[usone123]

HI . We currently live in Meriden and my teenage step daughter may be moving with us next year to start as a freshman in high school. We've toured Platt and we like dit - the guidance secretary was very nice and helpful with allmy questions and the class sizes and the programs are great and they seem to have a lot of athletics and everything... but i was looking at a site that rated schools and it said that parents don't really like the school system or at least the school because of stuf like bullying and the poor repair of the school....

If we don't move, we won't really have a choice because we can't afford private school - but the reason I'm wiondering is because we are thinking of moving to NH and we are trying to compare this school with schools up there.

One of the biggest issues I see with NH vs Meriden is that the schools are quite diverse racially here and almost not at all in NH... they are basically 99% white in NH where here its much more of a mix. My step daughter is black so I don't want her to feel out of place .. I know it shouldn't matter but she is coming form the inner city where it is 100% black, so I know it will matter - whether it's politically correct to think/say that or not... (please no flaming if you disagree)

So we are basically trying to figure out what is the best location for us, her, and our infant daughter and future children...

Any advice is welcome

Thx
Rae

[Curious in CT]

Hi,

I graduated from Maloney High quite a few years back and Platt was our rival (you probably already know that). I've haven't heard much about Platt lately but some of the negatives were like you said about bullying and recently they had a problem with the roof leaking....not sure but I think they fixed it. Maloney and Platt are very similar in their curriculum......I know Meriden schools are not the best in the world but your step daughter I'm sure will be o.k. there and yes she'll fit in racially speaking. There is a ton of diversity in the Meriden Schools. I grew up o.k. All of my friends went on to do very exciting things from becoming actuaries, financial advisors, working for major television networks, civil engineers, occupational therapists, teachers, principals and performing in Vegas. (only a couple of them still live in CT) It's all what you put into it and how good of a parent you are. She'll do fine there. but you have to figure out what's best for you and your family and if CT is where you want to stay.....New Hampshire is also a very beautiful state with no sales tax! If you stay in Meriden the taxes alone will become a hardship (my family still lives there so I know how awful it is in property taxes). Good Luck in your decision.

[usone123]

Thanks . It seemed like a decent system to me and I liked the curriculum.. but I just wasn't sure about the bullying part...the roof leaking is kinda a double edged sword.. its bad but if they pay to fix it will taxes go up...

the bullying i'm worried about though cause SD is known to have a short fuse.. she got suspended last school year for punching a girl who tried to argue with her... even when she talks to adults she goes form happy to pissed very quickly so if smoeone tried to bully her i can just see the calls from the principal now..lol. but hopefully her living here instead of chicago will help to soften her edges a bit .

thx 4 input and if anyone else knows anything more, please let me know..


Rae

[Xtina516]

As a graduate of the meriden public school system - I just wanted to tell you that the Meriden P.S. system is WONDERFUL. First and foremost, bullying will happen in ANY high school. I teach in another district now, and I am finding that bullying is really a lot less of an issue in most high schools. Students are much more accepting of one another and their differences. Also, bullying is just not tolerated in schools. So, yes it happens, kids will be kids, but it is usually dealt with quite swiftly and seriously.

Secondly, as a youngster, I also could have gone to the Wallingford Public Schools, where my mother taught. At the time, they had a better "image" than Meriden. However, I went to the Meriden schools and am very glad I did. The diversity I was exposed to made me into a better, more accepting person today.

I could go on and on praising the Meriden schools and their teachers. I am sure that your daughter will do just fine! Best of luck in your decision.