Schools in Chambersburg (Wilson: brokers, house, transfer)

[RANJEN1]

Anyone live in chambersburg, PA? How is the area and how are the elementary schools?

[insanemomof3]

BAD BAD BAD! I just recently found this board and wish I had prior to moving here. My son is in kindergarden this year and we moved with him only having 5 months left of the school year, he attended Marion elementary, it was a tin shelter attatched to the side of a very very old building..you are not able to speak to a principle because he is so busy attending to so many schools, why one little town needs 10 elementary schools is beyond me. His education was very poor. Also the spanish speaking population is so large that the teachers have to teach at such a slow pace to keep them up, that the english speaking kids suffer.
the middle school is worse there are cops there daily, that would be faust..we are leaving this area as soon as we can mainly due to the poor education here.

[sharris]

I would advise you to take that comment with grain of salt. Here is a great way to check on shools in PaSchoolMatters - Home .

[HippieChickEarthMother]

insanemomof3 is ALWAYS putting down Chambersburg. Why she doesn't pack up her litter and move is beyond me.

I live OUTSIDE of Chambersburg, but am in town quite often. It's a nice, small town. Quite diverse in terms of population colors/income/class.

You've got hillbillies and you've got stockbrokers and everything in between.

School system is about average, got some bright stars and some dull bulbs - just like everywhere.

Drugs a bit more prevalent than in some other nearby towns, and a bit more gang activity than some other nearby towns.

All in all, Cburg not a bad place for cheap, country livin'.

[heretothere]

I too am looking at moving back to Chambersburg....I attended the schools in this area as a child, but of course did not realize the poor performance of them. Although not Catholic, may parents sent me to Corpus Christi ( a private school) for elementary...I remember being ahead in english and math when I transferred to public school in 6th grade. I am actually amazed at how poorly the schools rate on greatschools.com. I suppose if you are a parent who stays involved your child will do well. But this is a big deterrant to us when comtemplating moving to the area....anyone have comments on this? I think if the town wants to continue to grow in a positive way, it will need to find a way to attract young professionals and families.....what positive opportunities exist for children in this area?

[military spouse]

We had to leave due to my husband's job. Our daughter attended both Shalom and Marion and we absolutely loved Marion. Very small school with lots of parental involvement. Chambersburg is a phenomonal place to raise children. Tons of camps during the summer. We really miss it. We now live in AZ where the schools are BAD (and we are in an excelling district) and there are few activities for kids. Our daughter played softball, soccer and swim team. The YMCA is very family-oriented. We attend a fancy gym in AZ with waterslides, 3 pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, etc., but I would go back to the Chambersburg Y in a heartbeat. Great place for kids!!!

[heretothere]

Thanks for the information on those two schools Military Spouse. Thats funny we currently live in AZ in the Mesa/Tempe area. I find myself all the time trying to figure out if the fancy malls, museums and indoor play areas outweigh a chance for my daugter to actually go outside in the summer and roll around in the grass ( without being stung by the most aggressive ants on the planet or getting second degree burns.) I was a little frustrated that the local Chambersburg websites did not have any activities listed for the kids. But maybe its because the groups and events are listed elsewhere? After living in the Phoenix area for ten years I think I've become accustomed to ALWAYS having a bunch of events/activities to choose from. Although, since we had a child the small town atmosphere is much more appealing. My husband and I and even my daughter are not big on crowds...and just taking a stroll in the neighborhood or playing in the yard would be very satisfying to all of us. I just don't want my daughter to miss out on opportunities like ballet or music lessons....or be so bored when she is a teenager that she gets into drugs etc. I realize parents play a role in that not happening..but I can't shake that memory of me as a teen in Chambersburg hating it and waiting for the day to leave....hahaha and now that I'm "old" I am thinking about returning.

[military spouse]

You will find all kinds of sports for children in Chambersburg. Also, I believe there is the Cumberland Valley School of Music (I may be wrong about the name) and they have a variety of music classes that meet at Wilson College. One of my fondest memories of Chambersburg was going to my daughter's softball practice on a cool, crisp day and watching the black and white cows run toward a beautiful red barn that was located behind the softball field in Marion. We were only there for about 2 years, but it felt like home. I loved the fact that it was approx. halfway between NYC and DC. Oh, baking a casserole on a freezing day with the scent of candles permeating our house.

Everything in AZ is new and nice, but somehow feels cold and sterile. There really are no interesting festivals that match the season/weather. I love the new shopping, gyms, etc. in AZ, but would give them up in a second to be in a more family-oriented place like Chambersburg.

Our daughter really misses Chambersburg. We still have our house there, so who knows?

[military spouse]

Heretothere,
I forgot to ask how long it has been since you've been to Chambersburg?

[Jctxstate]

I did not attend elementary school in Chambersburg, however I did graduate from Chambersburg High School. My educational experience was really is a mixed bag. Some teachers offered me a phenomenal experience leaving me irreplaceable memories and lessons (Mr. McKenrick). While others just floated along and did their duty. However, in aggregate I had a great time at Chambersburg Area Senior High.