The Discovery Charter School will hold its February board of directors meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 22, following its school lottery drawing which starts at 6 p.m.

Applications to be considered in the lottery were due to the school at noon last Friday.

Because there are more applicants than spots, the charter school holds a random lottery before each new school year to determine which applicants will be accepted as students, said Discovery Board of Directors President Laurie Metz.

Siblings of existing students are first identified and placed, Metz said, and then the remaining spots are given through the lottery.

The third party drawing the names this year will be Kim Swift, supervisory education specialist for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Once spots are filled, the lottery will also determine which applicants are to be put on the waitlist.

Metz said Kindergarten applications received after the Feb. 17 deadline are placed on the waiting list in the order received after those first considered in the lottery. Applicants for other grade levels can remain on the waitlist as it goes forward every year, she said.

After the lottery, the board will convene at approximately 6:30 p.m., starting with a presentation given by first grade students and teachers.

There will be a director’s report and approval of the school’s financial report which will include comments and questions from members of the public.

The board will review the school’s sustainability policy and dress code revisions under old business. For new business, the board will determine the target enrollment for the 2012-13 school year.

There will also be an opportunity for any further public comment.

The board will meet at inside the Discovery Charter School located at 800 Canonie Drive in Porter.

The board regularly meets the fourth Wednesday of each month.

Posted 2/20/2012