Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you very much to all of you. This has been incredibly helpful.
And I think i get the "wasted spot" concept now - unlikely we will have more than 12 schools we are interested in so we will just list according to preference.

Good plan, OP. I think many in Bloomingdale feel the same. It is hard to come up with 12 schools really truly worth the drive, at least for preschool. Good luck to you!

Good plan and best of luck to you!

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you very much to all of you. This has been incredibly helpful.
And I think i get the "wasted spot" concept now - unlikely we will have more than 12 schools we are interested in so we will just list according to preference.

Good plan, OP. I think many in Bloomingdale feel the same. It is hard to come up with 12 schools really truly worth the drive, at least for preschool. Good luck to you!

OP here - thank you very much to all of you. This has been incredibly helpful.
And I think i get the "wasted spot" concept now - unlikely we will have more than 12 schools we are interested in so we will just list according to preference.

Do a search for these schools in this forum.

Anonymous wrote:Seaton has substantially higher test scores than Langley, some superstar teachers and a "principal of the year' who has instated some very cool initiatives. We go there and it is an impressive, peaceful place.. The Langley PTA is much more active bc of a core group of Pre-K families who are committed, so there is that. The seaton PTA seems a bit more laid back (though the people are awesome.) I kind of feel like Langely and Seaton are both progressing in different ways -- Langely is parent led and seaton is school led.

Langley parent here-- you're making me blush! I would say that at Langley, the principal is leading some initiatives, like the Conscious Discipline program, Playworks and Foodprints, and her ability to recruit excellent teachers. Parents are leading the way on other stuff like fundraising and recruitment. The Seaton principal is amazing, she has been there a long time, while the Langley principal was new last year (though coming in as an AP from Watkins, experienced). I really like the Langley principal and her impact on the school is already evident. I consider Seaton a "mentor school" to Langley, because it's similar enough to be relevant, but different enough to be interesting, and parents there have been generous in sharing their experience.

I know there are Langley families who live IB for Seaton, and vice versa, and Langley families (myself included) who turn down offers from Seaton. Seaton's lack of beforecare and guaranteed aftercare are a big part of that, also that it is pretty far away if you live in the east Eckington or Edgewood portions of Langley's zone. So to the OP, I would say, it's really just a matter of preference. If you want to be sure of a spot, you have to list Langley. But if you can fit Seaton on your list and it's worth going a little farther away, it's a great school as well.

I'm the PP -- for what it's worth, we knows families at seaton who chose it over their inbounds of Langley and garrison. They are happy.

Seaton has substantially higher test scores than Langley, some superstar teachers and a "principal of the year' who has instated some very cool initiatives. We go there and it is an impressive, peaceful place.. The Langley PTA is much more active bc of a core group of Pre-K families who are committed, so there is that. The seaton PTA seems a bit more laid back (though the people are awesome.) I kind of feel like Langely and Seaton are both progressing in different ways -- Langely is parent led and seaton is school led.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good list. Here is what I think:

You don't have Stokes East of the River- any reason?

I very much doubt you'd get into Bruce Monroe OOB like that. It may be a wasted spot.

Why is SSMA above Lee? Lee may be a wasted spot if you rank it so low, it really is quite hard to get into.

I think it's very likely you'll end up at Langley with that list, but that should be fine. I'm sure you will enjoy the neighborhood feel.

+1. Lee is a superior school, closer to your house, and harder to get into.

I don't know about a superior school (we are there and like it, but SSMA is good too from what I hear) but it's a wasted spot to post SSMA first as if you will get in to SSMA before you get in to Lee. Their wait list moves much faster, probably because they tend to have more spots.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the millionth time:

RANK IN ORDER OF ACTUAL PREFERENCE. Once your number is drawn, you are the only player in the game. They will go down your list and the top school that you ranked that still has an opening, is the one you'll get into.

You cannot game the system by ranking them in the order you "think" you'll get into. Once it's your turn, you will get into the first available choice - no matter what anyone else wants. If Stokes is available, that's where you'll get in. If nothing else until Lee, then that's where you'll get in. If the only available slot is at Langley, that's where you'll get in.

If you get a low number, then more popular choices will be filled. If you get a good number, then you will be one of the first to claim a slot.

There is absolutely zero benefit to ranking in any order other than your true order of preference.

You do not understand the concept of a wasted spot.

It's only a wasted spot if you have more than 12 schools you would actually want to send your kid to. If you don't, you might as well list the schools you actually want, in the order you actually want them.

Anonymous wrote:For the millionth time:

RANK IN ORDER OF ACTUAL PREFERENCE. Once your number is drawn, you are the only player in the game. They will go down your list and the top school that you ranked that still has an opening, is the one you'll get into.

You cannot game the system by ranking them in the order you "think" you'll get into. Once it's your turn, you will get into the first available choice - no matter what anyone else wants. If Stokes is available, that's where you'll get in. If nothing else until Lee, then that's where you'll get in. If the only available slot is at Langley, that's where you'll get in.

If you get a low number, then more popular choices will be filled. If you get a good number, then you will be one of the first to claim a slot.

There is absolutely zero benefit to ranking in any order other than your true order of preference.

You do not understand the concept of a wasted spot.

For the millionth time:

RANK IN ORDER OF ACTUAL PREFERENCE. Once your number is drawn, you are the only player in the game. They will go down your list and the top school that you ranked that still has an opening, is the one you'll get into.

You cannot game the system by ranking them in the order you "think" you'll get into. Once it's your turn, you will get into the first available choice - no matter what anyone else wants. If Stokes is available, that's where you'll get in. If nothing else until Lee, then that's where you'll get in. If the only available slot is at Langley, that's where you'll get in.

If you get a low number, then more popular choices will be filled. If you get a good number, then you will be one of the first to claim a slot.

There is absolutely zero benefit to ranking in any order other than your true order of preference.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, just read about Breakthrough's move and it is definitely off the list as new location too far.
Seems like Seaton could replace it.

As for Tyler, I think it may be a bit too far for us.

We visited School within School, may consider putting that on. But if we don't put it very high on the list, I suppose that would be another "wasted" spot.
I think I am confused though, what schools do you put in spots 8,9,10? If you select any moderately competitive charter school than it seems this is a "waste"? If that is the case we not really have 12 schools.

It's only a waste if there is no possible lottery scenario that would result in you matching there. Some people use all 12 of their spots on super-competitive schools and end up not enrolling anywhere, and that's fine if that's what they want. If you're comfortable going to Langley (and I don't know why you wouldn't be), then it's fine to use the other 11 spots for long-waitlist charters-- as long as they're in an order that roughly reflects what we know about how hard it is to get in. We don't have perfect information on that, though.