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Nope. That's why I want to know what exactly the nature of this pressure is. Sounds more like something to do with some parents and their unrealistic expectations.
Why would you ever want to live in Chappaqua over Ridgefield if you didn't need to commute to NYC? You'll pay so much more for the house and taxes. If money is no object, by all means do.
Sand-
The difference between what is reported as "good" schools and "excellent" schools around here is really not the difference in teachers, curriculum, programs, etc. It is the difference in demographic makeup of the district. The "excellent" schools have a common denominator: practically no lower income group to drag down scores, and they have the $$ to do whatever is necessary to ensure their kids get good grades and good test scores, even it means spending thousands of dollars on tutors.
I would not stress about getting into an "excellent" district...it's an overrated word.
PS - I think Ridgefield was rated one of the top 5 districts in CT ???
I would definitely find Ridgefield comparable to Chappaqua, save for Ridgefield does not have the same pressure put upon students. It's an excellent school district, and I would not move to Chappaqua just for the schools, since the Manhattan commute is not a requirement. The overall environment in Ridgefield is less stressed than Chappaqua can be, and part of Chappaqua's is pressure from the parents/peer group to succeed, not unlike other districts with similar reputations in Westchester. Ridgefield is on par with New Canaan and Greenwich, which would equate to Chappaqua.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
So I guess pressure in Chappaqua would come from the parents and the peer group? You should read the post of Purchasebound and how her kids in Scarsdale got over the so-called "pressure environment" there.
The gist is it won't affect the kids if the parents don't subject them to pressure, and remind them that they don't have to put up with it. Tell kids they don't have to take 6 different extra curriculars and an all-AP courseload. They'll thank you for that.
We're in Larchmont and love the schools here, but ours are still in elementary. For all of the $$ you'll save in Ridgefield, hire a tutor!
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