[dougnaie]

Hi all -

As some of you may remember from other posts of mine, we are relocating from CA to Lyme, CT in the summertime. We have found a house, and are really looking forward to the move.

I have looked at area Catholic schools for our daughter because that's the type of school she attends here in CA. I am wondering, however, just out of curiosity, if I should expand my thinking and maybe also look at the local public elementary school...We have always sent the kids to private school because, frankly, we are not impressed with the public schools here in CA. From all that I read, however, it seems not to be the case in CT. Other than the religious aspects, which are very important to us, academically how do the schools compare?

I would appreciate any input from parents or others who have information about the Lyme public elementary school in particular, or about St. John's in Old Saybrook or Our Lady of Mercy in Madison.

Thanks in advance - you are always a huge help. I would not be able to make this huge transition were it not for all the information and support I have gotten on this board.

aileen

[skytrekker]

Hi again aileen

A simple answer to your question is YES. I would definitely try the public school first over private education. Perhaps Jay can give information on the local elementary schools in town.

Again-good luck; we are waiting for spring here, after a somewhat uneventful and thus far mild winter.

[cdap]

Well, while the public schools in the area are excellent, I would urge you to look at Our Lady of Mercy in Madison. As you already know, the sense of community of small Catholic schools is wonderfully and incredibly beneficial in a child's development. Additionally, OLM boasts a rigorous academic curriculum and caring staff and teachers. The members of my graduating class and the class above mine at OLM have remained some of my closest friends, and I am still in touch with many of my grammar school teachers.

You specifically addressed the issue of academics, which of course should be your primary concern in selecting a school for your daughter. I cannot say enough about the truly top-rate education I received at OLM. I am a sophomore at Yale University, and my friends come to me with grammar questions I am only able to answer because of Mrs. Daniels (the middle school Language Arts teacher) going over diagramming sentences and grammatical fine points. The emphasis on technology and perfecting typing skills and powerpoint presentations were useful not only throughout high school but even now in my internship when I go through reports and presentations. OLM students consistently score in the top percentiles of IOWA tests and SSAT exams.

If you have any further questions about OLM, area high schools (I'm a Sacred Heart Academy alumna for high school and love to rave about SHA as well), or the CT shoreline in general, please feel free to contact me.