How is the K waitlist doing? Apparently it was moving fast for a while.

Anonymous wrote:How long will they be calling kids off the waitlist? We are now #37 and I wonder if I need to do any thinking in case we get offered a spot. I expect many families are hesitant to move a kid a few weeks into the year, so maybe it’s possible we will get a spot? I had totally written it off last spring because our numbers were so high.

I think this continues until "count day" in early October so worth it to keep an eye on the waitlist seven though it's still probably a long shot.

How long will they be calling kids off the waitlist? We are now #37 and I wonder if I need to do any thinking in case we get offered a spot. I expect many families are hesitant to move a kid a few weeks into the year, so maybe it’s possible we will get a spot? I had totally written it off last spring because our numbers were so high.

Our kids go to ITS (K and 1st) and we've seen new students arriving in K. Of the families I know who did not return for K, two moved out of the area and I heard one family got into a language immersion charter. We love the school and all our kids' teachers have been amazing. Meanwhile my friends who did not do well in the lottery (mostly trying for PK3) already have enrolled elsewhere - several in private preschool (Temple Sinai or a Waldorf school in SS). My guess is those getting waitlist calls and not taking spots are settled elsewhere...or maybe not even paying attention to the waitlist. But for those who do take the leap, it's a great school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is nothing nefarious in the ITS list for K moving quickly and/or once school started. You all need to get a better hobby.

How do you know? It is odd. For PK3-1st, their list seems to move far more than any other Tier 1 charter between August and Oct -- other schools have movement but it's always earlier in the summer. It's been this way for the last couple years.

An ITS parent said that this was their pattern / strategy according to an admin. They don't make ECE calls to the wait list until the end of the summer because then they get people 'who really want the spaces.'

It is fine if it's just a policy choice. But it seems to be a ton of movement for K. People are having to make decisions on short notice when they thought there was no point in researching it, so I understand that they would have questions.

Anonymous wrote:There is nothing nefarious in the ITS list for K moving quickly and/or once school started. You all need to get a better hobby.

How do you know? It is odd. For PK3-1st, their list seems to move far more than any other Tier 1 charter between August and Oct -- other schools have movement but it's always earlier in the summer. It's been this way for the last couple years.

An ITS parent said that this was their pattern / strategy according to an admin. They don't make ECE calls to the wait list until the end of the summer because then they get people 'who really want the spaces.'

There is nothing nefarious in the ITS list for K moving quickly and/or once school started. You all need to get a better hobby.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We started in a higher elementary grade a week after school started. I agree they must not have started calling off the waitlist until after school year began, or close to it, which definitely makes it harder on everyone. BUT we knew we would take the spot if offered and the kids and teachers have been amazing. My kid is adjusting quickly and very happy. Definitely glad we made the move.

Glad it is going well. What kind of explanation did you give your child?

It wasn't easy but I explained that I felt like he was able to handle more academically than what he had at the current school and that we thought IT was good fit and that he was ready for it. We talked about how we would still see all of his old friends and make new as well as how after 4th grade many kids will leave his old school for different middle schools, etc. At first he was excited, but then was very sad when it all became real. Day 1 morning was tough but when I picked him up he was happy and had already made new friends. We are now 2 weeks in and no regrets.

Anonymous wrote:We started in a higher elementary grade a week after school started. I agree they must not have started calling off the waitlist until after school year began, or close to it, which definitely makes it harder on everyone. BUT we knew we would take the spot if offered and the kids and teachers have been amazing. My kid is adjusting quickly and very happy. Definitely glad we made the move.

Glad it is going well. What kind of explanation did you give your child?

We started in a higher elementary grade a week after school started. I agree they must not have started calling off the waitlist until after school year began, or close to it, which definitely makes it harder on everyone. BUT we knew we would take the spot if offered and the kids and teachers have been amazing. My kid is adjusting quickly and very happy. Definitely glad we made the move.

There are always about 6 new slots at Kindergarten. 6 other kids moved out of the area or switched to WOTP DCPS or charter school.