I’d really like to get more information about applying for enrollment. What’s the best way to contact your school?
There are several ways to get more information. The fastest way is by emailing the enrollment coordinator at enrollment@tierrapacifica.org. Emailed questions generally get the fastest response.If you would prefer a phone call, please email your questions, your phone number and several times to reach you. You may also call the office, 831-462-9404, to leave a message for our enrollment team.
Is your lottery random?
Yes. Our charter provides for several priority levels in enrollment. If we have any openings, we will place siblings of existing students first. Staff members’ children are placed next. Within the Kindergarten pool we reserve three spaces for students who are enrolled in Live Oak’s subsidized preschool program. We then take all Live Oak school district residents. Finally, we look at out-of-area applicants. Within each of the above categories, the lottery is random.
Where do I find applications?
Applications can be found on the enrollment page of our website and in the office. Our website address is http://www.tierrapacifica.org Each applicant is allowed only one application per year. In the event of a second application, we will keep the first and discard the second. Only the first application submitted will be included in the lottery. Applications can either be submitted online, filled out at our office, or printed from the website and emailed/mailed to the office. You will receive a confirmation email once you have applied. Applications are not considered complete without that confirmation. If you do not get a confirmation email, please let us know via email as that means we did not get your application. If you need more information please email enrollment@tierrapacifica.org.
I submitted an application last year, but we didn’t get in. Do I have to reapply?
Yes. You must submit a new application EACH YEAR in order to be included in the lottery. This includes siblings of already enrolled students. The wait list is generated annually through our lottery.Applications for the following school year are generally available by December 1st on our website and must be submitted by the lottery deadline (April 15th) of the calendar year in which you intend to enroll.
My child is a student at Tierra Pacifica and we have another child who will be ready to start next year. What should we do?
Can I submit an application for two grades for the same student?
No. You must apply for the grade that you and your child’s current teacher feel is the best fit for them.
How do I get on the waitlist?
You must submit an application EVERY YEAR. A brand new waitlist is generated each year by the lottery. Applications for the following school year must be prior to the April 15th lottery deadline.Applications submitted after the April 15th deadline are accepted, however, these applications are NOT added to the current waitlist. If we exhaust the lottery waitlist, we will have another lottery using the applications submitted after the deadline.
I’m still interested in Tierra Pacifica Charter School for next year, but I was wait listed. What should I do?
If you submitted your application prior to the lottery deadline, your child was placed on a waitlist. If you are still interested in TPCS for the following school year, you must submit a new application before the lottery deadline (April 15th). Your child will then be included in our spring enrollment lottery.
We were offered a spot but declined. Can we keep our wait list position?
No. If you decline an offer and would like to be considered for any future openings, you must submit a new application.
My child will start kindergarten in several years. Can I place him/her on your wait list now?
No. We only accept applications for the upcoming school year.
We applied for Kindergarten and didn’t get in last year. My child didn’t attend kindergarten and we want to re-apply this year. Can I keep my wait list number?
No. You must re-apply and will be placed in the lottery with all other new kindergarten applicants.
We applied to TPCS and our application went through the lottery process. How can I find out our results?
We will hold the lottery in April. You may attend our public lottery at school. Time and date will be posted on the main enrollment page by mid-February and is always within two weeks of the application deadline. Results are then available through the third party lottery management system on your parent dashboard. Lottery results will be verified before enrollment spots are offered. Please do not call the office for lottery results; our office staff does not have any lottery information. If you have any questions or would like updated wait list information, please email enrollment@tierrapacifica.org after you check your parent portal for information.
I have two or more children that I’d like to enroll. How can they all get a spot?
We will lottery each applicant separately. If one child is offered a spot, once that offer is accepted and you have submitted the admitted student’s paperwork, s/he will be enrolled once that paperwork is verified. At that point, the remaining siblings on the wait list will be treated as siblings of an existing student and given priority enrollment if an appropriate space becomes available.
How can I sign up for a school tour and/or make arrangements to observe classes?
School Tours: There will be student-led tours beginning in late fall that will include a walk-though of all of our classrooms. Call the office to schedule a tour at (831) 462-9404 x 0
Classroom Observation: We have found that having prospective families sit in on classes is too disruptive to our students. Please take advantage of our school tours instead.
Can my child shadow at TPCS?
K-6: Because of the volume of applications and disruption to the classroom, for grades K-6, we do NOT allow shadowing for potential applicants. The only exception to this rule is if your child is offered a spot mid-year. 7-8th grade: We do allow shadowing in the 7th and 8th grades. Please contact the office at (831) 462-9404 x 0 to arrange a shadow day.
Do you fill mid-year openings?
Yes. We use our lottery-generated wait list to fill any openings that occur during the school year. If your child is offered a spot mid-year, we will make every effort to give your family a chance to visit the school and talk with your child’s perspective teacher. At the time of the offer, you will be given an acceptance deadline, which is usually three days from the time of the offer.
What happens if I move into the Live Oak School District but I was living outside Live Oak when I submitted my application? (Please note proof of residency section below).
If you move into the Live Oak School District after you have already submitted an application, you should notify enrollment immediately if it is BEFORE the lottery deadline of April 15th. However, if you move after the lottery has already taken place, your wait list status will be changed to reflect your new residency status.This is also the case if you move out of the Live Oak School District; your wait list status will also be changed to your new residency status.
Proof of residency:
If you are offered a spot and you applied as a Live Oak School District resident, you will be required to submit adequate proof of residency. You will need to submit either:
Two (2) of the following:
Property tax statement
Driver’s License
Utility bill (in your name)
Automobile registration
OR: Three (3) of the following:
Driver’s License
Utility bill (in your name)
Automobile registration
Rental / lease agreement
Bank statement
The proof of residency MUST BE DATED before April 15th. If you cannot provide sufficient proof of residency, you must agree to an unplanned home visit. If these terms are not fulfilled, Tierra Pacifica reserves the right to rescind your admission offer.
Who is considered a sibling?
The term “sibling” is defined as a child whose domestic life satisfies one or more of the following criteria:
- The child has at least one birth or adoptive parent in common with the existing pupil or,
- The child has been legally adopted by at least one birth or adoptive parent of the existing pupil or,
- The child is the natural or adoptive child of a spouse or legally recognized domestic partner of a parent of the existing pupil or,
- The child is the child of a natural or adoptive parent that can demonstrate a continuous cohabitation period of three or more years with a natural or adoptive parent of the existing pupil.
In all cases, the existing pupil must be enrolled at the time of the lottery, or the parents of the existing pupil must have expressed an intent to enroll the existing pupil, for the school year that the sibling child first enrolls in Tierra Pacifica.
Ambiguous cases that are not resolved by this policy will be addressed by the Board on a case-by-case basis commensurate with the policy’s underlying principle of keeping children with sibling-like relationships together in school.
All currently enrolled families may submit an application for the following year under sibling status regardless of whether or not their currently enrolled child will be attending TPCS the following year. The currently enrolled student must be enrolled at TPCS as of the lottery in order to give his/her sibling priority to members of their family in the lottery process.
