Urgently Need Feedback: Amherst & Hollis (Bedford, Milford: homes, buy, public school)

[NH2008]

After living in the ridiculous area we live in now, snob factor is the least of my worries about moving!

[BF66389]

When are you coming out? Hollis has some festival this weekend at the Beaverbrook Association (fall festival I think) and an Apple Festival some coming weekend as well. Or of course I could have them reversed...

I also forgot- Bedford is also nice...but it is further from MA/Boston which is why we excluded it from our search.

[NH2008]

Leaving Saturday. Probably give the kids a day to acclimate and head down on Monday (we'll be staying with my parents further north). The apple festival sounds awesome. My brain is completely fried right now, I feel totally overwhelmed and have no idea how we're going to get everything done. Barely remember my own name. Argh!

[BF66389]

Originally Posted by NH2008

Well, we did it - just booked ONE WAY tickets. !!!!

Before I start looking at houses in earnest, I want to spend some time in each town to see if I think my family would really be happy there. I know I'm going to see if I can tour the schools, but I'm wondering if there's anything else you'd recommend I see or do in Hollis & Amherst?

What time are the famous morning/evening rush hours in Hollis so I can check out Main St?

Thanks!

- Stressed in Cali

In Hollis:
-Checkout the old graveyard beyond the church (very cool old gothic gravestones)

-Take your kids to the little playground near the graveyard & explore "monument square" at the center of town. Maybe pickup some different beer at the little general store for the evening?

-Go to Lull's Farm & Pick Fresh Apples or Pumpkins, checkout the other farm stands along broad street as well.

-Have breakfast at the restaurant in the center of town (slow but good)

-Take broad street (130) east to daniel webster south into Downtown Nashua (the old main street)

-Take broad street (130) east to everit turnpike south...take exit 2 and bear right (south Nashua)...checkout the nearby "big" shopping

-Take Pine Hill road left (north) off broad street...wave as you pass my house about a mile and a half up the road...about 1/4 mile beyond that checkout the 2 new ponies and their mothers...at the end of the road (T) make a right to stay on Pine Hill...make a left past the Nashua Airport onto Charron Ave...the pizza/sub place on your left is decent (Gianni's)...make a right at the light (101A east)...stay in right lane and take the jughandle to reverse direction (101A west) to checkout all of the stores that are 5 minutes from you (this road continues west to Amherst, Milford, etc).

I would also checkout (google for directions) the Beaver Brook Association and checkout the town website for any events they may have listed...

Those are just my thoughts...to show you:
1) Some of the "cute local stuff in Hollis for shopping/food/nature/history"
2) How close all of the not-so-cute-but-sometimes-needed stuff is

I am sure that I forgot PLENTY and other folks can chime in with better suggestions. Be aware that Beaver Brook is apparently excellent for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter...

There is a TON of stuff to do within an hours drive. Minuteman Park where the revolutionary war began (Concord, MA) is about 35 minutes away (I work next door), the beach (Hampton Beach) is about an hour sometimes less to the east (Everitt Turnpike North...293 North...101 East)

Vermont/cute little town of Keene/syrup/Monadnock hiking/mountains/conneticut river (some of the best canoeing)...west on 101W...(about 1.5 hours to Vermont)

3 to 93 north...etc...White mountains (amazing fall color, 1.5 hours)...Mt. Washington (2.5 hours)...Moose...Canada (4 hours).

[BF66389]

Oh...and I generally notice peak traffic in the afternoon around 5:30 (I'm in it)...

I don't really notice much in the morning except on the little circle on 130 (which I bypass by going out to the highway via exit 7 instead...because I need my coffee anyway)...I'd guess maybe 7:30-8?

Hollis website: Hollis NH

[NH2008]

Thank you so much! Great idea about the pumpkins - my son is really upset that he's missing his class field trip to the pumpkin farm next week. Sounds wonderful!

[MathTutor]

Parents in NH need to look closely at the schools and the state standards. Fordham Foundation gave our standards an "F". Which means, if your children are passing the NECAP exam, they are passing an "F" rated test. They set the bar incredibly LOW.A good math web site for NH residents is: www.mathwizards.wordpress.comYou will learn why Everyday math is BAD for NH students. It's hard now to find a school that is not using Everyday Math, because the NECAP is geared towards this Fuzzy/New math program. Until the State changes the standards/improves them, more schools will adopt these fuzzy programs. John Lynch and the legislators are doing NOTHING to improve state standards.

[seamusnh]

I see that this is an older thread, but we considered Amherst and Hollis when we moved to NH in 1995. Chose Amherst as we found a great neighborhood. This was also before Hollis built the new high school. If anyone has any questions about Amherst, contact me. Our three kids have a collective 31 years in the public schools in Amherst.... We have been very pleased with the school system...

[lisa g]

MathTutor! I am thrilled to see your post - thank you for recognizing the flaws of the Everyday Math curriculum. It is indeed very fuzzy and fosters a dependence on calculators. My elementary kids are very strong in math due to private school and before that advanced math classes I volunteered to teach for them in CA public school, and we teach lots of math at home so I am not panicking - but I am close. If you are reading this and not familiar w/Chicago's Everyday Math curriculum, here is a link which explains a bit about it. Make sure to scroll down to the video:

Michelle Malkin » Fuzzy math: A nationwide epidemic

The emphasis in our experience in NH schools is language arts - lots of it - and very subjective stuff at that. Oh, and also a dose of pop-psychology and lots of 'free choice' time.

[MathTutor]

Lisa, a few more interesting sites to check out.
You have to read the letter from Tony Flacone who is fighting EDM in HOLLIS
Opposed to Everyday Mathematics program in Hollis, NH

GraniteGrok: Educational-Industrial Complex Archives another good site