Winslow Township Schools - What's the real problem here? (Camden: for sale by owner, new home)

[freemejersey]

As a resident of this town, I have my house for sale and am planning to move out-of-state. I would like to know the real reasons for the lack of appeal for the school system here. Now, let me first mention that I had children in the system back in the late 90's and pulled them out before they entered the H.S. because we did not want them in an environment that, at the time, had many problems with racial tensions/gang fighting and had poor administrative leadership (teachers leaving and a revolving door for the principal/supervisor positions). Since then, I have two younger children that I have entered into an out-of-district school (K-8). I did consider sending my two younger children to the lower elementary schools here but had the opportunity to send them out-of-district into a school that I believe has better core values and stronger discipline rules for student/teacher respect. My neighbors children have attended the K-6 schools but then pulled them out to attend private school before entering the Winslow Middle School. We all agree that the Pre-K-6 schools are still good but also agree that the middle school and high schools are less than desirable. Much of our opinions relate to the lack of leadership in the schools.

I would like to hear from others that are familiar with this school district as to what their opinions are. Apparently, anyone that is trying to sell a house here has difficulty due to the "poor" school system. Is it really worse than Pine Hill, Erial or Clementon? Is it worse than Hammonton??

Winslow is almost split with one side that has been overdeveloped with shopping centers and housing developments and the other side still rural with many farms still planting crops. Although there have been lots on the east side of Route 73 that have recently sold off land and are now being developed with very nice homes. These homes are being sold in the low $300K's and up. Am I to believe that families that can afford these homes (and taxes) are OK with sending their children to the Middle and High Schools here? If not, where are these kids being sent?

[freemejersey]

Winslow Township, Camden County? Why is this area known for having one of the worst school systems? What's the problem with the school? Why is it so different from anywhere else in NJ?

[Roselvr]

We put a deposit on a Tim Schaeffer house last year, his houses are beautiful, the lot was very nice, I still think about it.

I went home and started researching the schools and from what I read it is lacking in a few ways. I read about fights as well as no AC in the schools and that the schools themselves could not handle the added kids that were going to be coming in from all of the new construction.

I know I'm not helping but as a buyer it did not look good, your post confirms that.

Good luck selling your house.

Originally Posted by freemejersey

As a resident of this town, I have my house for sale and am planning to move out-of-state. I would like to know the real reasons for the lack of appeal for the school system here. Now, let me first mention that I had children in the system back in the late 90's and pulled them out before they entered the H.S. because we did not want them in an environment that, at the time, had many problems with racial tensions/gang fighting and had poor administrative leadership (teachers leaving and a revolving door for the principal/supervisor positions). Since then, I have two younger children that I have entered into an out-of-district school (K-8). I did consider sending my two younger children to the lower elementary schools here but had the opportunity to send them out-of-district into a school that I believe has better core values and stronger discipline rules for student/teacher respect. My neighbors children have attended the K-6 schools but then pulled them out to attend private school before entering the Winslow Middle School. We all agree that the Pre-K-6 schools are still good but also agree that the middle school and high schools are less than desirable. Much of our opinions relate to the lack of leadership in the schools.

I would like to hear from others that are familiar with this school district as to what their opinions are. Apparently, anyone that is trying to sell a house here has difficulty due to the "poor" school system. Is it really worse than Pine Hill, Erial or Clementon? Is it worse than Hammonton??

Winslow is almost split with one side that has been overdeveloped with shopping centers and housing developments and the other side still rural with many farms still planting crops. Although there have been lots on the east side of Route 73 that have recently sold off land and are now being developed with very nice homes. These homes are being sold in the low $300K's and up. Am I to believe that families that can afford these homes (and taxes) are OK with sending their children to the Middle and High Schools here? If not, where are these kids being sent?

[freemejersey]

Thanks for your reply. I have to agree with you about questioning how the school system will handle children coming in from the new developments. There has been a lot of new homes built here and another development going up right now in Blue Anchor. These homes are not cheap. They are upscale homes. I cannot believe that the families purchasing these homes are not concerned about where they are sending their children to school. It's not be possible that all the new families moving to this town will send their children to private schools. Yet, as I say that, all the families on my street with the exception of one (about 5 families total) send their children to private schools. So maybe that is the answer to living here...What a shame because our taxes sure don't reflect a poor school system...

[Roselvr]

How long has your house been for sale?

I hope you are able to sell it with the schools the way they are.

What turned me off was they had no plans to build or update the schools to handle all of the new kids

[freemejersey]

We tried to sell in 2006 with an offer that fell through. We are currently only listed For Sale By Owner. With the way the prices have dropped around here, I can't afford to give 6% to a realtor. Our property isn't in a development so the person or family that buys it would want it for the location and acreage.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by freemejersey

We tried to sell in 2006 with an offer that fell through. We are currently only listed For Sale By Owner. With the way the prices have dropped around here, I can't afford to give 6% to a realtor. Our property isn't in a development so the person or family that buys it would want it for the location and acreage.

Have you used one of the FSBO services that will list your house on the MLS? If not, you might want to do that. I can also tell you that circlepix does a nice job with tours; I can send you a link to ours if you'd like to check them out. It is worth the money to do.

I also had ours listed on craigslists, although it appears it was our fliers (which I made) and realtor.com that got us sold.

Did you make fliers? If you'd like to send me an email, I will gladly send you a copy of our flier for you to edit with your information if you'd like. It was made in Word. I saw Home Depot sells flier boxes.

[folake2001]

Could you tell me how to enter my children into an out-of-district school? I just moved into the Winslow twp area, and with the write-ups I have read about the Winslow twp school district, I am just petrified! I have stayed home with these children for almost nine years. The thought of releasing them into a school system that may very well undo all that I have worked hard to instill in my children is unacceptable. My eldest is in 3rd grade, the second in 2nd grade, and the third is headed for pre-school. Private school is good, but that's for those who can afford it. Please give me all the information you can. It's August, and I still haven't worked up the nerves to register them in this school district.

Thanks

Originally Posted by freemejersey

As a resident of this town, I have my house for sale and am planning to move out-of-state. I would like to know the real reasons for the lack of appeal for the school system here. Now, let me first mention that I had children in the system back in the late 90's and pulled them out before they entered the H.S. because we did not want them in an environment that, at the time, had many problems with racial tensions/gang fighting and had poor administrative leadership (teachers leaving and a revolving door for the principal/supervisor positions). Since then, I have two younger children that I have entered into an out-of-district school (K-8). I did consider sending my two younger children to the lower elementary schools here but had the opportunity to send them out-of-district into a school that I believe has better core values and stronger discipline rules for student/teacher respect. My neighbors children have attended the K-6 schools but then pulled them out to attend private school before entering the Winslow Middle School. We all agree that the Pre-K-6 schools are still good but also agree that the middle school and high schools are less than desirable. Much of our opinions relate to the lack of leadership in the schools.

I would like to hear from others that are familiar with this school district as to what their opinions are. Apparently, anyone that is trying to sell a house here has difficulty due to the "poor" school system. Is it really worse than Pine Hill, Erial or Clementon? Is it worse than Hammonton??

Winslow is almost split with one side that has been overdeveloped with shopping centers and housing developments and the other side still rural with many farms still planting crops. Although there have been lots on the east side of Route 73 that have recently sold off land and are now being developed with very nice homes. These homes are being sold in the low $300K's and up. Am I to believe that families that can afford these homes (and taxes) are OK with sending their children to the Middle and High Schools here? If not, where are these kids being sent?

[barbaranh1]

Did you ever find out how to enroll your children in an out-of-district school? When my husband and I moved here from out of state, we were not worried about school systems. Now that we have a son who is two, we are hoping to move before he enters kindergarden and when the housing market improves. However, he has some special needs that he recieves help for from the county in our home. But, when he turns 3 in April, he will have attend the early education program in the public schools to recieve the same help.