Penn Alexander catchment parents once again forced to camp out in the insane weather to secure a seat… PAS kindergarten line started this morning | West Philly Local.
Here We Go Again
Leave a reply
Tag Archives: public
Conflicted About Public Versus Private
On her blog Raising Philadelphia, Inquirer reporter Miriam Hill wrote quite an amusing piece on her struggle deciding between public and private. Entitled Don’t Make Me Love You, Private School, it is a fake open letter to an unnamed private school. I believe that it will resonate with many of you going through this process. It starts with,
Dear Unnamed Private School,
Please stop making me love you. Really, I’m kind of committed to pubic school. It’s free, and I’m really hoping to say “I Do” to public when my son gets to first grade, so private, could you, like, stop looking so hot?
She does make an interesting point about the ‘marketing’ efforts of private (high) versus public (nonexistent). A parent interested in public school often has to make a concerted effort to get to know their local public school, where the private schools will inundate you with emails, brochures, open houses, and all sorts of other marketing fluff.
Why I Chose Cook-Wissahickon: 2011-10-26 School Selection Report
This is a snapshot of one parent’s school choice. You can read other parent testimonials and help other parents. Take five minutes to complete an anonymous survey to tell PSS and our readers about your school choice!
What school did you decide on? Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School
Calendar year your child entered 2009
Grade your child entered K
What neighborhood are you in? NW Philly
What schools did you consider? Cook-Wissahickon ES
What factors were most important to you? Tuition, Location, Reputation, Teaching Philosophy, Public Eduction, School Performance (test scores, success of graduates), Teacher Quality, Principal Quality, Diversity, Special Programs (language immersion, music, etc.)
What first attracted you to the school? This is our local, neighborhood public school. Affordable? You bet. Local? We can walk there.
What were the critical factors that led to your choice? It has a phenomenal teaching staff and parent community, high student achievement, wonderful kids, an after-school clubs program run by parents, and true diversity in the racial and socio-economic composition of the student body (not to mention that it also welcomes students with learning disabilities and special needs). Not only do we feel like our kids are getting strong individual educations; by being part of this school community, we are creating a stronger neighborhood, city, and democratic culture. Invest in our city’s public schools–send your children there–and you will reap public as well as individual/family rewards.
Did you relocate in order to choose this school? No
On the political spectrum, I consider myself to be Liberal
Please share anything else about your experience Spend time in your local public school’s classrooms. Visit and sit in for a while in at least one classroom–and peek in several classrooms, walk down the hall, observe the dynamic between children and adults as well as interactions among children. Instead of being put off by hearsay and generalizations about Philadelphia public schools, get a real feel for your local options.
This is a snapshot of one parent’s school choice. You can read other parent testimonials and help other parents. Take five minutes to complete an anonymous survey to tell PSS and our readers about your school choice!
Why I Chose McCall: 2011-10-13 School Selection Report
McCall Mosaic
This is a snapshot of one parent’s school choice. You can read other parent testimonials and help other parents. Take five minutes to complete an anonymous survey to tell PSS and our readers about your school choice!
Date Submitted: 10/13/2011
What school did you decide on? McCall
Calendar year your child entered/will enter 2010
Grade your child entered/will enter kindergarten
What neighborhood are you in? Center City
What schools did you consider? Independence Charter, Meredith
What factors were most important to you? Location, Reputation, Public Eduction, School Performance (test scores, success of graduates), Teacher Quality, Principal Quality, Diversity
What first attracted you to the school? I knew McCall had a strong academic reputation and I really liked that it had a strong neighborhood feeling – almost all the students live in the neighborhood. I was also drawn to the respect the school pays to the fact that over 60% of its students come from Chinatown – incorporating aspects of Chinese culture and language into the curriculum. I liked the idea of my children being exposed to different cultures including non-native English speakers.
What were the critical factors that led to your choice? PSSA scores, high praise from other parents for the teaching staff (praise I now share), a highly visible and engaged principal, touring the school (order in the hallways, active participation in the classrooms), and the diversity of the student body.
Did you relocate in order to choose this school? Yes
On the political spectrum, I consider myself to be liberal
This is a snapshot of one parent’s school choice. You can read other parent testimonials and help other parents. Take five minutes to complete an anonymous survey to tell PSS and our readers about your school choice!
Chester Arthur and Friends
Yet another inspiring grassroots effort underway to improve a neighborhood school. Friends of Chester A. Arthur focus on revamping the playground | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/07/2011. As I have mentioned before, it’s really inspiring to see these efforts underway across the city. What is particularly inspiring about Friends of Chester A Arthur is that they are clearly well organized. I don’t know much first hand about their efforts, but the Inquirer article, their website and their Google Group clearly demonstrate that they are on the ball and poised to really make a difference. Bravo!