Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just saw this thread. The explanation why powerful people's kids get in is that they know how to game the system. They get a doctor to say that Larla has special learning needs and that is the best place for her. The same thing happens to Larla's siblings. You really think that all the slots are lottery slots? No.

Really? Wow. What special needs can be taken care of at HB, but not at the other High Schools that are used to accommodations of all sorts and all have a ton of staff, including all specialists a school system could wish for?

What a great question. Every taxpayer should be asking APS that question. The principal has the authority to let in some number of students outside the normal lottery process. They fill it with people they deem to be a "good fit" --kids whose parents create a story about why they can't deal with regular middle and high school. I am opposed to HB's obscenely low cap on student numbers, but the principal playing favorites and picking kids she wants to see there is just beyond the pale. This entire school stinks to high heaven in the current overcrowded environment.

Anonymous wrote:I just saw this thread. The explanation why powerful people's kids get in is that they know how to game the system. They get a doctor to say that Larla has special learning needs and that is the best place for her. The same thing happens to Larla's siblings. You really think that all the slots are lottery slots? No.

Really? Wow. What special needs can be taken care of at HB, but not at the other High Schools that are used to accommodations of all sorts and all have a ton of staff, including all specialists a school system could wish for?

I just saw this thread. The explanation why powerful people's kids get in is that they know how to game the system. They get a doctor to say that Larla has special learning needs and that is the best place for her. The same thing happens to Larla's siblings. You really think that all the slots are lottery slots? No.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the lottery open to the public? If not, who supervises it?

- mom of toddlers who doesn't have a horse in this race but is worried about HB inequality

I believe that this year, ALL the school lotteries are being handled by APS Central Office staff, not individual schools. The individual schools will maintain the resulting waitlists for one year. But I think that you have to reapply to the lottery each year (also conducted by APS Central Office) in order to remain on the waitlist. So, if you get a low waitlist number this year, it doesn't mean you'll get in next year. And similarly, if you get a high number, it doesn't mean you'll never get in.

My DD had a low number (under 5) and never got in.

Anonymous wrote:Is the lottery open to the public? If not, who supervises it?

- mom of toddlers who doesn't have a horse in this race but is worried about HB inequality

I believe that this year, ALL the school lotteries are being handled by APS Central Office staff, not individual schools. The individual schools will maintain the resulting waitlists for one year. But I think that you have to reapply to the lottery each year (also conducted by APS Central Office) in order to remain on the waitlist. So, if you get a low waitlist number this year, it doesn't mean you'll get in next year. And similarly, if you get a high number, it doesn't mean you'll never get in.

Anonymous wrote:Is the lottery open to the public? If not, who supervises it?

- mom of toddlers who doesn't have a horse in this race but is worried about HB inequality

It was open to the public. Every application has the applicant's home school on it and they pull from each home school group.

https://www.apsva.us/school-options/high-school-choices/how-to-apply/

Is the lottery open to the public? If not, who supervises it?

- mom of toddlers who doesn't have a horse in this race but is worried about HB inequality

Anonymous wrote:When is the lottery this year?

I thought it was held this past Friday, January 26. Notifications this week.

When is the lottery this year?