PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR CHOICE SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS1
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This Manual is referenced in School Board Policy 5.016
1. History and Purpose -a. The School District of Palm Beach County (SDPBC) is committed to providing quality
educational opportunities for all students. The School Board implemented magnet
schools and Choice programs as a way to ensure that quality educational opportunities
were available to all students in diverse settings. Choice programs are specialized
educational programs that enable students to take advantage of additional resources
and innovative teaching techniques that focus on the student’s individual talents or
interests.
b. Choice schools and programs maintain the goals of:
i. Improving achievement for all students who are participating in choice
programs;
ii. Providing a unique or specialized curriculum or approach; and
iii. Promoting and maintaining the educational benefits of a diverse student body.
Diversity and/or diverse, for the purpose of this manual, are defined as students’ first language,
Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students with disabilities, the socioeconomic status of the
students (based on free and reduced-price lunch data), gender, and race/ethnicity consistent
with the state of Florida classification for reporting.
2. Types of Choice Programs -- At the elementary, middle, and high school levels, the District
may implement total-school (full Choice) programs or Choice program(s) within a school. In a
full Choice school, all students enrolled in the school participate in the Choice program while
Choice program(s) within a school have both students enrolled in the Choice program(s) as well
as those who do not participate in the Choice program(s). The SDPBC full Choice schools are:
Morikami Park ES, Northboro ES, Poinciana ES, S.D. Spady ES, Bak MSOA, Don Estridge
High Tech MS, Dreyfoos SOA, and Suncoast HS.
3. Recruitment -- To ensure that all students have equitable educational opportunities and to
promote diverse Choice school enrollment, it is the goal of the District to provide all students
with the opportunity to access Choice schools and programs.
a. The Superintendent and/or Chief Academic Officer ensure that recruitment strategies
are developed by each Choice school or program and are designed to achieve a diverse
applicant pool.
b. The District seeks to provide information and assistance to all parents/guardians as
they make choices for their children. The District’s Department of Choice and Career
Options is responsible for educating parents/guardians regarding the many options
available to students. The Department of Choice and Career Options will provide
parents with information, assistance, and other resources regarding choice schools and
programs. Parents may visit the Department in the Fulton-Holland Educational Services
Center or online at: www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms. The Department of
Choice and Career Options is also responsible for coordinating outreach programs to
assist Choice schools in the recruitment of diverse applicants. The Department may
use Choice school fairs, newsletters, newspaper and radio advertisements, civic or local
government organizations, the Internet, The Education Network (T.E.N.), promotional
materials, and publicity through other local government agencies as part of a
comprehensive recruitment plan.
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4. Application Process -- To be considered for a Choice school or program, the parents or
guardians of applicants must return the completed applications for the 2013-2014 school year to
the Department of Choice and Career Options no later than December 14, 2012. Only
applications for the 2013-2014 school year will be processed. Please note the following for the
December 14 deadline:
● Mailed applications must be postmarked December 14, 2012, or before.
● Hand-delivered applications to the Choice and Career Options (District) office will not be
accepted after 4:00 PM on December 14, 2012.
● Online applications will not be accepted after 11:59 PM on December 14, 2012
a. The Choice Programs Application (PBSD 1537) will be available on or around October
1st of each year for placement the following fall. Applications in English, Spanish,
Portuguese, and Creole will be available online at the Choice and Career Options
website:
www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms.
Applications will also be
available at each public school and at the Department of Choice and Career Options in
the Fulton Holland Educational Services Center (District Office).
b. The student applicant’s parent(s)/guardian(s) must be a full time resident of Palm Beach
County in order to complete an application or audition for a Choice school or program in
the PBCSD. Residency is verified for each applicant.
c. One or two programs may be selected. Applicants must rank their program selections in
order as first (1st) and second (2nd) choice preferences on the application if the student
has more than one (1) Choice program preference.
d.
Only one (1) application may be submitted per student and no program selection
changes will be allowed once the application is submitted. The address listed on the
application must match the application as listed in the District's student database system
(TERMS). Pursuant to Florida Statute, Section 92.525 and under penalties of perjury,
parents/guardians will sign the application verifying that the information stated in the
application is true and correct.
e. The Choice Programs Application is available for submission online at the following
website: www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms. When submitting this completed
web-based form, the parent/guardian is verifying, under penalties of perjury, that his/her
electronically submitted application is authentic, the information provided is true and
correct, and that he/she is the parent/guardian authorized to submit the application. No
program selection changes will be allowed once the online application is submitted.
f.
DUPLICATE PROGRAMS:
i. If a Choice Program is offered at a student's home school, the student must select
the program at the home school as their first choice or the application will not be
processed.
ii. If the student is applying for a program that is offered In-House at their home school,
an In-House program application must be completed at the school site. Students are
not eligible to apply for a program at another school if the same program is offered at
their home school.
iii. The only exception is that all students may apply to the following full choice schools:
Suncoast HS, Dreyfoos SOA, Don Estridge High Tech MS, Bak MSOA, Morikami
Park ES, Northboro ES, Poinciana ES, and SD Spady ES.
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5. Academic or Related Eligibility Criteria -- In order for an applicant to participate in the
computerized lottery, the applicant must meet the eligibility requirements for the program as
described in the Choice Programs booklet.
a. Elementary Level -- Elementary schools do not have academic or related criteria for
Choice school eligibility.
b. Secondary Level -- At the secondary level, the Superintendent and Chief Academic
Officer allow the use of academic criteria, including grade point average and course
prerequisites, and/or audition criteria for determining whether students are eligible for
a Choice school or program. Eligibility must be determined for all students who
apply to programs that have academic or audition criteria. Once an application is
completed, it is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to make sure that the Choice
school or program receives the student’s transcript or academic record, including all
information related to Virtual School classes, if appropriate.
i. Each year, the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee shall
review proposed eligibility criteria and require that they be nondiscriminatory and
provide equal access. The Superintendent or designee must approve any
additions or changes to the eligibility requirements.
ii. Secondary choice schools or programs that use academic and/or audition
related eligibility criteria must use an eligibility committee to determine which
applicants are eligible for participation in the computerized random selection
lottery process.
iii. All students applying to A. W. Dreyfoos, Jr. School of the Arts or Bak Middle
School of the Arts must meet the eligibility criteria set by the school through their
audition process in order to be part of the lottery selection process.
1. ESE, ELL and 504 students must provide their ESE IEP, ELL Plan or
their 504 Accommodation Plan at the time of the audition sign-up or prior
to the audition in order to request allowable audition accommodations.
2. Private school students without a District IEP or a District 504
Accommodation Plan may also request allowable audition
accommodations if the parent provides appropriate documentation of the
student’s disability to the school at the time of the audition sign-up or prior
to the audition.
3. If a student becomes ill and is unable to audition on the scheduled
audition date, he/she must provide the school with written proof of illness
from a doctor within three (3) school days of the date of the student’s
scheduled audition. The student’s audition will then be rescheduled at a
time set up by the school only if there are more audition dates available.
Students who have not auditioned before the scheduled lottery will not be
eligible for the initial lottery selection process.
iv. If a student is determined ineligible for his/her first choice program, the second
choice selection on the application does not move to the first choice selection.
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v. The greatest number of available seats at each school is for students entering
Grades K, 6, or 9.The Choice booklet gives a range of available seats for each
program.
6. Reciprocity -- Students who move into the District after the first day of school may be
considered for placement in a program if they are eligible, have evidence of transferring from a
like-themed program (i.e. IB, Arts, Technology), and there are available seats in the
program/school for the student. If the student is requesting a Performing Arts Program
(Dreyfoos or Bak), placement will only be considered if an audition is completed and passed.
However, there is no guarantee of time, place, or availability of auditions.
7. Selection Process -- All eligible students who submit an application by the deadline date will
qualify for participation in the initial computerized selection lottery according to the selections
made on the Choice Programs application. The Choice and Career Options Director shall
implement the procedures as set forth herein for the annual lottery selection process that will
take into consideration the diversity of the PBCSD.
a. Seats available for each program will be determined by the Department of Planning.
Consideration will be given to Florida Inventory of School House (FISH) capacity,
concurrency, and the Class Size Reduction Amendment. For programs housed in
schools with a boundary area, seats will be allotted for students who reside within the
school’s Study Area Codes (SAC areas) and for students who reside outside the
school’s SAC areas (Out of Boundary - OOB).
b. If there are fewer applicants than available seats, the PBCSD shall admit all eligible
applicants to the Choice school or program.
c. When there are more eligible on-time applicants than available seats for programs,
a computerized lottery selection process will be used to ensure equity in the assignment
of eligible students to programs. Preference in the lottery will be given as follows:
1) Up to 20% of the available seats may be selected by the principal for
students who selected that particular program as their first (1st) choice for
each Choice school program prior to the lottery. The number of available
principal’s 20% seats in each school Choice program will be determined by
taking the total number of out of boundary vacancies allotted by the Planning
Department and multiplying that number by 0.20. That number will then be
divided equally among the total number of full Choice programs at the school.
The names and student numbers of the students selected as the principal’s
20% will be sent to the Director of Choice and Career Options immediately
following the eligibility determination of all students who applied to the Choice
school or program but no later than 5 school days prior to the first day of the
lottery. All principals have the option to forfeit this selection preference and
have 100% of available seats chosen through the lottery.
2) First (1st) choice applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for the
specified program may be admitted if they have a parent who is a full-time
employee at the Choice school to which they apply and if seats are available.
3) Up to 25% of the remaining seats may be filled by first (1st) choice applicants
who meet the eligibility requirement for the specified program and who belong
to a district-approved priority group or population, which includes
neighborhood designated SAC areas as indicated in Appendix A.
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4) First (1st) choice on time applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for
the specified program may be admitted if they have a parent who is active
duty military personnel. Active duty orders and other documentation are
required.
5) After deducting the principal’s 20% students from each program, those
students who have a parent who is a full time employee at the Choice school to
which they apply, up to 25% of those students who belong to a district-approved
priority group or population which includes neighborhood-designated SAC areas,
up to 50% elementary and 25% secondary of the remaining available seats may
be filled with first (1st) choice sibling applicants. Siblings are defined as the
brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother or stepsister living in the
same household of those students who are currently attending the same first
choice school and will continue to attend the choice school the next year.
Siblings who are submitting an application for a Choice program/school at the
same time are not included in this preference.
6) After deducting the preferences listed above, up to 25% of the remaining seats
may be filled with eligible first (1st) choice applicants who have participated in
and completed a program in the same preparatory theme at the lower grades
(completed is defined as participating in at least grades 7 and 8 in the middle
school program or at least grades 4 and 5 in the elementary school program).
The program need not be a magnet or choice program, but student participation
must be indicated on the Student TERMS A26 panel for current School District of
Palm Beach County students.
Strand preference for IB MYP students: Since the MYP is a five year program
from Grades 6-10, first choice applicants for the high school continuation of the
IB MYP who have satisfactorily completed Grades 7 and 8 (MYP Levels 2 and 3)
and who meet the IB eligibility requirements will be admitted to the partner high
school IB MYP. (Carver MS-Atlantic HS, John F. Kennedy MS-Suncoast HS,
Conniston MS-Forest Hill HS, and Pahokee MS-Pahokee HS)
d. If after all first choice applicants have been selected there are seats still available in a
program, a computerized random lottery will be run for any second (2 nd) choice
applicants who were not selected for their first (1st) choice until all seats are filled. This
process is used for all programs in order to fill all available seats. The preferences used
for first choice applicants do not apply to second choice applicants. Once a
student has been selected for one of his/her indicated choices, he/she is immediately
removed from the lottery for all other programs indicated on his/her Choice Programs
application (PBSD 1537).
e. Students that are not selected to attend a Choice Program in the initial computerized
lottery will remain in the “wait pool” in accordance with the program selections made on
the application. As openings for programs occur, students will be selected via random
selection lottery from the first (1st) choice “wait pool” to fill these openings until the first
(1st) choice “wait pool” is depleted. Once the first (1st) choice “wait pool” is depleted,
students from the second (2nd) choice “wait pool” will be chosen to fill openings as they
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occur. Once a student has been selected for one of his/her indicated choices, he/she is
immediately removed from the “wait pool” for all other programs.
f. Students are obligated to accept the program that they have indicated as their first (1st)
choice if they are selected or they must return to their home school.
g. If a parent does not want his/her child to attend the second (2nd) choice program if
selected, the parent must decline the selected program and notify the Department of
Choice and Career Options Director in writing that the student wants to remain in the
“wait pool” for his/her 1st choice program. Students are obligated to accept the program
that they have indicated as their first choice if they are selected or they must return to
their home school.
h. All students who are selected and accept placement in a Choice school or program
must agree to participate on a full time basis in the Choice school or program.
i. If a student is not selected to attend a Choice school or program in the lottery process,
a new application must be submitted for the following year.
j. Acceptance of a Choice program takes the place of all assignments for other programs
including but not limited to, Reassignment, Opportunity Scholarships, and students
currently enrolled in a school through NCLB.
8. Appeal Process -- If parents/guardians believe that their child was not allowed an equitable
opportunity for a Choice school or program during the audition or eligibility process because of a
technical problem or inequity, the parent/guardian may request an appeal.
Appeals are only accepted for the following reasons:
1. A technical problem during the audition process (any relevant malfunction, such
as defective equipment or a power failure in the building).
2. A technical problem during the eligibility process (such as a mathematical error).
3. An inequity (failure to provide appropriate accommodations according to the child’s
documented disability or limited English proficiency during the student’s audition or
eligibility processes).
The appeals process is governed by Policy 5.016 and is described in the District’s Procedures
Manual for Choice Programs (www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms). Parents may
request an Appeals Committee hearing within ten (10) school days from the date of the
notification letter indicating child’s program assignment, wait pool status, or determination
of ineligibility. A Request for Appeal (Form 2418) must be submitted to the Director of Choice
and Career Options and include a written explanation of the alleged technical problem or
inequity. Any pertinent information supporting the appeal should also be attached to the form.
After the written Request for Appeal is received from the parent/guardian, the Choice Appeals
Review Committee will investigate the alleged inequity or technical problem to determine its
merit. (A Choice Appeals Review Committee is established annually under the direction of the
Director of Choice and Career Options and consists of a diverse group of professional
educators and administrators with knowledge of Choice and Career Options programs and
District policies.)
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At the completion of the Appeals Committee review of appeals request, one of the following
actions will occur within five (5) school days:
 The Department of Choice and Career Options Director will send a letter to the
parent/guardian denying the appeal.
 The Department of Choice and Career Options Director will send a letter to the
parent/guardian approving the appeal and notify the effected school of the need for a
second eligibility review.
9. Transportation – At the time of this publication, the School Board shall provide
transportation per approved District Transportation Standards for Choice Boundary Routes in
2013-2014, for all students who are enrolled in Choice schools and programs who reside more
than two miles from the Choice school or program and who reside within a designated Choice
transportation zone. Bus stops to Choice schools or programs may be limited and located
significantly further from the student’s home than regular bus stops. Those students not residing
in the transportation zone for a specific Choice school or program, but who are selected, may
attend but will have to provide their own transportation to and from the school, the nearest
school bus pick-up location within the transportation zone, or the nearest Tri-Rail Station
location or Palm Tran bus stop. Available transportation bus stops are listed online at:
www.palmbeachschools.org/transportation. Register for bus transportation at this website.
10. Student Continuation and Exit Procedures -a. Once a student is admitted to a Choice school or program, the PBCSD expects and
shall allow the student to remain in that Choice school or program until the student
reaches the highest grade level offered by that school. Students do not have to reapply
for admission into the same program once they have been accepted to a Choice school
or program.
b. All Choice schools and programs shall require, as a condition for admission, that
parents/guardians sign a contract agreeing to the student requirements of the Choice
school. This may include required participation in school/program activities, acceptable
attendance and conduct, maintaining a designated grade point average, or abiding by a
specified dress code where such requirements are part of the Choice theme.
c. A student who fails to meet the standards established in the contract will be placed on
probation. If concerns continue or a serious offense occurs, a diverse committee of
school representatives will be established to review, discuss and recommend the
appropriate action, as per the school program requirements.
d. If a student exits a Choice school or program, voluntarily or involuntarily, that student
will forfeit the seat in the Choice school or program and may not apply in any future cycle
to that Choice school or program. Schools may only exit students at the end of a
semester unless a serious offense warrants such removal (Discipline Level 3 or 4 or
recommendation of the school committee). The parent or guardian has the right to
withdraw the student at any time but removal at the end of the semester or year is highly
recommended. If removed for not following contract requirements, the student is no
longer eligible to apply for the program or school in any future application cycle.
e. Students who are exited from a Choice program are not eligible to remain at the
Choice school through reassignment.
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f. If a student is attending classes via Hospital Homebound Services, the student must
complete the program required coursework by the end of the school year. Failure to do
so may make the student subject to possible program exit.
11. Creating, Replicating, or Moving a Choice School or Program
a. If the need exists for a new school or program, the Program Proposal form (PBSD
2079), must be submitted to the Chief Academic Officer for review by the Program
Proposal Review Committee and can be found on the District’s website at:
http://www.palmbeachschools.org/forms/index.asp. The Chief Academic Officer and
Superintendent will then review the committee’s recommendation and approve the
program, if appropriate, for implementation up to 18 months from the date of approval.
b. In making this determination, the Superintendent shall utilize the goals for Choice
schools and programs provided in Section (1) (b) above. In addition, the Superintendent
shall use a number of other considerations, including:
i. The geographic location of a potential site in order to ensure equitable access
to Choice programs, including reasonable transportation time, for all students;
ii. Any demographic changes in an attendance zone, such as declining
enrollment or decreasing diversity;
iii. The suitability and condition of the potential site;
iv. The School Board’s priorities;
v. the impact that implementing a Choice school or program at a potential site
might have on displacing students currently assigned to the school and on the
enrollment and diversity at the surrounding schools;
vi. The potential for attracting a diverse enrollment to a proposed site;
vii. The impact on class size reduction, concurrency and the capacity and
utilization of a potential site;
viii. The achievement data that demonstrates student learning gains;
ix. The budgetary impact for creating a new choice school or program, or of
replicating a theme at a new site. Consideration should include the available
funds for existing Choice schools and programs and any other needs of the
PBCSD.
c. Once the potential sites and themes are identified, the Superintendent, Chief
Academic Officer or designee shall invite principals at those schools to submit the
Program Proposal form (PBSD 2079) for a Choice school or program at their
respective schools.
The Choice and Career Options Director shall provide
assistance, as needed, in the development of the proposals. These proposals shall
include:
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i. The development of the Choice theme/program/design recommended by the
Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee;
ii. Strategies for attracting a diverse population;
iii. Strategies for improving academic achievement;
iv. Strategies for aligning the Choice theme with the PBCSD’s course of study
and career pathway requirements;
v. How students in the PBCSD shall have access to the application and
transportation process for the Choice school or program;
vi. What the budget requirements are for the Choice school or program, including
an explanation of why each budget item is reasonable and necessary for the
Choice theme or program;
vii. The impact on facilities and any future recommendations;
viii. How the Choice school or program will be monitored and evaluated in
addition to completed Choice program evaluation results.
12. Determining Continuation of Existing Choice Schools or Programs
If a Choice school or program is not meeting or making satisfactory progress toward the three
goals specified in paragraph (1) (b) above, the Director of Choice and Career Options shall
initiate the activities of a technical assistance planning team. A technical assistance plan will be
prepared for implementation the following year in the Choice school or program.
a. If a Choice school or program has not made satisfactory progress after at least three
years of implementation and one full year of technical assistance, the Director of Choice
and Career Options shall notify the principal by the end of the technical assistance year
regarding discontinuation of the Choice school or program. If a Choice school or
program is discontinued, the Area Superintendent and the principal shall develop a plan
to be presented to the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee to ensure an
orderly transition of the Choice school or program to a non-choice school program. A
Program Conversion/Closure form (PBSD 2168), found on the District’s website at:
http://www.palmbeachschools.org/forms/index.asp must be completed by the school site
and will be discussed at the next scheduled Program Proposal Review Committee
meeting. The Committee’s recommendation will be sent to the Superintendent for
approval to close a program.
b. A Choice school or program may be recommended for closure by the Area
Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or the Superintendent/designee for lack of
student participation, lack of funding, loss of teacher allocation, or other good cause. A
Program Conversion/Closure form (PBSD 2168) must be completed by the school site
and submitted for discussion at a Program Proposal Review Committee meeting. The
Committee’s recommendation will be sent to the Superintendent for approval to close a
program
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13. Diversity and District-Wide Maintenance of School Populations -- If necessary, the
eligible ELL/LY students may be prioritized for placement if there are a disparate number of LY
students in each choice school or program. If necessary, the eligible ESE students with
disabilities may be prioritized for placement if there are a disparate number of ESE students
with disabilities in each choice school or program.
14. Budgeting and Funding Implications -- No later than February 1st of each school year,
the magnet schools budget will be reviewed and revised for the upcoming year. The review will
be led by the Director of Choice Options and a group of representative principals as well as
representatives of the Budget Department as needed.
15. Monitoring and Evaluation -- The Superintendent may submit to the School Board a
report regarding the implementation of Choice schools and programs. This report may include:
a. data on the pool of eligible students for each Choice school or program;
b. the diversity of the recruitment pool (in evaluating whether a Choice school or
program meets or will meet the goal of diversity, the PBCSD broadly considers various
types of diversity);
c. marketing plans that list recruitment techniques that have increased and decreased
the diversity of the pool of eligible students;
d. data on the students who were accepted into each Choice school or program,
including the diversity of the students who were accepted into each Choice school or
program;
e. data on the eligibility committees that are used to determine student eligibility for
Choice schools or programs, including the diversity of these committees;
f. identification of any perceived barriers to students being eligible for and admitted into
Choice schools or programs and recommendations for eliminating any barriers;
g. data on the unique nature of the program or specialized curricular approach, and its
impact on attracting a diverse population;
h. data on how students are performing in each Choice school or program, including how
students from diverse populations are performing;
i. data on the withdrawal of students from each Choice school or program; and
j. any recommendation for improving Choice schools and programs, particularly as to the
participation of students in Choice schools or programs, and the development of
outstanding Choice schools or programs.
16. Annual Review -- The Department of Choice and Career Options shall review these
procedures annually and submit any recommendations for revision to the Chief Academic
Officer and Superintendent, who may recommend that the procedures be amended accordingly.
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APPENDIX A
Choice Programs Priority SAC Areas 2013-2014
School
Program
Morikami Park
Elementary
International
Baccalaureate Primary
Years
Choice Priority SAC
Areas
296B, 306A, 306B
Poinciana Elementary
Math, Science and
Technology
257, 406A, 406B
Northboro Elementary
Montessori
099B, 105A, 105B,
115A, 115B, 389A,
389B
S.D. Spady Elementary
Montessori
288, 290*, 294
BAK Middle School of
the Arts
Visual, Performing,
Communications Arts
102, 103, 097C
Suncoast High
Innovative Interactive
Technology
081A, 081B, 081C,
081D, 081E, 081F,
081G, 081H, 081J,
082, 083, 084, 093C,
093D, 093E, 094A,
094B, 094C, 094D,
094E,
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Comment
Students must submit
an application by the
deadline
*Former SAC 290B
N – NW 4th Street (only)
E – Swinton Avenue (only)
S – NW 2nd Street (only)
W – NW 4th Avenue (only)
Must submit an
application by the
deadline and pass the
audition
Must submit an
application by the
deadline