Another Prospective MA resident with questions!

[smarty]

Originally Posted by Katrina91001

So, I have a couple more questions. Does anyone know what the typical elementary class size is in MA? Does it vary from district to district, or is it fairly consistent across the state?

Yes. It varies from district to district. It also varies from grade to grade. The small class are usually with younger grades.

Usually, the "richer" district has small class size... it can be between 12-30 depending on district and grade. I've seen Kindergarten as little as 12 kids or 20 with 2 teachers. Most will have about 25.

[Katrina91001]

Hi Ray,

I think you'll find your kids will be just fine. My former sister-in-law and her husband live in Portsmouth, R.I. She's an Irish girl from Needham, and her husband is Asian. (His parents moved here from Taiwan.) He's a physician with a practice in MA, and she has a Master's in social work, but stays home with the kids now. They have five kids, and all of them have tons of school chums, neighborhood friends, play on sports teams, etc. (They are all twelve and under.) The only annoyance she said they encounter is that clerks in stores sometimes assume that she and her husband are not paying together. As far as the kids go, they seem happy, well-adjusted and very accepted by their peers. Just saw them last summer, and they seemed to have a pretty well-rounded social agenda, but certainly not over the top. The family is really grounded. Hope that helps.

I have found more detailed information about school programs by looking up individual schools on a search engine, and then going directly to their websites. I looked up a couple of schools, and was shocked to see they had instructional aides, P.E. teachers and three reading specialists! They also had art and music teachers. Wow! At my school in East L.A., I'm the classroom teacher, P. E. teacher, and reading specialist all rolled into one. I haven't seen an instructional aide for years. From my perspective, it seems they invest a lot in education out there.

[Katrina91001]

Thanks, Smarty. Those numbers sound great. Plus I noticed that at some schools you guys have reading specialists, P.E. teachers and such. Incomprehensible in CA!

[smarty]

Originally Posted by rc0018

You bring up a great point - is there a way to find out if the school district has a healthy arts and music department? Very good advice - I'm trying to relax about it!

I also have a PhD and other multiple degrees, my wife has an MBA in Corporate finance so education is a big deal for us. I also play the violin and my wife sang in various choirs all through to college, so we are also big on the arts... BUT I've been an avid soccer and hockey player, so I also want my kids to be physically active, too. I guess I just want it all (BIG cake and eat it, too!)

As for SES factors...I have to agree in many respects. I grew up in Corpus Christi and understand much of what you are talking about.

On other concerns on things about children - I have a few anxiety attacks about my kids fitting in. They are 1/2 Chinese (from me) and 1/4 English - 1/4 Scots (from mom) so I hope that doesn't make too much of a big deal. Growing up in a mainly hispanic setting - there were some grades where I was the only Asian kid in the grade - it was never a bad experience, but I probably just over worry.
ahh- well I've gone and rambled...
sorry!
Ray

There is no way to predict the future... what you get today can be gone tomorrow... it all depends on the willingness of residents to override the budget so arts and music can survive...

Most towns are charging $150/sport in the high school. With 3 sports a year, you are paying $450. The highest I heard was $400/sport... or $1000 a year. These are fees... ie.. after tax. Are residents willing to pay the same price for music and art?

In the end, many that can afford will likely move to a private school. This way they know what they will get... and if they don't like it, they can always move to a different school... much harder to sell and move to a different town.

As to your concerns about ethnicity. Don't worry about it. Unless you live in Quincy, Lawrance, malden, Newton, ... etc, you will not see high percentage of Asians. With Asian population doubled between 1990 and 2000, there is only 4%. The best estimate of Asian in MA is only 6-8% by 2010.

Kids nowadays are brain washed by commercials. There are more discrimination regarding $$$ and non traditional dress than ethnicity. Live is hard when 9 yr old friends talks about the latest fad... or brings a $400 ipod/cell phone to school and you don't have it. If you dress non-traditional (like Gothic...), they will think you're taking drugs.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by Katrina91001

Thanks, I'll check out Marion and Mattapoisett on the web. Always nice to get recommendations from locals. I can't tell much about the neighborhoods just by seeing photos of homes for sale. What about Somerset and Swansea? Some of the listings had huge wooded lots that looked pretty sweet. Are the towns nice? Thanks for your time.

Marion and Mattapoisett are nice, though they are a pretty far hike from Boston. Swansea and Somerset are definitely not as nice; more middle-class while Marion and Mattapoisett are more upper-middle. Both towns (Swansea and Somerset) have OK schools--definitely not the best but certainly not bad either. Swansea and Somerset are more Providence 'burbs than they are Boston 'burbs. Swansea has a charming little historic town center (no retail, though), but is otherwise very unremarkable. Somerset is quite rural and, again, nothing special.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by rc0018

On other concerns on things about children - I have a few anxiety attacks about my kids fitting in. They are 1/2 Chinese (from me) and 1/4 English - 1/4 Scots (from mom) so I hope that doesn't make too much of a big deal.

I'd be very surprised if your kids encountered any issues regarding race/ethnicity. One *might* encounter coolness in a few old-line, tight-night, ethnically cohesive locales, but I think this would be an unusual exception. Overall, Mass. is pretty tolerant.

[Katrina91001]

Originally Posted by professorsenator

Marion and Mattapoisett are nice, though they are a pretty far hike from Boston. Swansea and Somerset are definitely not as nice; more middle-class while Marion and Mattapoisett are more upper-middle. Both towns (Swansea and Somerset) have OK schools--definitely not the best but certainly not bad either. Swansea and Somerset are more Providence 'burbs than they are Boston 'burbs. Swansea has a charming little historic town center (no retail, though), but is otherwise very unremarkable. Somerset is quite rural and, again, nothing special.

Okay, good to know. Mattapoisett looks a little larger than Marion, so it might be a better bet for me. The idea of being near the water just sounds so appealing. I was originally looking more toward the North Shore, but this area is perhaps nicer for the price? I'd like to spend no more than $400,000. I realize it's far from Boston, but I can take the T into town for the day if I get the urge, right?