Bedford or Amherst (Manchester, Nashua, Hollis: 2011, houses, to buy)

[Toomey]

We are moving for a job in Manchester. My priority is finding the best public high school close to work. My research shows that Bedford has a great new school and that Amherst also has a good school - Souhegan I think. Does anyone have any experience with either of these schools or a suggestion for another quality high school in the area?

[jthibodeau]

Welcome to the forum, Toomey.

Although I'm a number of years past usage of the school systems, I'd say your pretty much on track with these two towns. You may also consider Bow, NH if it isn't to far for your commute. Bow is considered pretty high on the school list.

I'm sure others will pipe in to help out.

[BF66389]

Not sure if you've tried the drive- but have you looked into Hollis as well? Excellent schools, *generally* regarded better than Amherst in that regard by some folks. Not sure what kind of a drive you are ok with and/or where your job is in Manchester...but Hollis is not exactly far away.

[lisa g]

I will strongly suggest you do some critical research about Amherst's Souhegan HS. It is a "CES" (Coalition of Essential Schools) school: : Pub About CES

[seamusnh]

The Bedford high school is new. It started in the 2007 - 2008 school year. The principal, George Edwards, has announced that he will not return next year. The town is in a search for a new principal.

Hollis Brookline was built in 1997. We did not consider Hollis as we moved to the area before the new high school was built.

Souhegan has been around since 1992. Students come from both Amherst and Mont Vernon. Souhegan is part of the Coalition of Essential Schools. We have two at Souhegan now and like the school. Our oldest is a senior and had done well there, now looking at colleges.

You can probably find research on line comparing Amherst, Hollis, and Bedford: SAT scores, colleges accepted, etc. I imagine the schools are close in the rankings. One thing to note is that Bedford as a town is more Manchester oriented and Hollis is more Nashua oriented. Amherst is in between. We love it as it has been a great place to raise a family.... (we are here for a while as we have a 7th grader as well as the two at Souhegan)

[WannaComeHome]

Bedford is certainly closer to Manchester

[NH2008]

The Amherst schools are really controversial, but rate pretty highly. I think Bedford is more mainstream and rates very, very highly. Besides the school differences, the towns are very different - not so much socio-economically as aesthetically. Amherst is a beautiful, picture postcard Currier and Ives town with old houses arranged around a town square, a general store, etc. It's also a bit more off the beaten track, as others mentioned. Bedford is more of a modern, sprawling suburb. There are new developments in Amherst (and a big strip of big box stores on 101A) and there are a few old houses in Bedford (including the wonderful Bedford Village Inn) but the odds are if you fall in love with Amherst you won't feel the same about Bedford and vice versa. I think you'll know which is for you after you visit.

[Toomey]

So - I am getting the impression that CES schools are controversial. Is it because they are not as traditional in their approach to education, so people are skeptical? I have already checked test scores, curriculum, etc. I was just wondering if anyone had any inside info. on the two schools' culture, students' reputation, etc. For instance, where we live now, there is a high school that looks great on paper, but there are a lot of drug issues, which a parent wouldn't know about until they talked to other parents. Thanks for helping out!

[Valerie C]

I have to agree with NH2008 here. Bedford and Amherst might be neighbors but have an entirely different feel. I find Amherst to have a certain charm that Bedford has lost. I realize how controversial Souhegan High is, but from what I understand, the test scores are similar. But remember that we can't compare college acceptance & SAT's for a while yet--Bedford won't have their 1st graduating class until 2010 (or is it 2011?)

[seamusnh]

Depends on your definition of "controversial". Students call their teachers by their first name; that is a shock to some people. Students are in an "advisory group" rather than a homeroom. Advisory meets for 25 minutes per day and is a small group (about 10 students). There is more interdisciplinary work than in other schools; for example, history and English get together and the student writes a report on a historical event with the grade affecting two courses.

Souhegan is more of a self-motivated school in that the faculty is not constantly hovering over students to make sure they do the work. It may not be the best for non-motivated students. It is the opposite of a boot camp (where I went th highs school Students are asked to buy into the Souhegan Six:

1. Respect and encourage the right to teach and the right to learn at all times.
2. Be actively engaged in the learning; ask questions, collaborate, and seek solutions.
3. Be on time to fulfill your daily commitments.
4. Be appropriate; demonstrate behavior that is considerate of the community, the campus, and yourself.
5. Be truthful; communicate honestly.
6. Be responsible and accountable for your choices.

The student teacher ratio is under 20. More on the schools 10 principles:
Souhegan High School About

This document has more on SHS:
http://www.sprise.com/uploadedFiles/...09_Profile.pdf

The CES website: Coalition of Essential Schools National Office
Info on CES: Coalition of Essential Schools - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia