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More parents are trying to get their kids into Lake Norman Charter School in north Mecklenburg county.  In planning for next year's enrollment, Lake Norman which is adding another year to its brand new high school, saw its largest pool of applicants.  Making it to this public school, which feels more like a private school, is based on luck of the draw.  WFAE's Simone Orendain visited the school to find out why parents want to get their kids in so badly.

It's lottery day. Parents crowd into the cafeteria, anxiety written on their faces… as the schools' managing director Tim Riemer explains how it will work.

"You take a look at 5th grade obviously we have no returning students because that is the first grade here at Lake Norman Charter School. We will accept 89 siblings, 98 other 5th grade applicants for a total of 187," he says.

Five hundred forty-four students are vying for those 98 slots.

"The next step for us will be to run the lottery for you…," says Riemer.

Names are called. Then parents begin to trickle out of the cafeteria some with their heads held high, beaming… and others crestfallen.

Vicky Seksinsky mans the doors. She's the PTO president.

She says, "I did not come for the lottery. I didn't want to put myself through that. Yeah, it's too much- screaming, crying. There's a lot of emotion. It means a lot… It means you don't have to go to CMS."

Seksinsky says CMS is too big and not academically challenging. This is a typical complaint of parents looking to place their children in Lake Norman.

A charter school is a deregulated public school, often started by a group of parents who've been disgruntled by a school district.

At Lake Norman, there's a middle school and a high school. Reimer says the board is made up of the students' parents.

"We'd like to think it's a family environment that we have here. I think you get a higher level of buy-in when people are just emotionally and personally invested into your culture. That's the great thing about Lake Norman Charter School," he says.

CMS administrators are well aware of charter supporters' complaints. Scott McCully is director of student placement at CMS. He says the district has a strong reputation nationally and administrators continue to work on making it competitive.

But he says, "Overcrowding has been an issue particularly at the middle school level. And some parents are very uncomfortable with that... that's something we've been working very hard on in terms of bringing new schools on board."

Parent Toni Hanline has two daughters at Lake Norman and one at North Mecklenburg High School. She's not disappointed that her oldest daughter couldn't get in.

Hanline explains, "We didn't have any particular problems. I was born and raised in Charlotte and came through CMS. I graduated high school from there and went on to college and to become a respectable citizen."

She saw Lake Norman as an opportunity to get her kinds into a private school setting without the tuition. Last year, Hanline started substitute teaching at the middle school and realized her good fortune.

"The gym- the whole facility is really top notch. And I was impressed with the teachers' lesson plans that they left for me. They were very well prepared. I just felt really, really grateful that my kids went there," she says.

Managing Director Tim Riemer says the school has a history of high standards. All teachers have plenty of autonomy.

"You know, we do want our teachers to take risks- calculated risks. We also understand at times they're going to fail. But that's okay as long as it's well-thought out and well planned. Because I think taking risks allows people to grow," says Riemer.

While charter schools stand-alone, they are publicly funded mostly by the state. There are 11 charter schools in Mecklenburg. And as critical as Lake Norman parents are of CMS, their schools actually receive a piece of the $10 million or so CMS must give to charters.

Charter schools' performance is measured by state standards. Lake Norman's website says more than 90-percent of students have scored at or above grade level since the 01-02 school year.

"It's one of the ones that we named as one of the top 10 charter schools," says Ran Coble, head of the North Carolina Public Policy Research Center. Overall, the center gives charter schools a mixed review- both academically and in how they reflect their communities.

Riemer acknowledges Lake Norman's racial make-up could use some help. Students there are 88-percent white.

"As far as diversity, we're probably just a little bit less diverse than our local community- the Huntersville community," he says.

It's public school but it doesn't have public school services. Students have to bring their own lunch.

And there is no school bus service. Parents like Toni Hanline run carpools. She's picking up her 14-year old daughter Maddie and a neighbor from the high school.

Hanline says, "You have to be willing to apply, find out when to apply. And then you have to go through the lottery system and you have to be able to provide for your child's transportation so everybody who's here is at least that dedicated before they ever become a student."

Maddie hops in the van with her friend Gillian and give a report on how her day went.

Maddie likes the one-on-one attention from her teachers. But she complains, the school is so new that there isn't a strong sense of spirit. She's contemplating transferring to her older sister's school, North Meck, which she calls a "normal high school."

Her mom hopes she sticks it out.

"But we knew that once you walk away from here, you're kind of closing a door that might not open back up for you," says Hanline.

If Maddie decides to leave, someone else will be eager to take that spot.

Unless you want to be stuck with disfunctional,problematic students you should consider taking ALL honors classes, the school is very under rated for the level of difficulty which greately influences the college you will be going to, your better off going to another school if you dont want to see people you dont like 5 to 6 times a day because here everyone knows everyone!

The school is not good. There are lot of clicks and bullying around. The administration ignores this situation. There are many kids isolated while the popular kids run the school. Also, the amount of mediocre teachers and administration is on the raise... This is not a good environment for good education. If you want excelence you may have to pay for it.

Chase, don't go nit picking at other peoples comments...leignann is fine. And you say we don't need any more gay kids? I think we do. Like the comment under me says, there is nooooo diversity at all at the school. All of the freshman are clones of each other and are sheltered little things while the sophomore's smoke all the time and cuss out teachers. I love how you say that there are no fights, what happened to Robbie and Lester last week or Sean and that other kid? You also say that there is no drug action...people aren't SMOKING it at school, but some of the kids are selling it.

Sorry, I meant the eighth grade.

I am at the high school. I have been here since the ninth grade. LNCS may be better academically, but I don't think the sacrifices are worth it. I have been to CMS and LNCS, and both have their shortcomings. LNCS is sheltered and I think most of the kids who are going to college are going to have a serious wake-up call to what the world is really like. The "real world" is not 88% white. Fights happen. People come from low-income families. I myself am from a lower income family than most of the students and I, having not noticed it in CMS, feel insecure about it. I don't enjoy LNCS in the least, and I am hoping to transfer to Mallard Creek next year. The only thing that is better about this school is education. And although there are fewer fights, there is slim to no diversity, not just racially. Everyone seems to dress the same and act the same. I don't want to spend another year here.

My daughter has been at LNCS since fifth grade and she is presently a freshman. I can honestly say that this school is the best fit for her. I leave her off each morning with a peace of mind knowing she is getting the best education offered in Meck county and that she will not have to be bothered with a negative environment filled with disciplinary problems. The staff knows all students and the parents and students are NOT just a number at LNCS. Their ideas and comments count. LNCS Parent

I'm in seventh grade at LNCS. For 1st grade through 4th grade I attended Blythe, which is in CMS, obviously. I hadnt noticed THAT much of a difference, except maybe how much harder it was to make NEW friends. I frequently had new friends in each grade in elementary school, but now i am basically friends with the same people for the past three years. This is probably because the cliques are so tight that if you lose your friends, there is not much of a chance you'll make many new ones because the groups stay together through each school year. But over-all, I LOVE LNCS much more than Blythe and the people are much nicer and the teachers are much more focused on teaching and the fact that the students are actually LEARNING. At CMS, I regret to say I got no introduction to science other than the odd experiment here and there that the teachers preformed quickly outside before we preceeded back into our classrooms to read from the textbooks. LNCS is much more hands-on and I feel I learn more each year.

I go to LNCS. Im in ninth grade. First of all, Leigh Ann, you spelled too many words wrong. Second, we don't need more gay kids. But the biggest thing is, LNCS is just really 'chill'. We have homework, but not excessive amount. None of the sophomores look down upon the freshman. At lunch we have the freedom to roam the campus, but at the same time, we know that there are no fights, drug action, and just other negative stuff. Everyone connects to the teachers. Even though I only went to CMS in kindergarten, and we may not have a lot of action or school spirit, I personally suggest LNCS.

I am at the LNCS middle school. I attended JM Alexander in the 6th grade, and I have to admit the education is way better at LNCS. But as far as people actually wanting to be there, I dont know that many people that really do. It's mostly the parents that like it. It also bothers me because there are some bad kids there that don't want to learn and disrupt the classes. There may not be as much fights, but there is still some bad stuff. Some of the kids there are into drugs and things like that also. Overall, I think it is a pretty good school though.

To the LNCSparent who struggles with homework. A good teacher wouldn't just be assigning homework the night before a quiz/test. That would simply be a cram session. Homework is that necessary evil to help your child practice working independently. I know they are young, but they have to learn time management sometime. I find that if my daughter's homework is taking her hours, it's usually because she needs additional help in the subject and did not understand it in class. Then it becomes our (hers & mine)responsibility to ask the teacher for help. A good teacher should be more than willing to help. The independent practice of homework is a life skill no matter what school, subject or grade. What happens when she gets to high school in a few short years? I have taught math, social studies, science, and literature. It is not possible to fully explore math and literature without the homework practice. One night a week? Your child would be much further behind than any CMS student without the homework practice.

I have to disagree with an earlier comment. My son has special needs, and we have never had difficulty getting services at LNCS. In fact, his differences are much better served by the teachers at LNCS. These teachers care about each student, not just about filling out forms, following pacing guides, and teaching to the test. LNCS has been a great experience for our son.

Our child too required IEP. He was on the program in elementary, middle and high. Without a doubt he got much better assistance at LNCS than CMS. CMS was more interested in completing forms than making any progress. LNCS was all about helping my child. Since the LNCS high school was not yet a reality when he moved up to high school, we struggled and he nearly failed high school. Hopewell was a disaster for him.

My son entered LNCS high school this year, and we are thrilled with his progress. Unlike his teachers at his former high school, the teachers at LNCS communicate frequently with parents. Both academic and behavioral expectations are high for all students, and my child feels safe. I wish LNCS high school had opened earlier so that my daughter could have attended.

Heyyyyyyyy! I am a freshman at LNCS and I love it sooo much more than my last school. At first I didn't want to attended but the people there helped me open my eyes. I totally believe the 88% white thing. Most people see past race at our school anyway. I mean, we have White Kids, Black Kids, hispanic, asian, rich, poor, and like four gay kids. (We need more gay kids though!!)

We were not picked in the lottery during my child’s 5th and 6th grade years. My child got in during her 7th grade year and she is currently in the 10th grade, making great academic progress in her classes. I cannot say enough about the high school staff! Their communication with the parents is outstanding. The teachers also are quick to send an email to the parents when they think something is bothering the child or they performed poorly on a test. My child loves the high school and has no desire to attend a CMS high school.

LNCS seemed to be the answer (small class size and attentive staff) to all the concerns I had for my child. However, our experience was less than positive. LNCS is not set up to accommodate the needs of children who require and IEP, 504 or any other emotional/educational disability. The administrations answer is that we have so many kids (who are not asking for any special services) on the waiting list, that we do not have to make any accommodations for your child. When speaking with parents who have pulled their child form LNCS, this is the most common reason for leaving.

We applied to LNCS mostly because of the size of the CMS middle and high schools. At those levels more than at the elementary level, we felt that the large size becomes an issue, mostly from a disciplinary perspective as has been mentioned below. We really want to be able to know the kids in the school, and it is a bonus that our son will have a better chance to participate in sports. In defense of CMS though, we have had great experiences in our CMS elementary school, Torrence Creek, and I do know parents who are in CMS middle and high schools that have felt that it has been a good experience for them. I feel that it is unfortunate that there is not any focus on building smaller middle and high schools in CMS. I think more people would go to their home middle or high school if that were the case.

Ok, LNCS is a great school, however, the amount of homework is horrendous, especially for a child who has to work very hard at it and it doesn't come naturally. Pretty depressing for them to have to do homework from late afternoon until bedtime with a short dinner break. For the kids who breeze through school, good for them, but it is very hard to watch your child work so hard and not get a break. They are still kids and shouldn't have so much. I think each class should give homework one afternoon a week. The rest should be done in class if they are good teachers except maybe before a test/quiz. My daughters social studies teacher very rarely gives homework and she has done very well and has learned alot in her class. More teachers should follow her lead.

I attend LNCS Middle and am in 7th grade. I love it! If you get into LNCS you are going to have a great time! The teachers are GREAT!! I am challenged in the 7th grade to be the best that I can be!! LNCS is a great school! Congratulations to the ones who got in, you will love it!!

I can honestly say that getting in LNCS was one of the best things that had ever happened to my family. We went to a CMS school and one of my children does still attend until he rises into the 5th grade. My main concern was never academics, because my children do quite well in school. My main concern was going to be safety and security for my children. I have to honestly admit that the workload is more, however my son has done so much more in a shorter time then his friends attending CMS. He is soaring this year! His 5th grade teacher is awesome and she truly cares about everything pertaining to these children. Overall, the team at LNCS is fabulous anyway you look at it. I was so grateful for this opportunity for my family!

As a teacher in the CMS system, I can say that there is some fabulous talent within the CMS system. That being said, the north side of the county has been ignored since the mid 90's when the growth really began to explode. Only when parents began to organize to pull away from the district, did the school system begin to consider building schools (and only a few that are too small) for the growing population. Frustrated parents, tired of busing, overcrowding and underepresentation, began to build their own schools--thus the charter schools began to take off. LNCS is an excellent school and all three of my children (both in high & middle) have had positive experiences. Having the flexibility to teach to the class and not be mandated to teach to the test makes the job of teaching so much more interesting. I can truly say that it shows! If any LNCS teachers are reading this THANK YOU! If any PTO members are reading this as well, THANK YOU!

My daughter is in 10th grade at LNCS High. She has attended LNCS since 5th grade. Most of the students are aware that they are attending LNCS by choice. The majority of them truly WANT to be at LNCS. Many of the teachers feel the same way. This in turn creates a very productive, happy environment for all! Our family is thankful for choice and LNCS!

I am a student at LNCS High School, and i love it! All the teachers are wonderful teachers and I am always learning a lot! Some nights we will have a lot of homework and some nights we won't have any at all, so it's a good balance. I can walk down the halls and feel safe. I don't have to worry about a bunch of fights or being stuffed in a locker. Also, there are a lot of sports at our school to choose from and you actually have a chance at getting on a team because there not as many people trying out. LNCS High School isn't really cliquey and I feel comfortable around everyone!

I got to Lake Normn Charter School,and I am a freshman! I love it, with all of my Heart! I walk through the halls and ffel safe, i dont care what other people think of me. I know almost everyones name. I love the smallness, and the teachers are AMAZING! After school i hang out in Mr. Bakers room (my fave teacher) and he doesnt care, They all teach very well! i am not overwhelmed with hw and we still have the same sport choices,! There are still problems at are school like the other cms schools around. People get suspended, there are fights (occasionally) Its normal, the only diff, is you can feel safe, there is a smaller enviornment, and u have a better education

lncs is a great school its just differant and maybe thats what people are looking for.

This is my daughter's 3rd year at LNCS and my younger daughter will be attending next year. Plain and simple, LNCS is a great school not only academically, but as important, socially. There is a huge sense of pride from students, faculty and parents, and the school has NO tolerance for mis-behavior. I pulled my youngest daughter out of public school (Mallard Creek) after 2nd grade due to the fact that she couldn't go through a day without having multiple kids disrupt the classroom, taking the teacher's time away from teaching. After an occurrence where one child pushed another child down a stairway on the way to recess - we were done. Private school has been fine, and we pay a fortune, but honestly, I hope my youngest is prepared enough for LNCS. The bar is high and I am thrilled they keep it there! Go LNCS!

It's scary to see a CMS/NMHS teacher with 2 misspelled words in their comment! I had a child leave LNCS for NMHS because the high school had not yet arrived. She walked around the first week of school with her chin on the ground shocked at the language and aggressive behavior of some of the students towards teachers no less. Luckily she was in all honors and AP classes so the majority of her classes did not include those types of students. She did however have to live on a daily basis with what is not acceptable behavior in the real world. That makes me truly sad for those student who must simply put up with it. I think most parents would choose to have an environment they felt was more than just acceptable.

While Lake Norman Charter has been an option for many faimilies and they are thrilled, I can tell yo that it is not all that it is cracked up to be. I have a child who attends Lake Norman. Her education has been good, but not excellent. As a teacher at NMHS, I can tell you that the students in my class that have gone thru LNCS are no better prepared then the students from Bailey, Alexander or Bradley. They come to NMHS with the same level of motivation, education, and drive as any student who arrives from Lake Norman. If anything, I see a higher level of independence from the students in the CMS schools than I do from the LNCS kids.

As a CMS graduate and a parent of 2 CMS graduates (now a sophomore at UNC and senior at Greensboro College) I am more than thankful that we were lucky enough to obtain a spot for our 3rd child at LNCS. She is now a freshman and is as happy as I am with HER decision to continue from middle to high school there. Issues are found at all schools. I simply find that the issues we must deal with are miniscule compared to what we had to deal with at CMS. Overcrowding and lack of effective discipline are huge problems - things I need not worry about at Lake Norman Charter.

CMS tolerates bad behavior, LNCS does not. Plain and simple. Teachers WILL be respected, children WILL behave, or the children will be GONE. The kids (and parents who fix the lunch, drive the kids) know that attending this school is a PRIVILEGE. The result is education, not social promotion. AND IT WORKS CHEAPER THAN THE CMS MACHINE

My daughter was in Hopewell for 9th and 10th grades and my son was headed their after MS. Thankfully his name was called for LNCS (my daughter is now in Charlotte Catholic). Here's what I think of when I hear Hopewell: drugs, weapons, fights and, yes, prostitution. Don't believe me? You can look it up. We are extremely fortunate to have an environment like LNCS for my son.

LNCS is an amazing school. My 9th grade daughter has been there since 5th grade. The teachers are committed and they know my child even if she isn't in their classes. The administration is open to parents' concerns. My daughter isn't afraid to use the restroom and the school is clean and beautifully maintained. It's not a wonderland but it certainly is a supportive and academically challenging environment. I've never been so thankful to win a lottery in my life as I was when my daughter got into LNCS!!

The bottom line here is that everyone has an equal chance to get in. You don't have to live in a special neighborhood or have a certain amount of money or be a certain race. The fact that the white population is 88% of the total is because those are the kids that wanted to get in. I've been in CMS - yes there are wonderful teachers and administrators - but there are way too many problems and they put up with way too much in terms of discipline. My daughter is in 9th grade at LNCS and absolutely loves it - her sister will be entering 5th grade at LNCS next year and we cannot wait! Kudos to LNCS -

My first daughter went through grades 5 to 8 at LNCS and then attended North Meck because there was no LNCS high school. She did fine at both and is in college now. Moving from LNCS to North Meck was like taking a big step down. Went from a lot of homework to almost none. There was no push at CMS, just move them through. My second daughter in at LNCS high school now, honor student in a college prep environment. There is an ouside chance my job may transfer me to Atlanta and we have already decided that our priority was to keep her at LNCS even if it means me coming home on weekends for 2 years! Thats how strongly we feel.

Cindi - I see your point but I am not sure you captrued the whole intent of what the LNCS parents were saying or at least trying to say. If you've lived in Northern Mecklenburg County or other major growth areas in and around the Charlotte region you would have experienced the growth issues we have faced up unitl last year when Mallard Creek H.S. finally opened. North Meck is a great H.S. but it was too large for it's student body. For too long it bacame an unsafe environment in which to learn on a day to day basis. Now all of that has changed for the better. LNCS, like MPHS, is a fine learining institution and all children should be given the same opportunities to learn - especialy in a safe environment such as these. It's sad there isn't room for everyone who wants to learn and the fact that they have to live in a certain area of the city (most of us can't afford) or they have to sit and wait to see if they are "in or "out" depending on the luck of the draw. No system is perfect but at least we have options...and a good one at that!

I am thankful for the charter system and the opportunity for the free market to work in education. Schools like LNCS show that with very little resources comparibly, you can create a top flight school. Granted, their are sacrifices but thats part of what makes it special. The parents at least, want to be there and most of the students do as well. We won the lottery twice because you only get the sibling exemption while the sibling is there..we were on year outside of this. Sure they have a great campus now but look at the trailer village where they started. They made something great out of virtually nothing. CMS should look to the charter schools and learn instead of being irritated by the lost revenue...

I just wanted to respond to Cindi. You are lucky that your options are above the norm with the CMS system. In the north meck area, it is obvious that the schools were not adequately planned for the population of students and are so overcrowded that only the top students truly excel. The rest are just biding time (in middle school at least). The LNCS environment allows the students to have the type of attention that any parent would want for their middle school age students. Also, it allows us to alleviate some of the overcrowding by sponsoring our own school, building the building ourselves, etc. Charter Schools are an excellent option and we are lucky that so many parents are willing to step up and create such positive environments when the traditional school system fails to do so.

My child is in the 5th grade at LNCS and we have had a wonderful experience. I taught at a CMS middle school and consider myself lucky that my child won't have to go through crowded hallways of all grade levels, have to sit through a class where most of the time is spent with discipline issues instead of instruction, or be afraid to go to the bathroom. Not all CMS schools are overcrowded, but most are and when there are too many kids, there are too many discipline issues. The main reason my kid is at LNCS is because it is SAFE! The neighboring CMS schools in the area are definately NOT!

I guess I found this piece a bit of a disappointment. I guess it didn't help that I was driving car pool of four students to Myers Park High School when I heard it. My sense is there were a number of things mentioned that fail to capture the whole story. My MPHS student is bright, an athlete, and given his SAT score from 7th grade, my guess is he'll do great next year when he sits for it again. That's all to say, that there are such a variety of students and teachers in CMS...that to talk of CMS in an almost disparaging way is not only unkind, it's uninformed. I personally have recommended charter school arrangements to friends in Charlotte and I have been pleased when they have been accepted at the charter school of their choice. So I am not against charter schools by any means. All I am suggesting is that there are many fine students, dedicated teachers, and innovative administrators also making a difference within CMS each day. Thank you.