How are schools in Conway? (Dover, Portsmouth: homes, school district, live in)

[igottomove]

Hi. New to this forum!
Hoping to move to New Hampshire this year. Currently looking at Albany, NH. No schools in Albany and kids would be going to Conway schools, specifically Conway elementary. The only info I have about that school is not too positive and same goes for the middle school and high school...Thoughts?

Also any info on Albany/ Conway would be appreciated...for example how tolerant are folks toward minority religious groups and minorities in general?

Any jobs for handyman/remodelers in the area? teachers?

Many thanks

[NH2008]

I don't have first-hand experience but since no one else has answered I'll tell you what I've heard. My parents live in a town that sends its kids to Kennett for high school and uses the N Conway middle school. The reputation in town is terrible. My dad has heard that Kennett is among the worst high schools in the state. Whether this is warranted or not, I cannot say. However I do know that most of the people I've met in town send their kids to private school in Wolfeboro. The family we know with a teenager pulled him out when he said he wasn't learning anything, and they are now homeschooling him. Glancing at the Great Schools site, which rates schools on performance, it doesn't appear that the local schools are doing very well:

Greatschools.net Search: north conway

There may be people who are having great experiences there, but overall it's not a high-achieving school district. (It looks like the elementary school in Center Conway does very well, though.)

re work, there are tons of summer people in the area who probably need caretakers and handymen. But there's probably also a lot of competition for those jobs.

[NH2008]

PS re views toward minorities...I think it very much depends on where exactly you move, and presumably, what minority you're talking about. I know that there is a Jewish group that meets for potlucks somewhere around there, there are at least a few Asians, and we know an inter-racial family who moved to North Conway. However, there was a gay couple that moved to my parents' town because they felt unwelcome one town over (neither of the towns you mentioned but in the area.) So much depends on which individuals you happen to meet. NH is a very white state but I don't consider it an intolerant one. The issue is more likely to be how you feel being in a minority without a large contingent of peers than how you're viewed by others.

[igottomove]

Thank you so very much...the only place i got info from prior to writing was from the great schools website and Conway elementary (where my kids would go) didn't get such a good rating either . I will definitely look into the private school in Wolfeboro. Also, our family is Jewish but not super strict about it...it is nice to hear that there are a few other folks in the area as well (city data website info made it seem as though there was only one other Jewish person in the whole Conway area). Any chance you may know of any temples in the area? We know about one in Bethlehem, but were not sure if there are any others nearby? Thanks again for the info

Originally Posted by NH2008

I don't have first-hand experience but since no one else has answered I'll tell you what I've heard. My parents live in a town that sends its kids to Kennett for high school and uses the N Conway middle school. The reputation in town is terrible. My dad has heard that Kennett is among the worst high schools in the state. Whether this is warranted or not, I cannot say. However I do know that most of the people I've met in town send their kids to private school in Wolfeboro. The family we know with a teenager pulled him out when he said he wasn't learning anything, and they are now homeschooling him. Glancing at the Great Schools site, which rates schools on performance, it doesn't appear that the local schools are doing very well:

Greatschools.net Search: north conway

There may be people who are having great experiences there, but overall it's not a high-achieving school district. (It looks like the elementary school in Center Conway does very well, though.)

re work, there are tons of summer people in the area who probably need caretakers and handymen. But there's probably also a lot of competition for those jobs.

[NH2008]

There aren't any synagogues in the area that I know of. There is one in Portland, ME (reform or Conservative - not sure), a reform synagogue in Portsmouth, and I think a reform synagogue in Dover. All you've got in Conway is the Shabbat potluck club.

Depending exactly where you settle, there may be a bit more diversity than in some parts of NH because there are so many summer people/second home owners/tourists. We know Jewish people who have second homes in N Conway. But I think for a real Jewish community or if you wanted your kids to attend religious school, you'd have to drive.

The Jewish Federation of NH has a list of all the synagogues in the state:

Jewish Federation of NH, Synagogues

[MtnFlyer]

I realize this thread is a few months old, but if anyone else has insight on the schools (both public and private) in the Conway/North Conway area, I'd love to hear your thoughts.