Saco schools (Portland, Biddeford, Scarborough: middle school, living in, tuition)

[superiorcynic]

Hi all. I am interviewing for a job in Saco. It would be ideal for us to live in the town for convenience and for my profession. Can someone give me their thoughts on the schools in Saco? I have a daughter who will be entering 3rd grade this fall. If not Saco, what is the next closest district that you would recommend? Thanks so much!

[birdinmigration]

Thornton Academy is considered very good.

I have worked at Burns School, and I thought there were some very troubling things there.

I think Cape E., Scarborough, Biddeford, Kennebunkport Consolidated are good, with nice kids and involved parents.

[elston]

I had several friends who teach at the middle school......they were hard working and dedicated teachers.....who seemed to love their students.

I had a friend whose daughter attended elementary school in Saco.....she moved to Portland because she wanted her daughter (who was adopted from an Asian country)...to have a more diverse experience.

At my church several of the young people attended Thornton Academy.....I was very impressed with their maturity, intelligence and respect for others.

I didn't hear any stories of poor education.

As an aside......I love the town of Saco.

[superiorcynic]

Thank you both.

[lrmsd]

I've been researching this myself, OP. So I'll just add what I've learned, as an outsider: The town has an agreement with Thornton Academy and tuitions in high schoolers, since they don't have a local high school. I know your child is in 3rd grade, so it's irrelevant at the moment, but if you think you might stay long term, it may be something to consider [also, if you can afford private tuition, TA has lower grades, too]. Or, you might be interested in a private school in Portland and surrounds, while still living in Saco.

For public, Cape Elizabeth ranks the highest and does look like a nice, well resourced district. [I checked great schools dot org and global report card dot org. I know scores aren't everything, but you can also read parent reviews on great schools dot org]. Scarborough, Gorham, Westboro also are considered especially good districts. Saco reviews seem to say that schools are hit or miss, but the town has seen growth and interest, and it sounds like many residents are proud citizens and highly vested in their community, so that's usually a good sign. People say portland and south portland have good schools. The numbers and reviews say differently (namely that it's more of a mixed bag) but that doesn't mean it's not a good choice.

Good luck w/your search.

[elston]

My grand daughter who lives in Saco goes to private school in Portland.....Breakwater School. It is an exceptional school, progressive and child focused. The decision to send her to Breakwater had nothing to do with the quality of elementary schools in Saco.....it just worked out perfectly for the parents schedule....and it matched their educational philosophy. It is a wonderful school.