Test-drive your school district
Living well seems to have a lot to do with figuring out what is a good school. How do find out about the schools when you don’t live there yet?
First, check out the town.
By going to places where children and their parents go, you can find out what the children are like, and their parents, too. Do what you normally do: Go grocery shopping, go to a playground, go to a movie, walk through town, and/or go out to dinner. If parks are important to you, then go to the parks, same for libraries, and little league games. If you do not like being there, you are in the wrong place. Watch the behavior of the children and their parents in town; that is the culture you children could grow up in.
If you want a “good” school, do your homework. Check the local school department web site, look at the Department of Education site for info about the local schools, go to a PTO meeting, make an appointment to visit the school where your child may go, talk to parents who have children in that school.
As a buyer or renter, the choice is up to you.
Have any of you tried to “test drive” a town or school district? How did it go? Do you have any other techniques for figuring out about the intangibles of a town and school district?
