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Message |
    
lisanne hauck
Citizen
Username: Liscon
Post Number: 5
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 10:40 am: | 
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My husband is interested in buying a house in West orange. How are the schools there? We are very happy thus far with our elementary school experience here in South Orange. Before I absolutely commit to moving over there I wanted to check things out. The West Orange schools website was not helpful, pretty generic, with no specifics.
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C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 1890
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 10:56 am: |
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The high school has a decent rep. I'd be surprised if the elems weren't fine as well.
I would be interested to know if they had any kind of magnet program because the community is so spread out with such different pockets of incomes and other demographics that I'd imagine each neighborhood school/population might look (literally) quite different. Kind of like the difference here between South Mountain (nearly all white with high income) and Seth Boyden (nearly all black with lower income) prior to the Demonstration School project.
Cathy |
happyman
Citizen
Username: Happyman
Post Number: 261
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 12:27 pm: |
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C Bataille wrote:
"Kind of like the difference here between South Mountain (nearly all white with high income) and Seth Boyden (nearly all black with lower income) prior to the Demonstration School project."
As I type this post and stare at my child's class picture I have to wonder what your agenda is in perpetuating the myth that "South Mountain (is) nearly all white with high income."
When was the last time you were in SMS....1952?
What advise are you giving to lisanne or is your post simply a platform that has nothing to do with helping someone with a decision.
Maybe you would like to consider visiting the school . . . simply call the main office and schedule a tour with our principal (that is if you can get past all the RR's in the parking lot!) |
doublea
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 944
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 12:39 pm: |
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Cathy - A year ago a poster who is a member of the CCR said that blacks accounted for 40% of the house buyers in Newstead in the previous year. I suggest you follow-up on Happyman's suggestion and check the school out. You are really off in your statement. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7905
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:00 pm: |
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I glanced at the state report card information. From the third and fourth grade test results it appears that SM is at least 1/3rd children of color.
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Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 730
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:07 pm: |
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My brother lives in West Orange. He has a child in the high school and another Gregory; but they live nearer to St Cloud. My sister in law wanted the kids in Gregory (long story).
The school your children attend depends on what part of the town you move to. That will also effect which of the middle schools your children go to. One of which is brand new.
My brother's oldest graduated last year and is a Freshman in college. My brother and sister in law have no real complaints abou the schools. HOWEVER
My sister when she lived in West Orange (1984- 1996) REFUSED to send her children to the schools past the oldest going to first grade. (which was Redwood) She sent her kids to Our Lady of the Lake in Verona. She disliked West Orange so much she moved to North Caldwell, then Verona.
Her kids continued to go to Our Lady of the Lake until 8th grade, then moved to the public high school. Her oldest graduates this year.
Visit the schools in the area you want to move before you leave South Orange Maplewood. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 1896
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:10 pm: |
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Bob, what were the numbers like 7 years ago?
All: Please read my statement again. Note my use of the word PRIOR. Remember the uproar over the use of redistricting of school attendence lines, which is part of how the (positive, IMO) demographic shifts were accomplished. There were people then who acted like mixing in more children from different parts of the towns would spell the destruction of the "good schools." Those people did not give a damn about what was happening in the opposite corner of the district. Some people don't like to acknowledge these realities. But they may have profoundly affected the educational experiences of the children involved. And that is why I suggested lisanne check out West Orange schools closely. I know they have a school in the valley, and possibly one near Tory Corner that are predominantly black. There may be schools in the district that are prodominantly white. Generally speaking, segregation within one district does not bode well for children of color.
If you had looked at the Seth Boyden school directory over the past 6 years you would have seen a striking change over the course of time. You could literally "see" the "lightening" of the school year by year as the Demonstration project moved its way up the grade levels. Now, it is a reasonably mixed school. Immediately PRIOR to the Demonstration program it was the essentially black school in a rather segregated district.
On the other hand, a white family I know pulled their child out of South Mountain within the past couple of years in part because they felt it was so homogenous - race and income were cited as strong factors. So not everyone agrees with your assessment of the current state of South Mountain. Also, remember the concept of "tipping point." What white people generally consider to be a well-integrated school is often not the same as what people of color consider to be a well-integrated school.
Cathy |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7907
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:15 pm: |
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While reasonably diverse as far as race is concerned I don't think that the school is diverse as far as income is concerned. Didn't they lose the "thumb" kids (in general more working class) during the redistricting? |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 451
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:18 pm: |
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Guys, read carefully. C Battaille didn't say that was the current makeup of South Mountain School, which is indeed significantly of color (the mix is a plus in my eyes).
What she said is to check and see if West Orange has found a way to balance the schools on different sides of town. (as South Orange/Maplewood did by creating the Seth Boyden Demonstration School, as an alternative to more cross-town busing, I believe).
As I read her post, it did suggest a very useful question to ask about West Orange, while referring to something that our two towns did right. I'm saddened to see everyone jumping on her for it. |
lisanne hauck
Citizen
Username: Liscon
Post Number: 6
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:25 pm: |
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phew! I did not intend to create such a heated discussion. My son actually attends South Mountain annex now and I am generally happy with the mix of "color". However I am worried that it is economically very homogeneous. However, we would be moving to an area where he would attend St. Cloud Grammar School. Any info on this one in particular? and Roosevelt middle school?
Thanks in advance for all of your comments. Does West Orange have a website like this? I googled it but did not get a response. |
algebra2
Supporter
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 3061
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:37 pm: |
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"economically very homogeneous" -- why is this worrisome?
What does that mean? I admit this all sounds like such forced PC-ness to me. Do kids really know (or care) that their parents make similar incomes? Isn't this all public school?
My son will be at the Annex (First Grade) in the fall. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 1897
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:51 pm: |
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Thank you susan1014. You got it exactly right.
Cathy |
doublea
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 945
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:13 pm: |
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Cathy - I stand corrected.
Lisanne - My wife's uncle is a retired school pyschologist from the W.O. school system and my son's mother-in-law is a learning consultant there. If I have a chance to ask them, I'll pass on any information to you. Why are you thinking of moving to West Orange? |
suzanneng
Citizen
Username: Suzanneng
Post Number: 318
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 6:39 pm: |
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Lisanne... (Ms Hauck) (say Hi to your son for me!)
I live in the St Cloud section of West Orange, and there is a neighborhood website, but it is nowhere nearly as active as MOL. I'll see if I can find the URL, and I'll email you or send it home on Wednesday. There is a staff member at the Annex who lives in the same area; I think her kids went to St Cloud. I'll ask her to contact you.
Alg - I look forward to meeting your son in Sept. Anything I can help with, etc, to make the transition easier, feel free to ask.
Suzanne Ng, SM Librarian
(FYI, I'd say South Mtn is about 40 percent non-white. -- not an official comment, just based on personal observation) |
happyman
Citizen
Username: Happyman
Post Number: 262
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 6:41 pm: |
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You know, I am not looking for a fight here . . .just clarity. I think members of this thread are perpetuating a myth bases upon extremely limited sampling. Cathy when you make the statement:
"a white family I know pulled their child out of South Mountain within the past couple of years in part because they felt it was so homogenous - race and income were cited as strong factors. So not everyone agrees with your assessment of the current state of South Mountain."
So we are to assume your original statement:
"Kind of like the difference here between South Mountain (nearly all white with high income)"
is based on the opinion of 1 family!!!! Please!!!
Then you write... "Bob, what were the numbers like 7 years ago?"
So, I went 7 years back and looked at my child's class picture ...of 22 students 8 were African-American, 2 Asian, 12 Caucasian.
My point is this . . . you are making very strong statements about our school district based upon limited opinion and no factual information. Instead of justifing your opinion with further opinion, possibly it may be better to get the facts, all of the facts.
PS I felt like an absolute hypocrate counting the preceived racial backgrounds of my childrens' friends. How sad you and your friends study the economic and racial backgrounds of 1st graders to determine where their children will go to school. |
DeborahG
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1240
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 10:36 pm: |
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But back to the questions...there is a West Orange Watercooler discussion group on Yahoo:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestOrangeWatercooler/
Might be a good place to ask about the schools!! |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 738
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 12:47 am: |
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lisanne
McKeon's Child goes / went to St Cloud if that tells you anything. My brother also lives up in that area. It's a nice area and Saint Cloud is a good school. Though my nieces didn't go there I do know someone whose daughter did. she was very happy with the school. |
algebra2
Supporter
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 3063
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:39 am: |
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Suzanne -- Thanks! We will definitely come introduce ourselves. My boy has been at the Y from 3 mos through full day K (where he is now), I must admit the big step into the real world is scaring the heck out of me (though I am done with the Y -- ready to move on). I'm really excited that we're zoned for the Annex, I think a smaller environment will be good for him. He's my only child and I am really nervous about FIRST GRADE.
Not the right thread to bring it up but .... if anyone knows of an afternoon babysitter -- I am looking. We are a nice, normal, low key family looking for someone to watch him until 6:00ish.I think he'd do better with a nice babysitter who'd walk/drive him to playdates/playground/ hang out and do homework with him rather than in an afterschool program. He is the sweetest, most handsome and affectionate boy you'll ever meet and did I say he was handsome? Oh well .... any babysitter ideas would be very welcome! |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 753
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 3:00 am: |
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Al-
I just realized one of the boys I sat for a long time ago is now in high school. I'll ask him if he's looking to do some child care.
Also, a family I sit for with 2 boys, in 5th and 3rd grade, use some CHS boys to sit when I can't. I'll be sitting for that family in about 5 hours. I'll ask for their phone numbers.
I know one doesn't live too far from you. About 6 blocks or so. He doesn't drive though, that I know of because I've driven him home a few times when he's sat until I got there.
Are you ok with teenage boys? These are GREAT kids! One plays LAX. Not sure what their schedules are.
The familes I sit for have already made it clear they want me next year, or I'd help you out. |
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