House of the Day: 202 15th Street
This ole South Slope woodframe is very cute and looks to have been lovingly maintained. It last changed hands back in August 2004 for $920,000 and is on the market for $1.2 million. We’ve got no idea if the current owner made any significant improvements but at $600 a foot, this has to be pushing…
This ole South Slope woodframe is very cute and looks to have been lovingly maintained. It last changed hands back in August 2004 for $920,000 and is on the market for $1.2 million. We’ve got no idea if the current owner made any significant improvements but at $600 a foot, this has to be pushing the upper bounds for the area. That said, we all know the square foot metric isn’t always the more useful when looking at smaller houses, where layout can play such a crucial role. What do the South Slopers think of this price?
202 15th Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
You are right and righteous but it is risky. If you fail you have subjected your child to a mediocre education. I guess it would be different if you have more kids on the way and would like to pioneer this effort. Overall, the private and public in some costly nabes will always excel it is a “socio-economic” mentality. Yes there are public schools that are exceptions. Getting parents to participate more or donate $ in nabes where most contingents are worried about survival basics will take time (unknown amount). I would tell any one to look at what your goals are. Evaluate from the top down. What routes are usually taken to reach a particular profession or university choice? Then take the best route from your stand point. I have never been good at gambling, I will not gamble with my most valuable asset “my childrenâ€. Take the time and visit a broad array of schools public and private (it will be an eye opening experience) one thing is to talk about disparities the other is to see it. Not all privates are up to par, there are all types. I do want to create rally for or against. But base your decision on facts, statically proven on average.
Wow – I find it incredible that so many parents in Brooklyn, particularly PS, feel that there are no good public elementary schools.
There are at least four or five strong elementary schools in the south slope/center slope/windsor terrace area that are NOT P.S. 321.
Why is there such stubborn resistance to sending jr. to a good public school that doesn’t have the 321 badge? (and I’m not knockin’ 321 – it’s obviously very good as well, albeit a bit crowded now.)
If even 25% of these “wimpy” homeowner parents actually enrolled their kids in these schools, the test scores would probably go through the roof. The schools would attract better teachers. The aftercare programs would flourish. Expectations would be raised all around. The kids who have no choice but to go to public school would benefit, as would the priveleged kids by virtue of being raised in a more inclusive socioeconomic atmosphere.
Folks, you don’t even need to follow Amy’s excellent suggestions. Some of these schools are already good enough for your kids. They’re good enough for mine and I’m the pickiest guy in brooklyn (and yes, I could afford private school for my kids.)
Plus, for those that obsess about appreciation of investment, you would be doing your part to raise the value of your home by sending your obviously brilliant and talented and nurtured kids to the local zoned schools which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on that school’s reputation, test scores, etc.
Amy
Great points about the schools.
If all the parents that choose to send their children to private schools because they don’t think the
public school are up to snuff, would just put their children into public schools and spend the time and money
in to projects to improve the public schools, then the public schools would be up to snuff.
By sending you kids to private school, you are condemning the public schools to failure.
“Just want to point out to folks that driving to shop was the norm in most Bklyn nabes until relatively recently. ”
Huh? I 25 + years have lived in:
Clinton Hill
Fort Greene
Carroll Gardens
Ditmas Park
All that time I have not own a car, nor had more then a short walk to a local supermarket or bodega
and occasional longer walks with cart to bigger stores.
In fact, I ONLY will live in an area where I can walk to get my groceries, bakery, dry cleaning, etc.
And by “they”, I mean the person trying to start an argument, not the Park Slope moms. Although that might be true too…
Park Slope Mom is the same person who’s been trying to get an argument going about how annoying Park Slope moms are with their bugaboos. I think they’re bored.
2 questions:
Is Park Slope Mom a joke?
Is Hudde still good? I went there in the 70’s. Just wondering.
To the poster asking what to do when you can’t get your child into an elementary school in another district, my suggestion is to stay in your district, and try to convince all of your friends to do the same. Every one of the sought-after public “good schools” in Brooklyn used to be average-to-bad schools that nobody had any interest in at one time, until somebody stepped up and took an interest in them (whether it was parents, teachers, the principal, the board of Ed, etc.).
I was inspired to send my son to our local school last year for pre-K by a friend of mine who was putting all of her energy and time into improving the school. And now, a year and a half later, we have a new principal, lots of improvements, tons of good press, and high hopes for a school that for years had been mostly ignored by anyone who had the means to send their children elsewhere.
Sending your child to a school that is already “there” may seem like the easy way out, but you should also think about all the time you’ll spend schlepping to and from school, PTA meetings, performances, fundraisers, events, teacher conferences, etc. You could instead use that time to improve your local school and help your whole neighborhood.
All the smart, ambitious kids end up leaving private school for Stuyvesant anyway. Might as well save your money.