UPDATE: Confirmed.
A source tells me that CSD will hold College Heights Pre-K lottery this coming Wednesday, March 16th at 11:45am at Westchester.
Working to confirm.
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Confirmed.
I just received an email from CSD.
FYI, I called the school. I was told there are 176 slots and 220 registered.
Did they tell you any thing else of use, like when will we be notified of the lottery results? This process is starting to remind me of a papal conclave. White smoke or black…?
Well, Pretty Wife is attending the lottery. So I didn’t think to ask your question. I would assume parents who didn’t make it would receive notice end of week this week or beginning of next.
Bigger context: what does this say about the future enrollment of all CSD schools. It’s quite an uptick compared to the 5 or so who were affected by the lottery last year. 44 names is a lot to pull from the hat.
So we can actually attend the lottery? I was envisioning a secret ceremony involving candles and incantations.
I’m officially freaking out about the odds of being one of the 44.
Are you going? Want to meet and hold hands? Seriously.
Neither my husband nor I could figure out a way to take off work to attend the lottery. I’ll have to settle for crossing my fingers and thinking happy thoughts at 11:45.
So many people drop out for various reasons, so many on the waiting list will get in. Less grim than it looks.
Yep, but for those on the waitlist it does make for a vicious waiting game (and double- and triple-booking), even in the best case. I am not looking forward to doing it again in a couple years with our second.
From what I understand, in years past most people on the waiting list did get in. However, I don’t think there’s ever been anywhere near this number registered. I don’t think there’s been more than 5 names pulled. This years waiting list is nearly 9 times longer.
Do they read the names out at the lottery? I may meet her there!
Apparently, they do not read aloud the names. If your child’s name is drawn, you’ll be contacted via phone Thurs. or Friday. If you make it, you receive a letter within the next week.
They ARE reading the names!
Pretty wife may go after all.
That’s 100% confirmed. If she can’t go, get DM to send you my email address and shoot me over the kid’s name. I will try to listen for it!
She’s definitely going, just look for the prettiest girl in the room.
Wanna listen for my kid’s name instead?
Don’t know if anyone is still following this, but I wanted to ask if those who attended the lottery heard anything about when they will notify the parents of people who didn’t get in. I know people have said they will call or send a letter, but wondered if any more info was given.
My daughter (who we are hoping will be able to attend) is currently in morning preschool until noon, so I couldn’t go to a lottery at 11:45.
Nellie and Chad, I hope you are among the fortunate ones.
My pretty wife did go. She said it was high anxiety for all the parents in the room. The speaker started by saying the funding changes are really hurting CSD in terms of teachers. Having worked really hard to recruit talented PreK teachers, the pay cuts and reduced hours have caused a 10% salary reduction for many. The board is working hard to retain the teachers and maintain the high quality of the program.
So then came the name drawing. It was all well-documented. Each name pull was videoed with a flip cam and then someone typed the name which was then projected. There were many audible sighs.
She did say that parents would either receive a lottery notice or congratulatory letter soon. But didn’t give a date. With my experience, they mail this stuff out pretty quickly.
And best of luck to you too, Cat.
The lottery system is completely arbitrary. How about augmenting the current lottery system with a fund voluntarily paid into by willing and able parents such that all kids can attend ?
The fund would be announced as “pay X dollars per month per child so they can attend without the lottery”, with the goal being raising enough money so that all kids signed up by the February 28th cut-off date can attend. Given that the average income in the City of Decatur is well above average, I have no doubt there would be enough parents willing to pay to avoid the lottery.
What I’m not sure of, however, is whether CSD can increase the number of teachers to accommodate the number of students. This year, for instance, would require 25% more teachers.
This doesn’t make sense. No, the CSD cannot afford to have ten PK classes. In fact, they have cut out one class this year–they’ve gone from 9 classes to 8. Last year there were 9 classes of 20 but the new rule is 22 kids per class, thus we have 8 classes for next year and 176 spots. There is not enough room in that building for ten classes.
Plus, the whole point of free pre-K is so that even the most disadvantaged children (who need PK the most) can attend. Allowing parents to buy their spot defeats the purpose. You can go to private pre-K if you want that.
Imagine the horror at the end of the lottery, when one person is selected to be stoned …
That story still gives me the chills!
Try re-reading it and picture it taking place on the Square. eeek.
Who needs a lottery for that?
Are you implying that many should be stoned?
No Dylan quotes here–it’s just that a lottery, for that, seems like too much work for those that.
In keeping with the lottery theme, why not sell scratch off tickets? 1 in 10 wins a spot at College Heights, 1 in 20 wins a new backpack, etc. They could sell them at the Hop-n-Shop.
So I gotta know, Chad and Nelliebelle, did the offsprings get in? Do tell!
We got lucky, Pretty Boy’s name wasn’t called.
My kid did not get in, and we were notified this afternoon of our waitlist status (#8) by telephone…