Looking for family friendly areas in Baltimore near Owings Mills (Ellicott City: transplants, 2015)

[adwisdom]

We are considering a relocation for a job in Owings Mills, MD, so we are researching relocating our family from North East Pennsylvania to the area. We have two girls, age 12 (going to 7th grade) and 9 (going to 4th grade). We are looking for a family friendly area that is a manageable commute to Owings Mills with great public schools and a safe and friendly community for us to raise our family. We have looked online at Sykesville, Eldersburg, Ellicott City, Mariottsville, Towson, Lutherville-Timonium. Any insider thoughts on these areas or any other ideas you may have, keeping in mind great public schools are a must have? Thanks!

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by adwisdom

We have looked online at Sykesville, Eldersburg, Ellicott City, Mariottsville, Towson, Lutherville-Timonium. Any insider thoughts on these areas or any other ideas you may have, keeping in mind great public schools are a must have?

I think the least stressful commutes would be from Sykesville and Eldersburg. For the other areas, you have to get on the Beltway or I-70 which can be awful.

School ratings in these areas are all very good. I think any differences in ratings are less significant than how well your children fit with the school. For example, some schools in Howard County are very high pressure academically, and some kids don't handle that well. I would look for as many parent comments as you can find on Greatschools.org .

[seanlax]

Every community you listed is well-known for good schools. Goldenage1 gives good advice on academic-competitiveness. From my experience with northern PA transplants, your children, specifically your oldest, might not be nearly as far as their peers in regards to subject matter, math class progression and foreign language skills. The schools up there just aren't as fast-paced or competitive and Maryland, especially central Maryland schools.

[MidValleyDad]

Don't forget Westminster (The MD-140 corridor) and Hampstead/Manchester (MD-30 Corridor)

[Chaofan]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

I think the least stressful commutes would be from Sykesville and Eldersburg. For the other areas, you have to get on the Beltway or I-70 which can be awful.

School ratings in these areas are all very good. I think any differences in ratings are less significant than how well your children fit with the school. For example, some schools in Howard County are very high pressure academically, and some kids don't handle that well. I would look for as many parent comments as you can find on Greatschools.org .

Or you can go the back way through the park. It takes a little longer, but it's less stressful.

[newhart]

I think Carroll County would probably be a less stressful commute and the schools are very good. They lack the diversity of the other areas, however. The student population will be predominantly white.

[Sicilee]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

Don't forget Westminster (The MD-140 corridor) and Hampstead/Manchester (MD-30 Corridor)

I was going to say the same thing. Look at Westminster and maybe Hampstead. I think the prices will be more reasonable, and the proximity to PA will give you quicker access to some uniquely PA cultural sites and events.

[adwisdom]

I think I should clarify, we are definitely not looking to replicate NEPA! We have actually only lived here for 2 years and don't like it. We are originally from the Cincinnati suburbs (don't hate me, I'm not a bengals fan!), so we would be looking to more closely replicate that environment. Both girls have had a great academic foundation, coming from a private Montessori preschool/kindergarten base to one of the better districts in Ohio. I don't worry about competitiveness at all, I'm looking for the best overall experience academically,socially, as well as exposure to arts and activities outside of hunting and fishing which is about it for NEPA. (Not that there is anything wrong with that, I just want more available to them). We lived in a neighborhood where kids played together and adults threw parties and had BBQ's and I miss that. Thanks for all of your input, I really appreciate it!

[newhart]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

School ratings in these areas are all very good. I think any differences in ratings are less significant than how well your children fit with the school. For example, some schools in Howard County are very high pressure academically, and some kids don't handle that well. I would look for as many parent comments as you can find on Greatschools.org .

This is good advice. There's going to be a different vibe with the schools. Just look at the demographics. The top ranked Howard County schools have very large Asian populations, from 25% to 35%, and these students come from families that are very achievement oriented. The academic pressure can be intense - to get a perfect SAT score, to get into the best Ivy league school. My kids went to one of the competitive high schools and did great, but I know some who would have been better off in a less intense environment. The good part is, if you have a kid who is a math-science nerd, he will have lots of company.

Carroll County schools are excellent all-around schools but in comparison, are overwhelmingly white. The same thing for the Hereford zone. I keep mentioning this because it really does matter to a lot of people.

In addition, in much of of the commercial district of Ellicott City, you will feel like you're in Little Korea. Personally, I love it. Others don't.

Great Schools can be a good place to go for a quick look at school demographics and assessment scores, but if you want more detail, go to the Maryland Report Card site http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/rd where you can get complete information by county or individual schools on things such as AP stats and SAT & ACT scores and trends.

[newhart]

Wow, the edit button has a short life on this board.

Correction for the link I posted above: 2015 Maryland Report Card