Lexington vs Winchester Public Schools (commute, town, between)

[vogue]

Milton and Holliston have full French immersion program in school from kindergarten. That would help your kids maybe make an easier transition. Milton is very well regarded, but it is to the south of Boston. Holliston is small town more in the "burbs", and I do not think it would fit your lifestyle.

Muraco school district in Winchester is well regarded. Many RE adds point out if house is in Muraco area. Winchester in general is well regarded, but I do think Lexington is better. Check www.greatschools.net or .org for more info-- parents often leave reviews and it can help you get bit of information. Sorry, I can not be of more assistance in regards to Winchester schools.

[holden125]

I don't think you'll really go awry with any Winchester (or Lexington) elementary school. It seems to me that, within those two towns, a lot of the discussion about which are "better" is about subtle personal or neighborhood rivalries. I've heard people from Newton South call Newton North a "ghetto" school because there are some people there from households with under 200K in income. It gets ridiculous.

I spent a year at Lincoln in Winchester and it was excellent. That was, of course, eons ago. Muraco is very highly regarded but I don't like the neighborhood as much. Vinson-Owen is very good. Really, they all are.

[Fhil44]

I have never participated in a forum.....I must say I am happy I did.....you all have been very helpful with your thoughts and ideas....THANK YOU!!!

[Julsa]

Hi there,

We are moving to Lexington from Switzerland (French speaking part) by the end of June.

I would love to hear from you about the reputations of the different elementary schools in Lexington.

Thank you & good luck with your search.

All the best,
Saskia

[Fhil44]

Hello Saskia
A dear friend lives in Lexington with her four children and she grew up there as well. Her children are in the Fiske (elementary) Diamond (middle school) District. She speaks very highly of this district and we were limiting our search in Lexington to homes situated in this district based on what she told me. I have also heard however many good things about the other schools.
Do you have a real etate agent? We are working with a local Lexington agent who is very good and I could recommend her if you wish.
Good luck to you.
Fhil44

[nervous_in_new_england]

They're both amazing towns.

I love Lexington because of all of the big old homes and the land and spaciousness, the downtown area is really nice. If you like living in a more remote suburb than Lexington is your place. It has a great community pool and the schools are great. No commuter rail to Lexington, longer commute to Boston.

I love Winchester because it has a more urban feel. It's a suburb with a lot of bustle, which is a hard find. The downtown is beautiful and vibrant, with some nice open space. The homes are gorgeous, but not much land. The schools are tops in the country. Winchester has a commuter rail and is a 13 minute train ride into Boston, which is unreal.

They both have their amazing points, it just depends on what you are looking for.

[winnewbie]

I have heard all the elementary schools are good. The Vinsen-Owen physical space is more tired; I think there are plans to rebuild that school soon. The Ambrose school is new and people seem to be very happy with it. My own child goes to the middle school. We are extremely happy with it. Although there are 1,000 kids, my child has a lot of individualized attention. The teachers are extraordinary. They seem to care about my child's emotional state as much as his academics. The school uses a team approach wherein the teachers and other staff, e.g. social worker, meet every 6 days. During this time, they talk about individual children and come up with strategies to help any with difficulties.

If you are looking for diversity, it is somewhat lacking. Almost all families are caucasian (lots of Italians and Irish descendants--UK too) and maybe 5-10% Asian. There are nice sports programs and a great music school. There is no community pool unfortunately. However, there will be a new "splash park" within the coming year. The three private clubs have long wait lists, so don't expect to become members of the country club or boat club upon relocating.

Winchester's physical beauty is unparalleled. Horn Pond, Mystic Lakes and the Middlesex Fells are gorgeous! We have been very happy here. We were choosing between Lexington and Winchester and are happy with our choice. It is a quieter with a tight-knit community, older, prettier housing stock, and the high school has fewer students (1,000 instead of 2,000).

[joand3132]

Lexington. Balanced budget..... very skilled staff and excellent reputation.

[joand3132]

Lexington. Balanced budget..... very skilled staff and excellent reputation. Go on to Lexington's web site and check out their budget. They and Brookline are the only ones where budget cuts will not effect services. Very important for services, sports, SPED, class size.

[ArlingtonAllison]

No one has mentioned whether weaker students are happy in Lexington schools. Do they feel they receive as much attention as the smarter kids? Is there a lot of competition between students? Are the students stressed out by the academic pressure? Are most students highly scheduled?

Thanks for your help!