{Current as of January 2023}

Dear Families of Worthington 6th graders:

Phoenix Middle School is excited to begin our recruitment for our 2023-2024 7th grade class! Below, you will find a list of dates and information that will be relevant should you choose to find out more about our program for your 6th grader. You will also find more information about our school that you can review with your family as you look to make a decision about the next two years of your student's academic career.

Information Sessions

In January and February, every 6th grade classroom will be receiving information, videos, and a classroom student visit to discuss Phoenix Middle School. Our goal is to provide every 6th grade student in Worthington with all of the details about our school before they apply to enter the lottery to become a 7th grade student with Phoenix in the 2023-2024 school year. This information will also be posted on our website and made available for families to review with their students outside of class.

Learning About Phoenix Middle School

Phoenix Middle School is an option for families in Worthington Schools, and we invite all parents of current 6th graders to learn about our school and see if it will be a good fit for their children. Below are recommended opportunities to learn about Phoenix. Attendance is highly encouraged!

• Student/Parent Information Meeting

  • Tuesday, February 28 (6:30-8:00 PM)

  • Location: Phoenix Middle School (In Person and Zoom broadcast) - Zoom link to be provided in February

  • Staff will lead prospective students and families through an overview of the program.
    
    

• Open House for Prospective Families

  • Saturday, March 4 (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

  • Location: Phoenix Middle School

  • Staff, current students, and parents will be available for personal tours and conversation.
    
    

• Phoenix Discovery Night

  • Wednesday, March 8 (5:30-7:30 PM)

  • Location: Phoenix Middle School

  • Current students will lead student-centered activities including an eSports tournament, club exploration, and interactions between current and prospective students to learn about the Phoenix experience

Application, Lottery, and Sibling Information

• To apply to be a Phoenix 7th grader for the 2023-2024 school year: students must complete the current Phoenix Middle School Application (currently available at www.phoenixms.org) and submit it to the website no later than Friday, March 24, 2023, 4:00 pm.

• Students who have submitted applications on time will be entered into a lottery that will be held at the Worthington Education Center on Wednesday, March 29, 2022.

• The Phoenix Middle School lottery is conducted at the district level; not the school. All questions about the lottery process should be referred to Sue Withers, Administrative Assistant to Dr. Neil Gupta, Director of Secondary Education, at 614-450-6015.

• Students will be drawn from the lottery by neighborhood school.

• The McCord MS attendance area students (25 students) will be pulled from the lottery at 10:00 AM; Kilbourne MS students (16 students) from 10:30 AM; Worthingway MS students (24 students) from 11:00 AM; and, Perry MS students (19 students) at 11:30 AM.

• To be eligible, students must be residents in the Worthington Schools when school begins Fall 2023.

The lottery will be live-streamed.

Students are NOT required to be present at the lottery on drawing day.

• Due to our unique daily schedule, we allow current Phoenix families with a student who is in the 7th grade (moving to 8th grade in Fall 2023) to have automatic admittance for an incoming 7th grade sibling through the application and lottery process. IMPORTANT: Even if the 6th grader has a sibling who is a current Phoenix 7th grader, the student MUST complete and submit an application. Students without applications WILL NOT be entered into the lottery, regardless of whether their sibling is in the current Phoenix 7th grade class.

• The children of Phoenix staff can be a part of the new class after an application is submitted. The Phoenix staff’s child does NOT take a seat in the lottery pool.