Barrington, RI schools (Narragansett: sales, renting, house)

[dralex1]

Does anybody have any opinions on the various Barrington elementary schools? I am sure they are all good/very good given the town's reputation for a good middle and high school, but I am curious about any differences due to the different neighborhoods around each school, teachers, etc.

Nayatt
Sowams
Primrose Hill

Thanks!

[traceyr13]

Hi - Primrose is absolutely my top choice, with Sowams being second, and Nayatt definitely last.

I worked at Barrington High School for 8 years and also lived in Barrington for a number of years (my oldest also attended kindergarten at Primrose before we moved to Austin, TX where we currently live). The faculty and staff are wonderful at all 3, but Primrose is fantastic as far as a "family feel" with very down to earth yet involved parents. Nayatt is completely over the top with competitive parenting. I can't tell you how many conversations I have had with colleagues about the incredible competition and pressure at Nayatt due to the parents (which then trickles down to the kids).

Hope that helps.

[Moving_Mama]

Originally Posted by traceyr13

Hi - Primrose is absolutely my top choice, with Sowams being second, and Nayatt definitely last.

I worked at Barrington High School for 8 years and also lived in Barrington for a number of years (my oldest also attended kindergarten at Primrose before we moved to Austin, TX where we currently live). The faculty and staff are wonderful at all 3, but Primrose is fantastic as far as a "family feel" with very down to earth yet involved parents. Nayatt is completely over the top with competitive parenting. I can't tell you how many conversations I have had with colleagues about the incredible competition and pressure at Nayatt due to the parents (which then trickles down to the kids).

Hope that helps.

We are thinking about relocating to Barrington but I have been unable to located a district map that shows the areas of town that feed into the various elementary schools. I am also struggling to find information about preschools. Also wondering if you can actually swim in the water? East or West side of Barrington, Brick Yard Pond, etc. or is it polluted? Any information or direction would be appreciated. We are currently living in Southern California so I am trying to do as much leg work online as possible.

[mr2448]

Originally Posted by Moving_Mama

We are thinking about relocating to Barrington but I have been unable to located a district map that shows the areas of town that feed into the various elementary schools. I am also struggling to find information about preschools. Also wondering if you can actually swim in the water? East or West side of Barrington, Brick Yard Pond, etc. or is it polluted? Any information or direction would be appreciated. We are currently living in Southern California so I am trying to do as much leg work online as possible.

Sowams school has all of Hampton Meadows(east side of Barrington). There was a school on New Meadow Road but this was closed some time ago. Primrose and Nayatt split the west side of town. Lincoln Ave is the approximate division of the west side of town.

Brickyard pond is unswimable(officially). The only town beach is on Narragansett Bay at the end of Bay Road. This is sometimes closed after heavy rains. Some residents have their own beach on the inland waterways. They are all fishable, but digging for clams stopped about 20 years ago due to pollution. The pollution came from the expansion of businesses along Route 6 in Seekonk, Ma. Not local sources. Still a great place if you like sailing, waterskiing, etc.

[Moving_Mama]

Thanks for the feedback. It is appreciated. Here is another question. Given the higher sales tax and income tax in the state of RI... should we look at North Attleboro in MA? We are looking for a family focused community with stellar schools.

[CoventryDude]

Primrose. My wfes cousing is an educator, adjunct professor, involved in eraly childhood education and develpment, and her family moved to Barrington so they could send their children to Primrose.

[CoventryDude]

Sorry for the typos, trying to get the kids ready for school, too.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by Moving_Mama

Thanks for the feedback. It is appreciated. Here is another question. Given the higher sales tax and income tax in the state of RI... should we look at North Attleboro in MA? We are looking for a family focused community with stellar schools.

Barrington has the best schools in RI, and they're better than any of the immediately surrounding MA communities (including N. Attleborough)

[traceyr13]

Originally Posted by professorsenator

Barrington has the best schools in RI, and they're better than any of the immediately surrounding MA communities (including N. Attleborough)

I absolutely agree. There are some decent local MA schools, and I do think North Attleboro is one of the better local MA schools, but I wouldn't compare any of them to Barrington, in my admittedly biased opinion. Seekonk is actually pretty decent, I would put it on par or perhaps above North Attleboro, but again...no Barrington.

[Moving_Mama]

It seems that Primrose wins Thank you for all the information we will be visiting RI in about a week and a half. Our relocation consultant wants us to check out Medfield, Dover and Sherborn in MA. She believes that the communites match with what we are looking for. And the state rankings place the districts in the top 10 in the state. I am concerned about the commute for my husband. We would like to improve our quality of life and increase his time with the kids (a key reason to leave So. Cal.). The other pros are that MA has much lower taxes, sales, income and property. And what I have read about RI government - to be honest - is a bit scary.

So off on a tangent. I will also need to investigate preschools while visiting. I know that traceyr13 is a fan of The Red Brick School house and I am guessing that they are 100% child developement based. Am I correct? And are there others I should call? Do families "red shirt" their younger boys? That is what we call it here when you have a summer birthday boy and he is just not ready for the extreme academic kindergartens we have here. So for instance my oldest is 5 1/2 (07/05/02 birthday and is completing a Pre-K year at a private preschool. He will turn 6 this summer and then start kindergarten in the fall. If we had sent him to kindergarten in the fall of 07 he would have been one of the 4 youngest in his class. I am worried that people will think that there is something wrong and that he has been held back. Am I crazy? Please tell me I am crazy to be worrying about this. We really wanted him to experience a developmental kindergarten - one that instills a love for learning and nurtures curiousity and questioning. Sadly, those do not exist in our town where most of the parent population is comprised of Phd's, MD's, JD's, MBA's. Our schools are top in the state for a reason but I think our kids are paying the price. So we choose a pre-k program and I want our middle son to have a similar experience - is this possible in Barrington. Sorry to go on and on. I am beginning to be a bit overwhelmed by the possiblity of moving. So much to consider. Again, thank you! All responses are welcome!