FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2010
Learning Community Hosts First Ever School Fair
Douglas & Sarpy Counties – For the first time, the 11 member school districts in the Learning Community are joining together to showcase what is available in their schools for residents of the two-county Learning Community.
“An important part of our work with the Learning Community and our member school districts is really reaching out to residents and letting them know all the different quality public educational choices available to them,” said Council Member, Rick Werkheiser, co-chair of the Learning Community’s Diversity Plan Task Force.
The School Fair is scheduled for Sunday, January 31, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the UNO Milo Bail Student Center at 60th and Dodge Street.
The January 31 event will also feature information on the new Open Enrollment process that replaces the Option Enrollment process for residents of the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
The new Open Enrollment form was made available to residents beginning Friday, January 15, at the 11 member school districts’ administrative offices and on the Learning Community’s website at www.learningcommunityds.org.
Completed forms must be submitted to the school district that contains the school building noted on the form no later than March 15, 2010. The forms should not be submitted to the Learning Community offices.
Through the Open Enrollment process, families can select the school building they would like to send their child. Open Enrollment applications are accepted based upon capacity in the selected school building and in order of the following intake preferences:
- First preference will be given to siblings of students who will be enrolled as continuing students in a school building or program for the school year for which enrollment is sought.
- Second preference will be given to students that contribute to the socioeconomic diversity of enrollment at each building as defined in statute.
- Then students who do not contribute to the socioeconomic diversity of such school building up to the remaining capacity of such school building.
Applications for each preference category are drawn randomly if a preference category has more applicants than available capacity.
The mission of the Learning Community is to bring together the strengths within our community to create a collaborative environment that promotes academic excellence, the development of educational opportunity and resource equity that maximizes the potential of every child.
For more information on the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties and the scheduled School Fair, contact their office at 402/964-2405 or go to www.learningcommunityds.org.