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I have been reading your posts and wanted to comment. My family moved from Baltimore, MD to Glastonbury, CT last year.
It sounds like you have moved around a lot and know what is important to you. That is a huge plus, you know what is going to work for you and what will leave you missing Plano.
Here are my suggestions and what I wish I had done differently. RENT first then buy. This will allow you to see all your options and take your time, it will also give you time to figure out where you will be happiest.
My second piece of advice goes against what most people post on this board post,....find a nice private school for your children. The public school are good but honestly I don't find them great, people think they are outstanding because they push children hard in basic academics and teach to the test. Glastonbury is not progressive or innovative and teaches to the "common core", though maybe the CT coast is different but I doubt it. They are certainly not as good as an excellent private school. Private schools are more welcoming to both parents and children, there is more of a community atmosphere and if you pick a good one your child will be more well rounded. Private also gives the option of finding a school which you think will fit your child'sthe best. ALSO by choosing a private school you can move anywhere and will not be limited to a certain geographic area. The only down side to private is the high cost and maybe in that part of CT it may be overly elitist.
You guessed it all! I am not a fan of the beach cottage look.
I looked at houses in Weston, I could imagine myself living there but I felt like it was too remote! Is Weston a good place to live in? Is it remote or is it just an impression? Do people interact with their neighbours or never?
There are actually big houses, sometimes with a swimming pool in our budget in Weston + it will be really close to the office in Westport from What I understood.
The weather is going to make me unhappy but it is a great opportunity for the kids and for my husband's carreer.
Weston is a nice town but it can be kind of remote. The homes there are on larger lots and there a few, if any, neighborhoods and certainly nothing like the tract subdivisions in Texas. Personally I prefer that since living in a sea of tract homes is not appealing to me. Your interaction with neighbors will really depend on where you end up. You will likely meet more people through your children than from where you live in Weston. Also note that for a simple thing like shopping for groceries means traveling to Westport, Wilton or Norwalk. It is your call whether that is a problem for you. My guess from what you posted so far is it will be. I also kind of think you are not going to like it here no matter what but then again, who knows. I wish you the best. Jay
I have been reading your posts and wanted to comment. My family moved from Baltimore, MD to Glastonbury, CT last year.
It sounds like you have moved around a lot and know what is important to you. That is a huge plus, you know what is going to work for you and what will leave you missing Plano.
Here are my suggestions and what I wish I had done differently. RENT first then buy. This will allow you to see all your options and take your time, it will also give you time to figure out where you will be happiest.
My second piece of advice goes against what most people post on this board post,....find a nice private school for your children. The public school are good but honestly I don't find them great, people think they are outstanding because they push children hard in basic academics and teach to the test. Glastonbury is not progressive or innovative and teaches to the "common core", though maybe the CT coast is different but I doubt it. They are certainly not as good as an excellent private school. Private schools are more welcoming to both parents and children, there is more of a community atmosphere and if you pick a good one your child will be more well rounded. Private also gives the option of finding a school which you think will fit your child'sthe best. ALSO by choosing a private school you can move anywhere and will not be limited to a certain geographic area. The only down side to private is the high cost and maybe in that part of CT it may be overly elitist.
I agree with your suggestion on renting if you are unsure of where would be best to live, but I do not agree with you on the private school points. Private schools are good but as you said they are elitist. Even those around the Hartford area have an air of entitlement about them. If that is how you want to raise your kids, fine, but I think public schools ground a child in reality of the world and opens them to a wide range of people. That is something that a private school cannot teach a kid. I am also not sure what you mean by progressive or innnovative. Being progressive and innovative does not guarentee a good education nor does it get you into a top university. Glastonbury High last year had a number of students going to top universities like Yale and Harvard. Again it is all what you make of it. And it is all what you want for your child. Personally I would rather my kids be "normal" and down-to-earth than hanging around with upper class kids who despite what you may think do have an attitude. JMHO, Jay
You're painting with a pretty broad brush Jay. Many private schools are more diverse both racially and socioeconomically than the suburban school districts in the state. They recruit kids across all demographics and give out scholarships. They're not just full of rich white kids. Having attended both public and private schools growing up, I saw this first hand, and that was 20 years ago.
I agree with your suggestion on renting if you are unsure of where would be best to live, but I do not agree with you on the private school points. Private schools are good but as you said they are elitist. Even those around the Hartford area have an air of entitlement about them. If that is how you want to raise your kids, fine, but I think public schools ground a child in reality of the world and opens them to a wide range of people. That is something that a private school cannot teach a kid. I am also not sure what you mean by progressive or innnovative. Being progressive and innovative does not guarentee a good education nor does it get you into a top university. Glastonbury High last year had a number of students going to top universities like Yale and Harvard. Again it is all what you make of it. And it is all what you want for your child. Personally I would rather my kids be "normal" and down-to-earth than hanging around with upper class kids who despite what you may think do have an attitude. JMHO, Jay
Jay - Not all private schools are elitist and not all private schools in the Hartford area are elitist. The ones that I have been involved with make a huge effort to be inclusive to all and do not make children feel that they are above others, in fact it is the opposite. Having kids go to public school does not automatically make them aware of a "wide range" of children, really, it doesn't! To a person new to an area, who is unsure of where they want to live, moved their children around a lot and who can afford it, it is good suggestion.
For a public school or GPSS to be innovative or progressive it could include one or more of the following at the elementary level - a dedicated science teacher/room, the latest technology in classrooms (smart boards), solid computer curriculum starting at an early age (my second grader has only been to the computer lab once in almost 2 years), small classes (less than 20, hopefully 15), excellent gifted and talented program, highly trained special education teachers, ect.
I am glad GPSS has sent kids to Harvard and Yale, yeah, I just don't think certain CT public schools are as wonderful as people make them seem, good and solid but not great.
Last edited by marylandmom2011; 11-14-2013 at 07:21 AM..
Reason: adding text
My second piece of advice goes against what most people post on this board post,....find a nice private school for your children. The public school are good but honestly I don't find them great, people think they are outstanding because they push children hard in basic academics and teach to the test. Glastonbury is not progressive or innovative and teaches to the "common core", though maybe the CT coast is different but I doubt it. They are certainly not as good as an excellent private school. Private schools are more welcoming to both parents and children, there is more of a community atmosphere and if you pick a good one your child will be more well rounded. Private also gives the option of finding a school which you think will fit your child'sthe best. ALSO by choosing a private school you can move anywhere and will not be limited to a certain geographic area. The only down side to private is the high cost and maybe in that part of CT it may be overly elitist.
It is important to note that not all public schools are the same here in Ct. Your experience in Glastonbury may not be the same as the experience in other public schools, particularly the schools in the Westport area, which rate higher than those in Glastonbury. So by recommending a private school, you are stating that the public schools in Westport are not "great", yet you've had no experience with them. So how can you make this recommendation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by marylandmom2011
For a public school or GPSS to be innovative or progressive it could include one or more of the following at the elementary level - a dedicated science teacher/room, the latest technology in classrooms (smart boards), solid computer curriculum starting at an early age (my second grader has only been to the computer lab once in almost 2 years), small classes (less than 20, hopefully 15), excellent gifted and talented program, highly trained special education teachers, ect.
I am glad GPSS has sent kids to Harvard and Yale, yeah, I just don't think certain CT public schools are as wonderful as people make them seem, good and solid but not great.
I can understand why you are not happy with your elementary school, I wouldn't be, either. Fortunately my children's elementary school has all the requirements that yours lack, other than class size, which hover just above 20. Granted our school district is hgher rated than Glastonbury's, which might have something to do with it, but we have been very happy with our public school system. Glastonbury ranks 33. Westport ranks 2. So again, I don't see how you can advise someone from out of state that they should send their children to private school, as your experience has been so limited. You have lived in Ct., what, one year, and experienced one school? Many of the top ranked public schools are fantastic in this state, and families such as ours have been thrilled with them. And while I am sure the private schools are also fantastic, they are generally quite expensive, and often religious-based.
Last edited by andthentherewere3; 11-14-2013 at 12:06 PM..
Regarding Weston, I have lived here for over 10 years and I think it's an absolute gem of a place. Most services are within 5-10 minutes drive, and you'll be driving that far even if you are in Westport. In weston you will get 50% more for your money plus great peace and quiet. There are many neighbourhoods in Weston where people interact with each other when walking their dogs or waiting for the school bus etc. and on the whole I find people in Weston friendlier and more relaxed than in some other towns in Fairfield county. And by the way, I have lived in London as well and Weston reminds me of the farther reaches of Surrey in that it is somewhat rural while still being commutable to the big city.
It is important to note that not all public schools are the same here in Ct. Your experience in Glastonbury may not be the same as the experience in other public schools, particularly the schools in the Westport area, which rate higher than those in Glastonbury. So by recommending a private school, you are stating that the public schools in Westport are not "great", yet you've had no experience with them. So how can you make this recommendation?
I can understand why you are not happy with your elementary school, I wouldn't be, either. Fortunately my children's elementary school has all the requirements that yours lack, other than class size, which hover just above 20. Granted our school district is hgher rated than Glastonbury's, which might have something to do with it, but we have been very happy with our public school system. Glastonbury ranks 33. Westport ranks 2. So again, I don't see how you can advise someone from out of state that they should send their children to private school, as your experience has been so limited. You have lived in Ct., what, one year, and experienced one school? Many of the top ranked public schools are fantastic in this state, and families such as ours have been thrilled with them. And while I am sure the private schools are also fantastic, they are generally quite expensive, and often religious-based.
Did you read the entire thread? I stand by my suggestion for private school. The OP is unsure of where she wants to live but the type of house is very important. OP also mentioned in one post sending children to private school. By not being bound by elementary school geographic boundaries a person can chose any place to live. Separating school from house location may reduce the stress of moving from a place the OP loves. Though maybe Westport has no geographic boundaries for the elementary schools...
Jay - Not all private schools are elitist and not all private schools in the Hartford area are elitist. The ones that I have been involved with make a huge effort to be inclusive to all and do not make children feel that they are above others, in fact it is the opposite. Having kids go to public school does not automatically make them aware of a "wide range" of children, really, it doesn't! To a person new to an area, who is unsure of where they want to live, moved their children around a lot and who can afford it, it is good suggestion.
For a public school or GPSS to be innovative or progressive it could include one or more of the following at the elementary level - a dedicated science teacher/room, the latest technology in classrooms (smart boards), solid computer curriculum starting at an early age (my second grader has only been to the computer lab once in almost 2 years), small classes (less than 20, hopefully 15), excellent gifted and talented program, highly trained special education teachers, ect.
I am glad GPSS has sent kids to Harvard and Yale, yeah, I just don't think certain CT public schools are as wonderful as people make them seem, good and solid but not great.
I guess we can only agree to disagree on this. From my experience private schools are only made up of children who come from homes where the parents value education and have the money or resources to pay for it. In public schools kids are exposed to all different types of kids from a lot of different backgrounds and income levels. My kids went to school with children who were from families of very modest means and at a very early age they realized how fortunate they were compared to some of their friends. I remember DS saying to me that his friend house was so small (it was an apartment) in comparison to ours. I used that comment to point out to why we lived in a bigger house. I think that had a big impact on him that still serves him today.
As for what you feel is "innovative", a lot of public schools have these features but honestly I do not think they matter in a good quality education. Who cares if the teacher is standing in front of a smart board or a blackboard. Does that really make a difference? Also I have found that only the most expensive of private schools offer these amenities so you do need to have deep pockets to get them. Finally the schools in Glastonbury have a highly trained faculty that would be comparable to what you find in most private schools, but again having a top degree does not mean the teacher is a good one. I know a number of teachers that had accelerated degrees but could not relate well to students.
I will concede that class sizes do make a difference but many towns including Glastonbury help offset this by having para-professionals in the classes helping the teacher. ou are also correct that different towns have different levels of quality but the same can be said for private schools so there really is not much difference. Again this is JMHO. Jay
It is important to note that not all public schools are the same here in Ct. Your experience in Glastonbury may not be the same as the experience in other public schools, particularly the schools in the Westport area, which rate higher than those in Glastonbury. So by recommending a private school, you are stating that the public schools in Westport are not "great", yet you've had no experience with them. So how can you make this recommendation?
I can understand why you are not happy with your elementary school, I wouldn't be, either. Fortunately my children's elementary school has all the requirements that yours lack, other than class size, which hover just above 20. Granted our school district is hgher rated than Glastonbury's, which might have something to do with it, but we have been very happy with our public school system. Glastonbury ranks 33. Westport ranks 2. So again, I don't see how you can advise someone from out of state that they should send their children to private school, as your experience has been so limited. You have lived in Ct., what, one year, and experienced one school? Many of the top ranked public schools are fantastic in this state, and families such as ours have been thrilled with them. And while I am sure the private schools are also fantastic, they are generally quite expensive, and often religious-based.
I am sorry but I am not sure where you get your rankings from. Glastonbury has one of the most highly regarded school systems in the greater Hartford area. People pay a premium to live here because of the schools. I suspect the differences in quality of education have more to do with the socio-economic make up of the towns where Westport is one of the wealthiest and expensive towns in the state. Glastonbury's population is a little more broad having families from modest means to very wealthy. That does make a significant difference. I would equate this to comparing Westport to Fairfield. Both towns have excellents but Fairfield has a lot more families from modest backgrounds.
As for Marylandmom's disappointment in Glastonbury schools, I assure you she is in the extreme minority here. The vast majority of people here in Glastonbury are very happy with the quality of education their children are getting. And most of them are very discerning including families who are made up of doctors, lawyers and top executives. I suspect that Marylandmom would not be happy with any public school given past posts, including a top rated system like Westport. Jay
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