Frequently Asked Questions

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Watershed Public Charter School currently serves students in grades K-6. Beginning in Fall 2024, WPCS will expand to include 7th grade. Final expansion to 8th grade will occur Fall 2025. 

Watershed Public Charter School provides an interconnected learning environment, where hands-on exploration and creative expression foster the learning process. Our community promotes rigorous academic achievement, meaningful outdoor experiences and continuous growth for all students. 

Charter schools in Maryland are unique public schools that are operated by a non-profit foundation. They are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Charter Schools are public schools and therefore, they are open to all children, do not charge tuition and do not have special entrance requirements. Charter laws vary considerably from state to state; for more on MD Charter Schools please click here. 

You feel your child would benefit from more time spent outdoors, more time learning by doing, and smaller classes. WPCS fosters a partnership among parents, teachers, and students. We have created an environment in which parents are partners, teachers are allowed to innovate, and students are provided the structure and flexibility they need to learn. 

We are located at 6946 Dogwood Rd. Windsor Mill, MD 21244 in west Baltimore County, but we serve students in over 23 zip codes across the county. 

WPCS is open from 8:10 am-3:15 pm Monday- Tuesday and Thursday through Friday. On Wednesdays WPCS holds class from 8:10 am -2:00. This early closure on Wednesday allows our team group planning time to facilitate multi-disciplinary projects. Aftercare will be available. The school day on M,T, Th and F has been extended by 15 minutes a day to offset this change. (Students will still receive the same instructional time they would have at any MD public school.) 

There are no admission requirements beyond residency in Baltimore County. Watershed Public Charter School will accept applications from all students living within Baltimore County and students will be selected via lottery. Please fill out this form to apply for our lottery. The lottery application is open from November through January for the following school year, and the lottery is held in February. 

Just like traditional public schools, charter schools are funded by local, state and federal tax dollars based on student enrollment. Watershed is free to attend, we do not have special entrance requirements, and do not charge tuition. 

The lottery is held annually in early February. All families who have applied during that year's lottery application cycle will be notified of lottery results in March of the same year. If your student currently attends WPCS, you do not need to reapply. Intent to return forms are sent to all current students prior to the lottery. If you have another student who does not currently attend, but would like to, please submit an application for that student. 

Watershed relies on its families to transport students to and from school. There are a range of third party services, such as Kiddie Coach, that serve Watershed families. We also encourage carpooling, and the Watershed PTO can facilitate that for anyone interested. 

Watershed is proud to partner with the YMCA of Central MD, which provides before care from 6:30am-8:00am and after care from 3:15pm-6:30pm. The Y program takes place at Watershed. Spots are limited, so please apply early.  

As a public charter school, Watershed is required to meet all state and federal education standards, just like traditional public schools. In addition, Watershed is judged on how well we meet student achievement goals as defined by our charter contract. WPCS has established rigorous academic, financial and managerial standards, and have consistently shown student growth and achievement since our founding. We are proud to be a 4 Star School in Baltimore County.