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Old 09-30-2008, 02:12 PM
 
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Would you comment the following assessment?

I'm about 2 years away from having to decide on a place to settle with a good school district. I have a son who is 3 yrs old (dumb question: when do children start kindergarten?). After some research and considering my finances, I think Eastchester fits my financial profile while meeting my educational expectations.

Financially, I cannot afford a house or a decent condo in any desirable areas within 1 hr radius of NYC. So, that puts me in rental, or co-op price range. If I can afford it, I would rather buy then rent. It seems Garth Rd in Scarsdale has a wide range of 2 bdrm co-ops with reasonable co-op fees. So, this probably will be my main area of focus when the time comes. However, outside of this area within the Eastchester district, I haven't found anything else. Am I correct? White Plains also has a good choice of co-ops but schools don't seem as good and it's further away from NYC.

Also, regarding my impression of the Eastchester district, it seems like a well grounded place for children without the financial pressures of some of the the more wealthy areas. At the sametime, the quality of education isn't that far behind in comparison. In fact, it's probably still in the excellent range with many of their students going on to reputable colleges. Also, I don't think I have to worry about gang activity and stuff like that.

More on Garth Road and the co-ops there, how is the approval process when you have a child? In general, are they in anyway biased against families with small children? And are there a lot of young families on Garth Road, or is it mostly young couples, singles and commuters? I saw a small baseball field there which leads me to believe my son will have other children to play with. And the membership to Lake Isle sounds like a good thing for the summers. Did I leave anything out.. what about any draw backs?
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Old 09-30-2008, 03:59 PM
 
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Children usually start kindergarten when they are 5 years old (or if they will turn 5 early in the school year). I do know a few young families who live in Garth Road Co-ops, but I can't speak as to the co-op board approval in that area.

Concerning White Plains versus Eastchester-- Not sure what makes you say White Plains is further. It is a few miles further north, but there are more express trains from White Plains. The train ride is about the same overall.

In terms of school comparison, I'd say that White Plains is comparable to Eastchester. Fair quality, especially at the elementary school level.

In terms of areas that have a good number of co-ops, close to the city, with better schools, you might want to consider Mamaroneck. Prices and commute should be similar to Eastchester, but the schools have a much better reputation.
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Old 09-30-2008, 04:13 PM
 
Location: Washington, DC & New York
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I would also add Pelham to your list, since you can find some co-operatives there as well that are in a very good district and have easy access to Manhattan.

Eastchester schools are not a bad choice, and I'd tend to rank them just below Scarsdale, Pelham, Bronxville, or Edgemont. Overall, they're a little better than White Plains and New Rochelle.

If you don't mind a slightly longer commute, check out Yorktown in Northern Westchester or Croton-on-Hudson, since they might have more to offer in a townhouse or condominium, perhps even smaller single family homes. Yorktown is not on the train, so it's a 15 minute drive to Croton, where you can catch an express to Manhattan in 45 minutes, so it'd be an hour or so to Grand Central and then you'd have to commute after that to your office.
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Old 09-30-2008, 04:27 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by havoc315 View Post
In terms of school comparison, I'd say that White Plains is comparable to Eastchester. Fair quality, especially at the elementary school level.

In terms of areas that have a good number of co-ops, close to the city, with better schools, you might want to consider Mamaroneck. Prices and commute should be similar to Eastchester, but the schools have a much better reputation.
I didn't know that about Mamaroneck. As far as the comparison to White Plains is concerned, I didnt know that they are at par with eachother. I thought Eastchester was a better district when measured on test scores and just general reputation.

What can you say about the Lake Isle membership? Are there similar recreational options in Mamaroneck?

Anyone from Garth Road with school age children care to provide some input?
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Old 09-30-2008, 04:57 PM
 
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Originally Posted by bmwguydc View Post
I would also add Pelham to your list, since you can find some co-operatives there as well that are in a very good district and have easy access to Manhattan.

Eastchester schools are not a bad choice, and I'd tend to rank them just below Scarsdale, Pelham, Bronxville, or Edgemont. Overall, they're a little better than White Plains and New Rochelle.

If you don't mind a slightly longer commute, check out Yorktown in Northern Westchester or Croton-on-Hudson, since they might have more to offer in a townhouse or condominium, perhps even smaller single family homes. Yorktown is not on the train, so it's a 15 minute drive to Croton, where you can catch an express to Manhattan in 45 minutes, so it'd be an hour or so to Grand Central and then you'd have to commute after that to your office.
Points north of White Plains is too far for my preference. I like the short quick ride into NYC. I also (naviely) looked into Scarsdale and Edgemont and quickly realized it is not for us. What a beautiful area they have there. Actually, it looks like I do have some viable options that fall into the Edgemont district with co-ops along Central Ave. But I prefer the community road like Garth Rd as opposed to the main artery like Central Ave.

Also regarding Garth Road, I like the large concentration of co-ops there, forming a community of middle income working class folks. It also has a certain charm. I don't know if there are places like that in Mamaroneck or Pelham.

If Eastchester education is a tier below the likes of Scardale and Edgemont, then that's good enough. Does anyone know anything about the percentage of students that take college entrance exams and the colleges entered by Eastchester students?
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Old 09-30-2008, 05:05 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Low Life View Post
I would say go to Mamaroneck or White Plains. Skip Eastchester. Or, what about that Christie's building right across the street from the Scarsdale train station? I believe they are selling for 700,000 or something..
Why do you say to skip eastchester? Perhaps my initial evaluation (soley based on internet research so far) of Eastchester isn't accurate.

I know the place you are referring to in Scarsdale. It's too expensive. There is also a co-op community right next to it, "Chateu something or other" which I could probably squeeze out, but, not sure about what to expect in Scarsdale with the financial pressures of making sure your child isn't feeling any sort of inferiority complex, if such things are as prevalent there as I read and hear about.
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Old 09-30-2008, 07:10 PM
 
Location: Washington, DC & New York
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LightningMcQueen View Post
Points north of White Plains is too far for my preference. I like the short quick ride into NYC. I also (naviely) looked into Scarsdale and Edgemont and quickly realized it is not for us. What a beautiful area they have there. Actually, it looks like I do have some viable options that fall into the Edgemont district with co-ops along Central Ave. But I prefer the community road like Garth Rd as opposed to the main artery like Central Ave.

Also regarding Garth Road, I like the large concentration of co-ops there, forming a community of middle income working class folks. It also has a certain charm. I don't know if there are places like that in Mamaroneck or Pelham.

If Eastchester education is a tier below the likes of Scardale and Edgemont, then that's good enough. Does anyone know anything about the percentage of students that take college entrance exams and the colleges entered by Eastchester students?
I find nothing lacking in Eastchester. The Garth Road area is very nice, and you are close to the Village of Scarsdale for shopping. It is a bit nicer than Central Avenue, that's for sure, and some of the buildings in the Garth Road area are absolutely beautiful. And, the quick ride to the city is a bonus.

Here's a link to the Eastchester school district: Eastchester Union School District

And, here's another one regarding Eastchester from greatschools.net : Eastchester Union Free School District schools, Eastchester - NY: charter and public schools. Eastchester school district - Eastchester NY school district

Some Eastchester schools actually score on greatschools.net similarly with their counterparts in Scarsdale and Edgemont and those that don't are not far off the mark. There is nothing wrong with Eastchester from an academic perspective or from a neighborhood perspective. So, if you find what you like on Garth Road, go for it! You will not regret the decision.
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Old 09-30-2008, 07:32 PM
 
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Originally Posted by LightningMcQueen View Post
I didn't know that about Mamaroneck. As far as the comparison to White Plains is concerned, I didnt know that they are at par with eachother. I thought Eastchester was a better district when measured on test scores and just general reputation.

What can you say about the Lake Isle membership? Are there similar recreational options in Mamaroneck?

Anyone from Garth Road with school age children care to provide some input?
I live in a single-family house in Eastchester about one-half mile from Garth Road. Eastchester is a very nice community that is very middle class; there are few poor people and few rich people. I have a son in the 10th grade and the education is fine. There are plenty of honors and AP courses offered, and graduates go the finest schools. Obviously, test scores are not going to be as high as Scarsdale or Edgemont because they have a much wealthier demographic.

There is no comparison between White Plains and Eastchester. White Plains is a large semi-urban school district with a large minority and poor population. Eastchester is mostly white middle class with a fairly signficant Asian population. And this is not a put down of White Plains because I'm sure it provides students a fine education, and diversity can be a real asset. But the two districts are just completely different.

Lake Isle County Club is an absolute gem. There are five pools (two kiddie pools, an olympic pool, a diving pool and an adult pool), eight state-of-the-art tennis courts, and an 18-hole golf course. It is a beautiful place, and it will keep your kids from being bored to death in the summer. Rates are reasonable. Mamaroneck is a very nice community, but its Hommocks pool facility pales in comparison to Lake Isle.

Eastchester is spending $5,000,000 to spruce up its forlorn downtown at the corner of Mill Road and White Plains Road. The construction has just started. Utility lines will be placed underground, the traffic pattern will be changed and the area will be landscaped and given new lighting and walkways. It will make a huge difference.

I find Lord and Taylor and the other chain stores on White Plains Road very convenient, especially if you dislike going to malls. If you like biking, the Bronx River Parkway is closed to traffic on Sundays in May, June and September, and there is a parallel paved bike trail. When the 3-mile missing link in Scarsdale is completed as proposed, you will be able to bike from Bronxville to Valhalla without riding on the street.

This may be premature, but welcome to Eastchester!
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Old 09-30-2008, 08:46 PM
 
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Default I have 2 young children in the Eastchester

schools. We are very happy with the schools so far. I also have a friend in WP who has a young daughter and they are having a tough time in the WP school. Children start K in the year they turn 5, b-day cutoff in Eastchester is Dec 1. Good luck with your decision.
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Old 10-01-2008, 08:25 AM
 
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Scores:
2006 average SAT and percentage of graduates going on to college
Scarsdale (for comparison purposes) 1890 - 99
Mamaroneck 1787 -94
Eastchester 1595 - 92
White Plains 1527 - 87

While there are certainly Garth Road families who send their children to Eastchester Schools, I also know families who intend to use private schools, or move when their children turn school age. It's a matter of family judgment. To a large degree, White Plains and Eastchdster get lower scores mainly due to greater economic diversity.

On White Plains, let me give a pro and con. It is urban living.
So might not make sense to trade one city for another. But on the pro, the city has been completely redeveloped and revitalized over the last 3-5 years. Dollar stores are being replaced by high end merchants. Multi-million dollar apartments are being sold. Thus, I would also expect to see improvements in school scores over the next few years.

Mamaroneck has plenty of family friendly parks and services, including public beach for residents.
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