Kipp Schools are the worst. The principals tend to be ineffective leaders and they teachers,…read morethough well meaning, have their hands full with disrespectful and sometimes aggressive behavior from the kids.

I am a huge fan of KIPP! I appreciate the mission and values that the Knowledge is Power Program…read morestrives for every day. If you are interested in effective charter schools or the need for a different approach to education, I recommend watching the recently released documentary Waiting for Superman. KIPP is one of the schools mentioned in the documentary and is a champion in providing top notch education and child development. You won't find a more dedicated and skilled staff than the faculty of a KIPP school.

Advantages: * A foreign language and the great French…read moreteachers * Declamation * The small class sizes * The backup care as a flat fee (takes it off the mind about getting care for most needed days) * The school spirit activities Disadvantages: * The horrible, unorganized administration * The small class sizes Don't expect any Einsteins to come from here -- due to Einstein not speaking until he was 4, this school would have filtered him out as an inappropriate student. The fact that they post a poster that says "Everyone is welcome and accepted here" is misleading. The administration are only concerned with low maintenance children, so don't go to this school unless you are sure that your child is cookie-cutter. There is tons of busy work, which I'm not sure results in learning, as my child got 80-100% on everything, but the administration told us that our child was underperforming. The administration of the school didn't even congratulate us when our child got an external award, which left us with a cold feeling. I know that this review will not make a difference since the Philly school system is so messed up, that you're desperate to get your child ahead and will send your kid here no matter what. So, let me be honest here -- St. Peters is good until it's not (meaning that if you have a child that's out of the norm). So in most cases, you're probably OK and will have a pleasant experience. Given that most parents reading this are sending their kid to pre-k/kindergarten and have no idea what their child will be like in their academics, let me give some advice. If this school asks you to get a psycho-educational evaluation, DO NOT DO IT (or do it eventually on a long wait list at a more affordable college but refuse to give it to them). We did it, spent a fortune, and St. Peters hardly tried to accommodate the child given the evaluation. We thought that they would truly take it to heart and that the "personalized attention" that they try to imply through the small class sizes, would materialize. NOTHING. They just used it to get rid of the child. It was quite disappointing because the teachers seemed really lazy about trying new things... they would occasionally try something that worked with my child and then would stop and complain later about the child and I would have to ask "why aren't you doing X incentive that worked"? Beyond this, if they do go after your child, do not feel alone. I have heard countless stories about them getting rid of perfectly normal and especially gifted children who just cause them extra work. I feel like they create an atmosphere that parents are constantly in fear and panic because they put pressure on parents to do their heavy lifting. For me, "homey don't play that" with their large tuition. But they don't care and kick kids out all the time. Apparently, they don't need the money because of Philly's lacking schools that create desperate parents. Moral of the story: Elect officials who will build Philly's public schools, give to your public schools (even if you don't go there). Because without good competition, private schools don't have to care about every child and surely don't care that children are unique, fragile blooms. Extra negative notes: There is so much evidence of lack of organization -- some major announcements are not until the last minute, I got the initial advice to read the newsletter like a bible because there are things buried in there, and their graduation took 3 hours, with kids as young as 7 having to wait without dinner until 8:30 to get out. Extra positive note: At least they organized an afterschool program with a flat fee.

We LOVE St. Peter's. Our children started in kindergarten and are now in the Upper School. The…read morecurriculum is challenging but engaging, the faculty is top-notch and so positive, the administration is responsive and not only willing to have conversations about problems with the school, but proactive in finding solutions. The families are now really so many of our best friends and our kids are being prepared for an ever changing world. It's definitely a small school, but we feel that gives our kids such confidence as they get in the upper grades - they are the big kids, looked up to by the younger ones, sort of avoiding all the unnecessary pressures of a typical "middle school" at a time when they are so vulnerable emotionally. If we could go back in time we would send them here all over again!

terrible awful place with terrible awful administration. at least the old principle cared about the…read morekids recently there has been 0 concern for student well being. it's sad how they shape the kids and how they come out of that school.

I heard really high ratings about this place! I was doing a painting gig with others for an open…read morehouse event and the kids were cool! I see a very active sports soccer team in the parking lot. Their campus was gorgeous! Makes me wish I knew about them instead of going to Central High school freshmen year when I was younger! I would have gotten in on full scholarship just based on my top notch city wide scores test where I was like 95-98% then! Oh so proud of the good old beainy days! Lol! Oh I think I heard it was a scholarship or tuition based school. What it takes to qualify I don't know. You gotta do some research! My advice to scholars: straight A's, state standard testing and extracurricular activities and hobbies and travel when young are the way to go! All the best luck to the kids who do go here! I heard like a third of class for accepted to Harvard or an Ivy League! Kuddos to the Brainiacs!!!

My granddaughter had the opportunity to attend their summer camp. Not only did they get to do…read moreoutside activities they did alot of fun crafts. She met so many new friends and the teachers were beyond Awesome. My children had the opportunity to also go to this wonderful school when it was known as Epiphany of Our Lord. I have complete trust and love for this school. Thank you Ms.Cody, Mrs.Polidore, Ms Zelman,Mrs. Roccuzzo, Mrs.Maratei and the other wonderful staff of the Camp that I missed. It was a learning experience and a fun experience for my granddaughter.

Our Lady of Hope Regional Catholic School offers an excellent alternative for quality education in…read moreSouth Philadelphia. At Our lady of Hope, the culture is one of safety, acceptance, encouragement, and care between the students, the teachers and the students, and the administration and the students. The teachers at Out Lady of Hope have outstanding teaching experience and consistently strive to use not only technology but also research-based methodology to provide children with quality education. The size of the classrooms allow for an inclusive learning environment and for the teachers to focus on the diverse needs of every student as an individual. Our Lady of Hope also provides for learning experiences that are unique not only in comparison to the public school system in South Philadelphia but also to other private and charter schools in this geographic area. Exceptional learning opportunities for students include a fully implemented (including trained staff) Lab Learner science curriculum, a robust middle school "academy" with an advanced curriculum, foreign language instruction, interactive technology-based instruction throughout the school, individual student access to state-of-the-art computer labs and leading edge personal computer equipment such as iPads, and a rigorous program in both art and music. Overall, the education that OurLlady of Hope can provide is consistently far superior to other options that might be considered for your son or daughter in the city of Philadelphia.

The Waldorf School of Philadelphia is a unique community of caring, cooperative, highly educated…read moreand nurturing teachers and faculty. Both of our kids have attended (and one has now graduated from) Philly Waldorf and have received not just a top level education but have also developed a strong sense of self and compassion for others. This school is truly a community: parents, students, teachers, and staff help to create an extended family of creative and thoughtful kids. Our son is now in 9th grade and was both academically and socially prepared to take on the challenge of high school. Waldorf works and this school is an amazing place.

We love our school! My son goes to school happy, comes home fulfilled and educated beyond our…read moreexpectations. I can't wait to see where he goes in this world- thank you philly Waldorf for loving and holding my child. - we've experienced 1st through 7th at this time, and will complete 8th grade next year.

I've been going here for a few months now and this school is horrible, the teachers can't teach,…read morethe kids are disrespectful and spend half the class arguing with teachers, overall it's just not a good school don't send your kid here.

it's a good school overall they lunch good principal ok except for some man name ap Wyatt's he…read moretalks about the kids in a bad way n is crazy

My 1st thought while touring this school was wow, they really do not seem diverse at all. Hardly no…read morebrown children OR faculty. After being waitlisted then informed a month later that I did not receive a seat for Kindergarten I then thought, wow this is just how they intend to keep their school. I can't help but wonder if their quota for 1 or 2 brown children was already made. The private school we were accepted into after actual administering a test to assess readiness, and interviewing our family seems like a better fit for us. I find joy in knowing there were actual steps taken and guidelines followed to access our kids appropriateness for their school. TPS speak of wanting to diversify their school, and encouraging brown families to apply and see the application process through, but in reality they want their school just the way it is. They have no clear guidelines on assessing potential students, as no test are given like most private schools. They just handpick who they want for obvious reasons. I can't help but to wonder what type of behavior my child would have been exposed to had they been accepted.

If your child is academically average--neither slow nor gifted, and has no anxiety, ADHD, food, or…read moreother issues, this school is probably okay for you. Otherwise, look elsewhere. There is a strong emphasis on group learning, which is good for many kids, but it means any child who does not fit into the group is going to have a very hard time fitting into the school and will not be treated well. There is little flexibility or support for children who need it.

The Philadelphia area has an incredible variety of great schools--both public and private--so it…read moreoften comes down to "fit"--for your child/children and for your family. My husband and I toured and researched many schools in the area when our kids were first starting school and in the end, we decided Shipley was the perfect fit for us and for our children. I'll also add that as they have grown & evolved as learners (and they are very different kids), the fit still feels right for both. We were looking for a strong academic program, but our family believes that education is not just about test scores. Preparing our children for success in life is about values, self-confidence, friendships, and respect ....as well as excellent academics. We found that educational mission at Shipley. Also, as our kids have gotten older (now in middle & high school), I appreciate the "positive peer culture" that exists at Shipley. As they begin to look more to their classmates & teammates for cues about how to behave and what choices to make, I am grateful that their circles of friends take school seriously and care about the community they are part of. It is truly the teachers and coaches and other adults in the community that make Shipley so special. Yes, there are great facilities (as there are at most of the schools in this area) but it is the faculty that sets Shipley apart. They truly know my kids--their strengths, their weaknesses, ways to motivate them, where to support them, and when to push them outside of their comfort zone... They also embrace and celebrate the many different ways children learn. The teachers are just fabulous--they are proactive and engaged in student life and they respond to each child's needs--at whatever point they are in their academic and social development. The curriculum is responsive to the needs of the students while the academic vision is always pushing the envelope. Shipley does not have one model of a "successful graduate" that they are teaching towards - rather the teachers strive to find each student's unique gifts and talents and then help them become the best versions of themselves, in a holistic way. I really like that about Shipley, and I see my kids (who are so different from each other) developing along their own tracks and finding success and confidence in doing so.

I graduated from The Shipley School in 2013 and my four years there as a student were the most…read morememorable and growth stimulating years of my life. When people think of Shipley they have assumptions of the demographics of the community. I admit I did. I myself come from the inner-city and a middle class income, and was nervous entering. Nevertheless, I never felt different. Shipley is a welcoming community, one that accepts everyone, that grants chances to those chances aren't usually given, Shipley is a community here to help prepare its students for the future. There is support beyond measure from the teachers, administration, students, families, everyone, because we are one. Before Shipley I didn't know what it meant to be selfless, however once put into the community I learned the meaning and I begin to embody it in everyday life. Growing up in the city and going to school there it was like a being a crab in the barrel, no matter how close you were to the top, someone pulled you down. I was never taught to uplift others. Instead I focused on myself and my own success. Shipley showed me to be successful I need a team and to uplift others because their success is just as important as mine. As I finish college and begin to truly embark on this journey of life I am nothing but grateful for Shipley building the foundation of the young woman I am today. I have defied statistics and because of the risks they encouraged me to take. I have gained a confidence that can never be broken. I will never again think of myself as a crab in the barrel. I am an individual who matters. Most importantly I know I am never alone in this world and I will forever use the teams I build over time to create success of everyone involved.