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A Request to Attend Durham Public Schools from out of District (enclosed) has been completed and approved. Final approval requires that space is available (i.e. the assignment does not displace an applicant from within the district from being assigned), a release from the home district has been secured, and tuition ($2,866 for 2008-2009) has been paid. Any assignment within the Durham Public Schools of a student from out of district is for one year only.[/i]
Once selected, according to the conversation I had with DPS, the child has that slot, so I'm not sure what the displacement sentence means, because as long as the parent moves to the area or pays for the schooling, the student keeps the slot.
There are a couple of kids who play basketball that currently live outside of Durham County -- one girl said she lives in Cary.
Sena
Thanks for typing all of that! I appreciate the information!!
I had no idea kids in Cary could go to DSA. My kids are still elementary so this is not an issue for us. But I have a problem w/ the fact that DSA is an "art" school but doesn't make the kids do anything art related to get in. While I'm fine with it being a lottery, if the student or parents are interested in there kids going there, I think the applicantes should at least put together an art portfolio. Even elementary kids will have art that is sent home from school that could be used. Or they should have to write an essay or something. There are SOOOOO many parents who use DSA as an option to get out of their "less than stellar" middle school or high school that many kids with real art interests aren't allowed the opportunity to explore that education.
So now on top of this beef, there are kids from Cary (no offense to Cary) that can go to DSA? Your letter states final approval is if there is space. If there are 6 applicants for every opening then I would bet that some of those on the wait list live in Durham. I know soooooo many more students who were turned down by DSA than actually got in.
I highly doubt that if I lived in Wake Co and then moved to Durham that for less than 3K a year I could send my kids to Green Hope High.
BTW, all this frustration is directed at DPS school board.... or who ever wrote these crazy rules.
Thanks for the information. I'm sending some emails this weekend to the BOE.
Glad I could help! It just so happens that my daughter plays the violin, so her art "track" will be music. Once in the school, students must pick an art track and complete 4 years before they can graduate (if my daughter hadn't done anything art-related, she'd have to double up on her art to finish on time; that means two of her three electives would have to be applied to her art track). At no time during or after the lottery process was I asked to prove she has done anything art-related (she was into dance and violin, but has leaned more towards violin). So I understand where you're coming from, because a child should have to prove they are interested in the arts to get in. While DSA is great when it comes to art classes (they win tons of awards at competitions), if a child isn't there from 6th grade, he/she doesn't have an excuse not to be on an art track (I figure kids get really serious about art-related activities by 6th grade; before then we just think they're great at everything, so we can't see they may not be that good at drawing when everything looks like an ink blot test).
Good luck with your emailing campaign and be sure to update me!
Even though a child may not have to audition or prove a certain level of proficiency. I know of a young lady who started at DSA in the 6th grade with no musical experience and was accepted to Berklee School of Music and plays two instruments.
I think children who don't start there in 6th grade to have to audition for certain arts tracks. I will find out for sure at our next PTSA meeting.
My daughter was accepted into the 10th grade and at no time did anyone ask me if she was involved in the arts. We received a letter telling us our address was outside Durham County and I either had to move to the area or complete a Request to Attend Durham Public Schools from out of District. I was told that if she had started school and had no prior art-related exposure, she would have to pick something she was interested in and make that her track until she graduated. A student has to have 4 years in a track, so with her being in the 10th grade and not taking violin in the 9th, she will have to double up during one of her years to get her track completed and graduate on time.
I don't think children should have to audition, but I would have understood if they had asked me to submit a video of my daughter playing the violin. It actually would have been better for her, because then they would have known she qualified for orchestra and wouldn't have put her into string technique. I understand why they put her in string technique; they couldn't be sure what she learned or even remembered from her other school (she played the violin from 6th to 8th grade, then stopped playing for her 9th grade year and decided to take it back up for her 10th grade year), but it would have been nice for them to verify she had taken art courses at some point in her life.
Even though a child may not have to audition or prove a certain level of proficiency. I know of a young lady who started at DSA in the 6th grade with no musical experience and was accepted to Berklee School of Music and plays two instruments.
I think children who don't start there in 6th grade to have to audition for certain arts tracks. I will find out for sure at our next PTSA meeting.
I don't think they should have to audition to get into DSA. But if it's an art school the student should have enough interest in art, music, or drama to either produce a portfolio or write an essay about why he/she is interested pursuing music, drama, etc. There are a lot of parents who submit applications to DSA for their children and the child has zero interest in art, music, drama. But they go along with it because "DSA is the better high school." Yes, they do have to complete an art track, which is great. But there are several kids with real art interest and talent that would love to write an essay saying why they want to go to DSA. I don't think the portfilio or essay should determine if they get in. I think it should just be a requirment to submit an application. All applications would still go into a lottery. But at least it requires more thougth than filling out your name and address on a form.
BTW, my little issue that I have is not just with DSA, several public magnet schools do the same thing. This is not unique to Durham.
So if my daughter is accepted by lottery in 7th grade, I can relax knowing that she can stay until 12th?
Congrats! Getting in for 7th grade has tough chances. Hope it all works out for her.
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