The Student Assignment First Application period (Batch 1) for the 2012/2013 school year is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17 through Friday, March 2, 2012. The first application period is mandatory for:

Current students of Lee County Public Schools attending Pre-K, 5th or 8th grades;

Kindergarten and New students to the District.

In addition, students currently enrolled in a school may participate if they want to change school next year.

On Friday, January 13, 2012 pre-printed applications will be sent to parents of Pre-K students attending Lee County Public Schools who are eligible for kindergarten for 2012/13, as well as current fifth- and eighth-grade students who currently attend a Lee County Public School (that’s more than 12,000 applications)

Contrary to a popular misconception, the system is based on a lottery, not first come, first served, said Joe Donzelli, a spokesman with the school system. That means a family who registers the first day of Batch 1 has the same chance of getting a school as that of a family who registers on the last day of Batch 1 given they have the same enrollment requirements.

Donzelli said there is no need for families to stand in long lines when Batch 1 starts.

In addition, families can save time and are strongly encouraged to apply online via the Districts’ Web site (studentassignment.leeschools.net). This option is not available to new students to the District or students who attended a Lee County public school, left the District and are now returning to our county. Only students currently attending Lee County Public Schools that received a pre-printed application can use the online option.

This year there are two new schools and new academic programs being offered at existing schools that families need to consider when making their enrollment choices. Those new schools and programs are:

NEW SCHOOLS FOR 2012/13

Tortuga Preserve Elementary (Available for all sub zones in the East Zone)

Grades: KG-5

Address: 1711 Gunnery Rd N, Lehigh Acres.

Programs available: STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

The school will require uniforms

Harns Marsh Middle (Available for all sub zones in the East Zone)

Grades: 6-8

Address: 1820 Unice Ave N, Lehigh Acres.

Programs available: STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

The school will require uniforms.

PROGRAM CHANGES AT EXISTING SCHOOLS FOR 2012/13

Edgewood Elementary School will offer an Arts Program available for East Attendance Sub-zones 1 and 2

Veteran’s Park Academy for the Arts (elementary years) will no longer be available for East Attendance Sub-zone 1

Tice Elementary School will offer a Foreign Language Program (Spanish and Chinese) available for East Attendance Sub-zones 1 and 2