FORSYTH COUNTY — This school year may be just halfway over, but the Forsyth County school system is preparing for next fall.

Applications are being accepted for students who want to attend a school different than the one for which they are zoned. Out-of-district requests must be submitted by Jan. 29, according to the system.

Students who have been approved for an out-of-district request for this school year do not need to re-submit an application unless they have been impacted by the recent redistricting in southwest Forsyth for elementary or middle schools.

An out-of-district request must be completed when:

* Moving from elementary to middle or middle to high school and the student is requesting a school other than his or her “home” school.

* Moving into the school system.

* Moving within Forsyth and the student is requesting a school other than his or her home school.

* Requesting a change from the current approved out-of-district school

Parents/guardians of out-of-district students must provide their own transportation.

 Also, families who have changed addresses must complete a form and supply proof of residency.

The following schools are above capacity and may not accept out-of-district requests for new students: Daves Creek, Haw Creek, Kelly Mill, Settles Bridge, Shiloh Point, Silver City, Vickery Creek and Whitlow elementary schools; Lakeside, Liberty, North Forsyth, Otwell and Vickery Creek middle schools; and all five high schools.

Procedures for completing a request

Parents must submit a separate out-of-district request for each student.

Permission for a student to attend a school outside the home attendance district will be granted when the admitting principal and the superintendent or designee have approved the application. All transfers granted will be on a space and/or personal basis.

The following reasons for out-of-district requests will be considered:

* High school program need, the admitting principal must verify a program need exists

* Employee’s child

* A sibling in a special education class

* Moving within 90 days

* Redistricted rising fifth- or eighth-grader and their siblings for 2016-17 only

According to Forsyth County Board of Education policy, a student whose parent/guardian is a full-time employee is allowed to enroll in any school in the system

Principals have the authority to deny or rescind out-of-district status if students and/or their parents have not followed school rules. That includes repeated late arrivals, unexcused absences, and/or poor academic progress.