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hello,
I'm expecting to move to Connecticut. I'll be working at Wilton, CT. I've never lived in CT before and know nothing about it.
What concerned me is to find a GREAT (private or public) school form my kids who are in the elementary stage now. I don't mind living up to 60 mins far from CT. I'll be renting initially.
Can you please help me identifying (1) best school districts, (2) best private of public elementary schools, (3) difference between public and private schools in CT?
thanks,
T
Wilton, CT is a good place for schools and living. Any of the surrounding towns are really pretty; Weston, Westport, Redding, Norwalk is a bit more industrial, but all in all they are excellent. I don't know what the prices are in Wilton, but they are fairly high in Weston and Westport (but I don't know where you are coming from, so they could look like bargains to you!) Good Luck in your move.
First - welcome to Connecticut. You're moving to a very expensive area of the country.
Wilton's public schools are outstanding, as are neighboring Westport's schools. Also nearby, Weston is also very highly rated. Wilton is somewhat rural in nature, and most homes have 2 acre minimum zoning there. Weston is even more rural than Wilton, and also is a smaller town. Westport is bigger than both combined, has more amenities in terms of shopping and restaurants, and is supposed to be more artsy than Wilton or Weston. Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward lived there for years, as did Martha Stewart. Top students in all three towns will have their choice of elite universities. However, all three towns are very expensive places to live.
Nearby is Fairfield is a small city/large town with close to 60,000 people. You'll have more economic diversity in Fairfield, but it is still pretty upscale and the public schools are also very good here as well. You'll have a lot more in terms of shopping, restaurants, etc in Fairfield. Easton & Redding are also nearby and share excellent public schools, but are also a bit more rural - more like Weston.
Norwalk is also right nearby, and is a small city with (I think) around 85,000 people. The schools here are not rated nearly as highly, but south Norwalk is a pretty trendy/hip area these days.
On the other side of Norwalk are two even more expensive suburbs in New Canaan and Darien. Both towns have outstanding public schools, and have the advantage of being right next to Stamford, and an easier trip to NYC than Wilton, Westport or Weston.
Somebody else would have to chime in on private schools in the area, but with so many towns with outstanding public schools around, I would only send my kids to private schools if they had special needs or needed a less competitive atmosphere.
Where are you from if you don't mind answering? Your sentence syntax indicates you are not a native speaker of American English. Your question about difference between public & private also indicates you are not American.
Will you also be looking for a particular type of community of people of similar culture to you ? That may help narrow your choices.
Public schools in America are funded and run by each individual local government. Your taxes pay for them. Private schools are just that- owned and managed by groups not public. Many are very selective about who gets in. Public schools do not cost you anything in general. Private schools require you pay tuition, often very high.
You do not want to commute an hour to Wilton from wherever you live. You're moving to an area with some of the worst traffic in the country. The closer you can live to work, the better off you will be.
Public schools in and around Wilton, are ,for the most part excellent. You can save yourself money and safely and confidently send your children to public schools.
Wilton, Ridgefield, Redding, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, Weston, Fairfield all have excellent schools. Your housing budget and what you expect to get for that budget may help decide where to look to live.
I feel like this question depends largely on your budget, and the towns mentioned above are some of the best in the state, but extremely expensive to live in. If you are willing to compromise a bit, I want to nominate Brookfield, New Fairfield, and Bethel as well. Commute shouldn't be too bad, housing is great, and schools are amazing. Brookfield outta the three, if you had to pick one.
I feel like this question depends largely on your budget, and the towns mentioned above are some of the best in the state, but extremely expensive to live in. If you are willing to compromise a bit, I want to nominate Brookfield, New Fairfield, and Bethel as well. Commute shouldn't be too bad, housing is great, and schools are amazing. Brookfield outta the three, if you had to pick one.
I live in & love New Fairfield, but for your commute, Brookfield or Bethel would be easier. NF wouldn't be a terrible commute, but it will be a longer.
Thank you all for the great feed backs! I'm coming form Arizona, and yes I'm not american this why I don't have insight about differences between private and public schools. I thought private schools are generally better. A relevant question, is how to find rankings for private schools. US News ranks public schools but not private ones.
I have no preference for specific community. In fact I'd love to get to know new people and cultures.
I'm willing to spend up to 4500$/month for a rent + school for one kid expenses. I'm looking for 2~3 bed room small house.
x 2 on what Stylo just said. Wilton is a wonderful town. You can rent right in town, schools are great. You'll have no trouble renting within your budget. Really, there is no reason to be going through the expense of private schools.
Make your life easy. Live in the town in which you work- you'll be able to see your child so much more. Connecticut will be very different than Arizona. Rent for a year and give yourself time to look around and explore before making a buying decision should you decide to buy.
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