I have a confession to make.  I've been thinking about moving to the suburbs. When we moved to Philadelphia in 2004 with a toddler and another baby on the way, my husband and I weren't sure if our move would be permanent.  We didn't give a lot of thought to things like real estate, taxes or schools.  A post office, the pediatrician, three grocery stores, several libraries and two independent coffee shops were all within walking distance.  Although the area has its share of crime, it didn't appear to be plagued by the same level of crime and violence that I associate with most major cities. It…

I have a confession to make. I've been thinking about moving to the suburbs. When we moved to Philadelphia in 2004 with a toddler and another baby on the way, my husband and I weren't sure if our move would be permanent. We didn't give a lot of thought to things like real estate, taxes, or schools. A post office, the pediatrician, three grocery stores, several libraries, and two independent coffee shops were all within walking distance. Although the area has its share of crime, it didn't appear to be plagued by the same level of crime and violence that I associate with most major cities. It's…

Every parent of a school-age child has run into the problem of what to do on the weekend.  Organized sports involve a level of commitment that isn't always practical.  Classes cost money.  Playdates require someone to host.  And there's only so much time that one can spend at the park and the library. For several years now, the Project Learn School in Mt. Airy has been offering local families another option: cooking and art classes on the first and second Saturdays of each month from October through May. Children between the ages of 5 and 14 may participate as often and in as many classes as …

At one time, parents might have chosen an all-girls or all-boys school in hopes of limiting their children’s interactions with the opposite sex.  Today’s parents, however, may have different reasons for selecting a single-sex school for their children. For many of the families interviewed for this article, it was the learning environment in single-sex schools that was the main reason for their choice. "The single-sex aspect was secondary but also included a number of benefits that has seemed to work for our son,” Chestnut Hill Academy parent Amy Helstrom said. The academy is an all-boys …

At one time, parents might have chosen an all-girls or all-boys school in hopes of limiting their children’s interactions with the opposite sex.  Today’s parents, however, may have different reasons for selecting a single-sex school for their children. For many of the families interviewed for this article, single-sex education was not the main reason for their choice.  It was the resulting learning environment.  For Chestnut Hill Academy parent Amy Helstrom, “the single-sex aspect was secondary, but also included a number of benefits that has seemed to work for our son.” Some of the benefits …

The Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, established its first school – William Penn Charter – right here in northwest Philadelphia in 1689.  According to the Friends Council on Education, 85 Friends schools now operate throughout the United States, eight of which are located in Philadelphia and the immediate surrounding area, providing local families with yet another option for educating their children.  A commitment to community service, peaceful conflict resolution and respect for others are hallmarks of the Quaker philosophy.  The Friends schools embrace the Quaker …

For families interested in taking a more active role in their children's education, homeschooling is yet one more option on the school choice menu. According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 1.5 million children were homeschooled throughout the United States in 2007. While a majority of these children came from white, middle class, two-parent families, homeschoolers come from all races, classes, and geographic regions, and they choose to homeschool for many different reasons.  Some of the main reasons for homeschooling cited by these families are an …

For families interested in taking a more active role in their children's education, homeschooling is another option on the school choice menu. According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 1.5 million children were homeschooled throughout the United States in 2007. While a majority of these children came from white, middle class, two-parent families, homeschoolers come from all races, classes, and geographic regions, and they choose to homeschool for many different reasons. Parents interviewed for this article who homeschool often say they have an interest in…

An independent school is just that—a self-governing, self-supporting school independent of a public school board, religious body, or other outside entity. These schools are usually overseen by a board of trustees and funded by some combination of tuition, donations, and endowments. Independence from state budget woes, independence from the pressures of preparing for standardized testing, and independence from the directives of district administrators and parish leaders can be very appealing. There’s a perception among independent school parents that this autonomy translates into a greater …

An independent school is just that—a self-governing, self-supporting school independent of a public school board, religious body, or other outside entity. These schools are usually overseen by a board of trustees and funded by some combination of tuition, donations, and endowments. Independence from state budget woes, independence from the pressures of preparing for standardized testing, and independence from the directives of district administrators and parish leaders can be very appealing. There’s a perception among independent school parents that this autonomy translates into a greater …

Editor's Note: School Decisions returns this week after a two-week hiatus. When parents begin the arduous process of searching for a school, they often have an ideal school in mind, one that provides a safe, fun, stimulating environment, but that might also offer a variety of programs and services beyond basic academics.  For some parents, that ideal school may also include a religious education that cannot be offered at a public school.  In such cases, a private school may be a better fit. Although a parochial school refers to any school supported by a religious institution, in the United …

Editor's Note: School Decisions returns this week after a two-week hiatus. When parents begin the arduous process of searching for a school, they often have an ideal school in mind—one that provides a safe, fun, stimulating environment, but also offers a variety of programs and services beyond basic academics.  For some parents, that ideal school may also include a religious education that cannot be offered at a public school.  In such cases, a private school may be a better fit. Although the phrase "parochial school" refers to any school supported by a religious institution, in the United …

They’re not private schools. They’re not public catchment schools. Charter schools are somewhere in between. Since charter schools receive funding from the School District of Philadelphia, they are technically public schools. But they’re operated by individual charter boards, not by the School District, so they’re nimble enough to implement unusual educational models to serve their students. That freedom makes them similar to private schools. The independence and flexibility means that parents and even students have more opportunities to influence the way the school is run, according to …

There are tons of great public elementary schools in the city of Philadelphia, and it’s pretty likely that you can get your kid into one of them. No, really. It's true. For decades, public schools in Philadelphia have had a terrible reputation. Sometimes it seems like the only families who send their kids to neighborhood catchment schools are the ones who feel they have no other choice. But that’s starting to change. Middle-class families who could find a way to pay for private school, who could move out of the city if they wanted to, are increasingly choosing city public schools. Catherine …

Every parent wants to find a good school for their kids.  But what, exactly, does good mean? Is it about test scores? Favorable teacher-student ratios? Special activities, like music and art? Great outdoor space? A well-stocked library or a beautiful gym? Racial and economic diversity? And what constitutes diversity, exactly? Here in Philadelphia, we’re spoiled for choice. Some of us will choose our public catchment schools. Others will find ways to get into out-of-catchment schools, publicly funded charter or magnet schools or a dizzying array of private schools. And if none of those options…

Unlike many European countries, the United States doesn’t provide universal access to early childhood education. Programs like Head Start and Bright Futures give some families access to publicly funded preschool, but most of us have to find ways to pay tuition if we want our three- and four-year-olds to attend school. We’ll give you an overview of some of the preschool and pre-K options in Mt. Airy, and give you some pointers about things to look for. Stay where you are Last week we talked about day care, which is usually for children under the age of three. But most day care centers, …

Editor's note: This is the first installment of a new series called School Decisions. Over the next few weeks, we’ll walk Mt. Airy parents through the process of choosing the best schools for their kids, from day care to high school. You’ve decided to put your child in day care. Perhaps you’re going back to work, or perhaps you just want one-on-one time with a younger child. Or maybe your little dynamo is really happier when hanging out with other two-year olds. With all the options in and around Mt. Airy for full or part time care, you can really customize your child’s day care experience. …