Anchorage School District lottery change features a waitlist reset each year.
states that “students who were on the waitlist will need to reapply for the next upcoming school year lottery cycle” for those applying for a seat outside of their neighborhood attendance zone. Two schools in this lottery system feature alternative learning, Sand Lake Elementary’s Japanese Immersion and AKChoice.
At Sand Lake Elementary School, fifth-grader Nawali Bagayoko switches seamlessly between English and Japanese throughout his school day. He’s been learning the language since kindergarten, and this year, he’ll put those skills to use on a class trip to Japan. “Japanese immersion is hard, but it’s exciting at the same time because then you can visit exotic places and know how to, like, interact with people,” Nawali said. Sand Lake’s Japanese immersion program is one of the alternative education options available to Anchorage School District families through the district’s lottery system. But these popular programs often come with waitlists. Principal Christopher Barr said the school serves 222 immersion students and 122 neighborhood students, and he anticipates having a waitlist again this year. “I do anticipate we’re going to have a wait list here, which is good. That means the program’s thriving,” Barr said. Across town at AK Choice, students attend in-person enrichment classes two to three days per week, then complete their curriculum at home for the rest of the time.“Traditional school did not work well for him. He’s a hyperactive kid. He’s got some anxiety. And so doing schoolwork from home works best,” McClain said. Principal Lucas Frost said the program gives families flexibility while maintaining academic support. “It gives the family the ability to choose their own curriculum but also have the support of a certified teacher and still allow their kids to have that feel of a traditional school,” Frost said. AK Choice operates two locations — one at Ocean View Elementary in South Anchorage and another at Alpenglow Elementary in Eagle River. Frost said every student who applies gets in, though spots in specific in-person enrichment classes may fill up. The district’s lottery system allows families to apply to alternative programs beyond their neighborhood school. Locke said options include language immersion programs in Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, German, and Yup’ik, as well as charter schools, Montessori programs, and alternative learning models.Brandon Locke, director of world language and immersion programs for ASD, said the change makes the system more equitable. “It just makes the number of people on a wait list less because you don’t have years and years of people sitting there waiting,” Locke said. The district has extended the lottery deadline to March 31, with families receiving notification of results in early April. Parent Courtney Peterson experienced the challenge firsthand when her oldest daughter applied to Sand Lake’s immersion program and was waitlisted in the old lottery system. “Being waitlisted was really tough. But still, there are many choices here and our neighborhood schools are phenomenal,” Peterson said. Now both of Peterson’s daughters have gone through the program, with one in middle school and another in high school.At Sand Lake Elementary, the immersion program operates on a 50-50 model, with students spending half their day learning in English and the other half learning science, social studies, and Japanese language from native speakers.“By Christmas time, they’re singing, they’re dancing, they’re counting not only in English, but they’re doing it in Japanese. They’re reading in both languages. It’s just phenomenal,” Barr said.“I think parents have to look at their children individually, and if you are of the impression that what’s happening in your school doesn’t work for your child, then you need to try the lottery and not be afraid to do something different,” McClain said.“I encourage anyone to call us, have a conversation about what it can look like. We make a ton of time for folks because we want to show our school off as much as possible,” Frost said.The Anchorage School District will host its Choice Schools Expo this Saturday, Feb. 21. “This weekend, on Saturday at Begich Middle School from 12 noon to 4 p.m., we’ll have about 30, 35 different ASD optional or choice programs or schools available,” Locke said.Missing snowmachiner in Western Alaska rescued‘Large fight’ breaks out at Alaska’s maximum-security prison in Seward amid downsizing effortAnchorage Animal Control thanks community for stepped-up adoptions
Education Asd Anchorage School District Lottery Immersion Akchoice Sandlake
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