Len Lipkin

Great Resource: GreatSchools.Org

A great quick and dirty source for test score data is on GreatSchools.org.  They free resource that helps parents evaluate schools for their kids.  They have a lot of great articles and resources on researching schools as well as general .  What I like the most is that they actually provide tools to evaluate schools.  GreatSchools.org allows users to bookmark schools that they are considering for an...

Len Lipkin

3-2-1 Blastoff!

All of my school research was second hand until this week, where between my wife and I we made three school visits.  Reality has sunk in.  We’re actually doing this!  The discussion has really picked up in my house, even though we don’t need a school until September 2011.  I am writing posts discussing some of what we learned in our school visits, but I am doing a little more research to...

Len Lipkin

My Dilemma

So my family has attended three open houses in the last two days.  As you would expect, there were some things that we liked and some things that we disliked about the different schools that we visited. My dilemma is how to document those impressions on this forum.  I am not a journalist seeking to write objectively, I am just a dad sharing my experiences.  What I perceive to be weaknesses of a...

Len Lipkin

Public vs. Private Open Houses Part 1

I was unexpectedly able to attend an open house for Perelman Jewish Day School-Stern Campus this morning.  [Added 1/14/2010]Perelman is a private school affiliated with the Solomon Schechter Day School Association of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism[end edit].  I will share my reactions to that visit in an upcoming post.  I already mentioned that I plan on attending the Jenks open...

Len Lipkin

Our Sibling: A Very Public Education

If you like our site, this blog looks promising.  Here is the blog description: The first time that I decided to take a really good look at Philadelphia public schools as a possible option for my family, I knew of exactly two parents that had given it a try. One pulled her child out of school midway through the year. The other was enthusiastically supportive. I was conflicted and I didn’t know where...

Len Lipkin

More on Charters

From a teacher/blogger/parent Samuel Reed, Charters: Social innovation hit or miss? about his sons’ mixed experiences at charter schools, and the Obama administration’s interest in charters. He includes some interesting statistics on the performance of charters which are not exactly what you might...

Len Lipkin

School Visit Advice?

So I have this open house coming up at Jenks in a week.  I am going primarily to learn about the school, obviously.  However, as this will be my first experience, I am also hoping to learn about the process of open houses.  What kinds of questions should I ask?  What should I be looking for?  I will definitely be paying attention to what the other parents are asking so I can get ideas.  I assume that...

Len Lipkin

Our First Open House is Coming Up: Jenks

I will be attending my first open house at our neighborhood public elementary option. The J.S. Jenks open house will be at the school from 5-7 pm on January 13th.  I am mixed about the whole thing–I am excited to visit the school, but I would really like to try to also visit schools during school hours as often as is possible. Based on the Potential Jenks Parents email list, “Its a great...