25 replies to this topic

[stacycam]

So we've tried everything we can but sadly there is no room for my son at Russell Ranch and he has started at Gold Ridge. I'm sure this is a good school too but he should be able to go to the school directly across the street. Especially when there are students from outside the district who are allowed to attend because their parents work in the area.

I thought there was no school choice this year. I'm sorry, but you should be at that school. If someone does not live within the boundaries, they should come AFTER you. That is BS. I even have a friend with kids at two schools because her son is in the Spanish program, and they wouldn't allow school choice for her other son.

You are much nicer than I am. I'd be all over them about that.

[rightwingknot]

School capacity is tied directly to the number of classrooms and the contractual limit for class sizes. Currently:

Kindergarten has a max limit of 32 with a district wide average limit of 31.
1-2 has a max limit of 27 with a district average limit of 25.
3rd has a max limit of 32 with a district average limit of 30.
4-5 has a max limit of 34 with a district average limit of 30.

Gallardo, technically, has a capacity of 804 students. I am told that most of their students are home grown (very few "school choice" students. [must be something in the water]. Their current enrollment is around 762 from what I am told.

The teacher assignments were posted late this year because the teacher's association and the district didn't reach agreement soon enough for the district to crunch the numbers and provide the principals with their staffing soon enough.

The problem is that students at schools do not fit neatly in to a 'box' which is why there is the district average component. Some schools will have large classes and some will have smaller one.

Which is more effective is clearly a thread that has been dealt with.

[rightwingknot]

Also, every elementary school requires registration each year. Registration is on a first come first in basis. When the number of students exceed a school's capacity based on the contractual class size limits, that's when school choice students are bumped. Sadly, if a parent does not get their registration in on time, they may not be able to attend the school in their neighborhood, even if it's right across the street.

I know for a fact that Gallardo date and time stamps their registration materials. Seems like a good idea. I hope all the elem schools do that.

[stacycam]

My friend was told "no school choice this year." She was way on top off it and she was told that they were not allowing school choice, at all.

I think it should be first come, first served among school choice students, but not within the boundaries.

[Jolene]

My friend was told "no school choice this year." She was way on top off it and she was told that they were not allowing school choice, at all.

I think it should be first come, first served among school choice students, but not within the boundaries.

Yeah, but that's what I was told last year and there were people who responded on the forum here that they had their school choice granted; so I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened again this year. There are always people who have an in and will get preferential treatment despite the rules that everyone else has to follow.

[drheams]

Also, every elementary school requires registration each year. Registration is on a first come first in basis. When the number of students exceed a school's capacity based on the contractual class size limits, that's when school choice students are bumped. Sadly, if a parent does not get their registration in on time, they may not be able to attend the school in their neighborhood, even if it's right across the street.

I know for a fact that Gallardo date and time stamps their registration materials. Seems like a good idea. I hope all the elem schools do that.

I agree and had I not registered on time I would be ok with this. The fact however is that we registered quite some time ago and were told on more than one occasion that there was room at Russell Ranch. Since this time budget cuts forced lay offs so we've been bumped to a waiting list.

The reasoning behind the cuts aside, I'm ok with this IF everyone who is attending lives in the area and pays the same fees I do. When others are allowed to come from out of the area its just plain wrong.

[sat]

I agree and had I not registered on time I would be ok with this. The fact however is that we registered quite some time ago and were told on more than one occasion that there was room at Russell Ranch. Since this time budget cuts forced lay offs so we've been bumped to a waiting list.

The reasoning behind the cuts aside, I'm ok with this IF everyone who is attending lives in the area and pays the same fees I do. When others are allowed to come from out of the area its just plain wrong.

I would not be surprised if you get a phone call in a week or two from Russell Ranch letting you know they now have room for your child. My children have had to change elementary schools three different times, in three different school years, though we lived in the same house the whole time. We were moved because of overcrowding and zoning changes. Anyhow, before our last change to Russell Ranch, my kids attended Goldridge. After three weeks of school, we got a phone call from Empire Oaks (their original school) that there was now room for them. After discussing it with them, we decided to keep them at Goldridge. Sure, it was a change for them, but they were already making new friends and they liked their teachers.

When we found out two years ago that Russell Ranch was going to be our new school, I tried to keep them at Goldridge because I was really happy with the school. However, they did not have room for all three of my kids, just two, so we changed to Russell Ranch.

Be patient, if you really want to change schools, it might happen. However, you might find you're happy at Goldridge.

[giasmom]

I would not be surprised if you get a phone call in a week or two from Russell Ranch letting you know they now have room for your child. My children have had to change elementary schools three different times, in three different school years, though we lived in the same house the whole time. We were moved because of overcrowding and zoning changes. Anyhow, before our last change to Russell Ranch, my kids attended Goldridge. After three weeks of school, we got a phone call from Empire Oaks (their original school) that there was now room for them. After discussing it with them, we decided to keep them at Goldridge. Sure, it was a change for them, but they were already making new friends and they liked their teachers.

When we found out two years ago that Russell Ranch was going to be our new school, I tried to keep them at Goldridge because I was really happy with the school. However, they did not have room for all three of my kids, just two, so we changed to Russell Ranch.

Be patient, if you really want to change schools, it might happen. However, you might find you're happy at Goldridge.

We had a similar situation. When we moved to Folsom I signed up w/the district for home schooling until a spot opened in our designated school. It was great, well monitored and more stable than moving our child from school to school. Only home schooled a few weeks before a spot openend. Good luck

[the_professor]

Just go to the district and ask them to explain all the choice students from
Theodore Judah going to Natoma Station.

[bordercolliefan]

Just go to the district and ask them to explain all the choice students from
Theodore Judah going to Natoma Station.

I wondered who all the new kids were.

No wonder our three 4th grade classes are all full at 34 students -- even though last year, the three 3rd grades were all under the max of 32.

I'm not a fan of school choice. I can imagine rare circumstances when there would be a compelling reason for it (say, keeping siblings together or something like that), but in general I think kids should go to school in their own neighborhood. The cohesiveness of a neighborhood school comes from the fact that the kids live in the same neighborhood, often play together outside of school, walk to school together, etc. They see the same kids year after year.

I've had a couple school choice moms tell me their child is rarely asked on playdates -- people just don't think of setting up after-school playdates with someone who lives across town.

[LBlake]

Also, every elementary school requires registration each year. Registration is on a first come first in basis. When the number of students exceed a school's capacity based on the contractual class size limits, that's when school choice students are bumped. Sadly, if a parent does not get their registration in on time, they may not be able to attend the school in their neighborhood, even if it's right across the street.

I had my children registered at Russell Ranch within the first few days that registration was open. I was still told less than a week before school began that we were being overflowed for my 3rd grader.... my 1st grader had made it. We were fortunate as the #1 spot, when another family pulled their student she was moved back to the school. Obviously it worked out for us but regardless of "timeliness of registration" the school should not allow families that live out of the area such as E.G. or Roseville bump our local children to overflow schools just because they work in the area..... they are not paying our mello roos and dealing with the inconvenience.