Jewish Schools (Palo Alto, Foster City: apartment, rentals, neighborhood)

[dburbs1975]

Can someone comment if they have first hand experience with Jewish schools in the peninsula? We may well do private schools for this first year, and would chose a Jewish school if we have to pay tuition. A PM would be fine, too, if you don't want to post as these are relatively small communities.

We are looking at Gideon Hausner in Palo Alto and Wornick in Foster City. Either school would allow us to live close to school and still have under 25 minutes to work. Both cost a mint like 20-23K for early elementary, so I am not sure we would do this for more than a year.

Foster City seems to have, by far, much more available as far as rentals go.

We want private because I gave up on buying for now, it was just too confusing with all the school boundaries, and the districts making it clear that they will not guarantee a spot in the local school because we will not be relocated until after the first week of school.

[MarkPaul1]

We are organizing a institute which brings up Jewish people toward their religion. We provide them education about their religion.

[darkeconomist]

Your best bet is to call local synagogues and get advice.

[heretoo]

Hausner is considered to be very good, and they do offer scholarships and discounts.

[dburbs1975]

thanks, heretoo, I wonder if we would even qualify. Both schools had accessible to staff over the summer to discuss their programs. It would give us more leeway for the first year to choose private, we would not have to worry so much about the 'right' neighborhood, but the extra 25K (cost with after care program) will be a tough one to bite.

[heretoo]

Talk with them. You'd be surprised how many families get scholarships as some Jewish schools are desperate for more students.

[dburbs1975]

Interesting, heretoo. I would appreciate a PM with more info.

I think my son would really love a small school, and strongly identifies with his religion, but I always saw myself sending them public. I worry that our timeline will put stress on us to say yes to a bad apartment in Palo Alto just to get the good district, and then I may find my kid surrounded by 'hot-housed' kids - if you know what I mean, and that is just not our philosophy. Both my spouse and I are high achievers, but this did not occur for either of us until high school and beyond. I just don't really see the point in pushing kids like that, and I spoke with Hausner admin and they seemed to be of that philosophy - if the kid needs more, they can provide it, but if the kid needs to be a kid, it would not be a problem.