How to Apply
As a Kindergarten through 8th grade magnet school, the ways to send your student to join us vary based on the grade level at which they would be entering.
For Grades K-5
If your address is in our school's neighborhood boundaries, you will simply follow the district's enrollment process for new and returning students each summer. If you live outside our neighborhood boundaries, you have the opportunity to apply through our magnet lottery! For more information about that process, check out the steps below.
If your student is attending pre-k at our school, you will need to apply through the magnet process for kindergarten if you don't live in our neighborhood boundaries.
For Grades 6-8
In middle school, all students who attend have applied through the magnet lottery process. Students who were accepted to the school in grades K-5 through the magnet lottery will be able to continue into middle school without additional steps.
Students who need to apply for grades 6-8:
- Neighborhood students (receive priority, application is required)
- Other students who live in WPS district boundaries and did not attend K-5 at GPA as part of the magnet lottery
- Families who live outside the WPS geographic boundaries
Explore Magnet Choices
Visit the Magnet Schools section of the district's website to get more information about all the available school choices and find dates related to the Showcase of Choices, school tour opportunities, and application deadlines.
You can also join us at the annual Showcase of Choices and Opportunities each January where all magnet schools and choice schools in our district are highlighted. Staff are present to answer questions and provide information about their school and explain their magnet theme or special offering.
How the Lottery Works
This random computerized lottery is managed by the Magnet Office and is part of our student equity and diversity efforts. Our school does not decide who gets offered a placement. Siblings of students already attending our school do receive priority placement as long as the application is turned in on time.
All 1st choice, on-time applications are randomized by a computerized lottery system, and the Magnet office places as many students as possible divided by school and grade level. The number of spots available at each school and grade level depend on a variety of factors, including the number of students already enrolled in the school and the district's student-teacher ratio.
Families are notified of their acceptance status in the spring, according to the timeline available on the Magnet Schools site. Late applications are added to the bottom of the respective wait list, and families are contacted by the magnet office if we can offer a placement.