Charter/Public Alternatives to the Closed Catholic Schools

[PortPennFerry]

Hello parents of Philadelphia,

Like most Philadelphians, I reacted with sadness to the wave of Catholic school closings announced last week. Too many people I know have been scrambling to find an alternative place to send their kids to school this upcoming fall, and I've been advising them as best I can, based on the knowledge I glean from working for the school district. I figured that I would share my list of recommendations on this forum, where there might be a few parents scrounging around for information. I have a selfish motivation, too, I suppose, in that I'd love to keep as many of these residents in Philadelphia as possible, lest they are thinking of a suburban relocation... anyway, here goes...

If your child went to Pope John Paul Regional....

you have several options. Your neighborhood public school (Bridesburg) is pretty good, usually testing just above state average (if you want a good example of a school district that functions at state average, think of Bensalem or Bristol Twp. schools). Of course, state average is far, far above city average. You could also apply to the new Franklin Learning Charter elementary, which just opened last year but seems to be as high-achieving as its high school equivalent. If you live on the other side of I-95, sadly, you're not zoned to Bridesburg Elem, but Philadelphia First Literacy Charter, located in your neighborhood, is also doing doing pretty well.

If your child went Our Lady of Consolation of Tacony, you're particularly lucky, because your can choose between two decent public schools: Disston, usually testing around state average, and Forrest, which usually tests quite far above. You also have the options of two really high-ranking charters: Planet Abacus and New Foundations (2010's highest-ranked school in Pennsylvania).

If your child went to St. William's, Crossan is a really good neighborhood school, one of the best in the NEast and thus all of Philly. Some of the area might be zoned to Hampton, which is also decent, if slightly less impressive than Crossan. If you don't live in the catchments, there are two charter gems both about two miles away, Tacony Academy in Rhawhurst (seems silly, doesn't it?) and Northwood Academy in Northwood to the south. Both test pretty highly, above state average.

Similarly, with our Lady of Ransom, Tacony Academy and Northwood are still pretty accessible. The neighborhood public school is Solis-Cohen, testing at just about state average, so they're not horrible, either. Some of the area might be zoned to the aforementioned Hampton. Some of the area may be zoned to Carnell or Spruance, however, which have been testing quite poorly recently.

If your child went to St. Laurentius, then your children are probably zoned to either Adaire or Hackett- both of which doing pretty well, above state average. They're both quite underenrolled and would love more students- both of them peaked at about 700 kids each in the early 90s and are both at around 450 today, meaning they could each absorb all of Laurentius' students. If your student is particularly gifted and in middle school, I would suggest a look at Conwell over in Kensington- a magnet middle that is perhaps the city's most unknown success story, with a 2008 Blue Ribbon.

If your child went to St. Bridget's in East Falls, as you probably well know, your neighborhood school, Thomas Mifflin, isn't too good. But just on the other side of the Wissahickon, Cook-Wissahickon still takes some kids out of catchment, and has been widely acclaimed-
Monica Yant Kinney: A city school success has parents working to save it - Philly.com

If your child went to Annunciation in South Philly, you may have heard the rumblings of improvement at Jackson, your neighborhood school. In 2005, the kids usually tested far below state average, and sadly, some of the 8th graders still do, testing 64% proficient in Math this year compared to 73% across the state. But compare them to the 3rd graders- which tested 94 % proficient compared to the state's 75%. Also, Christopher Columbus Charter's southern school, while not stellar, is still pretty decent, and is located just a block away at 13th St.

If your child went to St. Gabriels', try Independence Charter located in the Graduate Hospital right next to Grays' Ferry. Easily one of the best schools in the city, as well as the state.

If your child went to Epiphany or Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, your neighborhood schools- Abram Jenks and Francis Scott Key in the "Lower Moyamensing" neighborhood, and Sharswood in the "Whitman" neighborhoods, respectively, (although I've never met anyone who actually calls them that), are pretty decent- testing at about the state level.

If your child went to Sacred Heart, you may be in the Nebinger catchment, in which case you're lucky, because this school has rapidly become one of the best ones in the city and state recently- its 3rd graders tested 95% proficient in Math, 95% in Reading, and even 95% in Science- traditionally the district's blackest hole when it comes to test scores. They're still looking for out-of-catchment kids, from what I know. Here is a write-up of their success:
South Philadelphia: George W. Nebinger Weathered the Storm

So those are all the neighborhoods affected by school closure that benefit from having a well-positioned charter or public school. As for the other areas, sometimes there simply isn't a good school that comes to mind, or I just don't know the neighborhood well. But I hope this helps those on this forum looking for help, and I hope you forward it to anyone else you know that is scrambling for a school for their kids in the fall.

If you want to know what neighborhood school your children are zoned to, here is a useful overlay of the city:
City Maps
Many of the charters have application deadlines soon, so I offer the websites of the charters I mentioned, where you can find the application.

Franklin Towne Charter Elementary School
First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School | Philadelphia Area Independent Charter School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Planet Abacus Charter School
New Foundations Charter School
Tacony Academy Charter School | Philadelphia Area Independent Charter School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Northwood Academy Charter*School ****** - About Us
CCCS Home
Independence Charter School

Best of luck!

-Your friend at the District

[OldMama]

A few factual corrections are needed. First, Franklin Learning Center is not a charter, it's a public magnet school and it's not opening an elementary school. Did you mean that Franklintown Charter High School is opening an elementary school?

Second, there is no Hampton School in the Northeast. Did you mean Moore? The official name s J. Hampton Moore, thus the confusion.

Finally, Cook-Wissahickon's ability to take out-of-catchment kids will likely be quite limited because, with the closure of Levering School, Cook-Wiss and Dobson will be taking those students. Also it's too late to ask for an out-of-catchment transfer because those requests were due months ago.

[annie]

For the high-demand district schools it may be a long short but for the schools with room you can try to voluntary transfer the year your child plans to enroll by registering at your catchment school and turning in the voluntary transfer form at the same time (and giving a copy of the voluntary transfer form to the schools you wish to transfer to so they know you're intersted). Kindergarten registration starts January 23rd but I'm not sure if you can do it for the higher grades until August.

[PortPennFerry]

A few factual corrections are needed. First, Franklin Learning Center is not a charter, it's a public magnet school and it's not opening an elementary school. Did you mean that Franklintown Charter High School is opening an elementary school?

Second, there is no Hampton School in the Northeast. Did you mean Moore? The official name s J. Hampton Moore, thus the confusion.

Finally, Cook-Wissahickon's ability to take out-of-catchment kids will likely be quite limited because, with the closure of Levering School, Cook-Wiss and Dobson will be taking those students. Also it's too late to ask for an out-of-catchment transfer because those requests were due months ago.

Thanks, OldMama, you are indeed correct on almost all counts, except I'm not so sure on the transfers- I think Annie may be right on that because I know people with out-of-catchment kids in limbo till the late summer. As for the former St. Bridget's kids, I was going to suggest that if Cook-Wiss is crowded, you could try CW Henry up the road in Mt. Airy- considering how many kids in Mt. Airy go to private school, I suspect it's significantly underenrolled. Also, isn't it possible that some of the old Levering kids might go to Shawmont (and might some former out-of-catchment Levering kids simply go back to their neighborhood schools?)

[NJbound]

good info... I agree on your assessment of the charters. And I know that they are getting tons of apps for the schools from the kids from the Catholic schools.

Hello parents of Philadelphia,

Like most Philadelphians, I reacted with sadness to the wave of Catholic school closings announced last week. Too many people I know have been scrambling to find an alternative place to send their kids to school this upcoming fall, and I've been advising them as best I can, based on the knowledge I glean from working for the school district. I figured that I would share my list of recommendations on this forum, where there might be a few parents scrounging around for information. I have a selfish motivation, too, I suppose, in that I'd love to keep as many of these residents in Philadelphia as possible, lest they are thinking of a suburban relocation... anyway, here goes...

If your child went to Pope John Paul Regional....

you have several options. Your neighborhood public school (Bridesburg) is pretty good, usually testing just above state average (if you want a good example of a school district that functions at state average, think of Bensalem or Bristol Twp. schools). Of course, state average is far, far above city average. You could also apply to the new Franklin Learning Charter elementary, which just opened last year but seems to be as high-achieving as its high school equivalent. If you live on the other side of I-95, sadly, you're not zoned to Bridesburg Elem, but Philadelphia First Literacy Charter, located in your neighborhood, is also doing doing pretty well.

If your child went Our Lady of Consolation of Tacony, you're particularly lucky, because your can choose between two decent public schools: Disston, usually testing around state average, and Forrest, which usually tests quite far above. You also have the options of two really high-ranking charters: Planet Abacus and New Foundations (2010's highest-ranked school in Pennsylvania).

If your child went to St. William's, Crossan is a really good neighborhood school, one of the best in the NEast and thus all of Philly. Some of the area might be zoned to Hampton, which is also decent, if slightly less impressive than Crossan. If you don't live in the catchments, there are two charter gems both about two miles away, Tacony Academy in Rhawhurst (seems silly, doesn't it?) and Northwood Academy in Northwood to the south. Both test pretty highly, above state average.

Similarly, with our Lady of Ransom, Tacony Academy and Northwood are still pretty accessible. The neighborhood public school is Solis-Cohen, testing at just about state average, so they're not horrible, either. Some of the area might be zoned to the aforementioned Hampton. Some of the area may be zoned to Carnell or Spruance, however, which have been testing quite poorly recently.

If your child went to St. Laurentius, then your children are probably zoned to either Adaire or Hackett- both of which doing pretty well, above state average. They're both quite underenrolled and would love more students- both of them peaked at about 700 kids each in the early 90s and are both at around 450 today, meaning they could each absorb all of Laurentius' students. If your student is particularly gifted and in middle school, I would suggest a look at Conwell over in Kensington- a magnet middle that is perhaps the city's most unknown success story, with a 2008 Blue Ribbon.

If your child went to St. Bridget's in East Falls, as you probably well know, your neighborhood school, Thomas Mifflin, isn't too good. But just on the other side of the Wissahickon, Cook-Wissahickon still takes some kids out of catchment, and has been widely acclaimed-
Monica Yant Kinney: A city school success has parents working to save it - Philly.com

If your child went to Annunciation in South Philly, you may have heard the rumblings of improvement at Jackson, your neighborhood school. In 2005, the kids usually tested far below state average, and sadly, some of the 8th graders still do, testing 64% proficient in Math this year compared to 73% across the state. But compare them to the 3rd graders- which tested 94 % proficient compared to the state's 75%. Also, Christopher Columbus Charter's southern school, while not stellar, is still pretty decent, and is located just a block away at 13th St.

If your child went to St. Gabriels', try Independence Charter located in the Graduate Hospital right next to Grays' Ferry. Easily one of the best schools in the city, as well as the state.

If your child went to Epiphany or Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, your neighborhood schools- Abram Jenks and Francis Scott Key in the "Lower Moyamensing" neighborhood, and Sharswood in the "Whitman" neighborhoods, respectively, (although I've never met anyone who actually calls them that), are pretty decent- testing at about the state level.

If your child went to Sacred Heart, you may be in the Nebinger catchment, in which case you're lucky, because this school has rapidly become one of the best ones in the city and state recently- its 3rd graders tested 95% proficient in Math, 95% in Reading, and even 95% in Science- traditionally the district's blackest hole when it comes to test scores. They're still looking for out-of-catchment kids, from what I know. Here is a write-up of their success:
South Philadelphia: George W. Nebinger Weathered the Storm

So those are all the neighborhoods affected by school closure that benefit from having a well-positioned charter or public school. As for the other areas, sometimes there simply isn't a good school that comes to mind, or I just don't know the neighborhood well. But I hope this helps those on this forum looking for help, and I hope you forward it to anyone else you know that is scrambling for a school for their kids in the fall.

If you want to know what neighborhood school your children are zoned to, here is a useful overlay of the city:
City Maps
Many of the charters have application deadlines soon, so I offer the websites of the charters I mentioned, where you can find the application.

Franklin Towne Charter Elementary School
First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School | Philadelphia Area Independent Charter School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Planet Abacus Charter School
New Foundations Charter School
Tacony Academy Charter School | Philadelphia Area Independent Charter School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Northwood Academy Charter*School ****** - About Us
CCCS Home
Independence Charter School

Best of luck!

-Your friend at the District

[Hospitalitygirl]

Or...continue to support Catholic education by attending one of the remaining schools.

[OldMama]

I have a feeling most of the displaced students will go to one of the merged parochial schools. The good alternatives were always available and parents chose to send their kids to Catholic school; I think they still will with just a few exceptions.

[annie]

I have a lot of respect for the FACTS charter in Chinatown since they broke ties with their founder who was enriching himself as the school's landlord (a common situation with charters) and know a couple teachers there. The school's "many perspectives" worldview would suit a Martin Sheen-style Catholic, not so much a Rick Santorum type.

I hope one of the outcomes of the District Charter Compact agreement will be one single application to apply for all charters that can be obtained throughout the city and online and submitted by mail. Independence Charter winnows the application pool by requiring parents to pick up and drop off the application but is by no means the worst offender - at least the school is accessible by public transit (*cough* Green Woods Charter *cough*).

HospitalityGirl, there's a lot of suspicion that the closing announcement came so late in the year so as to limit parents' options to other Catholic schools.

[OldMama]

I wondered about that myself, Annie. I hope not.

Just curious- what are the deadlines for applying to charters? I'm sure there is some variation but a general idea? I get asked a lot by parents of early intervention kids and I just tell them to call the school because I have no idea.

[annie]

Yeah, that's really the best you can do, OldMama. phillyschoolmatch.org/ hasn't been updated for the 2011-2012 school year, which is lame since it seemed like someone (helpingchangehappen.com, a consulting firm) was actually getting paid to maintain the site. It instead punts to phillyschoolsearch.com for 2011-2012, which while a great website, is run by one guy, not by a company. A single charter application, while probably lowering the odds for everyone by increasing applications, would actually make the process, you know, fair and public.

[kindredgroove]

I believe many charter schools applications are due in February now... though I could be wrong. One nice option not mentioned yet is Wissahickon Charter School...

[annie]

PhillySchoolMatch.org listed a variety of deadlines from November-May or rolling admissions. I will note that Planet Abacus's entry says enrollment is available for kindergarten entry only. Planet Abacus, Laboratory and Ad Prima charters were all founded by the same person and there may be some overlapping weirdness or maybe it's just Laboratory:

The Laboratory Charter School, Part 1 « Tom Kim
The Laboratory Charter School, Part 4 « Tom Kim
Philadelphia School Search: Beyond the Usual Suspects II | Philly School Search

[NJbound]

correct

I believe many charter schools applications are due in February now... though I could be wrong. One nice option not mentioned yet is Wissahickon Charter School...

[nola]

...you could try CW Henry up the road in Mt. Airy- considering how many kids in Mt. Airy go to private school, I suspect it's significantly underenrolled...

Actually, Henry's in-catchment enrollment has grown significantly in recent years, so spots for transfers are very limited. This could be further impacted if Holy Cross closes. Other NW elementary schools to consider are Jenks in Chestnut Hill, Houston in W Mt Airy, and Lingelbach on the Germantown-Mt Airy border.

[OldMama]

My own (now 25 year old) son went to Houston from K-4 and we loved it. Much more recently (2009-2010), l did some work there and was really impressed with the young, energetic principal.

[insolito]

Tacony Academy in Rhawhurst (seems silly, doesn't it?)

Tacony Academy is only temporarily located in Rhawnhurst. They will eventually be moving to Tacony. In fact, I heard a rumour from someone at Hubert's that contractors have been hired to convert it to a new facility for Tacony Academy's high school.

Anyway, my son's go to Tacony Academy Elemantary and they primarily accept kids that are in the catchments of Hamilton Disston, Ethan Allen, or Gilbert Spruance. For high school, they accept kids from Northeast or Lincoln's catchment.

Hope that helps a little.......

[Prophetik Soul]

There is a small private Christian high school in the Fairmount section that many have not heard of with a 100% college acceptance rate.

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