[MovingfromLondon]

Hello,

We are moving from London to Connecticut, probably in September 2011. I have a 6 year old son who will complete Year 1 in the UK this July. He is a very bright student academically and 'sensitive', so schools with tough measures against bullying will be right on top of the list.

My husband and I will both work in the Hartford city (Travelers office). I'm looking for information that will help me find suitable school options for my son and apt/housing choices. I would need a good school district and am willing to take my chances with a longish commute into Hartford for work (about an hour or so is okay).
I have no clue as to where to start my research. Can you please point me to some resources on the web to get me started - looking for information on cutoff age for Year 2, qualification criteria, schools and official stats on performance and so on. We'll only be reaching there after the normal admission process is completed hence a bit anxious about the whole thing. I'm looking to public schools for now but if pushed, am willing to look into private as well.
If it helps, my husband and I together will make about 150K a year. And oh, we are Indians and my son has been studying in an school that is nearly all-white. I would like a mixed population, but if it is a choice between all-Asian, all-Hispanic kind of area and all-white I would prefer the latter - don't want him growing up ghettoed as we have seen happen in some schools in the UK that cater primarily to Asian populations.

If things don't look good schoolwise, we'll cancel the move although it is a great career opportunity.. Thanks for your assistance and looking forward to some guidance.

[KH02]

By year 2 do you mean second grade?? There are many towns surrounding Hartford with wonderful public schools. To name a few towns Avon, Farmington, Glastonbury, West Hartford, Simsbury. Any of those would have very good public schools and 30 minute commutes or less, which of course is always better then driving an hour everyday. I suppose the most diverse of those towns in my opinion would be West Hartford. Keep in mind those towns are expensive to live in as all towns with top schools are.
For second grade generally speaking (as it's currently possibly changing) your son would have to be 7 years old by December to enter I believe.

[MovingfromLondon]

Thanks..Yes, Year 2 in the UK so that would be Grade 2 in the US. He turned 6 on May-2011..Should he be 7 on Dec 2011 to make it to Grade 2? That would mean he will end up repeating a year :-( Would there be any exceptions for children moving in from other countries or school systems?

Also how will apply to a school in one of these districts, if we only travel in September? It would be most helpful if you could point me to related websites.

[JayCT]

I agree with KH02 on the towns around Hartford with the best schools. West Hartford is generally considered the most diverse of these, though I think Glastonbury is a bit more convenient to Travelers' building in downtown (Route 2 takes you right into downtown by their building). West Hartford is a more mature and densely populated town with nice homes on smaller lots. It has a great downtown with a lot of great shops and restaurants and is generally considered to be one of the best town centers in the state.

Glastonbury is more suburban in chartacter meaning it is more oriented toward the car. It has a small but somewhat spread out downtown with just about all of the stores and restaurants you would need or want. Both towns have a lot of activities for children and families.

As for how to enroll your child in a school, you can only do that once you have a place to live. You will need to have either a rental lease or home purchase agreement to show the town that you arre moving there. Once you have that, you should contact the Board of Education offices to register the child. They will tell you what they need and how to go about doing it. Jay

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by MovingfromLondon

Thanks..Yes, Year 2 in the UK so that would be Grade 2 in the US. He turned 6 on May-2011..Should he be 7 on Dec 2011 to make it to Grade 2? That would mean he will end up repeating a year :-( Would there be any exceptions for children moving in from other countries or school systems?

Also how will apply to a school in one of these districts, if we only travel in September? It would be most helpful if you could point me to related websites.

Here we have a mandatory year of Kindergarten, followed by a year of 1st grade, a year of 2nd grade, etc. So grade 2 would actually be his third year of school, not second. Second grade would be the appropriate year for your son. Second graders are 6-7 years old, often turning 8 during the school year. But as JayCT noted, you will need to have a proven home address before you can enroll your child. The school year begins in late August or early September. If possible, you should try to move by the time school begins, or within a few weeks afterwards.

[KH02]

If he just turned 6 I'm guessing he would be in 1st grade here. Do you have kindergarten where you are? If not that is probably OUR equivalent to your "first year" so he should be in First grade once coming here.

But like Jay said you cannot enroll a child in the public school until you have proof of address so you will need to wait until you find a place to live.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by KH02

If he just turned 6 I'm guessing he would be in 1st grade here. Do you have kindergarten where you are? If not that is probably OUR equivalent to your "first year" so he should be in First grade once coming here.

But like Jay said you cannot enroll a child in the public school until you have proof of address so you will need to wait until you find a place to live.

Yes, you are right, I just realized he just turned 6 this past May. I think I need to go back to school. The OP's son should begin 1st grade this fall, which would be his second year.

[kidyankee764]

I would really suggest West Hartford for you, especially if he is sensitive. Avon, Farmington, Simsbury and Glastonbury are great areas, too, but they are not diverse and students in the smaller communities can be particularly harsh.

Definitely focus on West Hartford.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

^^^^^^^^^^LOL@ you guys for confusing the OP even further.

In the U.S., children receive 13 years of pre-collegiate schooling. The first year of schooling is called Kindergarten. Most Kindergarten programs are not for a full school day, rather they consist of only a half-day schedule(~3hours).

Subsequent school years are referenced as Grades 1-12. Grades 1-12 are instructed for a full day(~6hours).

[JayCT]

[quote=Stratford, Ct. Resident;19302543In the U.S., children receive 13 years of post-collegiate schooling. [/QUOTE]

I think you mean "pre-collegiate". Jay