Harrison School District Or Rye Country Day School? (New Rochelle, Ossining: house, top school)

[muzjiks33]

My wife, three-year old son, and I currently live in Harrison. We make a combined income of $200K/yr.
We have heard great things about the Harrison school district but incredible things about Rye Country which is only seven minutes from our house.
We are planning to have our son apply for RCDS for admission.
Should we send him there (if he gets in..) or save our money and have him go through the public school system?
Thoughts?
I don't know much about Westchester schools in general...

[rubygreta]

Every year kids from Harrison High School get into the top Ivy League schools and mediocre schools. Every year, kids from RCDS get into top Ivy League schools and mediocre schools.

Bottom line - it's your money. 200K is nice, but it is far from affluent in Westchester County. Your kids could do great or not so great in either school.

[dma1250]

There is also the social issue to consider. Do you really want your son to go school only with kids whose parents can afford the $25,000 to $30,000 a year tuition, or would you prefer him to experience some degree of socio-economic diversity? Or perhaps the school's financial aid creates the same degree of socio-economic diversity that you'll find in the Harrison school? Either way, it is something to think about. Learning to get along with kids from different backgrounds is a critical skill that kids need to master if they are going to be successful in the real world.

If it were my money, I'd spend the $30,000 a year on an interesting trip and a cool afterschool program or two.

[NYtoVT]

My youngest son graduated from RCDS in '05 and the education he received was second to none. He went through the Rye City School District until 5th grade and we made the switch to RCDS. We were not happy with the way the Rye school system handled middle-of-the-road students.
RCDS's sports and educational facilities are excellent. More to the point here, is that we found that the teachers at RCDS really care about their students as opposed to the Rye City public school teachers who for the most part are time clock punchers.

[PEmom]

Who isn't just a time clock puncher here? Almost all of us here coming to Westchester for its "great school" systems. We pay huge premium for the housing and tax for those supposedly "prestigious school districts". However, I heard negative comments about Byram Hills, Chappaqua, Ardsley, and Briarcliff. Parents honestly commented about their frustration with the way school. My kids are advanced but they are not given any attention to keep their edge (Byram Hills). Teachers and principles are paid the best with our money (even so for private schools) but all I see is they are excellent at pushing back parents' request and "time clock puncher" is a great description. While searching for a house targeting those "top school districts", I always wonder if those schools really live up to their reputations??? or it is just result of highly educated parents, wealth in the town, and economic and social segregation. Ironically, I heard some good comments from parents who live in those "not so great school district" like New Rochelle, Ossining (although just at the elementary levels). I really wish there is a comparison or ranking of teaching / caring quality of the schools, not ranking by wealth, scores, or subsidized meals.

[rubygreta]

[quote=PEmom;13210451]or it is just result of highly educated parents, wealth in the town, and economic and social segregation.

EXACTLY!