Anonymous wrote:If you could pick either Westport public or one of the nearby privates which would you do?

Its CHOOSE not "pick" she's not gathering apples off trees. You use this word through DCUM and I'm so tired of seeing it mis-used.

Staples is much better than the local private (Greens Farms Academy). It has incredible arts, theater and sports programs. Kids I knew at GFA left public for a small school or because parents went to private. My classmates have gone on to do incredible things including multiple McArthur Genius Award winners. There were, if I remember correctly, 12 National Merit Finalists in my class and at least 25 commended. I found college quite easy after being at Staples. One sibling went private (we moved when he was already in high school and he still wishes he had transferred to Staples).

Diverse it is not. I can count on my hands the number of kids of color in my graduating class. And those kids who are of color are very well off. I just looked at the 2023 IG college page and it looks like it’s still very homogenous. That being said I had parents who valued hard work and exposure to diversity. I had friends in local towns from different schools and a job for most of my junior/senior years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you could pick either Westport public or one of the nearby privates which would you do?

. Public. Privates there tend to have rich slackers who could not hack public schools. Obviously that is a generalization, but really public schools are great so you need a reason to go private. It won't be lack of challenging classes.

Many privates have responded to demands to compete educationally and in college admissions. They are not the privates of the 80's/90's, where the rich parked their misbehaved brats. There are plenty of competitive candidates these days. Schools can be selective and turn away students who don't make the cut. Which privates are you looking at?

I would agree with this. Also the mis-behaving brats were always kicked out for drinking or taking drugs etc and ended up at the local publics anyway (at least in my experience they did - I was in classes with them at my CT public).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you could pick either Westport public or one of the nearby privates which would you do?

. Public. Privates there tend to have rich slackers who could not hack public schools. Obviously that is a generalization, but really public schools are great so you need a reason to go private. It won't be lack of challenging classes.

Many privates have responded to demands to compete educationally and in college admissions. They are not the privates of the 80's/90's, where the rich parked their misbehaved brats. There are plenty of competitive candidates these days. Schools can be selective and turn away students who don't make the cut. Which privates are you looking at?

Anonymous wrote:My mom taught in Westport...VERY well funded. Lots of catering to parents (so some teachers she knew left to teach in places where they got better admin support). Diversity/equity is not a topic of conversation. If you can afford to live there the schools will be great.

Gross.

What about the neighboring schools? How are Wilton, South Wilton, Weston?

Westport is like a wildlife preserve for white people.

Anonymous wrote:My mom taught in Westport...VERY well funded. Lots of catering to parents (so some teachers she knew left to teach in places where they got better admin support). Diversity/equity is not a topic of conversation. If you can afford to live there the schools will be great.

Because there ain’t any there.

Anonymous wrote:If you could pick either Westport public or one of the nearby privates which would you do?

. Public. Privates there tend to have rich slackers who could not hack public schools. Obviously that is a generalization, but really public schools are great so you need a reason to go private. It won't be lack of challenging classes.

If you could pick either Westport public or one of the nearby privates which would you do?

Anonymous wrote:My mom taught in Westport...VERY well funded. Lots of catering to parents (so some teachers she knew left to teach in places where they got better admin support). Diversity/equity is not a topic of conversation. If you can afford to live there the schools will be great.

It would be very ironic if it was there.

Paul Newman's kids attended public ES in Westport.

My mom taught in Westport...VERY well funded. Lots of catering to parents (so some teachers she knew left to teach in places where they got better admin support). Diversity/equity is not a topic of conversation. If you can afford to live there the schools will be great.

I grew up in Westport. The schools are excellent, and have been for decades. CT towns fund their own public school systems, so they aren't at the mercy of a large county or city run district.

Do you have specific questions?

I'd love some current comments about the schools in Westport from anyone with personal experience! Staples seems to get generally top reviews on Niche.com. Is it really as good quality as the nearby privates (or better, as some suggest?) I have a hard time getting my mind around that admittedly due to my own biases having grown up in NYC and gone to private there. Does anyone have comments on the elementary and Middle school(s) in Westport? Thank you!