City Schools (New York, Rochester, Brighton: houses, landscaping, transfer)

[JDS34]

We're thinking of relocating back to Rochester (where I grew up). We enjoy city living and ideally would live in the city, either in the Park Ave or Cobbs Hill area. However, we also have two young kids so schools are very important to us.

My question is, are there any good elementary schools in the city, particularly in those neighborhoods, that residents send their kids too. I'm also curious if there are young families in either of those neighborhoods.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

[ckhthankgod]

Look at Francis Parker(School #23) on Barrington: School 23-Francis Parker - Rochester, New York - NY - School overview , School 23-Francis Parker Test Scores - Rochester, New York - NY

Genesee Community Charter is another to consider and it is on East Ave.: Genesee Comm Charter School at the R - Rochester, New York - NY - School overview , Genesee Comm Charter School at the R Test Scores - Rochester, New York - NY

World of Inquiry School, which is also pretty close, might be another option: School 58-World of Inquiry School - Rochester, New York - NY - School overview , School 58-World of Inquiry School Test Scores - Rochester, New York - NY

If you can and like living in the city later on, try getting them in to the School of the Arts for High School and it is close by as well: School of the Arts - Rochester, New York - NY - School overview , School of the Arts Test Scores - Rochester, New York - NY , School of the Arts Test Scores - Rochester, New York - NY

Here's the district website too: Rochester City School District - Discover The Excellence

[garmin239]

The school in Barrington street is decent, but after that, I wouldn't send my kids to city schools for middle or high school

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by garmin239

The school in Barrington street is decent, but after that, I wouldn't send my kids to city schools for middle or high school

Even SOTA?

[garmin239]

SOTA is good, but thats the exception to the rule. For the most part, city schools aren't that great.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by garmin239

SOTA is good, but thats the exception to the rule. For the most part, city schools aren't that great.

I was going to say, considering that according to the last school report card, they graduated something liek 87% of their kids within the 4 year timeframe: https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb-rc...1600010074.pdf (page 14).

Also, keep in mind that in NY State, they do the percentage by the kids that start at a school in 9th grade to August 31st of that 4th year. So, that percentage gets affected by transfers, drop outs(even if they get a GED), kids that might go over that timeframe and even within the timeframe, they pass in summer school before august 31st. I wonder how many people even know that? So, it's not a thing of the kids that start that senior year and the percentage out of those that graduate.

[vlouise]

I currently live in the Park Ave neighborhood and have for the past 14 years. My husband and I love it and we are saddened that we find ourselves coming to the conclusion that we need to move to the suburbs for our child to attend school.

I do think there are some good options in the Rochester Public School Dist! I have many neighbors who have successfully sent their children to city schools using options such as the Barrington Street Elementary and the Genesee Valley Charter School along with SOTA for middle & high school. The only problem with this plan is that there are NO GUARANTEES that your child will be able to get a spot in these schools. I have seen other neighbors lose out on lotteries in February and then scramble to get moved to the burbs in time to get a child enrolled by September. Even if you get into a charter school or regular elementary school of your choice, you still have no guarantee that your child will get into SOTA, the competition for that school is fierce.

My neighbors who have stayed in the city with children are mostly in an economic bracket where private schools are a viable option if needed. There are many excellent private schools in or very near the city. Unfortunately, private schools would not be an option for me so I find the best choice is to move.

We are looking for something in Brighton or Penfield. In a neighborhood that borders the city, we really like sidewalks & trees and would find it difficult to live in a newer track built in a corn field with no mature landscaping. This is a hard choice and I wish the options were better or at least more numerous!

[vlouise]

Jeff, I also meant to tell you that there ARE young families in these neighborhoods. I can't speak so much to the Cobbs Hill area but Park Ave area is swarming with children. YOu will especially find many families with pre-schoolers. The crowd thins a bit once you get to school age, but as I said in my last post, many people successfully send their through the City School District. I have quite a few slightly older neighbors whose children have recently graduated from SOTA and gone on to college and are doing very well.

Many of these families have used a mix of public and private for different children with different needs.

[JDS34]

Thanks vlousie for the reply, very helpful. I'm also leaning towards Brighton or maybe the village of Pittsford, we also prefer older houses and trees. good luck!

[ckhthankgod]

So, maybe private schools like Mercy, Aquinas, McQuaid, Bishop Kearney, Finney, Harley, Allendale-Columbia, Nazareth and some others could be some options if one wants to stay in the city.