KINDERGARTEN LOTTERY
The Birches Academy strives to keep families together. Siblings of current students or alumni (defined as a graduate from our 8th grade) are at the top of the list in the Kindergarten lottery. For other grades, siblings can be placed on the Sibling Wait List. We first pull from the Sibling Wait List when a spot opens in a grade.
KINDERGARTEN LOTTERY FOR 2026-2027 IS NOW OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 26TH, 2026
LOTTERY DAY WEDNESDAY JANUARY 28TH 9AM
Lottery Rules
The Birches Academy grants enrollment preferences to certain groups before the lottery drawing, as long as they have completed their applications by the specified deadline. The order of priority is:
FOUNDERS: Founders' children and grandchildren can receive a one-time enrollment opportunity without going through the lottery. If they are offered a spot but refuse it, the child loses this preference and must enter the general applicant pool.
CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES: Children of The Birches Academy employees can be enrolled before the lottery if space is available.
SIBLINGS OF ADMITTED STUDENTS: Siblings of admitted students or students that have graduated 8th grade from The Birches Academy, are enrolled before the lottery if there is space available. Siblings are defined as children who share a common biological or legal parent or live in the same household.
CHILDREN OF LONG TIME GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS: Children of Governing Board members that have served at least 3 years on the Governing Board can be enrolled before the lottery if space is available.
For those who are not in the groups listed above, the lottery is held in late January. As lottery numbers are randomly drawn, students are either admitted if there's an open spot or placed on a waitlist.
APPLICANTS: All names of remaining students who have submitted completed applications will be placed into a lottery.
DRAWING: As each name is drawn, the student will be admitted or placed on the waiting list, according to the above mentioned criteria.
ADMITTED STUDENTS: If a student meets the criteria outlined above, he or she is conditionally admitted to The Birches Academy. An acceptance package will be emailed. After the lottery, families will have two weeks to return the paperwork and accept the spot offered.
SIBLINGS OF ADMITTED STUDENTS: Siblings of admitted students or students that have graduated 8th grade from The Birches Academy, are enrolled before the lottery if there is space available. Siblings are defined as children who share a common biological or legal parent or live in the same household.
WAITLISTED STUDENTS: If there is no space available when a child's number is drawn they will be placed on the waitlist in the order their name was drawn. Waitlisted students who decline an available spot lose their place on the list and must reapply. The waitlist carries over each year, and waitlisted students have priority over new applicants. For students receiving a spot off the wait list please refer to your email for deadlines regarding acceptance timeframe.
APPLICATION RECEIVED AFTER LOTTERY DEADLINE: If a student’s application is received after the lottery, they will be placed on the waitlist and admitted when a space is available.
STUDENTS WITH INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS: Parents of students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) who are selected in the lottery are accepted. A meeting will be held with the family, the sending school district, and The Birches to determine a transition of services.
ENTRANCE AGE POLICY To enter kindergarten, a child must be five years old by September 30th of the application year. Students applying for other grades must have successfully completed the prior grade. The grade level for homeschooled students is determined by assuming they were eligible for kindergarten the year they turned five by September 30th. Parents must notify The Birches in writing if they are requesting that a student repeat a grade.