Magnet School Application Period Begins

The following is a reprint from SLSWatch:

by The Watch Committee

According to school board member Peter Downs, St. Louis Public Schools are now accepting applications for admission to magnet schools.

The district moved up the application period for magnet schools so that families will know if they are accepted before they have to make a commitment to a private school. The district previously was losing students, who wanted to attend magnet schools, because the district was not accepting students until after the deadlines passed for committing to a private school. Superintendent Diana Bourisaw ordered the change.

SLPS began accepting applications today for the 2007-2008 school year.
The deadline for applications from magnet continuity students, and for students applying for Kennard, McKinley, Metro, Central, Cleveland, Gateway, and Soldan will be Friday, December 15. All of these schools have entrance requirements. Students will be a evaluated after they apply to determine if they are eligible for the lottery, that includes the evaluations for giftedness for students wishing to attend Kennard or McKinley.

December 29 is the application deadline for all other magnet schools. The lottery will take place on January 15 and the first placement notices will be mailed on February 2, two months ahead of last year’s pace. Second round placement notices will be send March 2, and third round placement notices will be sent March 30.

It is nice to see district officials actually trying to build up our schools again.