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Hello all! My husband and I are native NY'ers who have lived the last 6 years in Bayonne, NJ and are now seeking greener pastures. In the search for our next spot we have ruled out LI, PA and NJ and are focused on Dutchess County NY. More specifically, Beacon, Fishkill, Beekman and Pawling. My husband went to SUNY New Paltz and we love that vibe which is probably why we also love Beacon/Fishkill but my major concern with Beacon are the schools.
We are in our late 30's with four sons, two of which are in public school (k,2nd). One needs an accelerated program while the other is classified with a learning disability (dyslexia). A large part of us leaving Bayonne is it's lack of appropriate services and a failing school district.
When comparing these school districts on paper it seems as if Arlington, Pawling and Wappinger's high schools all score the same (7 on greatschools.org). From countless hours researching, it seems that Arlington is more highly sought after while Pawling is a much smaller, much more personal experience. Wappinger's fairs decently but not as preferred, however Wappinger's does read as more preferred to Beacon. Please correct me if I got this wrong because I am having a hell of a time getting current personal opinions on the districts and statistics can only give you one part of the picture.
What I want to know is, how bad is Beacon really? And if you had to choose between these districts which would you prefer and why? Getting information for special needs students has been impossible as well so if anyone has experience in this area I would greatly appreciate your feedback.
Other pertinent information; we have two cars. plan to rent before purchasing and would like to keep rent $1850 or less for a 2br/1.5-2bath. Husband commutes daily to Manhattan and is comfortable on either Metro North or the bus line. We have taken into consideration that winter does happen, time spent commuting and cost of living/commuting. He is leaning towards Pawling because of the land still available and I am leaning more towards the Beacon, Wappinger, Fishkill area. Any input that can help us pinpoint a location would be fantastic.
Arlington and Wappingers are both extremely large districts. There are perks to this, especially since you have kids with needs beyond the regular curriculum. I think it'll come down to your own personal preferences. Pawling is super small, only 1500 kids- I do know a few people there who are pleased with the schools and it's a cute community. I live nearby in a smaller district with about 3,500 kids, and I love being in a smaller district because my kid gets more personal attention and I feel like the teachers really know her. Two of the teachers my child has had live in the Wappingers district so I think that's a good endorsement.
Your husband will probably have the easiest commute from Beacon or Pawling as both have Metro North stations.
We are possibly going to be moving up to dutchess before next school year begins. I have been looking and so far I have not seen a public school that offers PRE-K like they do down here in the city. They all start at Kindergarten. I have a kid that will be entering 2nd grade next year but our middle one will be entering pre-k and this worries me a bit. Am I looking in the wrong places or is it that pre-k isnt offered in any good school district up there? Any insight will be much appreciated!
I live in the Wappingers School District. I have worked for three districts here, Wappingers, Arlington and Beacon. No matter which school district, if your child needs services, they can have them. Whether in district or out of district.
Now, I live in the Fishkill Elementary school zone. It's excellent. It's a hidden gem. It's the only school here in Wappingers or Arlington size wise that if a school budget goes down, they still get to do field trips. They can walk everywhere in the village. It's a great school and extremely family oriented. I've lived here my entire life and all three kids also attended the school. Teachers there really get to know their students and families. I am sad mine are grown and we are selling our house. It's a great village to live in. Everything is right here.
Beacon has good and bad points. There's some pockets of areas where there are kids that are trying to get into the gangs in Beacon-why God only knows. They have a lower graduation rate. Most students under 1.5 miles to school are not bused, they walk. Beacon does half day Pre-K, but be aware you have to either pick them up or take the in the mid day as there is no mid day transportation. But that being said. We have two awesome pre-schools right here in the village of Fishkill. DeKinder School here really gets the kids ready for elementary school.
PM me and I can give you more information taylored to what you are looking for.
I have 5 children, some of whom are gifted and others who have special needs, and so far Arlington has met everyone's needs and has offered opportunities that we have not encountered elsewhere! We came from districts on Long Island and in Connecticut that were rated highly on greatschools.com, but did not have any programs or services to suit my children, so my children were basically not learning. Greatschools ratings are completely irrelevant when a district lacks services for those who need them. And a school district will always grade lower on Great Schools when they draw from such a large area and have some socioeconomic diversity. We have so far been in three districts, 2 of which were extremely highly rated in Connecticut and on Long Island, and Arlington has been the best for all of my children, hands down. There are many different classroom settings for those who need them. The music program is ridiculously good. There is an excess of clubs and activities for everybody and every interest. Within the community, there are adaptive Sports programs for those with special needs. The list goes on and on.
Last edited by diydesign; 11-03-2016 at 06:00 AM..
Hi Everyone! We are very close to finally making our transition to Dutchess. Any recommendations on great affordable nursery/pre-k programs - We will be located within the Wappingers School district (don't know if that matters for nurseries). We will be needing care for an infant and Pre-K curriculum for our 4 yr old. Any help will be appreciated!
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