Veteran jackson Parent: vina
We interviewed Vina at Columbus Square Park, where she was with four of her children. Five of Vina's six children have attended Jackson over the years; three currently attend. Vina has lived in the neighborhood for years and works as a paralegal.
Q: How long have you lived in the neighborhood?
A: Well, I was born in the Phillipines and moved to South Philly when I was five. I grew up here, and moved away for a while, but I've been back in the neighborhood since '97.
Q: What do you like best about Jackson?
A: Can I be honest with you? The old Principal--I won't say her name--was horrible. She let kids get away with everything. I will say it, Ms. Kaplan has really changed the school around. Ms. Kaplan is direct, she is on point, she is walking around in heels with a bullhorn. Safety is the number one thing to her, she's like "I've got a protocol and I'm gonna follow it."
Q: So you feel confident sending your kids there?
A: Oh, yeah. Ms. Kaplan gets to know everyone. She is familiar with all the kids, all the parents, and gets to know their names.
Q: What do you think of the teachers?
A: I haven't had a problem with any of the teachers. You know, you have some who are more laid back and some who are strict, but they'll all keep the kids in line.
Q: Is there anything you'd like to change about Jackson? Anything you see as an area for improvement?
A: Of course, it's the funding. I mean, it's a public school, and we can really only do what we have funding for. And I would feel more comfortable if there were a nurse there all the time. Right now they're sharing with one or two other schools.
Q: I read some articles about parents coming together and fundraising...
A: Yeah, there is a sense of camaraderie among parents. We all pitch in, the parents are all asked to bring in supplies. We helped with the playground--I think we're one of the only schools in the city with a playground. We have an awesome rock band with Mr. A.
Q: How is the class size?
A: It's been fine the past few years. My 14-year-old, when he was in 5th grade, was in a class with 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, and that was crazy. But it's been okay recently.
Q: Is there anything else you think I should know?
A: I think you got a good school. The teachers are all really great.
Q: How long have you lived in the neighborhood?
A: Well, I was born in the Phillipines and moved to South Philly when I was five. I grew up here, and moved away for a while, but I've been back in the neighborhood since '97.
Q: What do you like best about Jackson?
A: Can I be honest with you? The old Principal--I won't say her name--was horrible. She let kids get away with everything. I will say it, Ms. Kaplan has really changed the school around. Ms. Kaplan is direct, she is on point, she is walking around in heels with a bullhorn. Safety is the number one thing to her, she's like "I've got a protocol and I'm gonna follow it."
Q: So you feel confident sending your kids there?
A: Oh, yeah. Ms. Kaplan gets to know everyone. She is familiar with all the kids, all the parents, and gets to know their names.
Q: What do you think of the teachers?
A: I haven't had a problem with any of the teachers. You know, you have some who are more laid back and some who are strict, but they'll all keep the kids in line.
Q: Is there anything you'd like to change about Jackson? Anything you see as an area for improvement?
A: Of course, it's the funding. I mean, it's a public school, and we can really only do what we have funding for. And I would feel more comfortable if there were a nurse there all the time. Right now they're sharing with one or two other schools.
Q: I read some articles about parents coming together and fundraising...
A: Yeah, there is a sense of camaraderie among parents. We all pitch in, the parents are all asked to bring in supplies. We helped with the playground--I think we're one of the only schools in the city with a playground. We have an awesome rock band with Mr. A.
Q: How is the class size?
A: It's been fine the past few years. My 14-year-old, when he was in 5th grade, was in a class with 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, and that was crazy. But it's been okay recently.
Q: Is there anything else you think I should know?
A: I think you got a good school. The teachers are all really great.
new jackson parent: dustin
We interviewed Dustin at Columbus Square Park, where he was with two of his children. Dustin had just moved to the area one week earlier, though he had lived in Philadelphia in his 20s. Dustin's son will be starting Kindergarten at Jackson in the fall.
Q: What made you decide on this neighborhood?
A: We were kind of balancing local school quality with the type of neighborhood we wanted to live in. Honestly, a lot of our friends live here. We heard good things.
Q: What went into your decision about where to send your son to school?
A: I know teachers in the area who all said good things, and I heard good things about the principal. Five years ago, I would not have sent him here--it did not have a good reputation, it was dealing with budget cuts, and so on. Also, we looked at suburban schools, but they all only offered half day kindergarten, and we don't really want to pay for extra daycare.
Q: Is there anything else you like about Jackson specifically?
A: Well, I think where it's at right now, you get the advantages of diversity without any overwhelming challenges. And speaking of diversity, I think it's interesting that I know of a lot of people like me, middle class and educated, who are sending their kids to Jackson for the first time this year. So I think the demographics are changing.
Q: What affect do you think that will have on the school and the neighborhood?
A: Well, it's going to improve the school I think, but better schools drive up housing prices. We're renting, so I think I'm happy to be apart of improving the school, but as the school improves I'll be contributing to pricing myself out of the neighborhood.
Q: What made you decide on this neighborhood?
A: We were kind of balancing local school quality with the type of neighborhood we wanted to live in. Honestly, a lot of our friends live here. We heard good things.
Q: What went into your decision about where to send your son to school?
A: I know teachers in the area who all said good things, and I heard good things about the principal. Five years ago, I would not have sent him here--it did not have a good reputation, it was dealing with budget cuts, and so on. Also, we looked at suburban schools, but they all only offered half day kindergarten, and we don't really want to pay for extra daycare.
Q: Is there anything else you like about Jackson specifically?
A: Well, I think where it's at right now, you get the advantages of diversity without any overwhelming challenges. And speaking of diversity, I think it's interesting that I know of a lot of people like me, middle class and educated, who are sending their kids to Jackson for the first time this year. So I think the demographics are changing.
Q: What affect do you think that will have on the school and the neighborhood?
A: Well, it's going to improve the school I think, but better schools drive up housing prices. We're renting, so I think I'm happy to be apart of improving the school, but as the school improves I'll be contributing to pricing myself out of the neighborhood.
Mother/Son pair: Tina and Sunni
We interviewed Tina and Sunni outside their apartment. They have lived in the neighborhood for five years. Sunni is 11 and is going into 6th grade at Andrew Jackson. They are originally from China and speak Mandarin as a first language, and Sunni sometimes translated for his mom.
Q: What do you like about living here?
Tina: It's safe. Safer than where we used to live. It's a good neighborhood.
Q: What issues are important in the community?
Sunni, speaking for his mom: We feel like part of the community. There are lots of different people. But sometimes we feel unsafe. You have to be careful at night.
Q: What are your hopes?
Tina: I want him to go to college.
Sunni: I want more knowledge. I want to go to Penn.
Q: What do you think about Andrew Jackson?
Sunni: There's pretty good teachers... nice playground... I wish they had air conditioning on the top floors.
Q: What else would you change about Andrew Jackson?
Sunni: I wish there were less bad kids.
Tina: And the classes are really big...
Sunni: Yeah, last year there were 37 kids and the teacher was so mad!
Q: Are you ready to go back to school in the fall?
Sunni: Yeah.
Tina: Two months is a good break.
Q: What kinds of programs and after school activities does the school have?
Sunni: There's like, gym, art, music, computers. There's after school stuff but I don't really go because I have to come home and help out. Like there is Chinese Language Club after school but I can't go.
Tina: I wish they did more for other languages, because Sunni will read a whole book in English but not even the newspaper in Mandarin. I still talk to him in Mandarin because I want him to know it... American stuff is good, but for me Chinese is good.
Q: What do you like about living here?
Tina: It's safe. Safer than where we used to live. It's a good neighborhood.
Q: What issues are important in the community?
Sunni, speaking for his mom: We feel like part of the community. There are lots of different people. But sometimes we feel unsafe. You have to be careful at night.
Q: What are your hopes?
Tina: I want him to go to college.
Sunni: I want more knowledge. I want to go to Penn.
Q: What do you think about Andrew Jackson?
Sunni: There's pretty good teachers... nice playground... I wish they had air conditioning on the top floors.
Q: What else would you change about Andrew Jackson?
Sunni: I wish there were less bad kids.
Tina: And the classes are really big...
Sunni: Yeah, last year there were 37 kids and the teacher was so mad!
Q: Are you ready to go back to school in the fall?
Sunni: Yeah.
Tina: Two months is a good break.
Q: What kinds of programs and after school activities does the school have?
Sunni: There's like, gym, art, music, computers. There's after school stuff but I don't really go because I have to come home and help out. Like there is Chinese Language Club after school but I can't go.
Tina: I wish they did more for other languages, because Sunni will read a whole book in English but not even the newspaper in Mandarin. I still talk to him in Mandarin because I want him to know it... American stuff is good, but for me Chinese is good.
student: Connor
We interviewed Connor at Capitolo playground, where he was playing basketball. Connor is 13 years old and will be starting 8th grade at Jackson in the fall. Last year was his first year at Jackson.
Q: What do you like about Jackson?
A: I'd probably say the teachers, and the principal, and the staff, everyone is nice. I've never had any problems there.
Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about Jackson?
A: Not really, it's just like a normal school.
Q: Are you ready to go back to school?
A: No, I'm enjoying break.
Q: Do you go to any after school programs?
A: No, I know they have them, but I never go.
Q: What do you think of the class size?
A: I think it's just right, there were probably 20 or 25 kids in my classes.
Q: What should we know as incoming student teachers?
A: Nothing really, I mean we had two student teachers last year and they were cool and they did fine.
Q: What do you like about Jackson?
A: I'd probably say the teachers, and the principal, and the staff, everyone is nice. I've never had any problems there.
Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about Jackson?
A: Not really, it's just like a normal school.
Q: Are you ready to go back to school?
A: No, I'm enjoying break.
Q: Do you go to any after school programs?
A: No, I know they have them, but I never go.
Q: What do you think of the class size?
A: I think it's just right, there were probably 20 or 25 kids in my classes.
Q: What should we know as incoming student teachers?
A: Nothing really, I mean we had two student teachers last year and they were cool and they did fine.