schools in yellow springs? (Dayton, Springfield: for sale, renting, homes)

[bicycleguy]

We're considering relocating to Yellow Springs from a Chicago suburb. We know the area fairly well and love it, but we simply don't know much about the YS schools.

School is the biggest factor for us to consider. We have a high schooler and a middle schooler, both advanced/honors students in a high-achieving school district. They both play musical instruments and competitive soccer.

A few questions that come immediately to mind:

• are academics strong?
• how many yellow springs high school grads attend top tier/academically rigorous colleges (e.g. Oberlin, Reed, Univ of Chicago, Princeton, etc)?
• bullying/violence/drugs/cliques?
• we prefer public schools, but what are independent options in yellow springs?
• role of sports? music?
• anything else we should know?

Many thanks for any advice/information you can offer!

[wrightflyer]

Test scores show the schools do relatively well on state tests. In terms of grads attending institutions of higher learning, the best resource would probably be the schools themselves. They should be keeping a running record of where grads are at least accepted. That is a better indicator than attendance, as other external factors could muck up that data.

Yellow Springs is known for its liberal culture. Are drugs present? Possibly, but they can be found in virtually every school across America. It just takes good parenting to combat it. Certainly, the school probably (and should by law) prevents drug dealing, use, etc.

Not sure there is much in the way of independent options in YS as it is a small town (think Oberlin without the well-off college). If Yellow Springs Public is not your cup of tea, try and find info on sending your children to a neighboring district. There are costs involved, and you usually have to provide the transportation, but that is an option.

Not really familiar with YS schools music and sports programs. They are probably Division III in sports.

Besides Yellow Springs being a small town, it is really nice and rather accepting. It is probably due to its accepting liberal nature. YS is very bicycle friendly, with plenty of open country roads nearby plus the Little Miami Bike Trail. New development plats are hard to come by, as most residents are against sprawl. Still, there are homes for sale all the time (and for some reason, quite expensive). You could always build on an existing lot as infill. Closest major shopping would be Springfield (Upper Valley Mall) or Beavercreek (The Greene & Mall at Fairfield Commons). Tom's Market in downtown YS has most essentials. Kroger on Dayton-Yellow Springs in Fairborn is the closest mainline chain grocer.

[bicycleguy]

thanks for the response, wrightflyer. Anyone out there have experience with the schools themselves, or as parents of kids in YS schools?

[Archer123]

Bicycleguy -- I live in Yellow Springs, and my kids go to the public schools. If you're still reading this thread, let me know and I'll give you the rundown on the local options.

[bicycleguy]

@Archer123. Thanks--I'd appreciate anything you can post!

[Archer123]

Great! Here's my take on the YS schools:


The State of Ohio places them in the highest category -- "Excellent with Distinction." 85% of the graduating seniors go on to college. Historically, the town has strongly supported the schools -- it's been 50 years since a school level was rejected by the voters. Around here, that's very unusual. You're familiar with the town, so I won't go over the local commitment to racial and economic diversity and progressive values. I will say that these are the children of nonconformists; they have been raised to think independently. Generally speaking, I like the teenagers our town produces – they're mature and confident in themselves. It's not a town for someone who is freaked out by tattoos and piercings, but it's not a town where kids will be pressured to get a tattoo either.


Something to keep in mind: the schools are small. The district only graduates about 50 seniors a year. That has it's benefits – everyone will know your children, and they'll get lots of personal attention – but it also means that the school can't be everything to everyone. They've chosen to focus on arts education, and they do a great job at that. Every year, the high school students put on a night of one-act plays that they've written, produced, and directed themselves. High school students routinely win state-level writing and music competitions. The school offers AP courses in music theory and AP art. Local artists serve as "artists in residence" to teach everything from pottery to poetry. On the other hand, their science courses are reasonably good, but they don't even try to offer a standard high school calculus class.


The popular sports – soccer, swimming, track, and basketball – are well fielded. The town has particularly strong track and swimming teams. The school offers a number of other sports (tennis, softball, football) but if there aren't enough kids interested in the sport, they can't field a team. A few years ago, the football program collapsed because not enough kids signed up.


College placement – the top 5% to 10% of the graduating class usually go to an elite college. There is a definite preference for small, strong liberal arts colleges – Oberlin is popular. I think some students have gone to U. Chicago but I don't know of any who went to Princeton.


Private schools – there is a private, alternative elementary school in town (the Antioch School), but your kids are too old for it. If you are serious about private schools and a rigorous education, I would recommend that you take a look at the Miami Valley School (MVS). It's the region's only classic prep school, and I've heard nothing but good things about it. It's not close (30 to 45 minutes away) but there are several families who send their kids to MVS, and they run a carpool. At the middle and high school level, your other options are the new STEM regional magnet school and a plethora of religious schools.


Lastly, I would encourage you to subscribe to the Yellow Springs News. They do a great job covering the schools. In June, they interview every graduating senior and put out a special insert, and in September, they put out another special insert focussed exclusively on the schools. The online version of the News never includes these inserts.


Good luck with your decision!

[bicycleguy]

Thanks so much, Archer123. This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. The public schools sound great for us, perhaps with some supplementation on math instruction from a local college.

Enjoy the village. It's a lovely place. Now we just have to see if the job actually opens up!

[wrightflyer]

If you are looking for local college supplementation, there is usually a PSEO program at most area high schools. PSEO stands for Post Secondary Education Option and allows students to take college courses in high school at little to no cost. The classes are at the college or university, so transportation is needed. I know when I was in high school a few years ago in Beavercreek, there were agreements with Sinclair, Wright State, and Sinclair Community College. Since then Clark State has expanded and probably has area agreements now as well.

If Yellow Springs offers PSEO (which it probably does), UD and Sinclair may be a little to far of a commute (downtown Dayton which is about 30+/- minutes away depending on traffic). Wright State would be a good option. Clark State, the community college for Greene and Clark Counties (Sinclair is designated for Montgomery, Preble, and Warren Counties), is just OK. I would choose Wright State because it is a bigger, more endowed, and more respected institution than Clark State. Clark State would do well in most cases, but if you are going for PSEO, might as well go big. Clark State has campuses in Springfield and Beavercreek near Fairfield Commons Mall.