Living in Philadelphia with Kids (Downingtown, Penn: home, school rankings, college)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by skintreesnail

for middle school, Penn Alexander is a top school. It's in West Philly around Penn's campus, but usually housing comes at a premium due to the school. Greenfield and McCall in center city, as well as Meredith in queen village are good. There are also several schools that have strong neighborhood support and are steadily improving (Jackson in Passyunk square, Nebinger in Bella Vista, Chester Aurthur and Stanton in Graduate Hospital, Waring and Bache / Martin in Fairmount are the ones I've heard good things about, but I'm sure there are more). I believe the schools in Manayunk and Chestnut Hill/Mt Airy (Jenks, Charles Henry, Dobson, Cook-Wissahickon, Shawmont) are decent as well. Science Leadership Academy around Drexel's campus is good and it's specifically middle school. For HS, the good ones I think you need to test into, but not as familiar with them (other than Central/Masterman) as I've got a while to worry about that still. There are also numerous charter schools in addition to the public schools that I think operate as a lottery for enrollment. Independence is one that I've heard is good and is in center city.

You can see the district boundaries on this map:
https://webapps1.philasd.org/school_finder/

Some ofher citywide magnet high schools worth considering that you don't have to test into:

CAPA (High School for the Creative and Performing Arts)
Academy at Palumbo
Bodine (international affairs)
GAMP (Girard Academic Music Program)
W.B. Saul (a rarity: it's the only urban high school I know of in a large US city devoted to agriculture)

The first two and GAMP are in South Philly. Bodine is in Northern Liberties. Saul is in Roxborough, across Henry Avenue from the Wissahickon Park.

[PHLondoner]

Originally Posted by JakeinChina

We also plan to move to Center City and I'd be interested if anyone had input on the differences between Greenfield and McCall schools? They seem to be similar in performance as well as a similar in types of kids going to that school. Thanks

We're in Greenfield and it's great. Tons of involvement. It's generally considered a better school especially when it comes to Masterman/Central acceptance (see below).

Either way, McCall is good so it's mostly about which Neighborhood/amenities you prefer - Fitler/Rittenhouse vs. Society Hill. Sure they're both row-home 'hoods but they have much different vibes/energy.

To the Original Poster - I would push you to look in greater Center City if you can swing it. The #1 High School in the State - and one of the best in the country - is Masterman and it's very selective and disproportionately accepts kids from the following 4 schools: Penn Alexander (University City), Independence Charter (Rittenhouse), Greenfield (Rittenhouse/Fitler) and Meredith (Queen Village).

[JakeinChina]

Originally Posted by PHLondoner

We're in Greenfield and it's great. Tons of involvement. It's generally considered a better school especially when it comes to Masterman/Central acceptance (see below).

Either way, McCall is good so it's mostly about which Neighborhood/amenities you prefer - Fitler/Rittenhouse vs. Society Hill. Sure they're both row-home 'hoods but they have much different vibes/energy.

To the Original Poster - I would push you to look in greater Center City if you can swing it. The #1 High School in the State - and one of the best in the country - is Masterman and it's very selective and disproportionately accepts kids from the following 4 schools: Penn Alexander (University City), Independence Charter (Rittenhouse), Greenfield (Rittenhouse/Fitler) and Meredith (Queen Village).

Thanks PH. We were leaning towards Greenfield as we prefer the Fitler/Rittenhouse area better then Society Hill and CC West.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by PHLondoner

The #1 High School in the State - and one of the best in the country - is Masterman and it's very selective and disproportionately accepts kids from the following 4 schools: Penn Alexander (University City), Independence Charter (Rittenhouse), Greenfield (Rittenhouse/Fitler) and Meredith (Queen Village).

When I went to Masterman it was roughly 50% black, with kids from all over the city. I hope that's still the case, instead of being a public private school for the exclusive use of a few neighborhoods. MarketStEL, you say what?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

When I went to Masterman it was roughly 50% black, with kids from all over the city. I hope that's still the case, instead of being a public private school for the exclusive use of a few neighborhoods. MarketStEL, you say what?

I think Central's a little more diverse (more Hispanic and Asian students), but Masterman's no slouch.

I hadn't heard that it had become a school with a select few feeders.

[pman]

https://www.usnews.com/education/bes...6/student-body
39% White, 28% Asian, 17% black

some people love it, others say it's performance is mainly cream skimming rather than better teaching. almost all students in the high school come from the middle school

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by pman

https://www.usnews.com/education/bes...6/student-body
39% White, 28% Asian, 17% black

some people love it, others say it's performance is mainly cream skimming rather than better teaching. almost all students in the high school come from the middle school

Thanks for posting.

For most of the past couple of decades, Masterman's been the only Pennsylvania high school to crack U.S. News' top 50 high schools nationwide.

I see that Downingtown STEM Academy has also made it into that club (at #29, seven spots below Masterman).

U.S. News ranks Central #4 statewide (Radnor High is #3; #s 1 and 2 are above) and #284 nationwide (Radnor's #237).

24% white, 26% black, 36% Asian, 8% Hispanic.

"100% economically disadvantaged," but since the SDP serves free lunch to all students under a USDA program that allows this for high-poverty districts, that stat's probably bogus.

[PHLondoner]

Originally Posted by pman

https://www.usnews.com/education/bes...6/student-body
39% White, 28% Asian, 17% black

some people love it, others say it's performance is mainly cream skimming rather than better teaching. almost all students in the high school come from the middle school

Any school that you have to test into is going to be higher achieving in school rankings.

Our concern with Masterman from a parents standpoint is, frankly, how competitive it is academically once you're there. There's certainly a "type" that can thrive in this pressure cooker but it can get pretty intense if your piers are all getting 1400s on their SATs while also being a concert cellists at the age of 15...

Luckily - if Masterman isn't your kids bag - Central is an awesome school that offers a more "normal" big high school experience.

[bursitis]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

When I went to Masterman it was roughly 50% black, with kids from all over the city. I hope that's still the case, instead of being a public private school for the exclusive use of a few neighborhoods. MarketStEL, you say what?

Yowzers!


Another racist rears it's ugly head.

[Muinteoir]

Originally Posted by bursitis

Yowzers!


Another racist rears it's ugly head.

That was not racist. The desire for a high performing school that is more representative of the city's demographics is anti-racist.