As if choosing the appropriate flower, Monarch's butterfly mascot selected names from a box, time and again Thursday night, determining who would comprise the charter school's inaugural kindergarten, first- and fifth-grade classes.

About 180 people sat in the Chesapeake Arts Center's auditorium for two hours, waiting anxiously to see if their child's name would be called.

"I'm trying to get my daughter into kindergarten and the other into fifth grade. I'm hoping someone drops out because she's number 61," said Nicole Bookout of Glen Burnie standing outside the center.

"The area school we are supposed to go to (Rippling...