools (so they enter both), but I thought there was no way we would get into our first choice based on the waiting list number we initially received. We are now at single digits on the waiting list.

What gives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is with the gigantic movement on the waiting list numbers? Do people just enter for kicks?

I know that some people just decide to go private, or they prefer one of the Charter Schools (so they enter both), but I thought there was no way we would get into our first choice based on the waiting list number we initially received. We are now at single digits on the waiting list.

What gives?

Well, I am on the waiting list, and have only moved up by 1 number....as in, they only selected 1 kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is with the gigantic movement on the waiting list numbers? Do people just enter for kicks?

I know that some people just decide to go private, or they prefer one of the Charter Schools (so they enter both), but I thought there was no way we would get into our first choice based on the waiting list number we initially received. We are now at single digits on the waiting list.

What gives?

It depends. Alot of parents select every school/program available to their child to keep their options open. Tell us the school or specialty program and it may offer insight as to the gigantic movement you are referencing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is with the gigantic movement on the waiting list numbers? Do people just enter for kicks?

I know that some people just decide to go private, or they prefer one of the Charter Schools (so they enter both), but I thought there was no way we would get into our first choice based on the waiting list number we initially received. We are now at single digits on the waiting list.

What gives?

It depends. Alot of parents select every school/program available to their child to keep their options open. Tell us the school or specialty program and it may offer insight as to the gigantic movement you are referencing.

John Hanson French Immersion

[Anonymous]

Our child is currently a kindergartener at JHFI and was something like #54 on the waiting list. We received a letter shortly after the lottery saying that she had been placed at the school. I was surprised because I thought there were only 2 kindergarten classes. However, they increased the K classes from 2 to 4 for 2014-2015 (and thereafter) due to the additional school funding. Hence, there were more spots available. Last year there were still slots available for Kindergarten placement at JHFI well after the lottery had ended. Such was the case for the Spanish immersion program at Overlook as well. I think the fact that they have opened more classes at the kindergarten level has almost equally met the demand for the porgram.

[Anonymous]

Yes my child was in the 100s and we got a slot at John Hanson French. I was surprised. We turned it down though as it wasn't our first choice and will continue in private school.

[Anonymous]

I entered for the choice- we got into Heather Hills TAG as well as Pullen, and decided against them, but were good to have as options to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I entered for the choice- we got into Heather Hills TAG as well as Pullen, and decided against them, but were good to have as options to us.

May I ask why? Are ur kids enrolled in Private or Public now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I entered for the choice- we got into Heather Hills TAG as well as Pullen, and decided against them, but were good to have as options to us.

May I ask why? Are ur kids enrolled in Private or Public now?

Kid is currently in public. I wasn't happy about the prospect of having to drive to Pullen for after school pick up for activities (which is frequent), and actually didn't receive my letter for Heather Hills in a timely fashion and found out after school had started. Kids are in public at Ogle in Bowie. Very happy with it but will be going Private for high school.

[Anonymous]

If you enter the lottery and are not offered a place, do you receive an email stating that? Or do they only send you an email if you DO get a place? We have a small number on the wait-list and have not received word if we're accepted or not. Should I just give up on them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you enter the lottery and are not offered a place, do you receive an email stating that? Or do they only send you an email if you DO get a place? We have a small number on the wait-list and have not received word if we're accepted or not. Should I just give up on them?

You should have received a letter with you initial wait list placement. Do you check the website? We received emails for both of our placements.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, we received a letter with our initial wait-list placement in March. And I check the website (http://gis.pgcps.org/Specialty_Results/) every few days. Our position on the wait-list hasn't changed for months. When do you know if everyone has been placed in a school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, we received a letter with our initial wait-list placement in March. And I check the website (http://gis.pgcps.org/Specialty_Results/) every few days. Our position on the wait-list hasn't changed for months. When do you know if everyone has been placed in a school?

I think the deadline is Sept 30.