{"id":1655,"date":"2020-02-27T09:07:49","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T09:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/memphisschools.wpengine.com\/?page_id=1655"},"modified":"2020-03-17T01:38:31","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T01:38:31","slug":"optional","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/enroll\/optional\/","title":{"rendered":"SCS Optional Schools Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582794507231{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1585&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;zoom&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582794500771{margin-top: 16px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1584392347392{margin-bottom: 32px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div id=\"x-section-1\" class=\"x-section\">\n<div class=\"x-container max width\">\n<div class=\"x-column x-sm x-2-3\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div id=\"x-section-1\" class=\"x-section\">\n<div class=\"x-container max width\">\n<div class=\"x-column x-sm x-2-3\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p>Spots in some Optional Schools are in high demand, so if there\u2019s one you have your heart set on, you\u2019ll want to pay close attention to all of the application deadlines and admission requirements. And take note \u2014 just because you\u2019re zoned to a school that has an Optional program does not necessarily qualify your student to be in an Optional classroom. All students have to qualify based on the school\u2019s Optional eligibility requirements. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you know what they are by checking the current year\u2019s \u201cEntry Requirements\u201d on the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCS Optional Schools website<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1435816078010{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion shape=&#8221;square&#8221; active_section=&#8221;0&#8243; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Researching Optional Schools&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1582794306579-72646c96-876b&#8221;][vc_column_text]Even among all of your Optional choices, there can be a lot of variation between schools, so make sure you\u2019re picking the one that\u2019s right for your student.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Both Memphis School Guide\u2019s school profiles and the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SCS Optional Schools website<\/a>\u00a0provide good info on each school.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out the current year\u2019s \u201cOpen House Schedule\u201d on the SCS Optional Schools website.<\/span>\u00a0It can be important to attend the open houses of the schools you\u2019re interested in to get the dates that the school will be giving its Optional admittance tests, as this info doesn\u2019t tend to be published elsewhere. See the special note on kindergartners below for more info, but be aware that many Optional Schools will have a separate open house for prospective kindergarten families.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Admission Requirements&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1582794306641-2ba726fe-4e8b&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Admission to Optional schools is usually merit-based, and is generally based on a student\u2019s report card, standardized test results, attendance and behavior records.<\/li>\n<li>Each Optional School has its own separate requirements. Some require higher test scores than others, some have multiple Optional programs within the same school with different entrance requirements, and others do not have academic requirements at all. So you\u2019ll want to check the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SCS Optional Schools website<\/a>\u00a0to confirm requirements before applying.<\/li>\n<li>For neighborhood schools that are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180901075955\/http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/types?PID=849\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">all Optional<\/a>\u00a0(not a school-within-a-school), zoned students are automatically in the Optional program, whereas transfer students must meet any eligibility requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Applying&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1582794306729-633e14ee-2ae6&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Frequently Asked Questions section of the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optionals School site<\/span><\/a> \u00a0does a good job of explaining the application process, so read it thoroughly, but here are a few things we want to highlight:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Zoning: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCS invites all interested parents\/legal guardians to complete an online Application for Optional Schools regardless of residence. However, applications for students zoned to SCS will be given first priority, and if spaces remain in Optional programs, non-SCS residents may be awarded transfers if requirements are met. Tuition may apply<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Testing<\/b>: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All optional schools have entrance requirements. At most Optional Schools, your child must test in. For students who are old enough to have taken the TNReady the previous year, those scores will be used to determine eligibility (see the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCS Optional Schools website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a list of other tests that may be accepted as proof of eligibility). For students who don\u2019t yet have TNReady scores (usually those entering 1st or 2nd grade), your child will need to take the Optional admittance test offered at the school to which you\u2019re applying. Testing typically happens in March, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">after<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the enrollment window opens, so go ahead and submit your Optional application, even if you\u2019re not sure your child will test in. Testing dates are generally announced at the school\u2019s Optional Open House in January, or can be obtained by calling the school. Test schedules vary by school, so it pays to speak directly to the Optional coordinator at the school you\u2019re interested in to get the school\u2019s official policy. If you\u2019re listing two choices on your Optional application, your child only has to take one test.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Choices:\u00a0<\/b>You can put up to two choices on your Optional application. But know that if your first choice is full and there\u2019s space in your second choice, your child will be placed in your second choice, and NOT on a waitlist for your first. If you are put on a waitlist for either choice, you may receive notification of available space in the school any time before (or even up to a week after) school starts in the fall.<\/li>\n<li><b>Notification<\/b>: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should receive word within 10-12 weeks after submitting your application, but if you need to know sooner (to know whether to put down a deposit at a private school, for example), check in directly with the school\u2019s principal, or notify the Optional Schools office in writing about your situation . If applications exceed spaces, the first 80 percent are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and 20 percent are chosen by lottery.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;A Special Note on Kindergartners&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23307ad5&#8243; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Montserrat%3Aregular%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;zoomInLeft&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582794525698{margin-top: 40px !important;margin-bottom: 29px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1584394157862{margin-bottom: 32px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div id=\"x-section-1\" class=\"x-section\">\n<div class=\"x-container max width\">\n<div class=\"x-column x-sm x-2-3\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div id=\"x-section-1\" class=\"x-section\">\n<div class=\"x-container max width\">\n<div class=\"x-column x-sm x-2-3\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<div class=\"x-main full\" role=\"main\">\n<article id=\"post-392\" class=\"post-392 page type-page status-publish hentry no-post-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"entry-content content\">\n<div id=\"x-section-2\" class=\"x-section\">\n<div class=\"x-container max width\">\n<div class=\"x-column x-sm x-1-1\">\n<div class=\"x-text none\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180901075955\/http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/spaces?PID=976\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a few exceptions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, most Optional programs don\u2019t start until 1st grade. You can check out which schools do offer Optional programs in Kindergarten, through the current year\u2019s \u201cAvailable Spaces\u201d page on the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scsk12.org\/optional\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCS Optional Schools website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you want your rising kindergartner to start school at the Optional School that you hope they\u2019ll attend in 1st grade, you\u2019ll want to secure a spot in the school\u2019s non-Optional kindergarten. For more information, see SCS\u2019s Optional Schools FAQ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582794507231{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1585&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; onclick=&#8221;zoom&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;flipInX&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1582794500771{margin-top: 16px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1584392347392{margin-bottom: 32px !important;}&#8221;] Spots in some Optional Schools are in high demand, so if there\u2019s one you have your heart set on, you\u2019ll want to pay close attention to all of the application deadlines and admission requirements. And take [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1590,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1655","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1655\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/memphisschoolguide.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}