Thanks, Wilma. I have a reasonable idea of Penn Alexander's catchment area -- at least enough to know that, though I'm 3.5 blocks from the school, my house is not in that area. What I'm hoping someone can provide -- though Tony's earlier post offered some verbal insight -- is a map showing the catchment areas for West Philadelpha HS and UCHS.
-----Original Message----- From: Wilma de Soto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Dave Axler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; UnivCity listserv <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 11:40 am Subject: Re: [UC] Penn schools Here’s a link to the Alexander School Catchment Area form a Real Estate site: http://philadelphiarealestatehub.com/blog/catchment/ On 4/5/08 3:31 AM, "Dave Axler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> The existance of Penn Alexander is causing its catchment area to undergo >> gentrification, and that would be increased if UC High became "Penn-Assisted >> High". If so, then what explains the gentrification of the areas outside the catchment area, such as the North side of the 4400 block of Sansom, my own 4400 block of Chestnut, and similar parts of UC? It can't be the school, since the residents don't benefit from it. At best, Penn Alexander is one of many causes of gentrification within its catchment area. Also, high-school students living in Penn Alexander's catchment area would probably* be in the catchment area of West Philadelphia HS, not University City HS. According to the School District's website, West Philadelphia HS and Penn Alexander are both in the "South" region, while UCHS is in the "Restructured/EMO Region". (Curiously, the site also lists a "University of Penn HS", but without any address. Dunno what that means...) *I searched the PSD site to no avail for catchment maps. If anyone knows where to find 'em, or can otherwise confirm or disprove my supposition, go for it! -----Original Message----- From: KAREN ALLEN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: SH <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [email protected] Sent: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 12:29 pm Subject: RE: [UC] Penn schools > Don't you think that Penn is mainly interested in getting free schooling for > their professors and well paid staff in the neighborhood who normally would > send their children to private school? > Sharon Yes. And also to make Penn's graduate education program more competitive by offering its own student teachers internships in a highly acclaimed "urban" elementary school [Penn Alexander], populated by a well-behaved, highly motivated, upper middle class student body. If UC High becomes a Penn partnership school, then Penn can offer its grad students teaching opportunities in a similar "urban" high school, and Penn Alexander grads will have a top-notch neighborhood high school. http://www.gse.upenn.edu/cms/cms.php?id=171 http://www.upenn.edu/campus/westphilly/pas.html#PAS4 Although Penn's website mentions working with Philadelphia public schools other than Penn Alexander, having what amounts to its own elementary and high school gives Penn's Graduate School of Education (GSE) its own "lab". This arrangement accomplishes two goals simultaneously: both the GSE student teachers and the Penn Alexander students receive a stellar education. And the GSE has the advantage of not having to waste precious educational time dealing with the social ills that other public schools have do deal with. The existance of Penn Alexander is causing its catchment area to undergo gentrification, and that would be increased if UC High became "Penn-Assisted High". Penn employees and young people with children will want to send their children to a top-notch public school, and will move to the catchment areas, in turn creating a more upscale neighborhood, in turn reversing the public perception of the neighborhood being dangerous, in turn making it easier for Penn to market the University. Rising property values would eventually force those deemed undesirable out of the area. While Penn is saying that 70% of a new UC High's students would come from the neighborhood, the gentrification that Penn-Assisted High would very likely cause would mean that the "neighborhood" would probably not consist of the same people who live there now. Having top-notch public schools is the obvious ideal, and if Penn Alexander and possibly UC High are such schools, that is wonderful. But these schools have to exist across the board, not just in select neighborhoods for select demographics. The key is creating Penn Alexanders in all of the city neighborhoods. Motivated, advantaged kids are going to do well in any event, because their parents have the ability and resources to see that they do. The really hard job is in creating strategies that will reach disadvantaged kids and their families and in doing whatever it takes to make sure that those kids can also take full advantage of the opportunities those schools present. THAT would be world-changing! Penn, are you up to THAT job? = Get the MapQuest Toolbar <http://www.mapquest.com/toolbar?NCID=mpqmap00030000000003> , Maps, Traffic, Directions More!
