Boston to Cincinnati... (Springfield, Hamilton, Mason: condo, townhouse, neighborhoods)
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Hi, we will be moving to Cincinnati over the summer from Boston. I have elementary age kids and priority will be to get them into the best public or private school. We will take the housing decision once we have zeroed in on a school - would like to live in a nice family friendly suburb though..
I have been reading up a bit on the schools and would love to hear how you would rank the following public/private schools - Wyoming, Sycamore, Indian Hill, Cincinnati Country Day, Seven Hills.
Are there any other schools which are as good or better which I may have missed out?
Thanks so much. Am very apprehensive about this move and am looking forward to finding out more on this forum...!
I grew up in Wyoming, have lived in Massachusetts most of my adult life (the past 21 years in Cambridge), and so could bore you to tears with details and comparisons!
All of the schools you mentioned, as are those brought up by the first respondent, are highly ranked - as subjective as those lists are. Terrace Park/Mariemont and Madeira are also well-regarded districts, both in upscale inner-ring suburbs similar to Wyoming but without the religious/ethnic/economic diversity. The Loveland schools are also gaining ground, transitioning from "excellent" to top-tier in the rankings of late.
A major factor in selection of schools should be how the institution or district approaches education in general. Wyoming for sure, and the others quite likely, cling to the "tracking" system that favors the wealthier and better-connected - a conveyor belt to college, whether it meets the interests and needs of a given individual or not.
From multiple other threads you'll see that I have mixed feelings about my home suburb. But its undeniable pluses are the fact that folks from most economic levels reside there, despite its persistent "old-money" reputation, and no single religious or ethnic group dwells there to the exclusion of all others. You can also find all kinds of housing possibilities, everything from townhouse condo to brick Cape to wedding-cake Victorian to McMansion. For "community feeling," there's a big public recreational complex (located ironically and controversially across the Woodlawn line), heavy involvement in school sports and arts, and active congregations in each mainline Protestant denomination as well as Christian Science and Reform Judaism plus a big Catholic church. Neighborhoods tend to contain homes with good-sized yards, but without 2-plus-acre "snob zoning" that prevents one from seeing let alone knowing who's next door. Fast-food chains are absent and not missed (adjoining Hartwell, Woodlawn, and Finneytown pick up that slack.) Aside from a cluster of shops around the Wyoming Ave/Springfield Pike intersection, abutting the library and the middle school, and small strip malls at the Woodlawn boundary and the two-block "downtown" next to Lockland, there isn't even any retail to speak of. But the vast mall sprawl of Tri-County is just a few miles up the road, and the Kroger supermarket chain has locations close by to the north as well as south.
Speaking of Catholicism, the parochial schools of Greater Cincinnati are of good enough quality that several (St Xavier for boys, Ursuline Academy + Mt Notre Dame + St Ursula for girls) rank highly overall. As good-and-improving as the Loveland public system is, my sister and BIL who live in that district chose St X for their older two sons (who "cooperated" by passing the entrance exam, lol.) So as not to strut too much, let me just say that my elder nephew was admitted to a highly prestigious college this year and leave it at that. Therefore that might be an educational option to pursue if it ends up that you find yourself enraptured with a house and neighborhood but aren't so keen on the local academic offerings.
Now for the inevitable Beantown/Queen City community comparisons!
Indian Hill = Weston
Sycamore district = Silver Lake, Lincoln-Sudbury, perhaps Hamilton-Wenham
Mason = Carver
Wyoming = Brookline in some ways, Belmont in others
Madeira = Wellesley
Terrace Park/Mariemont = Concord-Carlisle/Melrose-Wakefield about equally
Lakota district = Framingham
Cincinnati's Clifton area is most similar to Cambridge, a university community with everything from row houses to mansions and lively/diverse shopping and dining. Its residents typically hope for their offspring to pass the admissions exam for the city's top-notch Walnut Hills High School and/or SCPA (School for the Creative and Performing Arts.) Failing that, it's private/parochial school time since the dichotomy in quality at the secondary level is exactly how it is in Boston between BLS and - say - English High. Similar prayers are said each year in other communities throughout the city, as many are great places to live in but for that one factor.
There's lots more "useless information" that I'd be happy to share, just reply here accordingly or send me a DM.
When you say "best" as in best private and parochial schools, school districts do not matter. There are no "best" schools that require your residential location. As Goyperson said quite well, the best public schools are SCPA and Walnut Hills. Walnut Hills is a fine choice for an independent minded highschooler, SCPA if you really have a young performer (school is only best at performance - everything else there is second rate) but everything else you will be considering in your quest for "best" will be private or parochial.
Hyde Park is the best central location allowing you great housing choices from a three bedroom bungalow on gas lighted street, to a luxury 8000 sq. ft. townhouse, to a 26 room castle, equivalent to anything Boston has to offer, and you will have flexibility as your children move from one level to another in school. And, if you seek parochial or special needs, both also happen to be in Hyde Park. See Ursula and Summit for parochial, Springer School for special needs. Seven Hills is just a hop and skip away (5 minutes). From Boston, you would find Indian Hill mind numbing with no retail, no town square, and no visible neighbors (other than on your CCTV sweeps).
Everything in Cinti is convenient compared to Boston. St. Xavier high school (not really near Hyde Park) is only 17 minutes from Hyde Park Square at rush hour.
I also relocated from New England. You have listed the best public school districts, and I don't think it's very clear what the objective rank order would be for the public schools. The ones you have listed are very good. However, most objective benchmarks indicate that St. Xavier High School (http://www.stxavier.org/s/106/index.aspx - broken link)(private, Jesuit boys' school) is the best high school in Cincinnati overall. That is my conclusion after living here for nearly two years now. For girls, there are other private school options that are very good as well.
Madiera, Mariemont, Wyoming, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Terrace Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood- you can't go wrong with any of there suburbs. None of them have noteworthy diversity and the convenience of their locations varies, but what they all share in common is top notch schools.
If you prefer slightly more urban living, the east side of Cincy proper has some great neighborhoods. Your kids could attend Kilgour Elementary and then Walnut Hills- two high performing CPS schools with good diversity as well.
Lakota Schools are horribly overcrowded and it won't be long before Mason are also. They are good schools but if your kids go there they will be just one of THOUSANDS. We do lots of moves in that area and the one thing parents always mention when we move them to smaller suburbs is the congestion on the streets and in the schools.
As far as the upper level Cincinnati Public Schools like Walnut Hills, you have to apply and be selected. Enrollment is not gauranteed and from what I have read they seem biased to picking poor urban children.
Loveland Schools are great schools and not to big.
Goshen Schools have a great reputation, built new schools within the last few years and keep their class sizes low. They just get a raw deal because they are out in the country a bit and people think its nothing but rednecks out there.
Covington and Northern KY have some great private schools.
There is Seven Hills School if you want a small but very well respected private school.
Cincinnati Country Day is another one of those mega schools that I hear is no better than the public mega schools like Lakota
If you can afford a house in Indian Hills will get you into the all around best public school district.
mod delete; NO advertising!
Last edited by Crew Chief; 12-06-2009 at 10:16 AM..
Madiera, Mariemont, Wyoming, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Terrace Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood- you can't go wrong with any of there suburbs. None of them have noteworthy diversity and the convenience of their locations varies, but what they all share in common is top notch schools.
"None of them have noteworthy diversity???".
This is code for saying "There are not many minorities (blacks, hispanics) in those areas". Not clever enough my friend.
Cincinnati in particular and the midwest in general should become known for the racist attitudes of the professional class and the intellectual backwardness of the population in general instead of the "values" they try to project to the nation. Most thinking people are not fooled. It is a lie. Period.
This is code for saying "There are not many minorities (blacks, hispanics) in those areas". Not clever enough my friend.
Cincinnati in particular and the midwest in general should become known for the racist attitudes of the professional class and the intellectual backwardness of the population in general instead of the "values" they try to project to the nation. Most thinking people are not fooled. It is a lie. Period.
Cincy expert in his typical considerate way was lamenting the lack of diversity of those areas, not touting it as you moronically accused him of doing. But, blinded by your own obvious racism, you didn't get it. Here, Authenticity, let me help you with the "code." In those nice areas Cincy Expert mentioned, there are very few black persons. For some crazy reason, many of the people who stop by this forum want neighborhoods and schools with lots of black people. In Cincinnati, there is no nice neighborhood with a plurality of black persons. Cincy Expert wanted the poster to know that. You, on the other hand saw the hidden face of prejudice. For that, you will need a mirror.
This is code for saying "There are not many minorities (blacks, hispanics) in those areas". Not clever enough my friend.
Cincinnati in particular and the midwest in general should become known for the racist attitudes of the professional class and the intellectual backwardness of the population in general instead of the "values" they try to project to the nation. Most thinking people are not fooled. It is a lie. Period.
The way I read it, lack of diversity is intended as a negative. This is not the finger-wagging forum. Your post is off-topic.
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