RESOURCE ROUNDTABLE 

Date:  September 24, 2009

Time:  6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Place:  1845 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA

Click here to Register         

In 2006, the Wall Street Journal shared compelling insights on public versus private schools and their apparent connections with selective colleges. Two referenced studies (The National Center for Education Statistics and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) showed that public-school students often tested the same or better than private-school students, after accounting for certain socio-economic variables and background characteristics. Still, the studies were contentious as Harvard University researchers came to the opposite conclusion after evaluating the data with different methodology. With all of the different reports that are out there, how should parents consider what is best for their children?  To help navigate the variety of school choices that exist within the Greater Philadelphia area, Mr. Tom McGrath, executive editor of the Philadelphia magazine and the publisher of their “Best of Schools” article will share his insights on local schools and how they can provide a top-notch education to your children. After his update, Mr. McGrath will be joined for a Q+A panel discussion by the Russell Byers Charter School’s Mrs. Anna Hadgis, who has broad experiences in charter, private and public school systems.

Mr. McGrath is a former executive editor of Men's Health magazine as well as former editor of Atlantic City magazine. Mr. McGrath is the author of MTV: The Making of A Revolution and has been published in George, Glamour, Child, Success, P.O.V., and other national publications. He has won several writing/reporting awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and has appeared on NPR, the Fox News Channel, MSNBC, the BBC and other TV and radio outlets. Mr. McGrath graduated from the University of Scranton.



Mrs. Anna Hadgis is the Interim Principal at the Russell Byers Charter School. Mrs. Hadgis earned her BA and Masters of Fine Arts degrees from the University of Pennsylvania where she became a Classical Archaeologist. While living in Connecticut and teaching in The Greenwich School System, she earned a Master's in Science from the University of Bridgeport. After returning to the Philadelphia area with her husband and three children, Mrs. Hadgis received her principal certifications in both elementary and secondary education at Widener University where she is pursuing an EdD in administration.  Mrs. Hadgis was Head of the Lower School at The Episcopal Academy and at The Shipley School. Before coming to Russell Byers in 2006, she was a Reading First Coach in the Philadelphia School District.