Riverview Charter postpones enrollment lottery over minority issues (update: results)

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Update June 21: This update slipped through the cracks over the weekend, but for the curious the lottery results are now available online.

For those not directly involved, no names are signaled but you can get an idea of just how high demand is.

Take a gander here.

If you're on the wait list, here's what the school said in an e-mailed update:

For those families who were admitted via the lottery, enrollment paperwork will be mailed out on Monday, June 20th and must be received no later than Tuesday, July 5th at 3 p.m. Failure to return the required enrollment paperwork by this date will result in forfeiture of your student's space and the next student on the wait list will be notified of the opening via telephone.

We will update the Wait List every few weeks throughout the end of the year. If you need your lottery number please contact Liz O'Brien at 843.379.0123 ext. 1 or via email at eobrien@RiverviewCharterSchool.org.

Update June 17: A closing update here on the holding of the lottery.

The Island Packet has a report on how the vote was held and some of the excitement surrounding the drawing — all is largely what you'd expect; take a read here.

You can watch for the list of excepted students here.

Update June 13: A full month later and the school's admission lottery is back on.

The lottery is due to be held on June 16 at 3 p.m.

You can read the full not from the school below or check out the rules here.

Riverview Lottery Set for Thursday, June 16 at 3:00 p.m. 

We are delighted to FINALLY be moving forward with the 2011-2012 enrollment lottery and are anxious to begin welcoming our newest families to the Riverview community.

Due to overwhelming interest in every grade level, all classes will be filled via public lottery on Thursday, June 16, 2011.  The lottery will begin promptly at 3:0o p.m. in the Commons of our school located at 302 Burroughs Avenuein Beaufort.  This will be a public meeting and and parents are encouraged, but not required, to attend.  For planning purposes, be advised that the lottery is likely to take several hours to be completed.   

Several weeks back you should have received a letter with detailed information, including your child(ren)'s lottery number, via postal mail.  If you have not received your letter please contact us immediately at 843-379-0123.

Updated May 16: The Riverview board has sent out an update on where its lottery process stands, and offers a bit of insight into its deliberations with the Beaufort County Board of Education.

You can read the update from the Riverview board here.

Reported May 12: Fears that Riverview Charter School's lottery process wasn't complying with the Beaufort County School District's minority admissions requirements have caused the school to delay its planned May 16 admissions lottery.

Instead, the lottery will be held at a date "no later than" June 16. It's a date that will give the county time to ensure the enrollment mechanisms in place will adjust the white vs. minority population at the school. 

The Island Packet has a bit of context surrounding the news; read the report here.

The school will be making a presentation to the board of education on the process at a public meeting on May 17 at 6 p.m. in County Council Chambers at 100 Ribaut Road.

Below is the note from the school on why they delayed.

The Riverview Board of Directors has postponed the 2011-2012 enrollment lottery originally scheduled for Monday, May 16, 2011, so that Riverview will have sufficient time to work with the Beaufort County School District and Office for Civil Rights to clear up the current confusion surrounding appropriate lottery processes and outcomes. In keeping with the Riverview Board's approved motion from their May 10, 2011, meeting, the lottery will be held no later than June 16, 2011.   

As soon as the lottery has been rescheduled, we will contact you with the new date and time.  

Riverview will be making a presentation to the Beaufort County Board of Education about this matter at their next meeting May 17, 2011, at 6 p.m. in County Council Chambers, 100 Ribaut Road in Beaufort. I would encourage each of you to attend and hear the discussion first-hand. 

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