Shelburne Falls (Pepperell, Groton: small town, good, small)

[hampshirelabrat]

Shelburne is the Mohawk Regional H.S., a basically very good school, some redneck/rural poverty elements but nothing to really worry about. No dueling banjos, that's Greenfield. It's a pretty small town with more in Buckland on the hill just over the bridge. Think of it as Buckland-Shelburne combined. An easy drive to Amherst & Northampton is a very big plus.

Like previously stated, the Greenfield public school system is a mess with no substantial improvement likely any time soon. Other than McCuskers, you'll need to drive down the Rte 2 hill to grocery shop at the Big Y at the rotary in Gfld.

There is a small but very friendly music scene with few venues and so many long time resident musicians it can be difficult for newcomers to break into. Same for the art scene. Downtown Shelburne has become a lot more chi-chi (is that how it's spelled?) -trendy, touristy, lesbian - in the last couple years,like a mini Northampton.

[lawmom]

You're not likely to encounter the issues you had with the Texas school in a MA public school or if you did, I'd be shocked (I am talking about the scary curriculum issues, not the gangs, etc, which are a part of some MA schools, but I doubt in Shelburne...)

[Xenos]

Schooling, and school districts are tied up in all sorts of class issues in Massachusetts. This can take some getting used to - people here can be inordinately worried that by living in Shelburne, for example, rather than Conway, just to the south, their kids may be off onto the wrong track for the rest of their lives. This would be because the regional high school that Conway feeds into is very strong academically, while Mohawk Trail, for Shelburne, is not as strong. At least that is the perception - I really have no idea if it is grounded in any reality, or if it is just an opinion only held by the sorts of status hypochondriacs I find myself living amongst.

The basic standards in Massachusetts, aside from a few profoundly challenged school districts, is pretty high. And if your kids are relatively young, you can always move if it turns out the high school for Shelburne are not a good match for your family's needs. Without knowing much about Shelburne, I would just observe that the Mohawk Trail area has not partaken in an economic boom in a few decades, and may seem terribly rural or quirky to you. A fair number of folks out there are poor, with few prospects, and the ambitious young people from Western Mass tend to head off for the big cities as soon as they can.

Still, there are a lot of people who gravitate to Franklin County because they have different ambitions, and seek a community instead of material wealth. I would strongly recommend you get out here and spend some time and see how it seems to you. Since the culture shock may be strong, you might want to make a few trips.

[hampshirelabrat]

If you don't like the Mohawk Regional you can choice your kid out to another town or send them to a charter school.

I've lived near Shelburne for 20 years and before that Austin, TX. There are cultural differences - different emphasis on school sports, religion, food, music, politics, feelings about george bush - but it's not like a foreign country thing.

[ThinkingThinking]

My husband and I are the funky arty types, so from what i've read, I think we'll fit in OK. While we do make a very comfortable living, and he is in the IT industry, to look at the long hair and tattoos you wouldn't know it! Our boys are in Kindergarten and 6th grade this year, we wouldn't move until next summer. I don't think that the transition will be a major issue.
Quirk is fine, crunchy granola lesbians are fine too. I grew up in Oregon, so I know what that's all like.

As for class issues, we've never really paid attention to them. We are friendly people, and comfortable with ourselves and have a take it or leave it attitude...

There are people with few prospects everywhere you go. Status Seekers be damned, If someone wants to meet my friendliness with a snooty attitude based upon such trivial things as appearance and what school my children attend, or who knows what, I don't see a reason why I should have to work to become their friend. I've lived and worked all over the united states, and done my own thing for 30+ years, they'll just have to get used to it. I know my kids are smart and will go places. I don't think its very realistic to rely on a specific high school to get them there.

[Xenos]

With a healthy attitude like that, I don't see much of a problem with Shelburne. Good luck!

[ScituateAl]

Shelburne is a nice little bastion of coolness out in the sticks, but dang, that is a haul out to Marlboro. If he can plan his travels around the winter snowstorms, great. Northwest of Boston in the hills is known to get whalloped often. Mass Pike (Rt 90; toll road), while often criticized for its management, does a terrific job with the snow...I've no idea how well Mass Highway takes care of Rt2. Good luck & welcome!

[Over the Falls]

My wife and I just bought a house there this Spring. The people and the community are a huge part of what drew us to the town. We have met great people and people have been very friendly and welcoming. It is a very active, educated, progressive community. People who share time between Boston and there told us that the social life and the quality of the people you meet in Shelburne Falls beats the city. I believe it. A lot of very creative people.

[ThinkingThinking]

Drat drat drat!!

We just got off the phone with my husband's boss and he'll be having to make a commute just about every day in to Marlborough.
So disappointing, I have loved everything I've heard about the Shelburne area.

So, now we are looking for a similar town, closer in to Marlborough. A minimum of 1 hour commute give or take. Any Ideas?

[ScituateAl]

I'll let others prove me wrong, but I don't think you're going to find another Shelburne between Amherst and Worcester. North of I90 we found Bolton and Harvard to be quite nice with a country feel, but these are not artsy town as far as I know. Geographically/topographically, the land seems to be far less forested and more rolling hills than out west. The 495 belt really starts the Boston burbs. Perhaps north towards Groton/Pepperell(??). Anyone? Bueller?