Visiting Odyssey

Families & educators are welcome to visit Odyssey on our Open House days. We start each Open House with a powerpoint presentation with our Executive Director. The presentation is followed with a Q & A session and a tour of our classrooms. To limit disruption in our classrooms, we try to limit visits to the Open House days.

OPEN HOUSE DATES
Tuesday, October 4th at 9:30 am
Tuesday, November 22nd at 9:30 am
Thursday, December 1st at 6:30 pm
Tuesday, December 13th at 9:30 am
Tuesday, January 10th at 9:30 am
Thursday, January 26th at 6:30 pm
Tuesday, February 28th at 9:30 am
Monday, March 19th at 9:30 am
Tuesday, April 10th at 9:30 am
Wednesday, May 9th at 9:30 am

Enrollment Policies and Procedures

The Odyssey School is a charter school, a Denver Public School based on the Expeditionary Learning educational model. There are more than 160 Expeditionary Learning schools nationally - located in both urban and rural areas. The 2011-12 enrollment is 225 students. There are 25 students in each class grades K-6: one kindergarten classroom, one grade 1 classroom, two classrooms grades 2/3, two classrooms grades 4/5, one classroom grade 6, and two classrooms grades 7/8.

Kindergarten Tuition

DPS provides funding for 1/2 day programs, therefore Odyssey charges monthly tuition for its full day Kindergarten program. Any family that meets the free or reduced lunch guidelines will have their tuition waived. The cost this school year, 2011-2012 is $325 per month. This cost is set according to tuition charged by Denver Public Schools. It is expected to be close to this amount again next year.

DPS Choice/Lottery Process

Odyssey is participating in the DPS SchoolChoice process. All families that wish to apply must fill out the choice form. Choice forms will be available after December 1, 2011 and the deadline to submit the form is Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Forms will be available at any DPS school, Odyssey, or online. Families will pick their top 5 school choices. Every student will be assigned to a school based on their lottery number and the order that schools are ranked on the form. Students will be assigned to their highest-ranked school where space is available and enrollment requirements are met.

Low Income Preference

The Odyssey School is committed to a diverse community. 33% of the Odyssey School's enrollment will be filled by children whose families qualify for the free and reduced lunch program.

Sibling/Household and Alumni Policy

It is the intent of the Odyssey School to support whole families and create school community. Siblings of enrolled students will receive priority for admission if their choice forms are received by the designated deadline. Families may also apply for household priority. Household priority is given when a child who is not a sibling, lives with a current family. In this situation, custody papers or other legal documentation must be provided to claim priority. Alumni students/families receive priority with guardianship or residency changes.

Staff Policy

Children of current Odyssey employees, who are eligible for benefits, will receive priority for admission if their choice forms are received by the designated deadline or with residency or guardianship changes. These children will be allowed to remain in the school regardless of whether or not the parent/guardian remains employed by the school.

Children of current or former Odyssey employees that worked at The Odyssey School for five years or longer, will receive priority admission if their applications are received by the designated deadline. The total number of students enrolled under the Staff Policy will not exceed 10% of the school's population.

Board's Policy

Current Board members, in good standing as determined by the Board Chair, who have served at least one full year of Board service by the designated deadline for choice forms will receive enrollment priority.

Children of former Board members, who left in good standing, on Board of Directors of The Odyssey School for five years or longer, will receive priority for admission if their choice forms are received by the designated deadline. The total number of students enrolled under the Board Policy will not exceed 10% of the school's population.

Grounds for Denial of Admission

Subject to the school's responsibilities under the Exceptional Children's Educational Act and applicable federal, state and local laws, the following will constitute ground for denial of admission to the school:

• Failure to meet age requirement.
• Having been expelled from any school district the preceding twelve months.
• Having engaged in behavior in another school during the preceding twelve months that is detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or of school personnel.
• An applicant who is not a Denver resident, unless otherwise entitled to attend, is not eligible for the initial lottery.
• Failure to comply with the immunization provisions. (Families who choose not to immunize their children must sign an immunization waiver.)
• Falsification of application or enrollment documents.
• Enrollment is contingent upon review of a student's IEP to determine if the student's needs can be met, program limitations are discussed.

Enrollment Procedure

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