HB Lottery?

[Anonymous]

We definitely didn’t get a sibling preference! If anything, our lottery results reflect a negative bias for siblings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

There is no sibling preference at HB at all.

At elementary option schools, there is a sibling preference in the lottery if the sibling is concurrently enrolled but you don't move up the waitlist- you get the preference next time you enter the lottery. Ex- 1st and 4th grade siblings apply to an option school and the 1st grader gets in but the 4th is number 12 on the waitlist- the 4th grader doesn't jump to the top but if they enter the lottery for their 5th grade year they would get sibling preference in the lottery.

Twins are treated as one in the lotteries for elementary so if one gets in the other does too. I'm about 97% sure that twins are not admitted like that to HB.

Wrong. Twins are admitted together to HB and so are triplets.

This is the Nancy Van Doren Exception. I think she had kids at HBW when this was debated years ago. She is a twin mom herself and started crying/babbling incoherently at a school board meeting about the mysterious and deep bond that twins share since the womb and why separating them into different schools would be devastating. She was widely mocked for her speech at the time, but the School Board still endorsed it. The compromise was that twins admitted to HBW count as one spot, so it supposedly doesn't reduce the number of kids admitted (although if they can squeeze in a few extra twin siblings, then why can't they just increase the class size... but whatever).

I remember this episode clearly and I was certain NVD lost this battle, despite her temper tantrum. Guess I was wrong. The policy and PIP currently say that siblings will get preference for elementary admission only. The policy says twins are treated as one/admitted as two and doesn't address school level or program (the PIP is silent on twins) - so I guess the twin policy applies to Arlington Tech, and the IB program at W-L, and every secondary program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

There is no sibling preference at HB at all.

At elementary option schools, there is a sibling preference in the lottery if the sibling is concurrently enrolled but you don't move up the waitlist- you get the preference next time you enter the lottery. Ex- 1st and 4th grade siblings apply to an option school and the 1st grader gets in but the 4th is number 12 on the waitlist- the 4th grader doesn't jump to the top but if they enter the lottery for their 5th grade year they would get sibling preference in the lottery.

Twins are treated as one in the lotteries for elementary so if one gets in the other does too. I'm about 97% sure that twins are not admitted like that to HB.

Wrong. Twins are admitted together to HB and so are triplets.

This is the Nancy Van Doren Exception. I think she had kids at HBW when this was debated years ago. She is a twin mom herself and started crying/babbling incoherently at a school board meeting about the mysterious and deep bond that twins share since the womb and why separating them into different schools would be devastating. She was widely mocked for her speech at the time, but the School Board still endorsed it. The compromise was that twins admitted to HBW count as one spot, so it supposedly doesn't reduce the number of kids admitted (although if they can squeeze in a few extra twin siblings, then why can't they just increase the class size... but whatever).

I remember this episode clearly and I was certain NVD lost this battle, despite her temper tantrum. Guess I was wrong. The policy and PIP currently say that siblings will get preference for elementary admission only. The policy says twins are treated as one/admitted as two and doesn't address school level or program (the PIP is silent on twins) - so I guess the twin policy applies to Arlington Tech, and the IB program at W-L, and every secondary program.

I was at the work session where it happened, and it was embarrassing for her. If you don't want your kids separated, fine send them both to the neighborhood school. She simply wanted to up the odds of getting her kids into the so-called special school. It's one of those things that passed because our school board doesn't like anything but unanimous votes, but in the moment Reid called her out on it.

[Anonymous]

It seems logically inconsistent to treat twins differently than any other set of siblings. That said, I’m generally in favor of policies that make things easier for families so I support the twin policy (just wish it was broader to include all siblings).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

There is no sibling preference at HB at all.

At elementary option schools, there is a sibling preference in the lottery if the sibling is concurrently enrolled but you don't move up the waitlist- you get the preference next time you enter the lottery. Ex- 1st and 4th grade siblings apply to an option school and the 1st grader gets in but the 4th is number 12 on the waitlist- the 4th grader doesn't jump to the top but if they enter the lottery for their 5th grade year they would get sibling preference in the lottery.

Twins are treated as one in the lotteries for elementary so if one gets in the other does too. I'm about 97% sure that twins are not admitted like that to HB.

Wrong. Twins are admitted together to HB and so are triplets.

This is the Nancy Van Doren Exception. I think she had kids at HBW when this was debated years ago. She is a twin mom herself and started crying/babbling incoherently at a school board meeting about the mysterious and deep bond that twins share since the womb and why separating them into different schools would be devastating. She was widely mocked for her speech at the time, but the School Board still endorsed it. The compromise was that twins admitted to HBW count as one spot, so it supposedly doesn't reduce the number of kids admitted (although if they can squeeze in a few extra twin siblings, then why can't they just increase the class size... but whatever).

I remember this episode clearly and I was certain NVD lost this battle, despite her temper tantrum. Guess I was wrong. The policy and PIP currently say that siblings will get preference for elementary admission only. The policy says twins are treated as one/admitted as two and doesn't address school level or program (the PIP is silent on twins) - so I guess the twin policy applies to Arlington Tech, and the IB program at W-L, and every secondary program.

I was at the work session where it happened, and it was embarrassing for her. If you don't want your kids separated, fine send them both to the neighborhood school. She simply wanted to up the odds of getting her kids into the so-called special school. It's one of those things that passed because our school board doesn't like anything but unanimous votes, but in the moment Reid called her out on it.

Her kids were already at WL and in college at the time. But she may have had some other reason for insisting on the twins issue. Not sure why though.

[Anonymous]

Question about waitlist mechanics. We got a crummy number for a rising ninth grader. We will apply again next year. Will our crummy number from this year’s lottery be our number for all of next year while our child is in ninth grade even after the next lottery round (so he’ll have two operative waitlist numbers until he actually enters 10th grade)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

There is no sibling preference at HB at all.

At elementary option schools, there is a sibling preference in the lottery if the sibling is concurrently enrolled but you don't move up the waitlist- you get the preference next time you enter the lottery. Ex- 1st and 4th grade siblings apply to an option school and the 1st grader gets in but the 4th is number 12 on the waitlist- the 4th grader doesn't jump to the top but if they enter the lottery for their 5th grade year they would get sibling preference in the lottery.

Twins are treated as one in the lotteries for elementary so if one gets in the other does too. I'm about 97% sure that twins are not admitted like that to HB.

Wrong. Twins are admitted together to HB and so are triplets.

This is the Nancy Van Doren Exception. I think she had kids at HBW when this was debated years ago. She is a twin mom herself and started crying/babbling incoherently at a school board meeting about the mysterious and deep bond that twins share since the womb and why separating them into different schools would be devastating. She was widely mocked for her speech at the time, but the School Board still endorsed it. The compromise was that twins admitted to HBW count as one spot, so it supposedly doesn't reduce the number of kids admitted (although if they can squeeze in a few extra twin siblings, then why can't they just increase the class size... but whatever).

I remember this episode clearly and I was certain NVD lost this battle, despite her temper tantrum. Guess I was wrong. The policy and PIP currently say that siblings will get preference for elementary admission only. The policy says twins are treated as one/admitted as two and doesn't address school level or program (the PIP is silent on twins) - so I guess the twin policy applies to Arlington Tech, and the IB program at W-L, and every secondary program.

I was at the work session where it happened, and it was embarrassing for her. If you don't want your kids separated, fine send them both to the neighborhood school. She simply wanted to up the odds of getting her kids into the so-called special school. It's one of those things that passed because our school board doesn't like anything but unanimous votes, but in the moment Reid called her out on it.

I remember this BS. if they're treated as one, then they should only get a single lottery number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

I know several North Arlington families with both siblings at HB. So that is just random luck??

Yes, it’s random luck. We had two get in and two not get in. That’s how the ball bounces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

There is no sibling preference at HB at all.

At elementary option schools, there is a sibling preference in the lottery if the sibling is concurrently enrolled but you don't move up the waitlist- you get the preference next time you enter the lottery. Ex- 1st and 4th grade siblings apply to an option school and the 1st grader gets in but the 4th is number 12 on the waitlist- the 4th grader doesn't jump to the top but if they enter the lottery for their 5th grade year they would get sibling preference in the lottery.

Twins are treated as one in the lotteries for elementary so if one gets in the other does too. I'm about 97% sure that twins are not admitted like that to HB.

Wrong. Twins are admitted together to HB and so are triplets.

This is the Nancy Van Doren Exception. I think she had kids at HBW when this was debated years ago. She is a twin mom herself and started crying/babbling incoherently at a school board meeting about the mysterious and deep bond that twins share since the womb and why separating them into different schools would be devastating. She was widely mocked for her speech at the time, but the School Board still endorsed it. The compromise was that twins admitted to HBW count as one spot, so it supposedly doesn't reduce the number of kids admitted (although if they can squeeze in a few extra twin siblings, then why can't they just increase the class size... but whatever).

I remember this episode clearly and I was certain NVD lost this battle, despite her temper tantrum. Guess I was wrong. The policy and PIP currently say that siblings will get preference for elementary admission only. The policy says twins are treated as one/admitted as two and doesn't address school level or program (the PIP is silent on twins) - so I guess the twin policy applies to Arlington Tech, and the IB program at W-L, and every secondary program.

I was at the work session where it happened, and it was embarrassing for her. If you don't want your kids separated, fine send them both to the neighborhood school. She simply wanted to up the odds of getting her kids into the so-called special school. It's one of those things that passed because our school board doesn't like anything but unanimous votes, but in the moment Reid called her out on it.

I remember this BS. if they're treated as one, then they should only get a single lottery number.

My God people you are truly unhinged. HB is a good school, but it’s not Sidwell or something. Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

I know several North Arlington families with both siblings at HB. So that is just random luck??

Yes, it’s random luck. We had two get in and two not get in. That’s how the ball bounces.

The odds of that are crazy long.

[Anonymous]

When my kid and their friends were entering middle school a few years ago, one of the neighborhood kids was #3 on the waitlist and one of the neighborhood kids was #4. #3 declined in order to go to a different neighborhood middle school and #4 ended up getting in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question about waitlist mechanics. We got a crummy number for a rising ninth grader. We will apply again next year. Will our crummy number from this year’s lottery be our number for all of next year while our child is in ninth grade even after the next lottery round (so he’ll have two operative waitlist numbers until he actually enters 10th grade)?

The waitlist will start all over next year, you will be assigned a new number and the old number is no longer valid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

I know several North Arlington families with both siblings at HB. So that is just random luck??

Yes, it’s random luck. We had two get in and two not get in. That’s how the ball bounces.

The odds of that are crazy long.

Not really. I don’t know what percentage of kids are getting in these days, but if it’s, say, one in five then it’s one in five for each kid. It’s not like it’s power ball or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

I know several North Arlington families with both siblings at HB. So that is just random luck??

I know of at least one family where they applied year after year for the second kid but really wanted that sibling to go. They eventually got in partway through 9th or 10th grade. it is luck when it happens. Also there are fewer applications from some schools, so the likelihood of siblings getting in is greater there.

Yes. In some schools (predominantly South Arlington), your kid has a 50/50 shot at getting in. In other schools, the odds are much lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If one kid gets a spot at HB and sibling iis waitlisted, does other sibling get a spot or get moved to top of waitlist?

I know several North Arlington families with both siblings at HB. So that is just random luck??

Yes, it’s random luck. We had two get in and two not get in. That’s how the ball bounces.

The odds of that are crazy long.

Both of mine got in, but one not until 9th grade, and they weren't there at the same time