Sibling and Founder Preference Policies

WCS families benefit from keeping their children together. For this reason, WCS offers sibling preference in admissions. A sibling is defined as a biological or legally adopted brother or sister who lives in the same household as the current WCS student. In the event the parent or legal guardian of a current student becomes the legal guardian of another child, sibling preference shall convey to that child. Siblings of current WCS students are placed into a given grade, space permitting. 

Siblings of currently enrolled students who are currently enrolled at WCS given enrollment preference in our lottery for the following year (as long as their sibling is noted in the Apply Philly Charter application), as well as in applying for any current year open seats. Sibling preference only applies for the site at which the enrolled sibling attends. An application is still required and must be submitted before the deadline to receive preference in the lottery. Eligible in-coming kindergarten siblings will be enrolled and 1st–7th grade siblings will be added to a sibling waiting list. Siblings for whom applications are received after the application deadline but meet all other criteria for preference will still receive preference. If there are pre-deadline preference applications on the waiting list, the late-applying sibling moves to the rear of the preference section of the waiting list behind all pre-deadline applicants with preference. If there are no remaining pre-deadline applicants with preference, the post-deadline applicant with preference is placed at the beginning of the waiting list.  All post-deadline applications are ordered on a first come, first served basis.

Children of members of the founding coalition of Wissahickon Charter School (as identified on our original charter application), children of members of the Board of Trustees as of February 1 of the current school year, and children of current employees employed as of February 1 of the current school year are also given enrollment preference.  This preference is only applicable to children for whom the founder or employee is a parent or legal guardian and living in the same household (including instances where the employee has shared legal custody of a child). As with siblings receiving preference, an application is still required and must be submitted before the deadline for inclusion in the lottery with preference. Children of parents with founder preference for whom applications are received after the deadline but have met all other requirements for preference will be placed on the waiting list with preference.

Preference will only be applied to students who meet all other eligiblity requirements, as detailed here.

In the event that demand exceeds capacity, there will be a lottery among applicants with preference. All types of preference (sibling and founder) have equal weight and they will be drawn from a single preference lottery.