School district tweaks enrollment School district tweaks enrollment (January 06, 2006)

Earlier timeline to compete against private schools

By Molly Tanenbaum

The Mountain View-Whisman school district has moved up its enrollment timeline for the 2006-07 school year, with its first registration date on Feb. 1, eight weeks earlier than previous years. In doing so, the district hopes to compete with private schools for students.

"The sooner parents know where their children are going to be placed, the more comfortable and secure they'll feel about picking the Mountain View-Whisman school district," said Superintendent Maurice Ghysels.

The impetus for pushing the timeline forward was to attract students to MV-Whisman's special programs -- PACT (Parent-Child-Teacher), Dual Immersion, and CEL (Community Enhanced Learning).

With PACT moving to Castro School when Slater closes for next year, parents were concerned that the alternative school had already lost enrollment over school closure confusion. The district is now working with PACT, CEL, and Dual Immersion parents to enhance their marketing strategies.

Mountain View-Whisman decided to extend that early registration date to all of the schools, in the hope of driving up enrollment throughout the district.

The first registration date for the 2006-07 school year for Feb. 1 at the district office --located at 750 San Pierre Way -- from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Transfers from outside the district will be accepted in the order in which they are received.

The first big district registration information presentation is scheduled for Jan. 10, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Landels Elementary School, 115 West Dana St.

Immediately following the presentation will be a 7:30 p.m. question-and-answer session at Landels for those with questions about the enrollment process for existing students with the impact of Slater's closure.

E-mail Molly Tanenbaum at mtanenbaum@mv-voice.com

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