Comments on: Another Chance for Spaces in Some Magnet Cluster Schools

By: Efren Toledo

Efren Toledo — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:38:28 +0000

I really enjoyed reading through your blog and as a parent of a soon to be highschooler, I completely empathize with the frustrations of Chicago parents. However, just because you didn’t make it into Hawthorne or Decatur – all hope is not lost. As an AP at one of the top performing neighborhood schools in the city I take great pride in the fact that Jamieson often beats out the magnet schools despite not being able to pre-select our students. If you live in the Jamieson neighborhood, I would love to give you a tour of our school and answer any questions you might have about Jamieson. Feel free to email me at: edtoledo@cps.edu
Btw, here is great site to help you compare schools throughout the city: http://iirc.niu.edu/School.aspx?source=School%20Profile&schoolID=150162990252285&level=S"Interactive Illinois Report Card

By: C

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:26:49 +0000

http://www.chicagojournal.com/Blogs/06-01-2009/Fourteen_West_Loop_students_enrolled

This may not be the right place to post this so feel free to place it where it belongs:
Above is a link updating people on the Skinner West neighborhood component.

By: another mommy

another mommy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:47:32 +0000

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update. We were #6 at Burley and we got a call offering my son (minority) a spot. We declined it. That was REALLY hard to do because Burley is such a great school. I hope Hawthorne is all what it is pumped up to be! )

By: South Side Mom

South Side Mom — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:48:57 +0000

Yesterday, I received a call from a magnet school (lottery no testing) asking if I wanted a spot for my son, but it was not on the second call list. We were one on the wait list. A friend called me on the same day to inform me she accepted a spot at LaSalle II. So, I believe magnets (lottery no testing) are, have or will call this week.

By: Claudio

Claudio — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:14:42 +0000

Any idea of when parents will be notified for those who applied the second time around?

By: also obsessed

also obsessed — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:07:57 +0000

I know the principal at Waters doe not believe in splitting up families. If you (mom R) got in one grade, my guess is that’s why both got in…just a hunch, but I know at this point she wants to keep the families together….maybe it was a discretionary decision.

Right now, with neighborhood kids, sibs, current PreK kids and the few lottery picks, Waters already has its 2 kinders registered full for next year.

The first grade is also full, but I know there were a few spaces in 2nd and 3rd grade for next year.

I saw Waters on the May lottery list too and was surprised. But I believe it was for higher grades, as with their enrollment increase, it started in K in 2006, so it’s moving up a grade every year…although I know they are getting a few more kids in every grade every year now too.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:33:55 +0000

I know Waters had over 100 kids enter their Kindergarten lottery and only gave out about 5 spots.
With these neighborhood schools that are in transition (meaning the neighbors are starting to send their kids to the school) it is very difficult for the principal to estimate attendance. They have no idea if 10 neighborhood kids will walk in on the first day of school – and they have to make room for them.
Interesting about the principal discretion – especially at Stone. I thought they used the discretion spots there for siblings mainly – maybe there were fewer siblings this year.

By: mom R

mom R — Sun, 10 May 2009 13:15:41 +0000

Both my kids (kdg and 2nd) were accepted at Waters. So I assumed it was a not preferred school! LOL.

I think there is more principal descression at the magnet and magnet clusters. My friend’s daughter did not make the wait list at Stone, but she had been attending the PTA mtgs. She was chosen by principal and got in.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:03:50 +0000

It is surprising about Waters – my impression is that they are quite full for Kindergarten and 1st grade, so maybe it means higher grades?
In any case, it is probably worth a call to the school. In fact it’s probably worth a call to any school that you’re highly interested in, just in case some kid leaves over the summer, etc.

By: Peggy

Peggy — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:15:00 +0000

I saw this another place and don’t understand why they are listing Waters. There is a long wait list for the kindergarten and the preschool. Do they mean the upper grades?