Private Schools (Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon: fit in, houses, neighborhood)

[Westchesterwannabe]

Does anyone know how the private schools in Westchester stack up against the better school districts? Catholic schools in particular. I'm constantly seeing Scarsdale, Byram Hills, etc., but what about Fordam and Iona Prep? Is there anything out there that compares these schools?

Also, I was wondering if the private schools are zoned to particular areas? For example, I assume that the kids in houses 600k and up in New Rochelle, Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, etc. all go to private school. Do all kids in Yonkers go to Fordham Prep and those in New Rochelle go to Iona? I like the idea of Catholic school but I would like a neighborhood where all of the students go to the same school. I would hate to move to a "good district" and be on the only one using the private schools and conversely moving to a "bad district" with kids going to schools all over the map.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Westchesterwannabe

Does anyone know (1) how the private schools in Westchester stack up against the better school districts? Catholic schools in particular. I'm constantly seeing Scarsdale, Byram Hills, etc., but what about Fordam and Iona Prep? Is there anything out there that compares these schools?

Also, I was wondering if the private schools are zoned to particular areas? (2) For example, I assume that the kids in houses 600k and up in New Rochelle, Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, etc. all go to private school. Do all kids in Yonkers go to Fordham Prep and those in New Rochelle go to Iona? I like the idea of Catholic school but I would like (3) a neighborhood where all of the students go to the same school. I would hate to move to a "good district" and be on the only one using the private schools and conversely moving to a "bad district" with kids going to schools all over the map.

(1) If you're in Larchmont, Pelham, Scarsdale, etc districts there's no academic reason for Iona/Ursaline etc. It's about social stuff, keeping you kid safe from opposite sex, drugs and other similar illusions. And they are illusions, make no mistake. Iona, at least, can't hold a candle to the serious private schools like Hackley, Rye Country Day or the Riverdale "Hill Schools." FWIW, my exposure to Iona kids - which is considerable - hasn't impressed me much. Maybe Fordham is better. Kids from Stepanac are pretty much thugs.

(2) Quite often, yes.

(3) no. From all over the place.

[lucky24]

I can only give you my experience of Iona Prep. My son is in the honors program called STEP. He loves his teachers. They are challenging and fair. The environment is positive. My other son went through the public school system. For every 1 teacher that had a positive impact on him, there were 4 that were useless. I'm thrilled at the experience we are currently enjoying.

[matlabmaster99]

The public schools in certain westchester towns are >= private schools.

pretty much if your district includes a city / high population dense area the schools will be worse so families who can afford it send their kids to private schools. So if you live in Yonkers the school district there kind of sucks so its better to send private if you can afford it.

You mentioned, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle, thee are all pretty city-type areas. The more rural you get the better the schools become.

Personally I don't think its worth it to pay ~40k per year for private school when you are already paying ~30k per year in property tax. If you pay ~30k in property tax and your school district sucks then its time to move.

I think private schools in westchester tend to have kids who can't take the heat in competitive public schools.

I am not going to pay ~40k per year to teach my kids how to do algebra and factor polynomials, they can learn that for free from YouTube.

usually the kids who do well on wall street came from public schools and had to claw their way to the top, they are more hungry for success than kids who went to some elite prep school.

[BD1978]

I agree with matlabmaster that it really doesn't make sense to pay high property taxes for presumably a good school district and then also handle private tuition bills. Many public schools in Westchester are truly excellent, and are far better than the vast majority of private schools. Unless you have a very specific reason for private school (i.e. you're very religious and want Jewish Day School or Catholic School), you really can't go wrong with 90% of the public school districts in this county.

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

Originally Posted by BD1978

I agree with matlabmaster that it really doesn't make sense to pay high property taxes for presumably a good school district and then also handle private tuition bills.

Yet it surprises me how many people in Westchester do it. For example, there are families zoned for Rye SD who send kids to FASNY, or zoned for Chappaqua and send to Hackley. Some of them have 3 kids in provate school. Makes one wonder where they get the money.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Forest_Hills_Daddy

Yet it surprises me how many people in Westchester do it. For example, there are families zoned for Rye SD who send kids to FASNY, or zoned for Chappaqua and send to Hackley. Some of them have 3 kids in provate school. Makes one wonder where they get the money.

There's a counterpoint to the private school question. The Mara sisters, Rooney and Kate of the Giants/Steelers legacy, grew up in Bedford. They could have gone anywhere but attended Fox Lane.

[rus12112]

I know many very wealthy families that could easily afford to send their children to private schools, but choose public schools (these are families in Bedford, Chappaqua, and Pleasantville). Having worked with both private and public school children, one observation I've had is that the public school kids are in general more well-rounded, and more relaxed.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by Forest_Hills_Daddy

Yet it surprises me how many people in Westchester do it. For example, there are families zoned for Rye SD who send kids to FASNY, or zoned for Chappaqua and send to Hackley. Some of them have 3 kids in provate school. Makes one wonder where they get the money.

Makes me wish I had the money....

[NYGirl128]

My friends who've gone the private school route often have kids that don't quite fit in at the public school. For example, Bronxville is very team sports focused. Our friends who've sent kids Fordham/Hackley/Masters usually do it because their kids aren't doing field sports, or struggle with the academically. In Eastchester we've seen kids go to Iona, Masters, Urseline, and Fordham because the parents have the means and the kids either a more supportive environment or a more challenging one.

In many cases not all of a family's kids go to private school. It's just the ones that the parents think would most benefit from it. I grew up in a rivertown and there were four of us. Three of us went public and did really well. One of my sisters has some learning disabilities and went to Masters and had a good experience there.