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My husband and I and our moving from Mass to RI with our son.Found couple homes in Portsmouth and Bristol. Can I please get opinions on communities, specifically friendliness and community activities. Also would like some more information on schools, specifically Bristol. How are the schools with special needs IEP plans?. Plan to stay long time so looking at high schools in comparison also.
Bristol & Portsmouth are both special in their own ways. Both beautiful coastal towns. Portsmouth is good because it has "ok" schools, lower property taxes and is closer to fun Newport. Bristol is a traditional coastal New England small town with tons of character. Not much of Bristol is typically ugly, where Portsmouth has blocks of strip mall type shopping and traffic. As for IEP plans, others can give you a better comparison.
Bristol & Portsmouth are both special in their own ways. Both beautiful coastal towns. Portsmouth is good because it has "ok" schools, lower property taxes and is closer to fun Newport. Bristol is a traditional coastal New England small town with tons of character. Not much of Bristol is typically ugly, where Portsmouth has blocks of strip mall type shopping and traffic. As for IEP plans, others can give you a better comparison.
There is FAR more "ugly" in Bristol than Portsmouth. Never been down Metacom Ave. I take it? Don't know about either town's schools, just that Portsmouth has a better reputation. It is correct that they are both nice towns in different ways, it depends on your preference.
There is FAR more "ugly" in Bristol than Portsmouth. Never been down Metacom Ave. I take it? Don't know about either town's schools, just that Portsmouth has a better reputation. It is correct that they are both nice towns in different ways, it depends on your preference.
I guess I was referring to the commercial built environment overall in both towns. Bristol has a charming village shopping area to balance off Metacom Av.. Portsmouth/Middletown not so lucky. However, Portsmouth's residential waterfront areas are as attractive as any.
I just left that area about a year ago. Why will you be moving to RI over a bordering city in MA? What prompted you to target that area of RI? I ask because most people don't end up there for work. There really isn't a whole lot of economic activity there.
Both of those public schools should be great with IEPs, I don't know how one could be different from another aside from specific special education teachers. I don't have experience with the districts first hand to give better feedback, I do know that Portsmouth schools are considered very good. Perhaps you should call and talk with the special education directors at each district? That would probably give you a better idea.
I think both areas have friendly people, but you should know that most people in this area grew up here and never leave. Everyone knows everyone. The only new blood seems to be associated with the Navy base and those people replace eachother every few years. Locals tend to spend the entire summer at the beach and I still can't figure out how anyone outside of retirement age can afford it. I didn't like it there, my husband loved it.
I just left that area about a year ago. Why will you be moving to RI over a bordering city in MA? What prompted you to target that area of RI? I ask because most people don't end up there for work. There really isn't a whole lot of economic activity there.
Both of those public schools should be great with IEPs, I don't know how one could be different from another aside from specific special education teachers. I don't have experience with the districts first hand to give better feedback, I do know that Portsmouth schools are considered very good. Perhaps you should call and talk with the special education directors at each district? That would probably give you a better idea.
I think both areas have friendly people, but you should know that most people in this area grew up here and never leave. Everyone knows everyone. The only new blood seems to be associated with the Navy base and those people replace eachother every few years. Locals tend to spend the entire summer at the beach and I still can't figure out how anyone outside of retirement age can afford it. I didn't like it there, my husband loved it.
While many residents may never leave, the coastal/water view neighborhoods of both Portsmouth & Bristol are highly desirable seeing new residents, from the outside, move in constantly.
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