Moving to PA, need some help

[SuperOx]

My wife says that she works with a woman who commutes in from Stroudsburg..... We're gonna sit down with her to get some details but in the meantime, does anyone have any feedback/suggestions for that area?

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by SuperOx

My wife says that she works with a woman who commutes in from Stroudsburg..... We're gonna sit down with her to get some details but in the meantime, does anyone have any feedback/suggestions for that area?

There's just as much of the inner-city "element" from NYC in The Stroudsburgs as there is in Greater Lake Hopatcong. People often times disagree with me on this topic, but I always felt more rushed, frustrated by rudeness, "pushed" along on roads with cars riding my rear bumper, etc. in The Stroudsburgs than I did in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which is a pretty large metropolitan area. Generally speaking the Monroe County line is the "cut off" between an area dominated by transplants who have moved into PA since the 1980s from NYC/NJ (and many of whom brought "attitudes" with them), and areas northwestward tend to be more congenial and laid-back.

I would consider Stroudsburg to be a step DOWN in quality-of-life from Lake Hopatcong. However, there are SOME areas of Monroe County, PA that, in my humble opinion, are very nice---the "West End" (Pleasant Valley School District including some towns as Brodheadsville, Saylorsburg, Effort, etc.) is more rural in atmosphere than the Stroudsburgs, and North Central Monroe County is also relatively unscathed by the "influence" of the city. Bear in mind that I'm not "anti-transplant." I'm just against the trash---minority and non-minority alike---that is mostly moving into the Stroudsburgs with their incessant need to tailgate, flip people off, blare their horns, not say "Thank You" to people whom hold doors for them, blast rap music from their trashy vehicles, use profane language in public areas in front of children (the Wal-Mart in Stroudsburg is especially notorious for this), etc., etc. People who don't see these sorts of issues that I REGULARLY experienced during my jaunts to the Stroudsburgs are most likely recent transplants themselves who grew up with that sort of environment in NYC/NJ and really don't see anything inherently "rude" about it. For those of us with an outisders' perspective a lot of people down there could really use a good kick in the rear-end to learn some manners! You're not in "da 'hood" anymore, so drop the "tude!"

I really would feel as if I'd be steering you awry by telling you that Stroudsburg would be a step up in quality-of-life for you and your family. I'd suggest looking into those four areas that I mentioned but more specifically the North Pocono School District so you'd be within that 2-hour commuting range to NYC with a great public school district, large lot sizes, and proximity to shopping/sports/concerts/etc. in Scranton/Dickson City. It's funny how close this "city/non-city" divide truly is. Tobyhanna, the first community over the Monroe County line, is home to Pocono Mountain-West High School, which has a rather "rough" reputation. Just minutes away is North Pocono, which is a world apart. Granted it's only a matter of a few more years until the "barrier" that is the Lackawanna/Monroe County line erodes, sending swarms of transplants from the city up into Moscow, but for right now it's the ideal location, in my eyes, for someone from Northern NJ/NYC who seeks to "escape" most of the "issues" associated with that area while not sacrificing too many conveniences AND still being close enough to visit old relatives/friends back in the city.

[Summering]

For the amount of land you would like and for a great school system I would head in an area that uses the Pleasant Valley School system. The Polk school area is very nice also.
You will get a big land acreage in the Brodheadsville, Sciota, or Kresgeville area.
There are many homes off the beaten path here. One sold not that long ago with an inground pool, and a beautiful bunch of land. That home setting was back down a quiet road, but not far from the PV Schools.
Best of luck to you.......You won't regret your move. The land and the people are wonderful here.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by SuperOx

Wannaroo, Is the school more urban or is it serving a more rural area? That's troubling to hear if it's starting to bleed out into the more out of the way areas.... Granted, kids are going to be kids but the lack of respect and seeing 2nd and 3rd graders in full gang colors is really unsettling.

She substitute teaches for the whole school district so she is in and out of all of the dozen schools almost every day of the week. I'd describe it as semi rural, part urban, part rural. Part of the problem with the school district is that it is filled with welfare and drug junkies with parents that are not raising the children. I remember one kid my sister told me about that said she was getting pregnant as soon as possible at 12 or 13 years old so they'd get a bigger welfare check and that her lifes ambition was to watch tv. She had no other dreams or desires.

My sister has been threatened too many times to count and there is frequent violence/drugs/sex/gangs going on even at the lower elementary level. She's even been threatened by parents. The district turns a blind eye to it all and teachers are in a bind as when things are reported, as the teachers are considered to not be in control of their classroom and hence a black mark against them.

It's a shame really. Probably most days of the week I get a call from her about the latest drama and horror story.

[SuperOx]

Thanks again guys, I'm so glad I found this site! Very helpful!

Wannaroo, that sounds extremely familiar!

[FirstObserver]

SuperOx

The individual who indicated that the Abington School system is about the best in the area. The Clarks Summit area is middle class with an educated population, but the area is more expensive relative to the surrounding area. The Lackawanna Trail school system has improved greatly over the past 10 to 15 years and would be considered above average. Its also much less expensive in the Factoryville area and is only about 12 miles north of Clarks Summit. The area has many homes on 2 to 5 acres and the pricing is about 70 % of that of Clarks Summit for the same house. I know since I'm in the process of trying to sell an "executive style home" and finding that the zip code is worth about $80K