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But if they pass this, I would think the owners of the rental property in Mt. Lebanon may increase the rent to cover the tax increase which they may incur.
That's a very good point---especially if the property became available because the owner is moving out of Allegheny County border for lower taxes. New high school construction always raises property taxes, and property taxes are always passed onto tenants in the form of higher rent. She could avoid that by asking for a four year lease, but that presents risks too.
[1] I'm not saying she shouldn't move into Mt. Lebanon. Earlier in this thread, I was encouraging her to consider other options besides just focusing on Mt. Lebanon and Dormont.
[2] I just think there's more to consider. She has a large family and the Dormont house is excessively large and saves her 9k per year.
[3] That 9k could pay for two of her children to attend CCAC for 11th & 12th grade. That's just an example.
[4] The reality is that there isn't a huge difference between schools that rate 9 and 10.
[5] No two children are the same when it comes to education.
[6] She said that she can't afford to send her children to private school, but what if one of her four children would be better off in a private school? The Oakland School tuition is exactly $9,000 per year.
[7] When you get down to it, Mt. Lebanon is still a public school with a cookie cutter education. It might have some extra bells and whistles, but that's no guarantee that her children are going to be more challenged there when they are already bored at a school that rates a 9 out of 10. The difference between a 9 & 10 is not huge.
1. I totally agree with exploring other options within the Pittsburgh area.
2. Saving $9,000 in rent might not necessarily translate to saving $9,000 overall. She might have to pay quite a bit more for utilities, gas for her car, etc.
3. CCAC is an option worth considering, I think. I wonder how well they cater to high schoolers.
4. I also agree that there is not much difference between a "9" and a "10," but how much difference is there between a "10" (Mt. Lebanon) and a "5" (Keystone Oaks)?
5. Sending her kids to a public school that has a lot of educational opportunities (presence/quality of gifted and special education programs, regular, honors, AP, and IB classes, well-developed athletics, foreign exchange programs, etc) would help her deal with the different needs of each child. Bells and whistles can do quite a bit if you take advantage of them, so I would consider them when comparing public schools. Were you the one that mentioned Aspinwall (Fox Chapel SD)? That might actually be quite good, though I am not sure how it compares to either Mt. Lebanon or Dormont on the "walkability" scale.
6. Oakland would be feasible, but again, only if just for one child at a time.
7. No, it's no guarantee that they will be challenged at Mt. Lebanon, if they are bored at a "9," but then should a "5" be called "acceptable?" Don't get me wrong, I do think smart kids can succeed anywhere, and it's not like Keystone Oaks is going to hinder a kid, but it sure is nice to have better resources. If I had to choose a school for my children, I would try to go for the best I could comfortably afford.
I don't think anyone should comment on how someone spends their money. Everyone has different priorities. I think people should limit their comments to the strengths of particular communities and not how people spend their money. As you know Mt. Lebanon and Dormont are pretty walkable. Mt. Lebanon has a top school system. Both have an urban feel to it because of you can walk to shops and other things. I used to live in Aspinwall, it a small community and it doesn't offer as much as Mt. Lebanon or Dormont. For example, no library or post office. Another area to consider is Oakmont. Oakmont is a nice town. There are plenty of shops. However, it is a town and doesn't have the same urban feel that Dormont has and to a lesser extent that Mt. Lebanon has too. Oakmont is in the Riverview School District which isn't as good as Mt. Lebanon. Again welcome to Pittsburgh.
3. CCAC is an option worth considering, I think. I wonder how well they cater to high schoolers.
It depends on what you mean. High schoolers are treated as college students. All course work is availble to anyone enrolled. Don't expect any special treatment for a high school student. If a parent thinks they are bright enough to start college early, the parent shouldn't expect the instructors to cut them breaks. As a matter of fact, the parent should not be involved except to meet with course scheduling counselors and to pay the tution. It's not high school.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
4. I also agree that there is not much difference between a "9" and a "10," but how much difference is there between a "10" (Mt. Lebanon) and a "5" (Keystone Oaks)?
That wasn't my point. If she's unhappy with a 9, a 10 isn't going to be the magical answer.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
5. Sending her kids to a public school that has a lot of educational opportunities (presence/quality of gifted and special education programs, regular, honors, AP, and IB classes, well-developed athletics, foreign exchange programs, etc) would help her deal with the different needs of each child. Bells and whistles can do quite a bit if you take advantage of them, so I would consider them when comparing public schools.
There aren't many more bells and whistles at a 10 than a 9.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
Were you the one that mentioned Aspinwall (Fox Chapel SD)? That might actually be quite good, though I am not sure how it compares to either Mt. Lebanon or Dormont on the "walkability" scale.
Aspinwall is almost completely flat with sidewalks everywhere. There's a shopping district, restaurants, etc.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
6. Oakland would be feasible, but again, only if just for one child at a time.
I'm very well aware. Parents sometimes have to "save" one child though. The one child that fell through the cracks or went wayward. Having the money available to 'save' that one child is priceless.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
7. No, it's no guarantee that they will be challenged at Mt. Lebanon, if they are bored at a "9," but then should a "5" be called "acceptable?" Don't get me wrong, I do think smart kids can succeed anywhere, and it's not like Keystone Oaks is going to hinder a kid, but it sure is nice to have better resources. If I had to choose a school for my children, I would try to go for the best I could comfortably afford.
When I said "acceptable," I meant that a truly driven student will succeed anywhere. It's not like Keystone Oaks is a terrible school. Also, by "acceptable," I meant that Dormont is a safe place to live. There are many other education possibilities in the area. We do have charter schools and they are completely free. I think City High would be more challenging than Mt. Lebanon.
I don't think anyone should comment on how someone spends their money. Everyone has different priorities. I think people should limit their comments to the strengths of particular communities and not how people spend their money. As you know Mt. Lebanon and Dormont are pretty walkable.
It's not my habit, but the OP brought up the financial issue in her posts. If we didn't discuss the housing and education financial concerns, we would have never started discussing other education options available in Pittsburgh. There are tons of options available.
It depends on what you mean. High schoolers are treated as college students. All course work is availble to anyone enrolled. Don't expect any special treatment for a high school student. If a parent thinks they are bright enough to start college early, the parent shouldn't expect the instructors to cut them breaks. As a matter of fact, the parent should not be involved except to meet with course scheduling counselors and to pay the tution. It's not high school.
So, a student might "fall through the cracks" quite easily?
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That wasn't my point. If she's unhappy with a 9, a 10 isn't going to be the magical answer.
But my point was that there is a difference between a "10" and a "5." You asked why someone would want to "cram" her family into a Mt. Lebanon house, when Dormont is perfectly "acceptable," and I am saying that the difference between school rankings might be the "why." Also, I don't think the OP ever really expressed strong unhappiness with the educational benefits of her current public school district. From what I read, I understood that she wants to find a school that is at least comparable, or better in a cheaper, more urban area. Mt Lebanon and its public schools meet/exceed these criteria, Dormont does not. If her kids are not being 100% challenged at a "9," a "5" is not the answer.
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There aren't many more bells and whistles at a 10 than a 9.
See above.
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Aspinwall is almost completely flat with sidewalks everywhere. There's a shopping district, restaurants, etc.
What about expense-wise? I just looked up the houses in Aspinwall, and they came in the high 100's at the minimum.
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I'm very well aware. Parents sometimes have to "save" one child though. The one child that fell through the cracks or went wayward. Having the money available to 'save' that one child is priceless.
Does she need to "save" a child? I agree with you that these children exist, but I don't see the applicability of the idea to this post.
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When I said "acceptable," I meant that a truly driven student will succeed anywhere. It's not like Keystone Oaks is a terrible school. Also, by "acceptable," I meant that Dormont is a safe place to live. There are many other education possibilities in the area. We do have charter schools and they are completely free. I think City High would be more challenging than Mt. Lebanon.
Ah, well then, that's another story. Do you have suggestions for charter schools? I hear they can be a hit or miss.
As far as not talking about finances: We can't learn if we refuse to acknowledge. I don't see a problem discussing this in a situation where the OP made the first move of mentioning money matters.
That's a very good point---especially if the property became available because the owner is moving out of Allegheny County border for lower taxes. New high school construction always raises property taxes, and property taxes are always passed onto tenants in the form of higher rent. She could avoid that by asking for a four year lease, but that presents risks too.
Baldwin-Whitehall is just about done with their new high school and taxes actually dropped by 1 mill this year and possibly more next year. So you never know.
So, a student might "fall through the cracks" quite easily?
Parents should know if a child is up for the challenge. Mine has thrived in the college environment.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
Also, I don't think the OP ever really expressed strong unhappiness with the educational benefits of her current public school district. From what I read, I understood that she wants to find a school that is at least comparable, or better in a cheaper, more urban area.
She has already shared publicly that her children are not challenged enough at their current public school.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
What about expense-wise? I just looked up the houses in Aspinwall, and they came in the high 100's at the minimum.
She's renting, not buying.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
Does she need to "save" a child? I agree with you that these children exist, but I don't see the applicability of the idea to this post.
I'm just thinking of all the possibilities. She said in another post that they would not be able to afford private school. If she lived in Dormont, she could send two to CCAC or one to Oakland School for the money saved on housing.
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Originally Posted by adhzedan
Ah, well then, that's another story. Do you have suggestions for charter schools? I hear they can be a hit or miss.
Read my post you just quoted. I mentioned City High. It's an excellent high school.
I'm not going to argue with you about this anymore. You are latching onto one sentence I wrote when my thoughts were in a larger context.
It really doesn't matter if you understand. I KNOW the OP understands my points.
Actually, I can accuse you of the latching as well. I recommended Mt. Lebanon above Dormont for its public schooling because I don't see how a bunch of kids who are not being challenged at a good school, could be happy at one that is ranked lower. And I am sorry, I didn't realize that expenses didn't apply to renting. I guess if she rents in Aspinwall she'll be living in the house for free? And the fact that housing is pretty expensive in Aspinwall has no connection to rent amounts? You have dismissed the possibility of renting in Mt. Lebanon while bringing up other possibilities that would force her to choose between her kids, and yet you still didn't understand why someone would choose a smaller house in a better school district that would serve all four children? Really? Earlier in the thread you mentioned that you wouldn't encourage a move to Mt. Lebanon because the OP stated that renting there would result in "little money left for anything else" (that's you I am quoting) when she said no such thing. So, please, before you get nasty with me, check your own reading comprehension.
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