Practical info on what to do when you get in nowhere

[Anonymous]

What to do when you apply and get in nowhere:

1. Take a deep breath and realize that you can always apply again next year, and that you may have better luck next year (last year I got in everywhere, this year nowhere, for example)
2. Broaden your options: take a look at elementary schools you might have missed. For example, HD Cooke and West Elementary schools are both doing interesting things right now (HD Cooke is moving to a brand new building; West has a new dynamic principal with great programs), so maybe you can send your kid there, at least this year.
3. If you're looking for PreK/PreS, some PreK & PreS programs have added on new classes for more space, so you might be able to get in now where you couldn’t before. Go to http://dcps.dc.gov/featured-schools.htm for more info.
4. Wait and see. Most people applied a lot of places and are now considering their options. Wait lists move at a surprising rate – My DS was 53rd on the waitlist last year at one Preschool charter, and we still got in.
5. If you are looking for PreK/PreS, consider applying in person at the following charters to get on their waitlists if you haven’t done so already: AppleTree in Columbia Heights, Bridges in Mount Pleasant, Centronia in Columbia Heights. AppleTree and Bridges and Centronia all went all the way through their waitlists last year, and then took people who walked in. Note: Centronia is the 3&4 year old Universal PreK program (don’t get it confused with DC Bilingual, which is also administered by Centronia but goes PreS through 6th grade). Centronia is somehow not listed as a charter school (it’s called Universal PreK instead), so many people don’t know about it. They move their waitlist continually, so you can even get in mid-year.
6. Check out LAMB – I heard they were adding on more PreK and PreS slots, so they actually still might have openings.

[Anonymous]

This is such a constructive post! I have high hopes for H.D. Cooke. The neighborhood could use a solid elementary school. After all, Adams-Morgan got its name from two neighborhood schools. (Gosh, I'm sounding corny.) My child is older so it's too late for me but if DC were younger I'd definitely look into H.D. Cooke. The building is the best of both worlds. It's been fully renovated and it's got those great bones of yesteryear.

[Anonymous]

Thank you!!!

[Anonymous]

I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your post. I would like to ffer one minor edit.

The LAMB PCS is holding their lottery this week. The application deadline has passed. They have over 250 applications already. The movment of the waitlist and the number of available slots remains to be seen.