Gibson Ek High will hold its lottery to accept incoming freshman 4 p.m. Thursday in the Issaquah High School library.

Current eighth graders were able to apply to Gibson Ek, the Issaquah School District’s replacement for Tiger Mountain High School, through January. Students are being selected through public lottery, though attendance at the lottery is not mandatory (In fact, it may be pointless — student numbers will be picked, but names will not be announced at the lottery).

Students will have until March 31 to accept or decline.

Gibson Ek will occupy space in Issaquah Middle School beginning fall 2016. It is an alternative high school that will follow the national Big Picture model, a curriculum which emphasizes self-directed and internship based learning.