Admissions Procedures

1. NCCES enrolls students in accordance with all state rules and regulations, ensuring a process that is open and fair.

2. Eligibility: NCCES is a public school and open to all eligible students. Eligibility means

   1. living within the designated towns of the school’s region (Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, Ashburnham, Ashby, Townsend, Lunenburg, Lancaster, Clinton, Sterling, Princeton, Westminster) – students outside the region are eligible if open spaces remain.

   2. having successfully completed the previous grade, and

   3. not having been expelled from another school.

3. Non-discrimination: NCCES shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or in a foreign language, or academic achievement in admitting students.

4. Open Spaces: Refer to the Current Dates & Deadlines for the latest open spaces.

5. Application Deadlines: Refer to the Current Dates & Deadlines for the current application deadline date.

6. Lottery: The lottery will be held in public and names will be drawn by a disinterested party. The school will notify all families whether they’ve been admitted or where they are on the waiting list. Refer to the Current Dates & Deadlines for the next lottery date.

7. Siblings of students currently attending NCCES and students who live in the school’s designated region will be admitted first. Non-residents, students who live outside the designated region will be admitted if space is available.

8. Admitted students must complete and return an enrollment form indicating whether they’ve chosen to accept admittance. Enrollment by March 15 will hold their space. Failure to return the enrollment form in time shall forfeit the slot and the student must reapply to be considered again.

9. Applications submitted after the Application Deadline date will be held until the next lottery for admission.

10. As slots open up, students will be admitted off the waiting list in the order established by lottery. Position on the waiting list will carry over until the next lottery.