[marylandmom2011]

Hi, my husband has taken a sales job in Rocky Hill. He is now living there in an apartment and we plan to move the rest of the family (Mom, 8 and 5 year olds) up to CT in the Spring.

My husband has been driving around and checking out areas and so far he/we like glastonbury, farmington and maybe avon/simsbury becasue of the schools and the shopping amenities.

Here is my concern. In Baltimore county (not Baltimore City) where we live now, everyone sends their kids to private school. It is totally about status, that is the first question anyone will ask you, where do your kids go to school. Nobody really cares where you live as long as your kid goes to an expensive private school. We live in an upscale neighborhood and the public schools are not bad at all but everyone sends there kids to private school, all different private schools. There is a higharchy to the private schools as well, religious schools are less desirable (because the tuition is less I imagine) than other more expensive private schools. It directly relates to your status. I want to avoid this situation when we move to CT.

It seems like the areas we like near Rocky Hill are the more upscale, snooty areas and I do not want to be judged when I send my kids to public school. This is a deal breaker for me.

So what are nice areas with great public schools around Hartford where everyone sends their kids to public schools? We have a budget of around 500,000 and like to be close to everything.

Thank you!!

[UmpYours]

I grew up in South Windsor, which has a great school system, and would say that maybe 5% go to private school. Almost everyone I work with who grew up in CT went to public school.

I hope not to offend anyone by saying this, but to be honest, unless your going to Loomis Chaffee, I'm not sure what the point is of going private in CT...unless you are from Hartford itself or one of the other few cities with poor schooling.

[htfdcolt]

We live in West Hartford, and while there are some who send their children to private schools (e.g. Renbrook, Kingswood-Oxford, Watkinson) they are by far in the minority. I concur with the previous poster...people put a premium here on school districts. If you are investing in the housing cost and property tax that goes along with a good school district, there is no perceived value (religious preferences aside) of going to a private school.

For your budget you should have ample choice in very good school districts in this area.

[mels]

Originally Posted by rajmelk

If you are investing in the housing cost and property tax that goes along with a good school district, there is no perceived value (religious preferences aside) of going to a private school.

For your budget you should have ample choice in very good school districts in this area.

Agreed. The majority of people send their children to public school in this area, which is why you will see the more affordable (read: cheaper) housing prices appear to be a in a town/city, the more likely the schools stink as compared to surrounding towns.

[kakel]

You're in luck! No one cares about private schools in CT. Well, a very small minority of people do. But as other posters have mentioned, people move to a town based on how good their public schools are. And with the towns you mentioned - Avon, Simsbury, Farmington, Glastonbury, Rocky Hill - you should be fine. All have excellent schools and are nice suburban communities for kids. Since you mentioned the need for shopping amenities and being close to everything, throw West Hartford into that mix, you might like it as well.

[JayCT]

I agree. Most people here care less about private schools because the public schools are so good here. We live in Glastonbury and know many different families. They range from modest blue collar immigrants to millionaires. We were at the high school last night for orientation and it amazed me the diverse group of parents there were. Jay

[Stylo]

I don't think anyone is going to care in that area. Even the people that send their kids to private schools realize that the public schools are pretty solid and have no snobbery about it. The ones that do are a minority.

[marylandmom2011]

Thank you all so much for your replies. Here in Baltimore there is a mentality that if a school performs well it must be because they are "teaching to the test".

Yeah, I can send my kids to public schools when we move to CT. Believe me spending a couple of extra 100.00 dollars on clothes so my kids fit in beats 20,000 a year plus in private school tuition.