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I'm not sure how it is now but 15 years ago if you had a child in Port Jefferson schools that needed special ed, you were screwed. My son made it to 4th grade without being able to write properly. It took me contacting the State BOE to get him tested. I would hope things have improved up there.
After 4th grade we moved to an average school ( Connetquot) where he did very well.
Id throw Rocky Point and Shoreham WR in the mix too if youre looking at NE Brookhaven.
MIller Place is the smallest of the lot and very competitive but weak on Kindergarden and Special ed.
Rocky Point has much better services and parents move here for them.
Shoreham schools have always been good but they have lost some ground due to the taxes but its still an amazing district due to the economics of the area.
3v caters to the top as does PJ.
Mt Sinai is really looking good these days and its HS is giving 3V a run for its money.
Id throw Rocky Point and Shoreham WR in the mix too if youre looking at NE Brookhaven.
MIller Place is the smallest of the lot and very competitive but weak on Kindergarden and Special ed.
Rocky Point has much better services and parents move here for them.
Shoreham schools have always been good but they have lost some ground due to the taxes but its still an amazing district due to the economics of the area.
3v caters to the top as does PJ.
Mt Sinai is really looking good these days and its HS is giving 3V a run for its money.
Crooks
Heres my sort FWIW
3V
Mt Sinai
PJ
Miller Place
RP
SWR.
I believe Mt Sinai is experiencing a jump in taxes as well. I don't know if this is something the OP has taken into consideration as well.
Also, Mount Sinai is much smaller than 3V. Some people are more comfortable with their children in a smaller school environment.
To the OP:
My neices are in PJ schools -- my SIL loves it there. The district is very small and occasionally it means the cancellation of certain programs due to lack of enrollment. However it is nice that everyone can usually make a sports team, or an academic team. Having come from a small district myself, I found it a very unreal representation of what to expect in the real world. Making the transition from small school to large university was culture shock, to say the least. Throw in the fact that the school was 99% white back then...
Larger districts like 3V foster a more competitive spirit when there is only X space and XX students. Add the fact that many of the parents are doctors, lawyers, white collared and degreed, well, they are pushing their kids to push that much harder. My child would have floated along in a different environment. The competitiveness at WMHS made him stand up and take action. He is only one child, and he is an individual. Take it for what it's worth.
A child will do well in any of the above mentioned districts on Crooks' list provided they have the drive, determination and support at home. Some of the districts might have a repuation for catering to children of brainiacs, some might have the distinction of being populated by children whose parents work hard to make an honest buck.
A little over a year ago we went through the same selection process. We chose Mt. Sinai and I do believe it was the correct choice for my kids. Each of the above schools are good schools, but they all have different strengths and weaknesses. It really depends on your kids personalities (academic and otherwise) and their ages as well. It's different entering a district in k-4 versus middle school, versus high school. Small schools have limited extracurricular activities, large schools cut kids from sports programs b/c they have too many kids and middle sized districts aren't as competative, but there is always room for a child to participate in whatever program they choose. BTW, Mt. Sinai is seeing a very low tax increase this year, so I'm not sure were the other poster's info is coming from. However, overall, our taxes are higher than surrounding communities. We also have much newer school facilities though. So, I think we could give you a better idea if we knew how old your kids are and where they fall on the academic achievement ladder, and what their personalities are like.
I believe Mt Sinai is experiencing a jump in taxes as well. I don't know if this is something the OP has taken into consideration as well.
Also, Mount Sinai is much smaller than 3V. Some people are more comfortable with their children in a smaller school environment.
To the OP:
My neices are in PJ schools -- my SIL loves it there. The district is very small and occasionally it means the cancellation of certain programs due to lack of enrollment. However it is nice that everyone can usually make a sports team, or an academic team. Having come from a small district myself, I found it a very unreal representation of what to expect in the real world. Making the transition from small school to large university was culture shock, to say the least. Throw in the fact that the school was 99% white back then...
Larger districts like 3V foster a more competitive spirit when there is only X space and XX students. Add the fact that many of the parents are doctors, lawyers, white collared and degreed, well, they are pushing their kids to push that much harder. My child would have floated along in a different environment. The competitiveness at WMHS made him stand up and take action. He is only one child, and he is an individual. Take it for what it's worth.
A child will do well in any of the above mentioned districts on Crooks' list provided they have the drive, determination and support at home. Some of the districts might have a repuation for catering to children of brainiacs, some might have the distinction of being populated by children whose parents work hard to make an honest buck.
Best of luck in your search.
Taxes do make a difference.
The 24% jump in SWR is certainly cause for pause and why Id put them last.
Albeit very good schools, SWRs got some serious pain and belt tightening in front of them.
Nonetheless, they should be doing much better with less given the affluent make up of the community.
Id throw Rocky Point and Shoreham WR in the mix too if youre looking at NE Brookhaven.
MIller Place is the smallest of the lot and very competitive but weak on Kindergarden and Special ed.
Rocky Point has much better services and parents move here for them.
Shoreham schools have always been good but they have lost some ground due to the taxes but its still an amazing district due to the economics of the area.
3v caters to the top as does PJ.
Mt Sinai is really looking good these days and its HS is giving 3V a run for its money.
Crooks
Heres my sort FWIW
3V
Mt Sinai
PJ
Miller Place
RP
SWR.
I could be wrong, but I thought that Mt. Sinai did not have full-day Kindergarden.
I assume that is why you felt Miller Place was weak on Kindergarden, because I do not think it is full-day there either.
If you have a child at that age, I think lack of a full-day program is a significant concern.
Also, do any of those districts offer Pre-K? I'm NOT trying to say that Middle Country is better than any of those districts, but they do have Universal Pre-K (3 hours or so a day) for 180 days a year - for a stay at home parent that can drive their child back and forth, this is a great benefit.
I could be wrong, but I thought that Mt. Sinai did not have full-day Kindergarden.
I assume that is why you felt Miller Place was weak on Kindergarden, because I do not think it is full-day there either.
If you have a child at that age, I think lack of a full-day program is a significant concern.
Also, do any of those districts offer Pre-K? I'm NOT trying to say that Middle Country is better than any of those districts, but they do have Universal Pre-K (3 hours or so a day) for 180 days a year - for a stay at home parent that can drive their child back and forth, this is a great benefit.
Good point on pre K and K but theyre looking more upscale than Middle Country.
MP and Mt Sinai I think are half day.
I think SWR, 3V and Rocky Point all have Pre K/Full K.
Well if I may chime in regarding Three Village, and as someone who has graduated somewhat recently, I can attest to the fact that it is quite "competitive." I can also tell you that it feels extremely overcrowded, but they are supposedly taking care of that, at least attempting to, by constructing an addition at the High School and renovating the Junior High a bit. As somewhat of a youth still I am probably a bit biased towards being disgruntled at the school from which I happily left behind, but as much is I hate the forced competition, the silly rules and extremely tight security (but I have a feeling that trend is not unique to Three Village really), and the overcrowding (and yet they continue to build in Setauket always), the fact is that it was a very solid education and in some cases is second to none. This statement may hold true for things such as the science or music departments, it's debatable but I'm not alone in making such a judgement. I know kids from all the above districts, and their complaints and comments about school have usually been similar to mine, and so their experiences seem to be too (but I really don't feel fit to judge their schools based on my lack of experience). So yea, very affluent, known for a few strong departments/programs, very competitve, and very overcrowded = Three Village. If someone could contrast those traits with those of the other schools I suppose this'd be more useful, but I figured I'd oblige your request for "any information" and put in my two cents about my personal district, Three Village.
Sorry for the rant-ish length. Good Luck in your decision.
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