A5 Cluster Choice 2025-2026

CLUSTER CHOICEAnderson School District Five offers Cluster Choice for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Cluster Choice is the ability for a student to apply to another school within the cluster (T.L. Hanna or Westside) in which they reside. Students must demonstrate good behavior standing to be considered for the Cluster Choice Program.

 

At the beginning of each academic year, space availability is determined at each school. Elementary students may choose ONE school within their cluster they prefer to attend. Middle school students zoned for McCants may apply to Glenview, those zoned for Glenview may apply to McCants, and students zoned for Robert Anderson may apply for limited seating available at Southwood Academy of the Arts. Cluster Choice is not available to students who are in Pre-K3 or Pre-K4.

 

Anderson Five will begin accepting applications for Cluster Choice for the 2025-2026 academic year on January 15th at 4:30pm. The Cluster Choice application will CLOSE at 4:30pm on February 14, 2025. An application must be submitted for each child living in a household.

 

Due to space limitations at schools, not every student who applies for Cluster Choice will be approved. The school district utilizes a lottery process to randomly select students for each school with more requests than space available. On March 21, 2025, those who applied for Cluster Choice will receive an email informing them if their student has been approved for Cluster Choice, OR if their student has been placed in the lottery. The lottery will occur at 9:00am on March 26th at the District Office (400 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, SC 29625) and is recorded for transparency. Parents will be notified of lottery results via email on March 28th.

 

A Mandatory Parent Meeting will be held on April 16, 2025 at the Anderson Institute of Technology (315 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, SC 29625). There are two sessions available to attend: 11:30am or 5:30pm. All parents/guardians of students newly accepted into the Cluster Choice Program for the 2025-2026 academic year must attend one of these sessions on April 16th. 

 

 

 

USE THE BUTTON BELOW TO ACCESS THE CLUSTER CHOICE APPLICATION: 

FAQ 
Use the arrows below to expand responses to frequently asked questions regarding Cluster Choice in Anderson Five.
Cluster Choice is the ability to apply for another school within the cluster (TL Hanna or Westside) that you reside.
 

T.L. Hanna Cluster

Westside Cluster

Calhoun Academy of the Arts

Centerville Elementary School

Concord Elementary School

Homeland Park Primary School

Midway Elementary School

McLees Elementary School

Nevitt Forest Elementary School

New Prospect Elementary School

North Pointe Elementary School

Varennes Elementary School

Glenview Middle School

Whitehall Elementary School

McCants Middle School

Robert Anderson Middle School*
 
 
  • Elementary school students have the option to choose ONE school in their cluster (TL Hanna or Westside) that they would prefer to attend. 
 
  • Middle school students zoned for McCants may apply to Glenview, and students zoned for Glenview may apply to McCants.
 
  • *Middle school students zoned for Robert Anderson may apply for limited seating available at Southwood Academy of the Arts.
The Cluster Choice Application Form is on the Anderson Five website (www.anderson5.net) and can also be accessed directly HERE.
The Cluster Choice Application will open on January 15th at 4:30pm. It will close at 4:30pm on February 14th.
On March 21st, parents and guardians will receive an email informing them if their student has been approved for Cluster Choice, or if they are being placed in a lottery due to space limitations at their requested school.
Due to limited space at schools, not all students who apply for Cluster School Choice will be approved. For schools where applications exceed available space, each student applicant will be assigned a unique number, which will be shared with parents/guardians via email on March 21. District officials will use a random number generator to select numbers equal to the available spaces at each school.
 
The lottery will occur on March 26 at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Room at the District Office (400 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, SC 29625). To ensure transparency, the process will be recorded.
Using a random number generator, district officials will enter all numbers into the system and allow the program to randomly select numbers equal to the available space at each school. This lottery will also be recorded for transparency.
Upon acceptance, parents/guardians will receive an email and a mailed status letter. As part of the Cluster Choice program, parents/guardians will be required to attend the Cluster Choice Program Mandatory Parent Meeting on April 16th at the Anderson Institute of Technology. There are two sessions available to attend on April 16th. Parents/guardians must attend ONE: 11:30am OR 5:30pm.
 
Additionally, you will be asked to sign the Cluster Choice Parent Contract that outlines your commitment to certain principles of the program. A copy of this Parent Contract can be viewed here.
Your student will attend the school for which they are zoned, and may apply for Cluster Choice for the following academic year. This will be communicated via an email and a mailed status letter.
Yes, as part of the Parent Contract, you agree to provide transportation to and from school each day.
Yes, Cluster Choice approval is continuous throughout the entirety of elementary school. However, if you would like for your child to attend a middle school different from what they are zoned for, you must reapply for Cluster Choice for your student during his/her Fifth Grade year. 
Yes, if approved for Cluster Choice in middle school, your student will be able to attend that school through the 8th grade.
No, students already attending a school through the Cluster Choice program may not switch to another school through the program for the following school year.
Yes, students currently attending a school through the Cluster Choice program may choose to return to their zoned school for the 2025-2026 academic year. However, students who return to their zoned school are considered withdrawn from the Cluster Choice program and will not be eligible to reapply for the program in the future.
 
If a current Cluster Choice student wishes to return to their zoned school, they must notify the Office of Student Services to confirm their intent and withdrawal from the program.
No, students dismissed from their Cluster Choice school are not eligible for the Cluster Choice program. 
For additional questions about the Cluster Choice program, you can email [email protected]