info on Springfield, MA

[willdufauve]

Originally Posted by hermajesty0825

which flight will you take? If you have a family...you won't take the risk. you would make the safest choice. and furthermore, buying a home is an investment- you want to consider everything. Besides, in order for springfield to get better it's up to those who run the place and its residents to "clean it up" and make it a desirable place to live

You have a very realistic take on it. I'll add, for many people, the choice is a pretty nice house in Springfield and work with the situation as is/make better, or, rent somewhere else less challenging.

Springfield has city problems but, in fairness, it's not the black hole of Calcutta. There's a lot of good people there.

[lawmom]

My husband is looking at a job in North Adams (it would be a 90 minute commute, but he doesn't work every day -- it's a weird schedule.) We could either get a small, bland, nothing-special house in Williamstown or Longmeadow or Northampton, or a really nice old, large house, filled with character, in Forest Park.

Would living in Forest Park really be that bad? What private schools do people recommend? I don't suppose there is school of choice there (could send the kids to Longmeadow schools?)

[NIKKICARR]

Can anybody tell be which of the towns surrounding Springfield Mass have the best schools? We may be moving to that area and with 3 kids schools are the most important part of moving!

[south-bound]

I have lived in Springfield for the last 10 years. I moved here because my hubby's family lives here, and he wanted to be near them. I came here from Cocoa Beach, FL, 1 block from the ocean in a nice, upper-middle class area.

I wil forever be angry at my husband for portraying Springfield as a decent place to live. We don't make enought to relocate to a surrounding suburb because of the cost of living. And we can't afford to put our 4 kids in private school, so they go to under-performing public schools with kids who lack respect due to their crackhead parents. In fact, on school permission slips, there is no option for a father to sign. Only mother, grandmother, foster parent, DSS case worker, legal guardian, and "other". Look it up for yourself on greatschools.net.

I'd rather deal with a political ideology that was different from mine, and have my kids grow up in a safe, clean, educated environment than live here. I am a current resident involved in local politics. The politicians here actively look for ways to do nothing except get re-elected. There is no turning this city around. DO NOT MOVE HERE, AND IF YOU ARE HERE, LEAVE WHILE YOU CAN!!

[Leilani Vasquez]

Originally Posted by south-bound

I have lived in Springfield for the last 10 years. I moved here because my hubby's family lives here, and he wanted to be near them. I came here from Cocoa Beach, FL, 1 block from the ocean in a nice, upper-middle class area.

I wil forever be angry at my husband for portraying Springfield as a decent place to live. We don't make enought to relocate to a surrounding suburb because of the cost of living. And we can't afford to put our 4 kids in private school, so they go to under-performing public schools with kids who lack respect due to their crackhead parents. In fact, on school permission slips, there is no option for a father to sign. Only mother, grandmother, foster parent, DSS case worker, legal guardian, and "other". Look it up for yourself on greatschools.net.

I'd rather deal with a political ideology that was different from mine, and have my kids grow up in a safe, clean, educated environment than live here. I am a current resident involved in local politics. The politicians here actively look for ways to do nothing except get re-elected. There is no turning this city around. DO NOT MOVE HERE, AND IF YOU ARE HERE, LEAVE WHILE YOU CAN!!

It's an inner city public school system. No matter what inner city you live in, you're always going to find problems like this. Sad to say, but true.

I've lived in New York City and Hartford, CT. Springfield IMO is the better of the 3. It really all depends on how involved of a parent you are and it's extremely important to get your kids involved in some type of extra curricular activity. I have teenagers and IMO Springfield has a lot of programs and activities to offer them (much more than what was offered in Hartford). Luckily my children do very well in school and my son is heavily involved in sports, which keeps gives him more time to stay away from the negativity.

I agree with you when you spoke about the unruly children. It's aggravating when you spend so much time trying to be good role models and steer your children in the right direction, and you have many parents who just don't simply care. It affects the morals of the children.

[Leilani Vasquez]

Originally Posted by ladyteec22

I actually reside in East Springfield, MA with my husband and two children. We are NOT low income, I am educated and we both have good jobs. My one child who is school aged, however, will be attending a private school. Our reasoning is soley because we believe that the education will be better, as the classroom to teacher ratio is much better. Our neighborhood is very quiet, great neighbors and a great area to raise our children. We are safe, no crime in our area and we have a beautiful home. We are right next to Chicopee, MA, which I think is also a nice area. With many cities, there are the bad areas, however, our area is great. We are all working class families in my neighborhood, not poverty level by any means. Many families have been here for years and have no complaints. You should try to get your information from people that live in the area!!!!!!!!!

P.S Sixteen Acres area of Springfield is also beautiful and a great are to raise a family and to live in general!!

I just relocated to the east section of Springfield and haven't had any issues either.

[MPC2000]

I've visited Springfield back when it wasn't so ghetto, and now, it looks like you can't even walk off the bus that arrives from Hartford. I thought I was going to get mugged sooner or later. Needless to say the girl I was visiting was living in Public Housing(unbeknownst to me) and I swear her telling me stories of people trying to get into her place since she had come out of a relationship. I all of a sudden had to look over my shoulder if I walked down the street, so when I left, I told her she can come and visit me. I live in a decent neighborhood in Hartford, and although the schools suck, I have no kids and I think I'll be moving once I get my degree.

[zachsmom67]

There are no such thing as "good" public schools. If you want your child to have an excellent education, then I would homeschool, or send your child to a private school.

With that said. stay away from Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee.

Better public schools, as public schools go, are Wilbraham, Longmeadow, Amherst, Ludlow and East Longmeadow.