Statement from Superintendent of Schools Bill McKersie, Wed. Feb. 25:
“Effective immediately, the status of New Lebanon School families applying to other magnet schools is changed under the magnet guidelines from their current position of third or fourth priority to second priority for the 2014-2015 magnet school lottery. Second priority is the highest level possible, just behind the first priority given to siblings. To be clear, multiple schools are listed in each priority level. New Lebanon now will be one of the schools in the second priority level.
This change will give applicants from New Lebanon increased weighting in the lottery but will by no means guarantee selection. This change has been established for the 2014-2015 Magnet Application Lottery Process in order to provide some flexibility for New Lebanon School families as the District pursues long-term solutions for the increasing enrollment at the school.
This change will apply only to magnet school applicants from the New Lebanon attendance area or applicants already enrolled as magnet students at New Lebanon School. The rest of the magnet school guidelines, including siblings as first priority at all magnet schools and the priority weighting for students from the other ten elementary schools, would remain the same. It is also important to note that there is no choice program beyond the magnet school application and lottery process under consideration for the 2014-2015 school year.
Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, students enrolling in a magnet school and residing outside of the magnet school’s middle school attendance area will be required to attend the middle school in their area of residence upon the completion of fifth grade.
Please see Magnet School Guidelines available on the GPS Web Site for more detailed information.”
Related Story:
Parents Ask for Alternatives to New Lebanon-BANC Split Campus for 2014-15
The district’s plan to address overcrowding at New Lebanon School in western Greenwich means that in 2014-15, kindergarteners will start the day at Byram Archibald Neighborhood Center. At 12:15pm they will be bused by the district across Delavan Ave to New Leb for lunch, recess and specials. They will be dismissed from New Leb in the afternoon.
New Lebanon School is located at 25 Mead Ave in western Greenwich.