Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 9:43 AMBy: no good options Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions Still waiting on Oscar Mayer, but we didn't get in anywhere else. I am considering my neighborhood school, but to be honest I've been volunteering there and it scares me how many kids after 2 years of pre-K can't recognize the letters in their name. So, we are reluctantly considering a private school option. We were accepted, but for two kids it will be a huge financial commitment.

I have to say I'm also leaning away from CPS because of the politics, level of strife and general feeling that there are a lot of people involved in CPS that are more interested in lining their and their friend's pockets than in improving the schools. It also seems like it's more important that a school LOOK good (on paper) than that it actually BE good.

Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 11:22 AMBy: Sue Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions We never heard from Waters, Blaine, Trumbull or Ravenswood. I was extremely interested in one in particular, and when I called the school towrds the end of March, we were told that letters were going out on the 24th. Well, ours never arrived (maybe they only sent out the acceptances). We finally decided to go the private school route because they were timely in the registration process (they actually met all of their own deadlines) and have been extremely responsive to us, unlike CPS. The fact that CPS couldn't get their act together on something as important as their Lottery is incomprehensible...regardless of whether they were using a new system. If you want parents to trust and use the system, make it reliable.

P.S. And no, we decided against our neighborhood school because there was no "before care" in the a.m. and "after care" was only until 4. I don't see how these schools work for dual working parents.

Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 2:06 PMBy: anon Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions I still have not heard from any the seven magnet schools we applied to for my son. I assumed from the lack of response that he did not get into any of them.

We are deciding between the CPS school where my son is in tuition-based preschool this year, and a private religious school. The CPS is school is good with a dynamic principal and rising scores, but I worry that my son will get lost in the shuffle. The private religious school is excellent, but we have two children and worry that the tuition will become a financial burden over the next twelve years.

Our neighborhood school was never an option for us. It is 94% low-income.

Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 2:37 PMBy: to anon Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions Peeps, you can call the Office of Academic Enhancement and they can tell you what number your kid is on each of the wait lists your kid is obviously on (as the the "chosen few" have been notified already). NOW the schools have their "intent to enroll" numbers, and start working down their wait lists--they start calling peeps, finding out they got in to a different school, then move on to the next kid--it's a tedious, time-consuming process, and one that is speeded up if you make your presence--and real desire to be in that particular school--known. I mean, why call person 4-7 after #1, 2 and 3 have already signed on elsewhere if #8 has repeatedly told you they're dying to get in? There is that principal discretion thang...

I'm still keeping my own fingers crossed (and contacting the school almost weekly), though I too held on to my space at a selective enrollment (one my kid would have never gotten into as a kindergartner but a school a lot of parents pull their kids from due to the competition among other factors) but want the better fit, magnet school.

Keep trying!

Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 11:03 PMBy: Lying about adresses Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions My excellent neighborhood school is being ruined by those who lie about their addresses and students from failing schools that have to be accepted through NCLB. Three of our classrooms are overcrowed (including my son's classroom). I wonder does CPS really investigate the "address lying thing." I feel like calling and saying to go knock on doors and see if the child lives where they say they do, but I doubt CPS has the manpower to conduct an investigation!!

Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 9:56 AMBy: addy Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions I know of one school that managed to get manpower to do investigations about residency. Wasn't easy to get, however, from what I've heard.

Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 3:58 PMBy: hs Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions We turned down one regional gifted and are hoping to hear from Coonley. If not, we are the lucky ones, as my child is a sibling and is registered at Stone. If she does get into Coonly we will make someone on the Stone waiting list very very happy.

Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 10:15 AMBy: TW Following Up On Magnet Acceptances & Decisions Turned down Decatur, went with Disney.