Looking for Public Schools - Philly Suburbs (Horsham, Hatboro: home, neighborhood)

[Jro]

My husband and i are looking to move from Upper Merion Township in the next year or so. We have a 1 years and plan to have another child int he next couple of years. it is important for us to find a good public school for our kids. We are looknig at the following districts:

Colonial
upper Dublin
Wissahickon
Lower Merion

Not only do we want our kids to get a good education, but it is important for us to have them grow up with other jewish kids so that they can connect to the heritage. Can anyone offer some advice as to how i can do this kind of reasearch, both in general and specifically on the Jewish factor?

thanks.

[newmarlig]

Lower Merion is a very highly rated school district with a large Jewish community.

http://www.greatschools.net/schools....t=292&state=PA

[Jro]

Thank you! Is there a statistical report somewhere that would list this information?

[BPP1999]

Colonial has a Jewish population, mostly residing in Lafayette Hill. There's also some Jewish residents in Plymouth, but most are in LH.

Upper Dublin has a decent-sized Jewish population, and so does Wissahickon, but not as many as in UD, I believe.

Lower Merion has a significant Jewish population.

Your child is certainly not going to be the only Jew in the classroom at any of these schools. I graduated from PW (Colonial), which I think is the least Jewish of the 4 you mentioned, and I'd venture a guess that it was about 8-10% Jewish, if not more.

[newmarlig]

This is from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merion,_Pennsylvania



Merion has a significant Jewish population and serves as home to Adath Israel, a Conservative Jewish temple. The Orthodox Jewish population is served by Lower Merion Synagogue, just outside Merion in Bala Cynwyd

In addition, other synagogues in the area include Temple Beth Hillel Beth El

http://www.tbhbe.org/

Main Line Reform Temple

http://mlrt.org/index.cfm?

Har Zion

http://www.harziontemple.org/harzion/

Also FYI


http://jewishphilly.org/page.html?ArticleID=103297 (broken link)

[Jro]

thank you all so much for this information. Does anyone know anything about the Hatboro-Horsham district? i have heard that is becoming more Jewish in recent years.

[newmarlig]

In what area will your husband (and you, if you work outside of the home) be working? That might help in making your decision.

[pennquaker09]

I live in the Colonial school district, and I know that based on the neighborhood that I live in, there are some Jewish families. I wouldn't make a statement about the entire school district, but just based on where I live, in Lafayette Hill, I know there are some Jewish families.

I would imagine you'd find a bigger population in Lower Merion, given the wealth in the area.

[Dave M.]

Come to Unionville-Chadds Ford School district. Last year, or the year before, we were rated number 1 in all of Pennsylvania. Many Jewish people, my kids get invited to Bar Mitzvahs all the time and we're not Jewish.

Scenic countryside, little traffic congestion, shopping malls are close. We love it.

Proof for the doubters...

http://www.ucfsd.org/pubs/winter05nl.pdf

[rainrock]

You have to take that pamphlet from the superintendant with a grain of salt. Its an advertising brochure more than anything else. Chadds Ford is a great area and I would absolutely recommend looking into the area it but really doesnt distinguish itself from dozens and dozens of other communities/school districts throughout the region. If anything its a little low on the amenities like supermarkets and retail.

Great school district no question about it but lets not make it out to be this shining jewel in a seas of rocks, there are alot of great school districts in this area.