Len Lipkin

Making Bache-Martin Part of The Neighborhood

My local catchment school Jenks isn't the only Philadelphia public school with parents pushing to make it more of a neighborhood school. Bache-Martin is doing the same thing. While Jenks has included prospective parent's teas and distributed lawn signs in their efforts to spread the word. The "Neighborhood Parents for Bache-Martin" organization has

PSS Community

Why I Chose Andrew Jackson: 2010-09-10 School Selection Report

Tell PSS and our readers about your school choice! Date Submitted: 9/10/2010 What school did you decide on? Andrew Jackson Calendar year your child entered/will enter 2010/2011 Grade your child entered/will enter kindergarten What neighborhood are you in? South Philly What schools did you consider? we tried the transfer form for meredith, mccall, greenfield, jenks; we applied to folk arts charter,...

Len Lipkin

Activists Like Me

Thomas Friedman, columnist for the New York Times wrote in a recent column entitled Steal This Movie, Too that “there is a movement stirring in this country around education.”  I like to think that I have not only noticed this movement myself (in South Philly and West Philly, specifically) and, in the creation of this blog, been an active participant.  I also wrote a story about an upcoming...

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...

PSS Community

Why I Chose Andrew Jackson: 2010-05-24 School Selection Report

Tell PSS and our readers about your school choice! Date Submitted: 5/24/2010 What school did you decide on? Andrew Jackson Calendar year your child entered/will enter 2010/2011 Grade your child entered/will enter kindergarten What neighborhood are you in? South Philly What schools did you consider? I considered International [PSS-I think this was supposed to be Independence?] Charter School, Christopher...

Len Lipkin

Beyond the Usual Suspects

When I talk to other parents about Philadelphia public elementary schools, inevitably the same handful of schools are of interest to them.  In no particular order, they are Penn Alexander (West Philly), Greenfield (Center City), and Meredith (Queen Village).  Then there are the popular charter schools like Independence Charter (Center City), Russell Byers Charter (Center City), and Green Woods Charter...

Len Lipkin

Improve a School, Improve a Neighborhood

Further support for my point about parental involvement being key to a successful school, The Inquirer recently published a story about Andrew Jackson Elementary in South Philadelphia, Parents Work to Rejuvenate a Public School.  Link corrected 12/28/2010.  Basically, the parents got together and created a list of things that they needed to do to improve the school.  Now, they are taking steps to enact...

PSS Community

Why I Chose Annunciation BVM: 2010-03-24 School Selection Report

Date Submitted: 3/24/2010 What school did you decide on? Annunciation BVM Philadelphia Calendar year your child entered/will enter 2007 Grade your child entered/will enter 4 What neighborhood are you in? South Philly What schools did you consider? St. Nicholas of Tolentine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Sacred Heart of Mary and Our Lady of Angels. What factors were most important to you? Location, Teaching...