I'm Retiring

[Len Lipkin]

Here's an EXCLUSIVE draft preview of a post I have been writing for Philly School Search.  Exciting, huh?  ;-)   As you are probably among my most regular readers, I'd love to get your feedback before finalizing this for publication.  Any thoughts, other ideas I should be considering?  Feel free to respond to the list, or to me privately if you would prefer.
Len

Philly School Search was always about documenting the process of searching for a school, and now that process is coming to a close.  I have chosen a school, and it probably makes sense for me to to write about the transition into kindergarten and reflect back on the choice I made.

That takes me through 2011 more or less.  The question for me is, what then?  I never intended for this to be an ongoing project, but I never planned out my specific exit strategy.  I'm still not really sure what's next for the site.  I've been bouncing a few ideas around, but I'm wondering what you all think.  Here are the three main ideas that I'm contemplating.

1. Sell or donate the site.  Not that I have any offers.  Interested?
2. Tie the site up in a nice little bow.  Leave it up for future generations of school searching Philadelphians, but do no more serious writing of my own.  Keep publishing the open house calendar and school selection reports from other parents.  My model for this approach is the Knowing Henry blog, which hasn't had a new post since 2009.
3. Pass along the blogging reins to someone in the next generation.  Stay on as owner/editor.  This was my plan from the beginning, to have a wealth of contributors.  But I was never able to get anyone willing to contribute more than a handful of articles.  Interested?

I am also considering compiling my articles and some new content and putting together a book.  Of course that is a bigger commitment than I have already been making and is separate from what I do with the blog.

Do you have any ideas?

[Holly Lentz]

Len,

 

My oldest graduates from Masterman in a week and a half.  My youngest is moving on to fourth grade in the fall.  As I read your draft below, I cannot help but grin a knowing grin.  Indeed, the process has only begun! 

 

Now that my daughter has made her college selection, that process is over (it was NOTHING like it was when I was a kid, much more stressful).  And, with my son in private school, we facing the really big question – to apply or not to apply. . . to Masterman.  Since I am currently the Masterman Home and School Co-President, I have many 3^rd and 4^th grade parents talking to me all the time.  It is a big issue.  How to apply?  Should I apply?  What’s it like?  How was the transition?  The list goes on.  Oh, and there is a big high school fair every spring for the 8^th graders so they can begin the process of applying to and selecting a high school.  Masterman middle school students have to apply to Masterman High School (only about half the kids are selected).  There are so many flavors of Philadelphia high schools that there is literally a fair (think college fair) where there are booths and recruiters with games and give-a-ways. 

 

So, you may want to consider a temporary retirement and fire the site back up as your selection needs come along.  And, I hate to tell you this, but most of us find that our kids are not the same (that is, siblings have different needs) so you may be doing this again very soon just because you are looking at all the issues through a different lens.

 

Whatever you choose, we all thank you.  The site provides a very good service you and a terrific discussion for all of us. Well done!

 

Holly

 

From: pss-dis...@googlegroups.com [mailto:pss-dis...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Len Lipkin
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 9:34 PM
To: pss-dis...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [pss-discussion] I'm Retiring

 

Here's an EXCLUSIVE draft preview of a post I have been writing for Philly School Search.  Exciting, huh?  ;-)   As you are probably among my most regular readers, I'd love to get your feedback before finalizing this for publication.  Any thoughts, other ideas I should be considering?  Feel free to respond to the list, or to me privately if you would prefer.
Len

Philly School Search was always about documenting the process of searching for a school, and now that process is coming to a close.  I have chosen a school, and it probably makes sense for me to to write about the transition into kindergarten and reflect back on the choice I made.

That takes me through 2011 more or less.  The question for me is, what then?  I never intended for this to be an ongoing project, but I never planned out my specific exit strategy.  I'm still not really sure what's next for the site.  I've been bouncing a few ideas around, but I'm wondering what you all think.  Here are the three main ideas that I'm contemplating.

1.      Sell or donate the site.  Not that I have any offers.  Interested?

2.      Tie the site up in a nice little bow.  Leave it up for future generations of school searching Philadelphians, but do no more serious writing of my own.  Keep publishing the open house calendar and school selection reports from other parents.  My model for this approach is the Knowing Henry blog, which hasn't had a new post since 2009.

3.      Pass along the blogging reins to someone in the next generation.  Stay on as owner/editor.  This was my plan from the beginning, to have a wealth of contributors.  But I was never able to get anyone willing to contribute more than a handful of articles.  Interested?

I am also considering compiling my articles and some new content and putting together a book.  Of course that is a bigger commitment than I have already been making and is separate from what I do with the blog.

Do you have any ideas?

 

--
Philly School Search http://phillyschoolsearch.com/
 
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[Len Lipkin]

Thanks for the compliment Holly!  I wasn't fishing, but I see how it could have come off that way.

I'll add something to the post about the possibility of 'coming out of retirement' when middle school/high school comes around.  Do you think that there would be the same degree of interest in the blog at that stage?  I'm sure that parents obsess about it, but the K process is unique--Preschool parents have zero experience with schools and more choices compared to parents of to-be middle and high school students.  Plus, at that point, the kids themselves can provide some input...

Thanks again,

Len

[miriam hill]

Hi Holly. I'm a reporter for the Inquirer who also happens to belong to this listserve. I am writing a story about the decisions city parents face when their children reach school age. Do you know of any parents who moved to the suburbs because they weren't happy with city schools?

 

If so, I'd be interested in talking to that family. Also, would you be up for an interview on this topic?

 

Thanks.

 

Miriam Hill

Staff Writer

Philadelphia Inquirer

215-854-5520

 

On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 10:03 PM, Holly Lentz <holly...@kleeman.com> wrote:

[Holly Lentz]

Hello Miriam,

 

What is your email address so I can contact you directly rather than through the listserve?  You can reach me at holly...@kleeman.com

 

Regards,

Holly