April Newsletter: Lottery and Waitlists Results Are In!

Lottery results are in and there are 11,861 individual students on the My School DC lottery waitlists to attend one or more PK-12 public charter schools in SY2019-20, a 4.8% increase over last year's (18-19) 11,317 students and 22.2% increase from the 9,703 students in school year 2017-18. According to the DC PCSB staff analysis, waitlists across all public charter schools totaled 27,788 students. This is an increase of 5.9% from 26,237 last year and a 30.0% increase from the SY2017-18 waitlist total of 21,546. This analysis is based on My School DC waitlist data for students who applied to the lottery by the PK-8 deadline of March 1, 2019 and high school deadline of February 1, 2019. Post lottery applicants are added on a rolling basis.

However, there are hidden gems within the lottery results. Several top ranked public charter schools either have small waitlists or not one at all. To apply through My School DC and view the results, click here. 

Photo credit: DC Council

Robert Leen believes that St. Coletta of Greater Washington PCS does superb work with special education students. He says, "Thanks to the great work, love and care that the educators at St Coletta PCS gave to my granddaughter's education experience, her dad and I were able to receive a handwritten note from Alexandra Leen for the first time. The note reads, "Hi Dad, I love you." 

To describe Patrick Fears’ contributions to the school environment at KIPP DC Lead Academy is to paint the picture of a native Washingtonian who loves children and is committed to making a difference in their lives daily. Colleagues at KIPP DC Lead Academy believe that, "Mr. Fears knows the name of every child in our school. This is a testament to the importance he places on making a meaningful connection with every student who walks through our doors."
 
Fears leads by example by being an all around team player. He's a physical education teacher that can fill in for a history teacher when they're sick. He is a voice of encouragement when a student needs a motivational push during the day. He inspires the entire KIPP community by being committed to growth and becoming the best version of himself for students. Fears started as a Capital Teaching Resident seven years ago, became a lead teacher and grade-level chair, and is currently pursuing a master degree to hone his craft. 

Photo credit: Harmony DC PCS

At Harmony DC PCS, their intervention team consists of a dynamic duo that thinks outside of the box. This team brings a wealth of expertise, dedication to student growth, and passion for developing a strong school community to the table daily. Their approach to intervention is driven not only by meeting students where they are, but by weaving both math and literacy into the overall school culture. The program provides students with a strong foundation that enables them to develop confidence, both inside and outside the classroom. The team works tirelessly to fill in the academic gaps, while empowering students to integrate their knowledge in new and creative ways. At Harmony DC PCS, they believe, "laughter and love are the best medicine, and we are constantly writing and filling prescriptions."

Photo credit: Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS

The importance of environmental stewardship is known to be critical to the learning experience for students at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS. Fifth graders at EW Stokes are able to study abroad and learn more about the respective countries ecosystem. Students also explored planet-friendly events that supported earthquake relief in Haiti, Chile and more. More recently, fifth graders from EW Stokes PCS participated in an adopt-a-stream cleanup initiative. Throughout all of this, EW Stokes PCS aims to embody the words of Albert Einstein, "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." 

Missed last month's meeting? Read a summary here. 

*Meeting location is subject to change.