Fifth-grader Victor John Harrington lives only blocks away from the International School in Bellevue, well within walking distance. He has looked forward to one day being a student at the school which ranked 12th in the nation on Newsweek magazine’s list of the best high schools for 2007.

Unfortunately for prospective students such as VJ, the opportunity to attend the prestigious school is based on chance, not location of residence.

The intimate school of roughly 500 students permits enrollment for incoming students by a public lottery system. Each student applying for enrollment is assigned a number and then waits to see if they are one of the few lucky ones whose number gets drawn.

The lottery drawing for the school’s 2009/2010 enrollment took place last week, with scores of parents and students on the edges of their seats. Some held tightly to their number, others held hands and hoped for the best, and some closed their eyes and listened for their magic number to be read aloud.

For those in the cafeteria in the International School, it was a day filled with both relief and disappointment.

VJ was not so lucky. He is number 24 on the wait list along with more than 300 others hoping to receive an enrollment letter in the mail.

Michael Harrington, VJ’s father, is frustrated. Harrington argues that the current admissions policy gives siblings of current students a huge advantage. The policy gives students who have an older brother or sister enrolled at the International School automatic enrollment. The number of “sibling slots” varies from year to year, but on average, between 20 and 50 siblings are automatically admitted in prior to the lottery system. The incoming siblings subtract from the existing slots for the other 400 or so applying to get in.

For the 09/10 school year, 420 students applied for 81 spots, with the rest placed on a waiting list. Out of the 81 spots, 21 were current students’ siblings, already granted enrollment.

This left only 60 spaces for hopeful students.

“I understand the current policy for enrollment to the International School, but I think there is certainly preferential treatment to siblings of current students,” Harrington, pointing to section 2.6 of the latest revised document for the Admissions Policy at the International School. “What about families like mine with an only child? Should my son have any less of a chance to earn a good education?” Harrington asked.

International School is designed as a seven-year integrated program for sixth through 12th grade with a strong emphasis in foreign language and global education.

The school’s admission policy was first adopted by the International School program delivery council in 1995 and was recently revised in 2002 following a revision of the school board policy.

“It’s only fair that policies are reviewed from time to time to either reinforce their original purpose or update them to better reflect the changing needs of the community,” said Harrington.

As a member of the Wilburton Community Association board, Harrington attended a school board meeting on Feb. 4 to ask if a provision might be made to the admission policy in the future.

“The board said they did not foresee any changes to the policy in the future,” said Harrington, adding “The rational given was that it was school board policy, and that having families fosters a sense of community. Evidently, the community does not extend across the street.”

For now, VJ will enter the sixth grade at Chinook Middle School.

“Chinook is a good school, don’t get me wrong, but I think he’s still a little disappointed,” said Harrington. “The International School is part of our neighborhood and it just seems natural for him to go there. I guess we’ll just try again next year and hope our luck changes.”

The winning lottery numbers are posted on the Web site for the International School at www.bsd405.org.

Lindsay Larin can be reached at 425.453.4602.