Schools (Pittsburgh, Fox Chapel, Penn: real estate, chapel, how much)

[bruxauk]

Schools
My second question to the forum.
I have been searching on the internet about good schools in Pitts, also in this forum.
I would like to know if Private schools are better then Public ones.

I read that Winchester Thurston is pretty good, not sure how much would this school cost me year.

I tried to find a map showing which neighborhood have access to which school, if anyone here have a link , I would very much appreciated
Not sure if I am going in the right track here, but that is how I understood about the system, it all depends on the area you are living in.

As We are not based there yet, we would like to find a place, to make this whole schools selection easier. ATM we are thinking of squirrel hill , as it seems to have things we all look for: shops, safety, quietness etc ( correct me if this is not accurate)

I was a bit on the edge about the bomb threat episode this week gone, is this something that happens often ( sorry ,. I only recently start following Pitts news)

I also (like every parent on earth) worry about bullying, discrimination and those kind of this...is this something that you get a lot over there? Or its more often in certain schools? Is it sth we can scape?

To close this long question: I would like to know (sorry if this is sth you have posted before) .

In your opinion:

1) Are private schools better then public
2) What is the best Private school in Pitts
3) What is the best public school in Pits
4) Where do I have to live in Pitts to have access to the best public school?
5) what age are children oblige to go to school? Would that be pre-k or elementary?

[squarian]

Originally Posted by bruxauk

1) Are private schools better then public
2) What is the best Private school in Pitts
3) What is the best public school in Pits
4) Where do I have to live in Pitts to have access to the best public school?
5) what age are children oblige to go to school? Would that be pre-k or elementary?

1) Certainly most are better than Pittsburgh Public Schools - but you need to know that there are as many public school districts within Allegheny County as there were city states in Renaissance Italy, and as usual in the US the wealthier suburbs have better schools. The usual equation applies: a more expensive house generally buys you a better public school district (the "zip code lottery"), but you can buy cheaply in parts of the greater Pittsburgh area and use the money you save on private tuition.

2) Debatable, since it depends on what you're looking for and the grade level (or "form" if you're more used to Commonwealth terminology). For my children, Kentucky Avenue School & Winchester Thurston are good choices. Carlow, St. Edmund's and Ellis have also been on my list at one time or another. You'll need to talk to the Headmaster/Administrator/Principal and if possible tour the school and ask to see sample lesson plans, daily schedules, etc.

3) The best high school within Pittsburgh Public School district is undoubtedly Allerdice, in the Squirrel Hill neighbourhood of the city of Pittsburgh. See 1 above regarding suburban districts. See the state department of education website for test results for all public schools in the state. Opinions will vary on suburban school districts, but Sewickely, Upper Saint Clair and Fox Chapel have good public schools (and high real estate prices).

4) Are we talking the City of Pittsburgh proper or the greater metro area?

5) According to Pennsylvania's law (PA Code C22 S. 11) "no later than at the age of 8 years", but in practice most children begin to attend school at age 4-6 (kindergarten). "Homeschooling" (i.e. tutoring your children at home), "cyberschool" (essentially homeschooling with support from professionals via internet) and "charter schools" (self-governing public schools, similar to the old UK grammar schools, of which there are about a dozen in Allegheny County) are also viable options in Pennsylvania.

[bruxauk]

Thanks squarian

i should have added to my question: Kindergarder and Elementary schools also.

[BrianTH]

squarian gave a very good, comprehensive answer. I'd just note a couple things:

(1) There are a variety of different private school options at a variety of prices available. If you would be interested in Catholic schools, those can be considerably less expensive.

(2) Don't forget about magnet programs, magnet schools, and charter schools. Magnet programs and magnet schools are within the traditional public schools, and many parents I know in the City have made use of them. Charter schools are publicly-funded and thus free, but are administrated independently. Again, I know parents in the City (and out of it) making use of charter schools.

So there are a lot of options to keep in mind.