Moving to PA around the Poconos - what are the best towns and schools (Scranton: houses, school tuition)

[ccseyler]

We will be moving to PA soon and I need some help.

My husband will be running one of the water parks in Mount Pocono and I need help finding the best area to live. I have 2 children and want to make sure the schools are excellent.

Where we are now we have school of choice but I know PA doesn't have that. My hubby will be driving around the area once he gets there but I would like to be able to tell him different areas to try. We want to keep the drive to about 30 - 40 mins.

We like both the country and city life. I think the real factor will be the schools. My high schooler is very advanced in all classes and will be a senior next year. Our other child is younger and we want to make sure the school is safe, small class size, and high performer.

Please help

[johnp292]

Originally Posted by ccseyler

We will be moving to PA soon and I need some help.

My husband will be running one of the water parks in Mount Pocono and I need help finding the best area to live. I have 2 children and want to make sure the schools are excellent.

Where we are now we have school of choice but I know PA doesn't have that. My hubby will be driving around the area once he gets there but I would like to be able to tell him different areas to try. We want to keep the drive to about 30 - 40 mins.

We like both the country and city life. I think the real factor will be the schools. My high schooler is very advanced in all classes and will be a senior next year. Our other child is younger and we want to make sure the school is safe, small class size, and high performer.

Please help

I used to live in the area, but it's been 12+ years since I moved away, so my opinions would be mostly outdated.

[DavidWebb]

A question that's been asked and answered a million times over but there is not *right* answer for.....it's all on what your needs are both financially and lifestyle-wise.....just do a search on my name for example and you'll find tons of info on this subject....theres even a thread specifically with information about moving out here.....whatever you do (obviously) don't listen to the realtors....according to them this is Eden (which means in their eyes: $$$$$).....but rest assured unless you live in Fort Knox no place on earth anywhere is *best*....look what happened in California yesterday.....

[boney89]

Weather in mt pocono is so bad. Work there one of warehouses but no way i would live there.your best bet is stroud twp or more towards brodhedsville is either stroudsburg or pleasant valley school district.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by ccseyler

We like both the country and city life. I think the real factor will be the schools. My high schooler is very advanced in all classes and will be a senior next year. Our other child is younger and we want to make sure the school is safe, small class size, and high performer.

Please help

For high schools you might check out Scranton Prep which is a Jesuit school that features Latin and, I believe, Greek as part of the curriculum.

You might also look into Wyoming Seminary which is in Kingston.

If you want to orient your family in the opposite direction you can look into the Moravian School in Bethlehem.

We sent our kids to Notre Dame in East Stroudsburg and we were very happy with it, but they do not offer very many advanced classes. In fact they have only offered 2 AP courses in recent years.

Some of the good public schools in the area are Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley (Brodheadsville), Delaware Valley (Milford), and North Pocono (Moscow). I'll even give East Stroudsburg South a plug, which I believe is a fine school and is in the district we live in, though we sent our kids to Catholic school.

[SteelCityRising]

I'd honestly consider the North Pocono School District. Towns to look into would be Moscow, Daleville, Covington, Elmhurst, Roaring Brook, Spring Brook, Madisonville, Mt. Cobb, and Clifton. There's a large shopping center in Daleville with your day-to-day needs. Scranton (urban) will be 20 minutes away. Same with Mt. Pocono.

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

For high schools you might check out Scranton Prep which is a Jesuit school that features Latin and, I believe, Greek as part of the curriculum.

Tuition is $13,400 plus incidentals.

Originally Posted by jtab4994

You might also look into Wyoming Seminary which is in Kingston.

Day school tuition is $24,500 + required incidentals of $1,900.

Originally Posted by jtab4994

If you want to orient your family in the opposite direction you can look into the Moravian School in Bethlehem.

A very long commute and tuition for grades 9-12 is $28,420 plus a mandatory meal plan purchase.

Originally Posted by jtab4994

We sent our kids to Notre Dame in East Stroudsburg and we were very happy with it, but they do not offer very many advanced classes. In fact they have only offered 2 AP courses in recent years.

Some of the good public schools in the area are Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley (Brodheadsville), Delaware Valley (Milford), and North Pocono (Moscow). I'll even give East Stroudsburg South a plug, which I believe is a fine school and is in the district we live in, though we sent our kids to Catholic school.

I don't consider any public school in Monroe or Pike County as exceptional. But especially stay away from the East Stroudsburg ASD.

[jimazee]

Wow, the private's tuition has gone up a lot in last 10 years...no surprise I suppose. Delaware Valley has a pretty good reputation, and Wallenpaupack Area too (as I recall).

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Wells5

Tuition is $13,400 plus incidentals.

Day school tuition is $24,500 + required incidentals of $1,900.

A very long commute and tuition for grades 9-12 is $28,420 plus a mandatory meal plan purchase.

Yeah, but she said her husband will be "running one of the water parks" which I took to mean big-time bucks. It's a long commute from Monroe County to Moravian but we know several families who have done it. Same for Scranton Prep.

I don't consider any public school in Monroe or Pike County as exceptional. But especially stay away from the East Stroudsburg ASD.

Not sure what you have against East Stroudsburg in particular. If you mean the North high school in the 18302 zip code that's one thing, but I specifically mentioned ES South which is 18301. Kids in AP classes won't be rubbing elbows with the hoi polloi very much.

[Gettingouttahere]

If you're looking for the best education for your buck, I would consider not living in the Monroe County area and instead basing your search for a home south in the Lehigh Valley. A second option would be boarding school at Wyoming Sem - which offers significant financial aid, as well as scholarship up to full tuition & room and board, so its retail price is not what you'd necessarily pay.

If you opt for the Lehigh Valley, the Parkland School District - top-rated in the area - would be closest to your husband's job. Be *very*careful with school district boundaries because they are not intuitive, and you don't want to end up in a place outside the lines. Parkland is a huge district; I think it has over 3,000 in the high school. But its academics are consistently ranked #1 in the valley.

If you're into private schools, your best options are Sem (Wyoming Sem; Sem is the name it's known by) and Moravian Academy, in Bethlehem. Moravian is a bit more than Sem for day students; it has no boarding option. Moravian also has financial aid, but no merit scholarships based on academics. Both Moravian and Sem are K-12 and I think Sem even has a post-grad option for one year.

My kid is at Moravian and is very very happy - we've looked hard at Sem but Moravian worked harder to keep us there

Since you have the choice of where to live, I'd seriously move to Parkland. The commute for your husband would be within your 40-minute threshold, I believe. Or very close outside it. Ah - just mapped it: 56 minutes in regular traffic. AND, because it uses highway routes, Parkland isn't as close as other districts. But it's still a great one. The other best districts in the Valley are Southern Lehigh and Saucon Valley (not close at all) and, usually running fourth, Nazareth. THAT would be your closest decent option....

That's up to you, but I'd do it. Your family would be close to everything you want to be close to; your husband would have the commute. I wouldn't move the family close to your husband's job and make your kids do the commute. And I wouldn't do a public school in Monroe, especially with a kid at the advanced level - I just wouldn't. There are others who feel differently; my opinion is well-known.

Good luck!