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Old 11-15-2006, 01:53 PM
 
4 posts, read 23,901 times
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We are moving to Seattle area and going to choose the area based on 1) high school with strong math and science programs (IB includes humanities and does not go really far in math/science, I believe); 2) parks in the neighborhood; 3) commute to downtown; 4) chance to find younger than 40 yo 3-bedroom house with decent backyard below 550,000.

We are moving from the area with one of the best school systems and our son is in the HS specialized in math, science and computer science. So I get a little shaky when thinking about move. Should I be?
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Old 11-15-2006, 02:06 PM
 
Location: Haddington, E. Lothian, Scotland
753 posts, read 758,478 times
Reputation: 175
Quote:
Originally Posted by on-the-move View Post
We are moving to Seattle area and going to choose the area based on 1) high school with strong math and science programs (IB includes humanities and does not go really far in math/science, I believe); 2) parks in the neighborhood; 3) commute to downtown; 4) chance to find younger than 40 yo 3-bedroom house with decent backyard below 550,000.

We are moving from the area with one of the best school systems and our son is in the HS specialized in math, science and computer science. So I get a little shaky when thinking about move. Should I be?
Hi,

It's going to be a tough decision. My wife & I had researched IB schools in Seattle before we left, and simply didn't find any within our reach. One school, Foss High in Tacoma, had a good IB program but when we toured the school and saw the gangbangers, we changed our minds on the spot. There were others in Kent and Everett (neither are great areas) and Olympia (too far away).

If you need to have an IB school, be near downtown Seattle and have a house less than 550K, I'm sorry to say I can't think of a place that meets those criteria. It's not good to be a bringer of good news, but this is just honest feedback. It would be worthwhile to listen to others who know the area. Maybe there is something I've missed.

I hope you can find something that meets your expectations.
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Old 11-15-2006, 02:27 PM
 
4 posts, read 23,901 times
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Thank you for the info, FistFightingHairdresser!
I did find several IB schools on the East and North-East of the city. But commute is terrible as I saw. Have you heard anything about any plans in close future for additional railroads or bridges?
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Old 11-15-2006, 02:59 PM
 
Location: Haddington, E. Lothian, Scotland
753 posts, read 758,478 times
Reputation: 175
Quote:
Originally Posted by on-the-move View Post
Thank you for the info, FistFightingHairdresser!
I did find several IB schools on the East and North-East of the city. But commute is terrible as I saw. Have you heard anything about any plans in close future for additional railroads or bridges?
Hi,

It would be cool to get you sorted. So let's start with work. Where do you *have* to work? Maybe that would help triangulate some schools.

Actually, Foss in Tacoma would be OK so long as your kids didn't have to live the the area around it. If the work location is flexible, you could live in Gig Harbor which is a *very* nice area, but also be within a manageable distance from Foss. But then again, Gig Harbor schools are excellent, but aren't IB. Is that an option? Stadium High in Tacoma also has a very high reputation, but isn't IB.

If you must live in Seattle proper, IB schools are probably too far to reach. But there are some good private schools. Seattle Academy of Arts or University Prep are absolutely top notch, but you will PAY for the privilege.

Public schools in Seattle were a disappointment for my wife & I. The public schools in our area (Ballard) were underwhelming, in spite of them supposedly being some of the best in the city. A girl getting shot & killed by a gang at our local HS didn't improve our outlook.

Our friends who had kids in other public schools didn't report anything worth being enthused about either. Maybe living in Redmond, Belleview or Kirkland is an option for you?
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Old 11-15-2006, 03:46 PM
 
4 posts, read 23,901 times
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The work is in the heart of downtown of Seattle. However I am thinking about Issaquah, Bellevue, Bothell areas. On the web those schools sound great except science tests results. That is what bothers me. I am looking for vigorous science curriculum (physics, biology, chemistry) which is not just AP level classes. In our county some schools have variety of science programs with their own requirements for graduation in addition to regular HS graduation. I guess we are spoiled by opportunities we have here.
I saw some info about Interlake HS, but this was controvercial.
Have you heard anything about its GT program?
Thanks for the details about "south side" life.
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Old 11-15-2006, 03:57 PM
 
Location: Haddington, E. Lothian, Scotland
753 posts, read 758,478 times
Reputation: 175
Quote:
Originally Posted by on-the-move View Post
The work is in the heart of downtown of Seattle. However I am thinking about Issaquah, Bellevue, Bothell areas. On the web those schools sound great except science tests results. That is what bothers me. I am looking for vigorous science curriculum (physics, biology, chemistry) which is not just AP level classes. In our county some schools have variety of science programs with their own requirements for graduation in addition to regular HS graduation. I guess we are spoiled by opportunities we have here.
I saw some info about Interlake HS, but this was controvercial.
Have you heard anything about its GT program?
Thanks for the details about "south side" life.
Sure, no problem. The East Side would be a good bet. The schools are good, but I can't say anything specific about the science curricula.

Where country are you moving from? Maybe I can give you a comparative view.
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Old 11-15-2006, 08:12 PM
 
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We are coming from Maryland, Montgomery county. I like it here very much. A lot to do and very accessible, and great schools.
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Old 11-25-2006, 07:02 AM
 
1 posts, read 5,974 times
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Have you investigated Bainbridge Island? I was looking into Seattle area high schools a while back, and found it very highly rated at that time. You would have a ferry commute to work, but if you could walk from the Seattle ferry terminal to your office that would make it much more doable than having to put a car on the ferry (getting to ferry line early, etc a big drag). I think the actual commute might be sort of pleasant in that you could sit and have a coffee and plan your day whereas no such opportunity exists while on the freeways from the east side.
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Old 11-28-2006, 09:24 PM
 
214 posts, read 1,004,990 times
Reputation: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by on-the-move View Post
We are moving to Seattle area and going to choose the area based on 1) high school with strong math and science programs (IB includes humanities and does not go really far in math/science, I believe); 2) parks in the neighborhood; 3) commute to downtown; 4) chance to find younger than 40 yo 3-bedroom house with decent backyard below 550,000.

We are moving from the area with one of the best school systems and our son is in the HS specialized in math, science and computer science. So I get a little shaky when thinking about move. Should I be?

on-the-move,

Does your son attend the Science magnet program at Montgomery Blair?

I grew up in the DC metro area (Reston, VA) and have been in the Seattle for less than a year. I find that people in general are less focussed on science/math education at the high school level. I guess part of it is due to all sort of science agencies, government labs, and tech companies in the DC area.

As a previous poster said, I agreee that the best bets for public education are East of Seattle. If you are willing to spend for expensive real estate, Mercer Island is (I think) considered by the Seattle Times as the best public high school in the Seattle area. Mercer Island is roughly the same commute into downtown Seattle as it would take from Rockville/Bethesda to downtown DC by car. If you can handle that commute when you were in MD, then this would be similar. Other good general schools are Bellevue and Newport, both in Bellevue.

As far as I know, these schools don't offer anything beyond AP Calc BC in math, which might be the equivalent of what Blair students take in their sophomore (or even freshman) year. But I think they do offer tie-ups with Univ of Washington math/science classes for credit... so you may want to ask around about this possibility.

As impressive as they are locally in the region, I still believe that the DC metro area can spoil any parent who's highest priority is education. Even the best regular public schools in the DC metro area (Churchill, Langley, Wootton, Whitman, etc) are all, IMHO, better than anything in the Seattle-metro area, in terms of Math/Science education. If you are strictly looking for an equal for the science magnet programs at Montgomery Blair HS or Thomas Jefferson HS, you won't find it in the Seattle area.

If you are willing to pay for private school, many consider the best school to be Lakeside School. Bill Gates and Paul Allen are Lakeside's most famous alums. It is also considered among the elite west coast private schools. They don't have AP/IB course designations, but they seem to have the most rigorous and comprehensive math/science curriculums of any school I've seen in the area. Here's their math department website: http://www.lakesideschool.org/upperschool/departments/math/ (broken link).

Hope this helps.

Last edited by middle-of-nowhere; 11-28-2006 at 09:45 PM..
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Old 04-01-2007, 10:30 AM
 
4 posts, read 34,710 times
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Default Bainbridge has second best schools in western washington

Do consider Bainbridge.Working in Seattle poses no problem. Car pools exist for many employers in Seattle who live on BI. They even get priority in gettiing on and off the ferries! Monthly rates for ferry riders make the cost not too horrid, plus, the busses are all free in downtown Seattle. Many people ride their bikes onto the ferry or motorcycles, and they get off first, also. The schools are very good here. Only expensive Mercer Island has better ones, and we go back and forthg with them on scores.
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