Pinnacle Classical Academy is a tuition free public school. Any child who is qualified under the laws of North Carolina for admission to a public school is qualified for admission to a charter school. To qualify to attend a North Carolina public school, a student must be a resident of North Carolina. County boundaries or school attendance areas do not affect charter school enrollment. Pinnacle Classical Academy does not limit admission to students on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability, disability, race, creed, gender, national origin, religion, or ancestry.

During each period of enrollment, Pinnacle Classical Academy will accept applications for new students. Once enrolled, students are not required to enroll in subsequent enrollment periods (as long as they stay enrolled). Open space is determined by the number of current students planning to return. In order to properly plan, the school may routinely inquire with parents in January through Letters of Intent to ascertain if students will return to Pinnacle Classical Academy the following year. Initial Applications for new students are available in the school office and on the school website.

The Initial enrollment application will begin the third Saturday in October and end on the close of the school day (4:00 p.m.) on the first Monday in March. Any late Initial applications will be put on the bottom of the waiting list after the lottery process. The school shall enroll an eligible student who submits an application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level, or building. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available spaces, a lottery will be held to fill vacant seats for the next school year. After seats are filled, the drawing will continue to determine the order of a waiting list. Current year waiting lists dissolve at the end of the first academic quarter.

Enrollment Preference

Pinnacle Classical Academy will utilize a sibling preference on a basis in order to make every attempt to accommodate families at the school. If one student is enrolled via the lottery then their sibling(s) will be given preference on the waiting lists. If the sibling on the waitlist is subsequently selected for entry off of the waitlist, then all siblings are eligible for entry in their respective grade levels, provided there are available spaces. If the sibling on the waitlist is subsequently selected for entry off of the waitlist, then all siblings are eligible for entry in their respective grade levels, provided there are available spaces.  If there are no available spaces, the other siblings will enter on the waitlist. The law increases the definition of a sibling to include “half siblings, step siblings, and children residing in a family foster home.”

If the multiple birth siblings are in different grades, the school will ask the parent to select the grade level to place the name.  That affords the parent rather than the school the opportunity to make the selection. If one space remains in the grade span when the multiple birth sibling is selected in the computer-generated process, all of the multiple birth siblings shall be admitted. PCA will then enroll each child. G.S. 115C-238G(g)(6).

Pinnacle Classical Academy will grant enrollment preference for staff children. The law limits that amount to no more than 15% of the school’s total enrollment. This preference includes school’s full-time employees for any year, and children of the initial board (those listed on the charter application) of directors only for the first year of operation. G.S. 115C-238G(g)(6).

In accordance with § 115C-218.45 Pinnacle Classical Academy may grant enrollment preference for

• a student who was enrolled in the charter school within the two previous school years but left the school to participate in an academic study abroad program or a competitive admission residential program or because of the vocational opportunities of the student's parent.
• a student who was enrolled in another charter school in the State in the previous school year that does not offer the student's next grade level, and a student who was enrolled in another charter school in the State in the previous school year that does not offer the student's next grade level and both of the charter schools have an enrollment articulation agreement to accept students or are governed by the same board of directors.
• a student who was enrolled in another charter school in the State in the previous school year.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, Pinnacle Classical Academy may refuse admission to any student who has been expelled or suspended from a public school under G.S. 115C-390.5 through G.S. 115C-390.11 until the period of suspension or expulsion has expired.

Lottery Procedure

Lottery procedures will comply with the NC Open Meeting Law provided in G.S. 143-218.10(a) by publicizing the date and location of the meeting as allowing anyone to attend.

The lottery process with take place at Pinnacle Classical Academy’s K-2 gymnasium at 900 S. Post Rd. The guidelines of the process will be posted on the school’s website. The process will also be explained on the day of the lottery. Each applicant’s name will be listed on a master spreadsheet. The selection process will be completed using computer-generated results, beginning with the kindergarten grade. Upon filling all available positions, the acceptance by lottery will continue, creating a school waiting list. The original master list, the accepted student list including wait list, and the sibling list (if applicable) will all be printed on the spot. The lottery process will then proceed for each subsequent grade if necessary, i.e., first, second, third . . . . As openings become available at the applicable grade level, students will be admitted based on computer-generated process. If applicants who are selected for admission decide not to enroll at Pinnacle Classical Academy, the parents of the next child on the waitlist for that grade will be notified.

After completing the acceptance by lottery, Pinnacle Classical Academy will submit an offer of enrollment by mail.  Parents/guardians have 10 days to let the school know their decision concerning acceptance. If by the 10th day there has been no response (extenuating circumstances may be taken into account, e.g., hospitalization of parent/legal guardian or child), the school will put the child’s name on the bottom of the waitlist.  

If a parent/guardian willingly and knowingly provides incorrect information on the Enrollment Application, the child will be in jeopardy of losing his/her position in the grade level at the school.  Each case will be addressed individually investigated. Based on the information gathered, the child’s position on the enrollment and/or wait list could be terminated.

Once the wait list has been determined, parents/guardians will be called based on their position on the waitlist, starting with the first child and continuing down the list as positions become available.

Enrollment During the School Year

Pinnacle Classical Academy does not grant enrollment to students after the completion of the first academic quarter. However extreme circumstances and classroom space availability may result in student admission. The Headmaster and administrative team shall examine any request to enroll during the year on a case-by-case basis and determine the most reasonable and appropriate outcome. Students denied entry after the first quarter may request an appeal to the Board of Directors.

Questions should be referred to the Administrative Office, 704-740-4035.

Policy approved by the Pinnacle Classical Academy Board of Directors, October 14, 2018