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Can anyone tell me what it's like to live in Kent? I drove up there yesterday and thought it looked very appealing. We are only idling considering this, but I am curious. We are in Ridgefield now, and while there is much to like, the cost of living is very high and I have some concerns about the schools long-term (I know this sounds crazy, but I can explain).
I'd be grateful for any insight on the following:
Schools (our kids are preschool and early elementary)
Community vibe/is there much of a sense of community?
General experience for families: are there things to do? Easy to meet other families? Activities/organizations for kids?
Do the local private schools affect the town very much?
Any major negatives about the town?
Kent has a lot of partial residents (summer/weekend)… so I don't know how family friendly it would be. Maybe look into a town like Woodbury? More year round residents and equally as gorgeous...
Kent is a very small town. It has a population of under 3,000 people year-round. It has a nice small downtown area but it is kind of far from things like major shopping and entertainment let alone employment centers. The elementary/middle school in Kent (Kent Center School) performs just above the state averages on the Connecticut Mastery Tests but the regional high school (District 1) appears to perform under the state averages. You can get more information on the schools at the website below.
I and I am sure that others here would like to hear your concerns about Ridgefield schools which are considered by most to be among the best in the state. As Seadoo suggested you might consider moving to a bigger town closer to things. His Woodbury suggestion is good and there are so many others. IF you give us more information we should be able to help you find another town better suited to you and your family. Jay
Thanks for this. Incidentally, I happened to meet someone today who grew up in New Milford, and she seconded what you had to say about Kent. It's cute, but may not be a place we would want to settle. We are not seriously considering a move right now, but know we may find ourselves at a crossroads in the medium term for either work or school reasons.
We have been in Ridgefield for two years and, for the most part, have had a good experience. The town has some minuses that I did not anticipate, but, on balance, it's a good place to be. Our experience in the schools has so far been very good, although only goes through 1st grade at this point. For what it's worth, we've also had top notch experiences at two preschools in town.
My long-term concerns about the schools are based on meeting a few families whose children have wound up in private school after finding the public middle or high school too large and overwhelming. Ridgefield is expensive to start with, and paying for private school as well would be crippling for us. The high school also has a reputation for being a pressure cooker, which I suppose is the downside to having a top-performing school. Knowing my own quirky children, it seems like a distinct possibility that at least one of them will find the high school to be too much, and we will be faced with figuring out what to do about it.
Ridgefield High School has about 1,750 students which is not really that big even by Connecticut standards. Still I am sure the school does have high standards which can be good and bad. One thing I would suggest that if you are serious about moving I would do so as soon as possible. As your kids get older they will grow more roots in your community which will be harder and harder to sever as they get older.
There are a number of towns nearby that have smaller high schools. Newtown Wilton, Bethel, Brookfield, New Fairfield and Weston have smaller high schools you may want to consider. You may want to consider them as alternatives to Ridgefield. Jay
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