Would it be fair to say that exeter public schools are the best in the state? (Concord: real estate, house)

[eastcoastgrl]

Hi all, i've been reading this forum for weeks now and i kind of feel like i know everybody! Just seeking out some info regarding schools. I spent summers growing up in NH and i've always been deeply attached to the place, and now turns out i am seriously considering moving up in say 2 years. we are looking into the exeter and surrounding areas for several reasons, but one very important factor is schools, all the research i've done so far leads me to believe exeter public schools are very good, are there any others comparable in the state? i've tried to find a search for "best schools in nh" but haven't figured that one out yet!!! I just want to make the most informed decision before we decide to take the plunge. I'd appreciate any opinions and/or info.

[Captain Ed]

From research that I've done here and in other places, Oyster River Cooperative School District ranks quite high. It serves the towns of Durham, Lee, and Madbury.

[Valerie C]

I'm glad you decided to join us--this nh forum is a great place to ask questions for so many opinions! Exeter (sau16 for Stratham, Exeter, Brentwood, East Kingston, Kensington & Newfields) is well known as having very good schools in the seacoast area.

The best? I don't know... that's so subjective... define best.... Highest scoring? Best sports? Highest percentage going on to college? The best programs for gifted/talented? The best programs for special ed? Like I said, it's subjective to a person's particular needs and viewpoint...

Oyster River is probably the highest rated in the area, but be sure to look at taxes very carefully (sometimes the taxes listed in MLS will be from a year or two prior, and people don't realize that until they are in the midst of a transaction--a rather big oops!)As Cap'n Ed noted, Lee, Madbury and Durham are the towns for Oyster River. If your heart is set on the seacoast area, you could also consider the Sau 21 (Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, Seabrook, South Hampton--all feed into Winnacunnet Cooperative School except South Hampton which tuitions to Amesbury MA)

Traveling west, IMO some of the best school districts include (in no particular order) Londonderry (yeah, I'm biased on Londonderry), Bedford, Brookline/Hollis, Amherst/Mont Vernon (Souhegan).

I'm sure more folks'll be stopping by to share their opinions

[buck naked]

there are a variety of poor towns that also have excellent school systems - you would never know it to look at the tax rates


the school system in NH is pretty messed up - there are always motions pending in Concord to change the funding of the schools

the most recent case was Londonderry vs. NH - I don't believe anything was settled except that it was proven the State was not providing a decent education as required by law.

Access Quality Education: New Hampshire Litigation


there is a move currently to provide more funding to the poor towns who appear to suffer the most - it's interesting to note that when the funding is distributed more equitably, there is no district where one school is better than another.

WCSH6.com - Speaker's Move Could Help Break NH School Funding Logjam (broken link)

[eastcoastgrl]

thanks guys, well, by "the best" i was just kind of going off what i've heard from other people about exeter. i know "the best" can mean different things to different people. we're just looking for a great system elem through high for our little one, here in Virginia we got a lot less house for a lot more money to get into a good district, and while we're certainly not moneyed people, i am willing to do that again when we move. I've heard exeter was a good district, yet on great schools, the high school only rates a 6 out of 10. ? i guess it's primarly based on test scores. I"m not dead set on the place, but i'm going to need to be close to a super quaint town to make up for all the years here where strip malls and vinyl siding are about as quaint as it gets . I wouldn't like to be too close to mass, but not too far from "stuff". I love the mountains but I know they would just be a bit of a drive from anywhere and I don't know if I want to be real remote at this point with the little one. Maybe later though. We love to be outside, hiking, kayaking. I love the city of Portsmouth, and the beach is nice, but not necessary. Husband and I will be able to work out of the house, but I think it would be best for me if I were within 30 or so mins to a "small city" (that's why i was thinking portsmouth) looking for a few acres, would like to keep it in the $300.000's for a house. i will be doing a scouting trip in summer, i can't wait, but for me the schools will be the deciding factor. thanks for your help so far!!!

[WannaComeHome]

Ok, I think it would be fair to say that the Exeter public schools are one of the best in the state.

As Valerie & Cpt Ed have pointed out, there are other schools that are just as excellent, but yes Exeter is top notch if that's the area you want to aim for.

[eastcoastgrl]

wanna come home, you sound like me, you're in maryland, missing new england? i'm in virginia missing new england. i can't wait to get back. from ri originally, seriously looking into nh as a place to settle.

[NH2008]

Sounds like we're in the same boat!

However, after doing A LOT of research, I have to disagree with some of the posters here and say, unequivocally, no, that is not fair to say. In fact, it was one of the reasons we decided against that area. As you pointed out, the local high school scored a 6/10 on the GreatSchools.net site - not very impressive. Yes, that's just one site and this is all very subjective, but our realtor (who lives in Exeter and loves it and had every reason to tell me how great the schools are) told me that most people who can afford it send their kids to private school, which seems like a real shame.

Philips Exeter Academy (PEA) is absolutely one of the best schools in the state, but it's also super expensive and super hard to get into, and we wanted to have the option of sending our kids to public school.

For elementary school, Hampton Falls and New Castle are the top-rated local districts. However, they merge with other districts for high school and I'm told the high schools are not that great. The top-rated school district in that area K-12 is in York, Maine which is another very pretty town that's close to Portsmouth.

NH has unpredictable schools at least in part because 1) test scores reflect demographics as much as anything else, and because many NH towns are so small they often merge for junior high and high school, which means that a uniformly wealthy town with a well-educated population may share a school with a less well-off population which tilts scores. This doesn't mean the school itself is worse and the diversity may well be a plus, but it will affect scores. 2) As everywhere else, schooling is pretty political and schools that "should" be great sometimes try things that don't work. For example, Souhegan in Amherst has an experimental approach that a lot of parents decry and I've read that Exeter has decided to lump all students together regardless of ability, so that, for example, the most advanced math students are bored silly, the mediocre are ok, and the worst (which would have included me!) are just lost.

In terms of top-rated school districts within NH, Newsweek named Hollis/Brookline HS the best high school in the state. US News & World Report also compiles lists and here is their list of best high schools in the state:

Best High Schools Search - US News and World Report

I'm sure there are many people here whose kids (or who themselves) have had great experiences in Exeter public schools or other public schools that don't rate that highly - and I think that's great. I'm not slamming any of these schools, nor am I implying that one size fits all or trying to cause offense. This is all pretty subjective and I think a motivated kid can get a great education almost anywhere. However, this is my honest opinion based on a lot of thought. (I write about education, so I have strong opinions on a lot of schooling issues!)

With your budget, your ability to work from home, and your desire to live further from Boston, why not consider Bow, Hopkinton, or one of the other districts nearer Concord? The schools look great and real estate is much cheaper than it is on the seacoast.

[AngelaK]

Anyone who has read my posts before know that I have a lot to say about schools in NH, based on 15+ years of professional experience in many educational settings. "Best" is so subjective, but I will give my opinion, which is based on personal knowledge of the systems, test scores, size, school culture, etc. The public school districts in NH in my view that are best....towns in which I will be moving to so my son may attend school there are Bow or Hopkinton. Hanover is also known as a great district, but that is too far North for me. Exeter is what I would consider a good district...possibly great at the elementary level. The new school for Middle/high is very large, and I have heard mixed opinions. In the seacoast area, I would say that Oyster River is one of the best. One of the reasons for this is the access to UNH and the students that do research, student teaching, etc in the area. OR utilizes UNH a lot, which I think is a great thing, as you will constantly have energetic, new thinking! Good luck! DM me if you have any further questions for me.

[eastcoastgrl]

Ok, thanks everybody, that's what I was looking for: local, informed opinions. It seems like the same towns keep popping up, Hopkinton, Bow, Hanover, Oyster river, gives some food for thought. btw- York, Maine schools look phenomenal as well, I hadn't really given Maine much thought but it is right there isn't it?