SEEQS: the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability
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Application Policies

SEEQS is open, based on available space, to any student in the State of Hawaii who is eligible for the grade levels we serve. Admission to SEEQS is not limited to any specific school district or geographic area within the state of Hawaii. Potential students will be considered for admission without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, income level, academic or athletic ability, disability, need for special education services or lack of proficiency in the English language.

Application Process and Timeline
Applications will be accepted during the open enrollment period from January 15th to March 15th prior to the start of a new school year. After guaranteeing space for currently enrolled students, if the number of applicants exceeds the number of student openings for any given grade, SEEQS will hold an enrollment lottery within one week after March 15th. Attendance at an Open House Informational Session for prospective families during the open enrollment period is expected of those who are applying for admission to SEEQS. For families of current SEEQS students who have a sibling applying, attendance at one of the sessions is still recommended. 

Students offered spaces in the lottery have until April 20th to notify the school that they are accepting the space and complete the enrollment documents. Failure to respond by April 20th will result in forfeiture of the space and the next person on the waitlist will be offered the space. If that student would still like to be considered for enrollment at a later date, they may re-activate their application and be added to the bottom of the waiting list.

Any applications received after March 15th will be considered during the rolling admissions period. 

Rolling admission runs from April 20th to October 15th of each year. During this time, applications are accepted and admission is offered on a “first come first serve” basis if space is available. 

No new students will be enrolled after October 15th, with the exception of siblings of currently enrolled students or children of SEEQS staff, contingent on space availability.

Admission Lottery
If there are more students seeking enrollment into a particular grade than can be accommodated, then the school will employ a public, double blind lottery within one week after the open enrollment period closes (specific date, time, and location will be posted on the school’s website). Each applicant will be assigned a randomly generated number using SchoolMint’s lottery mechanism, which allows SEEQS to run a fair and auditable lottery for granting admission. The lottery will be run within each grade starting with the highest grade. Applicants will be placed on a list within each priority category in the order in the order determined by the SchoolMint random lottery mechanism. When a student is offered admission, applicants will be notified via electronic mail to accept the offer and complete the enrollment process in SchoolMint. 

Students not admitted as a result of the lottery process will be placed on a waiting list, ranked by their position in the lottery, and alerted via electronic mail if a spot becomes available

If a family has more than one child applying and one student is offered a space, then the sibling(s) will also be offered a space. If there is no space for the sibling(s), the sibling(s) will be placed at the top of the waiting list for the grade to which they are applying. If there is already a child that is a sibling who is first on the waiting list, the sibling will then be placed after the other sibling(s) on the waiting list, in the order they were selected in the lottery.

Once the initial admissions have been made and accepted, remaining openings in the school will be filled from the waiting list.

Wait List Policies
If a student applies for enrollment in a class that is at full capacity, that student will be placed next in order on a waiting list (please see above in the case of siblings). 

During the rolling admissions period, students offered spaces are given three calendar weeks to notify the office of their intent to accept or decline the space. After July 15, this notice period may be shortened as required.

Families are notified of admission by electronic (e-)mail via SchoolMint.

If a family declines a space or does not reply to the offer of admissions, and then changes their mind, they must request that their application be re-activated. The application will be placed on the waitlist.

If an applicant who has declined admission would like to be considered for admission the following school year, they must re-activate their application during open enrollment and enter the lottery for the next school year.​

Sibling Policy
Siblings of currently enrolled students must submit an application for admission, but are not required to participate in the general lottery process. Siblings will be given any open space in the appropriate grade if a space is available.

If more siblings apply than there are spaces available in a class, a lottery will be held for those siblings for that grade in the same manner and at the same time as the general admissions lottery. When the class is full, the siblings will be placed on a waiting list in the order they were chosen in the lottery.

If during the lottery process a student is selected for a class, their sibling will be given priority and will be given an available space in the class in which they are applying. If there are no spaces available, the sibling will be placed at the top of the waiting list. If there is a sibling already at the top of the waiting list, the new sibling will be placed on the waiting list below siblings already on the list.

If during the lottery a student in a lower grade is given a space and they have an older sibling who was placed on the waiting list for a higher grade during the lottery, the older sibling is given an available space in the class over a previously selected student that does not have a sibling. The displaced student becomes first on the waiting list.

Siblings of currently enrolled students have admissions preference over siblings of newly admitted students.

Enrollment Policies

Enrollment Priority
In order to support a consistent educational environment for all of the children of each family that joins the school’s community, enrollment priority will be as follows:
1.     Current students*;
2.     Children of SEEQS staff** and Founding Interim Governing Board members***;
3.     Siblings**** of currently enrolled students;
4.     Siblings**** of newly admitted students;
5.     All other Hawai‘i students.

*Students currently enrolled at SEEQS as home school (Form 4140) students are not considered currently enrolled students under this provision.

**If the staff member is employed less than half time, enrollment priority is not given until the second year of employment.

***Founding Interim Governing Board members are those who were listed on the charter application approved by the Hawaii Public Charter School commission on December 13, 2012.

****Siblings are defined as having one or more parents or legal guardians in common.

Attendance Requirement During the First Month of School
If a student does not attend school prior to the DOE’s official enrollment count date without a doctor’s note or prior written consent from the school, the student will be un-enrolled, and the vacancy will be offered to the next applicant on the waiting list.

Enrollment After October 15th
If a space becomes available in a class after October 15th but before the end of the first week of the third quarter, and the next applicant on the waiting list is the child of a SEEQS staff member or a sibling of a currently enrolled student, the student may enroll after the October 15th enrollment cut off date.

Withdrawal After October 15th
Any student that withdraws after October 15th who wishes to re-enroll at SEEQS will need to re-apply for admission during the open enrollment period of the following year. If a student withdraws after submitting re-enrollment documents, their re-enrollment is no longer valid.

Eligibility

Grade Level Placement
SEEQS is open, based on available space, to any student in the State of Hawaii who is eligible for the grade levels we serve, as demonstrated through a record of successful completion (passing) of the previous grade level.​

Students with Special Needs
Families of students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or section 504 plan must inform the school upon selection in the lottery and provide timely access to relevant documents. Parents will meet with the SEEQS team to determine the services needed for their child, clarify what services SEEQS is able to provide, and evaluate whether SEEQS is an environment in which the child can be successful. SEEQS uses a full inclusion model for students with special needs.

In order to ensure that appropriate services are provided, for all incoming students, SEEQS will review student records (including a search of ECSSS) in order to determine whether the student is receiving or has received supplemental, special education or 504 services. A transition meeting may be requested prior to enrollment in order to ensure that adequate services can be provided at SEEQS. 

Admission After Dismissal from SEEQS or Other School
If a student applies who has previously been dismissed or suspended for a Class A offense under Chapter 19 from SEEQS or another school, the student will be offered admission only after it is determined that SEEQS can provide the services required to ensure the student’s safety and success in the school environment, as well as the safety of all SEEQS students.
© SEEQS: the School For Examining Essential Questions Of Sustainability
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uanu Ave. Honolulu, HI 96817    Ph: 808-677-3377