STERLING'S LOTTERY PROCESS

Enrollment & Lottery Process

Sterling Montessori Charter School is a North Carolina public charter school that follows all state laws regarding enrollment and admissions.

Application & Lottery

All prospective students must submit an application to be considered for enrollment. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available seats in a program, class, or grade level, a public lottery will be held in accordance with NC G.S. 115C-218.45(h).

Sterling receives more applications than available spaces each year and therefore holds an electronic lottery each spring. Applications are submitted online and securely recorded. The lottery is activated with the push of a button, and results are delivered via the email addresses provided in the application. While attendance at the lottery is not required, it is open to the public.

Eligibility Requirements

All applicants must be North Carolina residents with a physical NC address at the time of the lottery.
Children must be 5 years old on or before August 31 of the enrollment year to apply for Kindergarten (NC G.S. 115C-364).

Enrollment Priority

In compliance with NC Charter School Law 115C-218.45, Sterling offers priority enrollment to:

Children of full-time Sterling employees
Children of LHU Board Members (Combined Tiers 1 & 2 may not exceed 15% of total enrollment unless a state waiver is granted.)
Siblings of currently enrolled students - Includes step-, half-, and foster siblings living in the same household. Multiple birth siblings (e.g., twins) are entered as one and admitted together if selected.
Siblings of Sterling alumni - Must have completed the highest grade level and been enrolled at Sterling for at least four years.
Grandchildren of current full-time Sterling employees

Lottery Results & Waitlist

Once all available seats are filled, the drawing continues to establish a waitlist. This list is regularly updated, and families receive periodic updates regarding their child’s position. Families may also log into the website to check their status.

Enrollment Offers & Required Documentation

Offers are sent via email to addresses provided in the application.
Families must accept or decline the offer in writing or via email within a specified timeframe:
- Standard timeline: 7 calendar days
- 30 days before school starts: 3 calendar days
- 1 week before school to Day 35 of school: 24 hours

Failure to respond within the timeframe will be considered a declined offer, and the seat will be offered to the next student on the waitlist.

Enrollment is confirmed only when the following documents are submitted and approved based on the timeline detailed above:

Student’s birth certificate
Proof of NC residency
Immunization records

Failure to provide these documents by the deadline may result in forfeiture of the seat.

Please note: Sterling Montessori does not provide transportation. Families must arrange their own transportation to and from school.

Sterling’s Right to Refuse Enrollment

Sterling Montessori Charter School reserves the right to refuse enrollment to:

Any student currently under a term of expulsion or suspension from another school, until that term has ended.
Any applicant whose parent or guardian has knowingly provided false or misleading information on the application or enrollment documents.

PER CHARTER LAW:“A charter school serves students in grades K-12 only, so if it has a pre-K, it must be separate from theapproved public school (with no preference to get into the lottery).Parents that choose to enroll in thepreschool must be informed from the beginning of the separation between the charter school and thepreschool. In the event preschool parents decide to apply for enrollment in the charter school, theirchildren will go through the same enrollment and lottery process as any other student seekingadmission. Preschool parents are not afforded an exemption from the lottery or any type of immediateentry into the school. After school programs are offered according to the school’s charter. Inquire withthe individual school about its program offerings.”