1633 Settlers Dr
Sewickley, PA 15143

My wife and I are both former teachers, and we have done extensive research on schools in the Pittsburgh area. Franklin Elementary School has been rated the number one elementary school the past two years for several reasons (Great Schools results are outdated with 2016 data; check Niche.com for better data and analysis). The faculty is second to none, the principal is the best in the district with a great administrative and support staff, and the community has been very positively engaged in the development of the students and the school as a whole. We moved to Pittsburgh from cities where we had previously been in private schools, and we have found Franklin to outperform all of those private schools! Great for housing value as well. As parents and former teachers, we highly recommend this school!

I am currently a student at IMS. I have always done very well grade wise and on standardized tests (which have too much weight put on them and are made VERY stressful), so I was just recently admitted into the gifted program. As soon as that happened, my experience improved significantly. I had classes more catered to my abilities, and I was suddenly given many new oportunities. I really should have been able to be a part of that great program a while ago, though. It's far too hard to get into. I have never gotten a B, and I amost always score in the 99th percentile on standardized tests, but it took NA seven years to realize that I belonged in the gifted program. One thing about NA, IMS more specifically, but this is a district wide issue, is that any student in learning support is automatically treated as less than accelerated or average learners. You don't get as many opportunities, and teachers make it obvious that you're in the program, which can sometimes be humiliating, even though there's nothing wrong with it. This is a more personal issue for me because of one of my friends. She's no genius, but she performs moderately well (Bs&Cs) in a regular classroom for students in the middle of the scale academically. She is currently in learning support because of one low stadardized test score, and she can't get out. She is nearly getting straight As, but the school won't permit her to take regular classes. Also, she has told me that student in her class that actually belong there don't get the individual attion they need to succeed. Another big issue I have with IMS is the teachers. Some move way too slowly, some are incredibly mean and unfair,and some don't even teach. This issue is cause by some regulation that makes it incredible difficult for a teacher to be fired after ten years of teaching. I'm not saying all teachers are bad, though. I currently have an amazing teacher who seems to do everything right. But wait! There's more! There is a big issue with the salaries of the staff. The teachers a grossly overpaid, on the paraprofessionals are underpaid. The paras make about $500 dollars a week ($18,000 a year), and I have estimated the pay of a teacher who has worked at NA for over ten years to be more than $100,000 a year. Ridiculous.

One of the best school systems around. The experience is what you make it. Be friendly, work hard and be respectful and all will be an great experience. Life what you make it.