2022-2023 Enrollment Process
Thank you for inquiring about enrollment at Polaris Charter School. We are an open enrollment, public charter school serving New Hampshire students age 5 as of September 30th through age 11, in multi-grade, interdisciplinary classrooms. Our mission is “to create a joyful and exciting learning community for intellectually curious elementary-aged children.
Through an engaging, inquiry-based curriculum, our students will develop the ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, think critically and excel academically. Our program fosters creativity and the development of social and emotional skills, instilling a positive attitude about future studies and ensuring students are well-prepared for the challenges of an ever-changing world.”
Application Procedure:
Review the Admission Policy for Polaris Charter School to verify that your child’s age and residency make him/her eligible to apply.
Use the application link on our enrollment page to access our application. Please contact the school if assistance is needed: admissions@polarischarterschool.org
Complete the Online Admissions Application entering your information into our system allowing us to process and track your application.
Download and print the Residency Affidavit
Send a copy of the Applicant’s Birth Certificate
Send completed application to Polaris Charter School either electronically, by mail, or in-person by the deadline (no deadline after the lottery is held) by April 9th.
Sign up for and attend an Information Session.
January 20th 11:00 am
February 19th at 5:30 pm
March 17th at 11:00 am
April 9th at 5:30 pm
Completed applications received after the posted due date will be considered for enrollment, if space is available, during the school year of application. Late applications will be stamped with the date of receipt and added sequentially to the end of the waiting list that was created by that year’s lottery. Polaris Charter School always accepts applications for our Waiting List.
Lottery Information:
Charter School Law states that if the number of completed New Hampshire applications submitted to a charter school exceeds the capacity of the school, eligible applicants must have a fair and equal chance of being admitted through a lottery. (A charter school with fewer applicants than spaces available does not have to conduct a lottery.)
Polaris Charter School has established the following guidelines to manage the growth and the necessary random selection of our student population.
Capacity of the school will be determined by the total number of classrooms available for students and the maximum desired student: teacher ratio of 16:1 in any Polaris multi-grade classroom. Grade level assignment or achievement level will not be considered.
Age-eligible children of the school’s New Hampshire founders and employees are exempt from any and all subsequent, necessary lotteries.
Once a student has been enrolled at Polaris Charter School, he/she will automatically be guaranteed enrollment for all subsequent school years, unless parents of such a student fails to complete the Intent to Re-enroll, the student voluntarily withdraws or until the student ages out.
Siblings of an enrolled student will be guaranteed enrollment, provided that space is available, before any lottery names are drawn. If there is not enough space for sibling applicants, a sibling lottery will be held before the regular lottery. “Siblings” parents must complete a sibling application by the deadline and complete an Applicant Acceptance form once a spot is available.
If the number of eligible completed applications from New Hampshire students exceeds the capacity of the school, each application, not exempted by the above guidelines, will be assigned a random number for the lottery.
If a lottery is needed, a public figure, not associated with Polaris Charter School, will randomly select the numbered applications until all available spaces are filled. The matching names of applicants will be written down as “accepted” in the order their number is drawn. Siblings of the drawn applicant who got a spot will be added simultaneously, provided classroom space remains for their age group.
Once classroom spaces are filled, the numbered applications will continue to be listed, in the order drawn, to create a waitlist. Siblings of accepted or enrolled students, who had to be placed on the waitlist, shall have their names listed first on the appropriate age group and/or classroom waitlist.
As classroom space becomes available, due to student withdrawal, a spot will be offered to the next student on the appropriate waitlist, in the order listed.
Waitlists will only be maintained for the school year in which the student applied. Waitlisted students will be contacted and enrolled, if space allows, before requests from transfer students are granted. Waitlisted students wishing to enroll the following year must re-apply the following year.
Enrollment Procedures
In order to retain enrollment for the following year, current age and resident eligible students must submit a completed “Intent to Re-enroll” each year in which they are enrolled at Polaris Charter School.
Sibling applicants of enrolled students will receive written confirmation of their acceptance within one week of the posted application date, unless a sibling lottery for appropriate classroom space is necessary.
All applicants, who fulfilled requirements and submitted a completed application by the posted due date will receive written confirmation of their enrollment status within one week of the posted lottery date, (whether or not a lottery was necessary.) The notification will indicate whether the student is accepted or on the waitlist.
Once notified of an offer to enroll at Polaris Charter School, the student’s parent or legal guardian must complete and submit the Applicant Acceptance Form to the school during the following week.
Questions
Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about the application, admissions, and enrollment policies or practice at Polaris Charter School.