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Moving to Fairfield County with child who will be entering 9th grade next year. Several public high schools have been recommended (thank you CT forum users) and based on all this information I've gathered, have narrowed down to Staples, NCHS and Darien. I will be comparing these to GFS and King privates as well.
Any opinions on the intangibles of these schools, i.e., school culture, safety on campus, drug/alcohol abuse, quality of teaching and college counseling staff, the social scene, bullying, setc?
We are progressive politically and my child is a motivated student who enjoys tennis and choir.
So have you narrowed down moving to Westport, Darien, or New Canaan? Because if you choose a public high school, you will have to live in the town that the school is in.
In general, New Canaan has a reputation for being new money and WASPy; Darien has a reputation of being old money and more Catholic; Westport has a large Jewish presence and has the most progressive politics, while Greenwich is larger and is more diverse in its politics and social heritage. Of course, there is a lot of overlap. Make of that what you will. Schools are always the products of the towns they are in.
All of the schools mentioned are excellent and I would not hesitate to send my child to any of them. Their differences academicially are minimal when it comes to quality education. I would be less interested in the schools of these three towns than other things like proximity to my job or a particular house I liked.
That said, Staples is consistantly considered to be one of the top high schools in the state. Westport tends to be a bit more progressive. It could have to due with its long ties to the arts and entertainment industry. I would consider it first. Below are links to more information on schools in Connecticut. I hope this helps. Jay
As a Staples Graduate, I can tell you that while all of those schools are excellent, the network that I built at Staples is still existing, tangible and helpful to be as a professional. The media facilities (full TV studio and FM radio station) helped point me towards a career.
The academically challenging curriculum prepared me well for a challenging college curriculum.
I'm sure this can be said of any of the schools listed, but, I still consider attending Staples as the most formative experience in my life and even after many years away, (I graduated in 1992) I still fill an affiliation with the school and the town of Westport.
I've finally had the opportunity to return to the area and just did so. I am very impressed with the students I see in Westport today. I know your kid would have a great experience at Staples.
Please say hi when you see me at Fortuna's on the Post Road having my Egg sandwich in the morning!
Lol... If you like Egg Sandwiches, and end up in Westport, Fortuna's Deli on the post road has been making my Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a Hard Roll since about 1989. For about $2.50, its a great breakfast sandwich. Even for the 17 years I was in Austin, Fortuna's was a necessary stop on every visit back to Westport! Good luck with your choice!
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