Parent Teacher Magazine Charlotte-Mecklenburg School January 2105 | Page 6
Seven things families need to know about the School Options Lottery
Application period is open until Jan. 26
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools online School Options Lottery is open
and will close at 10 p.m. Jan. 26, 2015. Here are a few tips for families to
keep in mind as they prepare to make their selections.
1. Know the deadline
Families can submit applications from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through
Jan. 26.
2. Know where to find the online application
http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/application/Pages/Login.aspx
The application is available online. A Spanish version will be available
soon. CMS will provide free computer access at all CMS Learning Community
offices, CMS schools and the Smith Family Center (1600 Tyvola Road)
through Jan. 26. Computers at these locations will be available from 7 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Families can contact Student Placement for assistance from 7 a.m.
to 5 p.m. at 980-343-5335. Spanish-speaking representatives are available
at the Smith Family Center.
3. Make sure your child is enrolled as a current or future
student
Students new to CMS in the 2015-2016 school year must have enrolled
in the system by Jan. 12 to be eligible for the first school options lottery.
Students who enrolled after Jan. 12 will be eligible for the second school
options lottery, which runs from March 9 to June 5, 2015.
4. Have your student identification and PIN numbers readily
available
CMS will send individual assignment notifications home with all current
students beginning the second week in December. This mailing will include
each student’s identification and PIN numbers, as well as directions for online
application to the school options lottery. Students who are new to CMS will
receive the information in the mail.
5. Attend informational session
The School Option Lottery information sessions are available at the Smith
Family Center from Dec. 8 to Jan. 26. Sign-up is available online for one-hour
sessions in the morning, afternoon or evening.
The annual School Options Fair will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 10
at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology (1430 Alleghany St.). See the
2015-2016 School Options Guide for details on specific programs.
6. Know your options
When you enter your student’s information, the application will
automatically populate with the schools to which your student is eligible to
receive transportation. You will have the opportunity to follow a link to see a
list of more schools.
CMS will offer 52 school options at 52 schools for the 2015-2016 school
year. School options are Cooperative Innovative High Schools, Career and
Technical Education programs and magnet themes including International
4 • Jan/Feb 2015 • Parent Teacher Magazine
Baccalaureate; Military and Global Leadership; Leadership and Global
Studies; Montessori; Learning Immersion/Talent Development; Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); Science, Technology, Engineering,
Arts and Math (STEAM); Traditional; Early College High School; Middle
College High School; Visual and Performing Arts, and World Languages.
All CMS students are taught the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
Magnet programs are theme-based to promote students’ interests, abilities
and talents.
7. Lottery notifications
Lottery assignment notifications letters will be sent to families in midFebruary. The letters tell families of assignments won through the lottery
process.
For more information on the options lottery, call 980-343-5030, email
[email protected] or visit www.cms.k12.nc.us/magnets.
Preventing illness in school
Elizabeth Traditional students learn about stopping the
spread of cold and flu
A bus brought students at Elizabeth Traditional Elementary the
opportunity to learn how to avoid illness. The Healthy Habits School Bus
presented by Lysol visited the school to interactively teach the students
proactive measures for keeping germs away.
A song and a dance introduced the students to various germs that live
around them. They also learned not to spread those germs and how to
properly wash their hands. The last activity had the students going on the
Healthy Habits Bus to work with computer-based interactive activities to
reinforce what they’d learned.
Here are some suggestions for preventing the spread of cold and flu
germs:
nWash hands frequently with soap and water, especially before eating.
nAvoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
nCough or sneeze into a sleeve or elbow not hands.
nDisinfect frequently touched surfaces.
nKeep your child home when he or she is fevered or feeling sick.
Establish a contingency plan for keeping a sick child at home or picking him
or her up from school so you are prepared if illness strikes.
nKeep your child at home for at least 24 hours after he or she is free of
fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
nTalk with your healthcare provider about annual seasonal flu vaccines.
The CMS health department is in daily contact with the Mecklenburg
County Health Department during the flu and virus season.