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WOLCS Admissions Application Process
January 6, 2020 - Application and Re-enrollment Periods Begins
April 3, 2020 - Application and Re-enrollment Period Ends at 4:00pm
April 22, 2020 - Admissions Lottery for Kindergarten Applicants Only at 6:00pm
Frequently Asked Questions:
We are delighted that you are interested in applying to West Oak Lane Charter School (WOLCS) for your child/children. WOLCS is a tuition-free, public school providing a quality opportunity for parents seeking the best educational options for their children. The following information should address most of your questions about applying to WOLCS.
What grades does WOLCS accept applications for?
Answer: West Oak Lane Charter School generally accepts new student applications ONLY for Kindergarten admission. All Kindergarten applicants MUST be 5 years old by September 1st of the year they would start school at WOLCS. Applications for admissions of new students in 1st through 4th grades are accepted during the same time period. However, parents/guardians will ONLY be contacted if space becomes available in those grades.
How can I get an application?
Answer: Applications can only be entered into our online application form during our three-month Open Enrollment Period each year (dates are posted at the top of this page once they are determined). During the enrollment period, access to the application will be available on the WOLCS website from links which will be posted above.
What do I need to do to complete the WOLCS application?
Answer: All applications must be completed in full, signed and dated. A child may be enrolled by a parent, foster parent, caseworker, caregiver with whom the child resides, or any other person with “charge or control” of the child.
If you are not the parent identified on the child’s birth certificate, proof of legal guardianship or parental authority will be required. (e.g. original custody order or delegation of parental authority executed by the child’s parent or legal guardian using a WOLCS form or one that is substantially similar).
The following ORIGINAL documentation is required as part of the application process:
- Proof of the child's age (e.g. your child’s original birth certificate, passport, or baptismal certificate)
- Proof of residency (e.g. two utility bills or a PA driver’s license or state issued photo ID)
- Proof of Immunizations (e.g. an immunization record, a written statement from the former school district or from a medical office that the required immunizations have been administered, or that a required series is in progress)
How are students selected to attend WOLCS?
Answer: If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available seats, students are selected through a lottery process. WOLCS complies with all State and Federal laws that govern admission policies and procedures. WOLCS values diversity and does not discriminate against any student on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, athletic ability, measures of aptitude or achievement, or English proficiency in its admissions process. Applicants who are siblings (meaning they are brother or sister, by blood, marriage or adoption, and ALL living in the same household) of currently enrolled WOLCS students will automatically be given a seat in the Kindergarten class. Appropriate documentation of sibling status will be required.
What documentation will be accepted to establish sibling status?
Answer: The following are acceptable documentation when presented with evidence of proof of residence: (1) A birth certificate or (2) adoption certificate for the applicant which shows that the applicant's mother or father is also the mother or father of a child already enrolled at WOLCS; (3) current parent/guardian ID verifying a match with information for a currently enrolled student; (4) A court order establishing guardianship for the applicant by the mother or father of a student already enrolled; (5) A properly executed copy of WOLCS' "Parental Responsibility of Third Parties" form. NOTE: If it is later determined that this form has been used fraudulently, with the purpose of establishing sibling preference for the admission of a student who would not otherwise qualify for sibling preference, WOLCS at its discretion may require the withdrawal of that student (as well as any student with whom a sibling relationship was falsely established) from the school's rolls.
How does the WOLCS admissions lottery process work?
Answer: A public lottery is held at the school in March or April of each year (the exact date is posted at the top of the page under “important dates” once the date is determined). Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend the lottery event. However, it is not mandatory. The names of all applicants are placed in an electronic lottery administered by InfoSnap, an independent third party contractor. Through the lottery process, applicant names are randomly selected based on the number of available Kindergarten seats. All students are assigned a lottery number when the lottery is conducted. Students whose numbers do not fall within the range of available seats are placed on a waiting list and will be contacted if seats become available before the school year starts.
What happens if my child is selected in the lottery process?
Answer: If your child is selected in the lottery process to attend WOLCS; an enrollment packet will automatically be mailed in April to you at the address that you provided on the application. You will be provided with a 6 week deadline from the date of the lottery to return required enrollment materials to the school. The school will not be responsible for any contact information that changed and was not communicated in writing to the school.
The enrollment packet must be completed on time with all requested documentation submitted by the deadline in order to secure your child’s seat at WOLCS.
Required documentation includes:
- Parent Registration Statement attesting to child’s prior disciplinary record
- Home Language Survey
Will WOLCS contact the parents/guardians of students who were selected in the lottery if they did not attend the lottery event?
Answer: Yes. If you did not attend the lottery event, and your child is selected in the lottery process to attend Kindergarten, you will receive a phone call from the school within 3 business days after the lottery to verify your address and determine if you are still interested in having your child attend WOLCS. An enrollment packet will be mailed in April to you at the address you verified during the call from the school. You will be provided with a 6 week deadline from the date of the lottery to return required enrollment materials to the school. The school will not be responsible for any contact information that changed and was not communicated in writing to the school.
The enrollment packet must be completed on time with all requested documentation submitted by the deadline in order to secure your child’s seat at WOLCS.
Will WOLCS contact parents/guardians of students who were not selected in the lottery process?
Answer: WOLCS will send an enrollment packet in April to the first 25 Kindergarten applicants on the waiting list. You will be asked to complete the enrollment process within the same time period as those selected in the lottery process so that you are prepared to accept a seat for your child should one become vacant. The school will not be responsible for any contact information that changed and was not communicated in writing to the school.
The enrollment packet must be completed on time with all requested documentation submitted by the deadline in order to secure your child’s seat at WOLCS.
What happens to the students who are on the waiting list?
Answer: The parent/guardians of Kindergarten and 1st through 4th grade applicants on the waiting list will be contacted in numerical order if a seat becomes available for their grade level. Waiting list applicants must reapply each year. Applications are not held over from one school year to the next.
What should I do if I have more questions regarding the application process?
Answer: Please contact the main office of the school at 215-927-7995 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
What should I do if I need if my home language is not English and I need help in understanding the enrollment process?
Answer: If your family requires translation and interpretation services to understand the enrollment process please contact the main office of the school at 215-927-7995 during normal business hours noted above.
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