German schools in Pittsburgh? (Penn: renting, transfer, neighborhood)

[hebadin]

Hello everybody,

I'm living in Germany right now and I'm moving to Pittsburgh in January next year. I have a family with two children. The older one (5 years old) has learned German pretty well up to now, although we speak Spanish as native language. I would be a pity if he looses what he has already learned.

I've been searching and could not find any German school in Pittsburgh. Do you know some German language school or some institution in Pittsburgh where my kid could learn German?

I will appreciate your help!

[raynist]

I am sure there are other schools that offer the German Language as a class, but I know that Upper Saint Clair High school offers the following and I think some of these are taught in the middle schools also:

German, Mandarin Chinese, Latin, French, Spanish, Japanese.
Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, the school plans to offer Arabic.

[likepgh]

Linden school in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh is a German-language magnet school (K-5) which then feeds to the international studies program at Frick Middle School and to an IB program which is currently at Schenley HS but will presumably move to a new high school when Schenley closes in a couple of years.

It's not immersion (or bilingual) but the kids do get German 5X a week. And Linden overall has a pretty good academic reputation.

Anyone living in the city can apply to the magnet program (the deadline is October for the next year so you may be shut out for the 08-09 academic year--but I would write to the school district and explain your situation--moving mid-year etc and ask them for assistance. I would also write directly to the principal at Linden. Principals have a good bit of power in terms of accepting transfers--i.e. you may be able to bypass the lottery if the principal wants your family at the school.) The magnet is a lottery but residents of the Point Breeze neighborhood (i.e. the area of the former feeder pattern when Linden was a neighborhood school) get preference. So you might help your case if you are moving into Point Breeze.

Hope that helps.

[hebadin]

Thank you both, raynist and likepgh.

I will take a look at your recommendations. After that I will write back with comments.

[Sideblinded]

LikePGH is correct, If you live in the Point Breeze breeze neighborhood you may not have to apply. I would call the district to find out. Some Magnet schools, act as neighborhood schools also, and others do not.

However, be careful to move within the neighborhood border. I would contact PPS (Pittsburgh Public Schools) before buying or renting a place in Point Breeze. BTW, Point Breeze South of Penn is a great neighborhood.

[hebadin]

Originally Posted by Sideblinded

However, be careful to move within the neighborhood border.

Why? It is dangerous?

Originally Posted by Sideblinded

I would contact PPS (Pittsburgh Public Schools) before buying or renting a place in Point Breeze.

Thanks for the hint.

[likepgh]

Just to clarify: I think you still have to apply, but if you live in the former feeder pattern (which I think is most of [South] Point Breeze) you have preference in the lottery.

On the PPS website, there is a street directory where you can look up an address and see the feeder pattern. However, I don't think it shows the former feeder patterns so I would certainly call PPS to confirm exactly which addresses have preference for Linden. (But PPS isn't going to give you advice about the safety of a neighborhood, of course.)

[likepgh]

And to clarify again: I think Sideblinded is correct about some schools being a mix of neighborhood/magnet where the neighborhood kids do not have to apply (e.g. Sterett Middle School). But I think Linden is all magnet.

[erynkows]

CCAC offers French, Japanese, German, Italian and Spanish. About $120 for 8 weeks of 3 hour classes.

[gameequals]

Send your kid to Linden, i went there when i was a kid it was great. Also, i believe it is one of the best public elementary schools in the city.