Westham and Bon Air Neighborhoods (Richmond, Tuckahoe: homes, private school, live in)

[Xfisch]

We recently visited Richmond, met with a realtor and viewed several neighborhoods & schools. We are moving next Spring 2019 from California and I’ve posted a bit about this. We are narrowing down our interests and will be coming out again February to do more research. We have family in the Westend. Our kids are 10 & 7 and will be entering 3rd and 6th grade in the Fall of 2019.

Right now we are seriously considering the Westham neighborood in Henrico with schools Tuckahoe, Tuckahoe, Freeman, and Bon Air with Bon Air, Robious, James River. We have also applied to the Steward school. As we learn more, we are starting to lean towards the public school options in those two areas depending on where we find a house.

We are a two-mom family, and currently our kids attend an independent private school here in California. Since this is a big change already, we are thinking that we make the leap to public schools now and find a good community of people. We are very excited and nervous!

Any thoughts to share on those two neighborhoods?

[cbl1]

We love the Robious Corridor - this would include Bon Air. Bon Air has smaller homes with a more village, small town downtown feel to it. Very centrally located.

We have had friends whose kids needed some extra attention that absolutely love Steward School. We also have a friend who has her son going to St. Edwards, which is very close by as well.

Bon Air elementary is a nice school. It feeds to Robious Middle. Robious Middle has its pluses and minuses. Its kind of a have and have nots. The big division is the CBG program. If your child is identified gifted then they are in the CBG program (which is absolutely positively phenominal - prepares them completely for High School). But if your not in CBG - well your kinda in a mix of kids that they don't really seem to care to much about when it comes to challenging kids at all (or even disciplining). I have spoken to many who were not in the CBG program and Robious Middle and they were not big fans of the school. Very much the opposite if in CBG - everyone loves the CBG program. The reason I have friends that have their kids at Stuart and St. Edwards - their kids were not in the CBG program so they wanted to challenge them more. So I think if you live in the Robious district - if your kids get in CBG or not is the defining reason to go public or private. As far as elementaries go they are all good (Bon Air or Robious Elementary in area you are talking about). My kids actually left Robious Elementary in 4th grade to go to elementary CBG at Greenfield elementary (also a great experience).

Then for high school you have James River - and we like it just fine. The leadership program is nice but on the harder side to get into. You can also apply to other various high schools around Chesterfield with different specialty programs for high school.

I currently have 2 at James River and 1 at Robious Middle.

That's my opinion on the Chesterfield side. I'm sure others can tell you more about the Tuckahoe side. North of the River tends to be more expensive - you get way more for your money in Chesterfield.

Your going to find nice communities throughout and I'm sure your kids will like the public schools here.