[MH65]

We are moving from Cincinnati OH to the Hartford area. I did already a lot of research on the internet about the area, have never been in the Hartford area. We are Urban people, love to be close to everything, so far I have looked up I like West Hartford and the West End. I am also looking at a middle school and High school . So far I liked by the online information I found Sedgwick middle school and Conard High school . I did not find much information on the Halls website.Like after school activities. I will visit next week the schools. To see what kind of feeling I get with them.
What I look for a good school is good diversity in kids, realistic live. Teachers that feel connected to the kids.
Hartford west End also looks nice to live . Don't know which middle and High school go with that area. We need to have a middle school because our daughter starts at 7th grade , and after 2 years we have to have a High school , so I want to make sure we live in the right district for both schools.
I found in Hartford The Acadamy of the Arts. That is where she really wants to go , because she went to the performing arts school in Cincinnati where she had Dance and Drama every day. But if the selection is there harder , We want to make sure she at least can be at a regular High school what has a good Theater program. Maybe there are some other great Urban areas with great schools where I can take a look at, which I am not aware of, so far I like West Hartford and the West End , but that is all info from the internet. My husband will be working in Manchester.
The only shocker for me is that the housing prices are so much higher then in Cincinnati. a lot of smaller older homes I see in West Hartford and areas surrounding. Hope some people can give me some information about the area and schools. I will be going March 4 for a week to Hartford with my husband , he starts his job that week . Planning to move is around July.

Any info people can give me is Highly apperciated.
Thanks

[livin in the 'bury]

I guess I'd recommend West Hartford. They have a pretty solid school system and it's a safe town. If you're planning on sending your kids to public school I wouldn't recommend living in Hartford because they don't have a good school system at all. I'm sure you saw on the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts website that its students need to be enrolled in public school.

You could try Waterbury. It's urbanish with some nicer areas.They have a brand new Arts Magnet school. My friend goes there and she loves it. The down side is that Waterbury is about 45 minutes from Manchester with no traffic. During rush hour it could probably take almost 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want.

[MH65]

Thanks,
do you live also in Waterbury?
I checked out the website from the Waterbury Arts Magnet school . I can only find the High school , but at the state report card I see there should also be an Arts Magnet Middle school.
If this was the case that would be great. Then also the website is not very informative. Do you know more about the schools , first of al is there an Arts Middle school , and the do they offer Drama , Dance , Musical Theatre. Do you need to live in an certain area from Waterbury. Can your friend maybe give more info about the school?
What is Waterbury like ,Fun Things to do? like shopping , Theatre , concerts, dining etc,
what are the good neighbourhoods in Waterbury?
also cultural wise, we are European.
I realy want to look more into it . Ofcourse the drive is longer to Manchester, but our daughter is so sad to have to leave her Arts school in Cincinnati, we have to take care that she likes it in Connecticut and find her place there. If she is happy, our move will be so much easier.
How do I PM ?
I discovered this site yeaterday , don't know how it excatly works.
Thanks

[JViello]

I'm a native of Wtby...don't move there. Trust me, the city has problems that will not be solved any time soon and it's 30-40 minutes from Hartford via the highway.

[MH65]

Thanks JViello,
I checked out Waterbury more out tonight online, cannot find some great info about it.
But also found more out about those Arts Magnet schools , it is a Lottery to get in there, so that tells me enough of the school . It is not professional otherwise you should have to do audition. I think it is more a school to give kids a change to get some knowledge for the Arts.
I am looking more for a school which is more professionaly, I think I found that in the Hartford Acadamy for the Arts.
I will explore more West Hartford and Manchester areas.
Thanks everybody for all your input.
Please let me know if there are more suggestions , love to hear about it. looks like I know the Hartford area already a bit , even I haven't been there.
I am looking forward to go Sunday.

[westender]

The West End of Hartford is a good choice, as long as you are certain that your older child will be in one of the magnet schools.

The West End has the only truly good public (non-magnet) school in Hartford, namely The Webster School (K-8). The magnet schools require admissions testing and are also not limited to city residents only. The magnets are several notches above the three traditional public high schools: Hartford High (central), Bulkeley (south), and Weaver (north).

West Hartford is also nice, especially the northeastern part near the Hartford Golf Club.

The advantage of the West End is price, both the sales price and the other costs. A modernized 1910 Arts & Crafts with 3000 s.f. would sell for circa 350,000 in the West End of Hartford (north of Farmington Avenue); across the city line in West Hartford, the price would be around 500,000.

Also, city of Hartford property taxes were just revaluated effective July 2007, and they are being reduced significantly on owner-occupied residences (in my case, cut almost in half). In West Hartford, taxes were already a bit higher than Hartford, and now the difference will be dramatic. For example, a 500,000 house in West Hartford will have taxes in the 8000-10,000 range; with Hartford's revaluation, the same 500,000 house will be in the 4000-6000 range.

[uconn99]

I say go for Hartford's west end. Send child to magnet or private school and you have easy comute to Manchester and also dinning, nightlife, theater and concerts 5 minutes in downtown.

[MH65]

If she would go to the magnet middle school in Hartford,, what would be the best High school , because she still needs to go to a regular high school in the mornings if she would be accepted at the Hartford Acadamy of the Arts.?
And then it needs to be that you can live in the West End.

I am checking the West End as neighbourhood also out today.
I have spend now 2 dags in West Hartford, but the house prices are really high , even for older homes , and taxes yes!! high!!
I am visiting this morning the West Hartford middle and High schools.

I liked West Hartford a lot it has a lot of atmosphere, like the town center.
Manchester has great shopping I found out , but not so nice to live.

Thanks again for the input, would love to know more about West End and schools, rules where to go etc.

[westender]

The only school in the West End is The Webster School, and it is K (and pre-K) through 8. All 3 city public high schools are large and urban and relatively unsafe. None of them are in the West End -- although Hartford High is the nearest to the West End in Asylum Hill. Bulkeley is probably the best of the 3, by a hair.

The general boundaries of the West End are (eastern boundary) the Park River (roughly follows Woodland Street, north to Albany Avenue, and then northeast along Bloomfield Avenue. Southern boundary of the West End is West Boulevard. Western boundary is city line (Prospect Avenue). The most desirable parts are north of Farmington Avenue.

IF your older child is past 8th grade, I would only make the move if you are certain of admission to one of the magnet schools. Alternately, there are several good Catholic schools, including the one next to the cathedral (Hartford is the seat of the main Connecticut Archdiocese; the cardinal lives on Prospect Avenue).

[uconn99]

After K-8 she could go to Northwest Catholic in West Hartford or one of the many boarding schools (You don't have to sleep over) like Ms. Porters, Watkins, or choate.