New story: Catchment or not, Penn Alexander likely to turn lower grade students away for the first time

**seand** · 05-04-2012, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by annie

As long as kindergarten isn't mandatory they might be able to keep at it. In 1st and so on where it's mandatory, they've given up on the lower class sizes and sometimes going at/over the union maximum of 33.

Mmmm. The broth is getting mighty thin on that soup.

**annie** · 05-04-2012, 04:10 PM

A lot of the neighborhood schools "of choice" in Philly are experiencing the same. The FY2013 Budget in Brief notes that PSD expects growth in the lower grades of district-operated schools (besides because of the closings, I think).

**annie** · 06-20-2012, 01:11 PM

Hearing that PAS waitlisted parents are being told they won't know what school their child is assigned to (PAS or another school) until August. Seems like more of a delay than in years past.

**annie** · 08-13-2012, 01:02 PM

Tents and lawn chairs in hand, parents begin Penn Alexander queue | West Philly Local

**seand** · 08-13-2012, 01:09 PM

Its sort of idiotic at this point that they have not faced up to the situation and said for a specific limited number of spots its going to be lottery.

The secrecy about number of spots, most able to camp out get served model is clearly not working.

**Eastcoast** · 08-13-2012, 01:11 PM

Sheesh, they should at least get Van Halen tix or passes for Shakespeare in the Park along with their registration submission.

**seand** · 08-13-2012, 01:16 PM

Shakespeare in the Clark Park is free but they pass the hat at the end, so yeah that would be about the school district's speed, these days.

**boognish** · 08-13-2012, 01:33 PM

I'm not worried about someone who bought a house on the shaky premise that any children living there would have access to PAS. That's on them. I say shrink the catchment.

I see dozens of pregnant women and young spawning couples in the area daily. They obviously care enough to move to where the education is; as such, they should be ready to put their energy into making other local schools better.

**Eastcoast** · 08-13-2012, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by boognish

I'm not worried about someone who bought a house on the shaky premise that any children living there would have access to PAS. That's on them. I say shrink the catchment.

I see dozens of pregnant women and young spawning couples in the area daily. They obviously care enough to move to where the education is; as such, they should be ready to put their energy into making other local schools better.

Might not work that way, take a two income household and there really isn't a great deal of disposable time to commit to the local school. While there might be a decent amount of disposable income, hence buying into a good school catchment, paying for private school or leaving the city for burbs with good schools.

**seand** · 08-13-2012, 02:08 PM

I'm pretty sure Annie and WPCNS will take checks for school supplies and funds to do improvements to Lea's playground facilities if people have excess income but no time.

**annie** · 08-13-2012, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by seand

I'm pretty sure Annie and WPCNS will take checks for school supplies and funds to do improvements to Lea's playground facilities if people have excess income but no time.

So, so close to having that donate button ready on the site. In the interim, we do accept checks.

**boognish** · 08-13-2012, 02:16 PM

Hell, we don't even have kids, but we donate supplies to the schools in the area. It's unreal that some teachers have to pay for pencils and paper. Unfreaking real.

BTW, CVS usually has Halloween-themed pencil packs on deep discount after the holiday. Buy them all up and donate.

**annie** · 08-13-2012, 03:02 PM

I will say I don't envy anyone, whether district, PAS, the community or Penn, that has to figure what to do in this situation. The catchment was obviously drawn far too large and weirdly for the building that was built (with $17 million of the taxpayers dollars as I like to remind everyone since people tend to get the funny idea that Penn built it).

However, an interesting wrinkle that came up at a meeting was that PAS expected to be able to accommodate 700 students (200 more than the current building can hold) by eventually expanding into the building on the campus that initially housed the University City New School, a private school run I'm told by very nice people who gave out scholarships but who also thought that meant they didn't always have to pay rent. Unsurprisingly, a school run like didn't last. PIC which has a great program and is very well-run expanded into the building instead, I guess, because at the time PAS didn't need it and/or the district wasn't ready to cough up the funds to renovate it.

It's a fascinating bit of neighborhood history, one unfortunately lined with a lot of broken promises and I'm afraid there's going to have to be a few more to resolve it. Either way, some people in the area aren't going to be happy.

**annie** · 08-13-2012, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by anonymous comment on wpl

today on registration day, both the principal and the upenn liaison were away. A good thing for them, perhaps, since everybody looking for spots in grades 1-4, including #1 in line, was told that the school is full and that their kids will be assigned to other schools. School officials must have known this weeks ago, certainly before telling parents to “come early” to register, yet decided to only share it two weeks before the start of school. Such nice people.

**Zigster** · 08-13-2012, 05:46 PM

today's PAS wheel of fortune:
this is some _______ ________

**annie** · 08-15-2012, 10:08 AM

Penn Alexander to parents: No more spots in the lower grades | West Philly Local

The School District of Philadelphia confirmed that the list includes students from last year who were unable to get a spot last year. A large number of parents in line last year were able to enroll their students, but not this year.
“That waitlist does carry over (from the previous year) at Penn Alexander,” said District spokeswoman Deirdre Darragh. “(The school) registered where they had space.”
The list includes between three and six names for each grade. Those students would get in if a student already registered for the grade leaves before school starts or during the school year.
The school added an additional kindergarten class this year to help take the pressure off kindergarten enrollment in February, when dozens of parents camp out overnight – often in frigid temperatures – to get a spot. Kindergarten enrollment virtually guarantees a spot in the upper grades.

**OldMama** · 08-15-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Eastcoast

Might not work that way, take a two income household and there really isn't a great deal of disposable time to commit to the local school. While there might be a decent amount of disposable income, hence buying into a good school catchment, paying for private school or leaving the city for burbs with good schools.

You don't need a lot of free time to help make a school better. You can commit big time just by sending your kids (who have likely been read to and educated well at home). Help with funding extras to the extent you are able. The other "good" schools were not started/funded by Penn. Plenty of schools became "good" starting with a small group of parents who simply put their faith in the school.

**boognish** · 08-15-2012, 12:00 PM

Well said. I think many of the local schools (and actually most of Philly schools in theory) have tons of potential.

I feel very conflicted about living the PAS catchment. It's hard for me to imagine having to que up 48 hours in advance just to allow my (hypothetical) children to attend the school across the street. Something's got to give.

**annie** · 08-15-2012, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by OldMama

Plenty of schools became "good" starting with a small group of parents who simply put their faith in the school.

Yes, people somehow get the idea that a school was "always" that way as if anointed from on high when really it was this for Meredith in the 80s, McCall in the late 90s, Cook-Wissahickon and Stanton for the early aughts. So many groups have popped up in the last few years with new ones announcing themselves every couple months it's hard to keep track. And yet a lot people remained convinced the Penn Alexander's way (enormous influx of funding from a single private source) must be the only one worthwhile.

**Brian616** · 08-15-2012, 02:16 PM

What a G.D. mess.

I used to think I'd suck it up, pay the premium and move to the catchment in a few years from SWCC. However, I'm starting to think that my area will be more desirable for schools in another year or two. Where do you go if you can't get a spot at PAS? I'd have Greenfield, ICS, Stanton and maybe even Chester Arthur soon (not to mention the Philadelphia School, if it came to that).

In all fairness, your beautiful old houses and trolley lines will always make me jealous.