STEP 2: Identify the students who must remain at Merriam/McT for specialized programming (i.e., COMPASS). Those students will remain enrolled at Merriam/McT, along with their elementary-aged siblings who are currently enrolled at either Merriam or McT. STEP 3: Identify Priority Merriam/McT Placements Based on District Policy Students who meet “school walker” criteria for Merriam/McT, and whose families wish to utilize that priority, will also be given priority to remain at Merriam/McT. Additionally, students guaranteed placements with their parent who is a staff member at Merriam/McT will be given priority to remain at the school. STEP 4: Assess and consider individual requests/recommendations from educators or families regarding students who should be provided priority placement at Merriam/McT for specific reasons related to mental health, specialized services, or other unique circumstances. The administration will develop clear criteria and procedures for how such situations will be reviewed to ensure consistency, fairness, and transparency. Once finalized, this process—including timelines, required documentation, and points of contact—will be communicated directly to families. STEP 5: Transfer Waitlist Consideration: Students at Merriam and McT who have been on the transfer waitlist for other schools prior to October 31, 2025, will be offered the opportunity to transfer to their requested school, subject to available space. At this point, the District will have a clearer understanding of how many spots remain at Merriam/McT (and how many students may need to transfer to another school), and how many spaces are available at each remaining school. STEP 6: Voluntary Transfer Requests Families at Merriam and McT who were not originally on the transfer waitlist and would be interested in transferring to Blanchard, Conant, Douglas, or Gates will be given the opportunity to make that request and will be placed at those schools of choice where space is available. If there is more interest than space, a lottery will be utilized. STEP 7: Involuntary Transfer Lottery A lottery system will be used to assign remaining Merriam or McT students to the other four schools. Families will be asked to share their preferences for the other four schools, and then a random selection process will be implemented to produce final placements. Families can place their child on a waitlist for other schools should there be openings that emerge before the start of the 26-27 school year. Kindergarten Enrollment for 2026–2027: Following the completion of the placement process for current students, the Kindergarten enrollment process for the 2026–2027 school year will be adjusted to reflect the new elementary school structure. Families will be invited to participate in registration and the Kindergarten lottery process once current student placements are finalized, allowing any sibling considerations to be identified and incorporated.
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