PSS Community

Why I Chose Germantown Friends School: 2011-02-04 School Selection Report

GFS was always our first choice and we have been extremely happy with the quality of our daughter's education since she began kindergarten in 2007.

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...

Len Lipkin

School Success Criteria Volume 4: Jerry Maguire Edition

“SHOW ME THE MONEY!” Perhaps one of the most memorable movie quotes from the 1990s, this line pretty much sums up the last and probably most obvious characteristic of a good school.  Money.  Financial resources are, in fact, key precursors to two of the other factors that I have already blogged about that make a school great, teachers and administrators, and there is likely a strong...

Len Lipkin

Counting on Masterman? Think Again.

The Inquirer reported yesterday that Philadelphia School District Superintendent Arlene Ackerman is proposing radical changes to the way that special admission schools, like Masterman and Central, admit students.  The Inquirer reported, The plan would take admissions decisions away from principals and their committees, and select students for magnet and citywide-admissions schools centrally, using a...

Len Lipkin

School Success Criteria Vol 1: Parents

In the news lately there has been a lot of talk of underperforming “Renaissance” schools who will forced to dismiss many of their teachers.  On the one hand, I applaud the attempt to shock our worst schools into improvement.  On the other hand, I am dismayed that the teachers are being disproportionately punished for the failures of their schools.  It occurred to me that so many factors...

Len Lipkin

The Lower Merion School District Paradox

Drawing the school districting lines for the Lower Merion School District (LMSD) last year was a contentious issue, involving loud town hall meetings, angry allegations of racism, lawsuits, and now a federal investigation. Should that controversy be a factor in whether to move to LMSD for the schools?

Len Lipkin

Lower Merion–Spies Like Us?

Lower Merion has long been the no-brainer school choice.  Living in the city is a priority for me, but when schools are a factor, it is hard for Philadelphia School District’s beleaguered system to compete with what some consider to be one of the best public school districts in the country.  Until now, perhaps? Unless you have been living under a rock over the last few days, you have most likely...

Len Lipkin

Having Your Cake and Eating It Too

This blog got very popular very quickly.  I have no illusions that it is about anything that I am doing.  I am certain that it is all about the shared anxiety we have as parents of soon-to-be-school aged kids.  I have only gotten one community submission on the emotional aspect of this process, but, as a result of finding this blog, many strangers and friends are reaching out to me to share their fears...