Len Lipkin

No Room for PC in School Choice: Being Honest With Yourself

I was speaking to an ivy-educated friend (and parent) the other night about Philadelphia elementary school choices.  He halted the conversation when he said (I’m paraphrasing), ‘I don’t mean to be rude, but I essentially am looking at one thing in a school.  How likely is it that my child will be able to get into an ivy or near-ivy level college?’ The politically correct side of me was...

Len Lipkin

Grassroots Efforts in Philadelphia Creating an “Edutopia”?

It turns out that I am not alone. You may read this and realize that you, too, are not alone. Edutopia, the website of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, recently published an article on how, in Philadelphia, more and more affluent families are choosing city public schools. The article focuses on Society Hill/McCall and Mount Airy/CW Henry schools, but the movement has been catching on throughout...

Len Lipkin

New West Philly Parents Movement Launched

In part inspired by the efforts of the parents of Andrew Jackson Elementary in South Philly, a group of West Philly Parents has formed the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools to start the conversation. A post on the PhiladelphiaSpeaks forum stated As a West Philly parent of an infant, toddler or preschooler, are you concerned about your choices for kindergarten and beyond? Do you want for your...

Len Lipkin

More on Pew Report from The Daily News

Last week I wrote about the Pew report that discussed the effect of charters on other school options and on parent’s perceptions of those options.  There has been a lot of talk and heated discussion about that report, and the Philadelphia Daily News published a great editorial on the topic...

PSS Community

Why I Chose Germantown Academy: 2010-05-28 School Selection Report

Tell PSS and our readers about your school choice! Date Submitted: 5/28/2010 What school did you decide on? Germantown Academy Calendar year your child entered/will enter 2010 Grade your child entered/will enter Pre-K What neighborhood are you in? NW Philly What schools did you consider? GA, Penn Charter, Waldron Mercy Academy, Norwood-Fontbonne Academy What factors were most important to you?...

Len Lipkin

Independence Charter Announces Second Chance Lottery

If you didn’t make it the first time around, Independence Charter (ICS) has announced that it is offering a “Special Summer Lottery” for their Spanish immersion program for children entering grades 3-8 for the 2010-2011 school year.  Children must be “able to read, write and speak in Spanish” to qualify for the lottery.  Unfortunately, ICS does NOT have any 2010-2011...

Len Lipkin

School Choice Based on Parental “Qualities”?

One of the things that I have noticed during my school search are the parents sitting next to me in open houses.  It occurs to me that one of the factors that has emerged as important to me indirectly are the parents of the children at the school I choose.  This point cuts across many themes that I have written about on this blog over the last 8 months, most directly parental involvement in the...

PSS Community

Why I Chose Friends Central: 2010-05-28 School Selection Report

Tell PSS and our readers about your school choice! Date Submitted: 5/28/2010 What school did you decide on? Friends Central Calendar year your child entered/will enter 2009-2010 Grade your child entered/will enter Kindergarten and Preschool What neighborhood are you in? West Philly What schools did you consider? Lower Merion Township Public Schools, Philadelphia Charter Schools What factors were most...