Enrollment Begins for New Charter Elementary School

Enrollment has begun for the new Connect Community Charter School (CCCS) in Redwood City, which will open in the fall for the 2013-14 school year.

Plans have been moving fast since the new school was officially welcomed into the Redwood City School District at the end of August.

Though CCCS will eventually serve kindergarten through eighth grades, the school will only be able to serve kindergarten, first, second and sixth grades for this, its first year.

The school is still finalizing key details such as the hiring of a principal and teachers and where the school will be located, though they expect to be borrowing classrooms from existing schools in east Redwood City - such as, potentially, Taft and Fair Oaks elementary schools - until the school's own campus can be built.

This week, the school officially opened up enrollment for the next school year.

"Our application process is simple — just complete an application form and turn it in to us," the school's founders said.

Here are some key informational points for potentially interested families:

• Applications can be downloaded in both English and Spanish from the school's website.

• Applications are due by Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. - they must be received by then; postmarks do not count.

• Return the application one of three ways - by mail to Connect Community Charter School, 1017 El Camino Real #176, Redwood City, CA 94063; drop it off in person at the PAL building on the Taft Elementary School campus; or e-mail a scanned, signed copy to us at enroll@connectrwc.org (ee cannot provide a version of the form to be filled out electronically because we require a signature).

• Be sure to complete an application form for each child who wishes to attend.

• Turning in your application form early does not give you priority, though the school's founders said they very much appreciate it.

• If the school is overenrolled, a lottery will be held. 

• Applying families will be notified of their admission status (either by being offered a spot or being added to the wait list) by March 10. Families then have until March 24 to accept their spot. If a family declines or does not accept, the spot will be offered to the first student on the wait list.

• If a lottery is necessary, it will be held on March 3. Residents of the Redwood City School District will be drawn first, then all others. The lottery will begin with the least enrolled class. Siblings of those who receive spots at the school will be offered available spots.

School representatives stressed this week that enrollment is not guaranteed, and that, therefore, all families should also enroll their child in the general Redwood City School District enrollment in case they do not get a spot at CCCS.

Information on RCSD's enrollment process can be found at www.rcsdk8.net/enrollment.

CCCS will be hosting two upcoming information nights this month where interested families can learn more about the school. 

The first is next Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. in the P.A.L. building on the campus of Taft Elementary School, at 903 Tenth Ave.

The second will be on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 3-5 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, at 1109 Hilton St.

For more information about Connect Community Charter School, visit www.connectrwc.org.

TELL US - Do you plan to apply your child to attend the new charter school? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments below.

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