Politz HA Philadelphia

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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amother

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 8:35 pm

What can you tell me about Politz Hebrew Academy of Philly? Girls & boys division.
How's the Hebrew and English academics? How would they compare to a Monsey/Brooklyn/Lakewood school?
Are the teachers for the most part excellent, okish, or leave what to be desired?
What yeshivos do the boys go to after?
What are the school's strengths & main challenges?
Is it a good place for a very smart kid?
What hashkafos do they teach the boys & girls (related to learning/tsnius etc)?
Anything else that would be helpful to know??
Thank you so much!!

amother

Thu, Aug 31 2023, 12:55 pm

Bump

amother

Linen

Thu, Aug 31 2023, 2:07 pm

It’s not a BY school.
It’s a lovely school with teachers who lean Yeshivish, but the student body is very mixed.
Not intense.
It’s not a super strong academic program.
The boys go to all kinds of yeshivas after- depends on the family.

amother

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 7:12 am

amother Linen wrote:

Are both the Hebrew and English classes not strong academically?

amother

Royalblue

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 8:20 am

English is strong. Hebrew is behind in town schools.

amother

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 9:01 am

In what ways is it different than a BY/yeshiva?

amother

Diamond

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 9:09 am

amother OP wrote:

In what ways is it different than a BY/yeshiva?

Can't really be compared to an in-town school. There's no contracts for hashkafos so you have a range of backgrounds from parents completely not frum to Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky's grandchildren. It's not so academically rigorous in either kodesh or English. Boys will go to the type of yeshiva their family wants, the more yeshivish will hire tutors to keep them on par with in town, but there's also a local mesivta for mainstream oot boys. Girls go to KTA and a good percentage go to sem after

amother

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 3:55 pm

Thank you for replying! How are the hanhala/teachers?

amother

Alyssum

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 4:19 pm

amother Diamond wrote:

I live in a totally different OOT community, but this description fits our community day school to a tee also Smile

amother

Linen

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 4:58 pm

In Philadelphia, there is a new school for boys called Yeshiva Ketana. It started 2022-23 and I believe it is up to third grade (maybe 4th) now. I believe that what this has done is made Politz boys division less yeshivish than it was, bec the more yeshivish/kollel style families are sending to the new school.

It’s not BY Hashkafa. There is more exposure to secularism, most families don’t keep CY, families have smartphones, not everyone wears socks outside of school…
It’s not BY style. It’s not yeshivish.
There hasn’t yet been a new girls school, I wonder if that is coming next.

the world's best mom

Fri, Sep 01 2023, 6:03 pm

Actually, Politz has a larger percentage of yeshivish kids than the high school does because the more modern kids go to CTA, Abrams, or Kohelet. All those schools feed into KTA High School (girls school) so that has a much bigger mix. Yeshiva Ketana may have taken some of the frummer kids, but I don't think so many left Politz.

That said, there is a range of modern to Yeshivish there. We love it because nobody makes strict rules about what you can and can't do. Everyone does what they feel is right for them. There are kids who curse, but the new Menahel is very on top of the problem.

The school got a new Menahel and English principal this year. Both seem to be wonderful. My ds has a very good relationship (so far) with them. He feels he is a good friend of the menahel.

It's not a very academic school. Many of the English teachers are not Jewish. Some are amazing and others are okay. I am pretty happy with the level of learning because I don't want my kids to have tons of pressure to do difficult reports and projects and to study for very hard tests. I want my kids to learn and thrive.

As someone who has a difficult child who will behave beautifully only when he likes the teacher, he is thriving there. He loved loved loved his English teacher last year and never misbehaved with him. He had a nice mixture of love and fear for his Rebbe, so he did very well with him too.

amother

Sapphire

Sun, Sep 03 2023, 12:29 am

Another new school just opened this year. Kindergarden only this year, but hopes to grow. PHDS. Philadelphia Hebrew Day School.

amother

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 9:20 am

Wow, thank you so much for all this info. I was not aware of yeshiva ketana or Hebrew day school opening.
Why would someone send to yeshiva ketana over Politz? Academic level? Hashkafa?

Who is the new Menahel & principal? Is the school going through big changes?

amother

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 3:36 pm

Bump

shanie5

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 5:15 pm

Yeshiva ketana is in the lower merion/bala cynwood area.
Politz is in the norheast. So the travel might make a difference in where you send to.

amother

Acacia

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 5:16 pm

shanie5 wrote:

Yeshiva ketana is in the lower merion/bala cynwood area.
Politz is in the norheast. So the travel might make a difference in where you send to.

Do you know if yeshiva ketana have boys from Somerton? Do they provide transportation?

amother

Linen

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 5:25 pm

Yeshiva ketanah is aiming to be a yeshivish environment. It’s not trying to appeal to a mix of crowds.
The schools don’t provide transportation here. Transportation comes from the school district or through private pay.
It is also a long drive from somerton

amother

Acacia

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 5:29 pm

amother Linen wrote:

We're a yeshivish family thinking about moving to Somerton.
Are there not many yeshivish people there?

I'm also really interested in yeshiva ketana for my son. I hope we can work that out somehow.

amother

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 9:22 pm

Is Politz middos focused for the boys and girls?

What type of crowd lives in Somerton? How many families?

amother

Sage

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 10:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

Wow, thank you so much for all this info. I was not aware of yeshiva ketana or Hebrew day school opening.
Why would someone send to yeshiva ketana over Politz? Academic level? Hashkafa?

Hashkafa

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