Saturday event lets families check out CMS options

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will present information about 2016-17 magnet schools at its annual options fair Saturday.

Fifty-three schools, ranging from Montessori schools that take 4-year-olds to college-based high schools, will have information available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, 1430 Alleghany St.

Current CMS students should have already received information about their options for the coming year. New students – including rising kindergarteners and applicants for Montessori prekindergarten seats – must enroll by Monday to participate in the first lottery.

Students who turn 5 by Aug. 31 are eligible for kindergarten and those who turn 4 by that date are eligible for prekindergarten. Applications for the first lottery, which is when seats in the most popular schools are filled, are due by Jan. 25.

All Mecklenburg students are zoned for a neighborhood school but can choose magnets and other optional programs. Those include International Baccalaureate, foreign language immersion, arts, high schools on college campuses and various programs related to career preparation or science, engineering and technology. Many of these programs have entrance requirements.

Find details at www.cms.k12.nc.us.

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Saturday event lets families check out CMS options."