PLG Schools and Amenities
We are *this* close to making an offer in PLG and are doing one last round of due diligence. Two main areas of concern schools (I have a 2 year old) and amenities (dry cleaner, food shops etc.) Any PLGers past and present able to share experiences or advice? many thanks
We are *this* close to making an offer in PLG and are doing one last round of due diligence. Two main areas of concern schools (I have a 2 year old) and amenities (dry cleaner, food shops etc.) Any PLGers past and present able to share experiences or advice? many thanks
I certainly like the idea of **bid[ding] half off comp prices** but someone should tell the sellers that.
OK but what’s the rush? If you rent you could wait for a while-at least 2-3 years with a 2 year old. If you purchase you are committed to the price and neighborhood.
fair enough BC to BK. 🙂
what is it about NYC public schools that new people to brooklyn so vehemently destest and won’t send your kids to them? is it because they just teach to take standardized tests, discipline problems? im trying to understand as i was recently labelled a “child hater” :-/ and put on posting probation (still sort of on it, can only post in the forum) for the thread recently about a HS in sunset park.
*rob*
Mr Pitbull, yes and no. We are approved for a mortgage three times the size of the one we are likely to take out, so it’s not a “priced out” scenario in the classic sense. But I struggle to justify (in my own mind) paying Park Slope prices and being forever tied to our respective desks to service the mortgage beast…I certainly like the idea of **bid[ding] half off comp prices** but someone should tell the sellers that.
We have seriously considered PLG, but can’t stomach the school situation. We live in Park Slope and our oldest is in public school here. Our youngest is just 1 yo, so until we can secure him in a Park Slope public, or get ourselves into a charter school, we will stay. It wasn’t worth the risk to us. Also of concern to us was the commute to school and the fact that our children would have no school friends in their neighborhood.
That said, many people seem to get in somewhere they like, so perhaps I am a worrywart. But I couldn’t compromise on this issue.
quote:
“Yeah we are moving from Park Slope and happy to be doing so. I love the diversity and vibrancy of PLG.”
i always feel like when people say that, really they just mean “priced out”. PLG is super pretty tho!
*rob*
How about Maple St School? How easy is to get in?
If not, one has to go private which adds up to the living expenses in this neighborhood.
ennuiater, thank you. If only for making me feel like I am not the only one who cannot believe how perverse and luck-based educating your kid in NYC is.
If you’re concerned about schools, these 2 links are your friend:
http://schools.nyc.gov/default.htm
http://insideschools.org/index12.php
Go to the DOE site first to search by address and find the school that address is zoned for, then go to inside schools to read reviews.
I’m just a renter, but my husband and I were looking in PLG quite a bit before our recent move this July. We ultimately decided against the neighborhood simply because the quality and reviews of the schools.
It’s a great area otherwise, we just didn’t want to deal with lotteries or trying to get into a G&T program if, gah forbid, one of my kids turns out to be just “average”. I just didn’t want to deal with putting kids through that kind of competition so young.
Besides inside schools you can also try to arrange a tour of a school or speak w/ a schools’ parent coordinator besides all the various opinions posted on parenting blogs. (and even sites like this one, do a search for schools and there are a few posts asking quite similar questions about “good” school zones)
Trying to figure out the school issue in NYC is such a pain- best of luck!
About charter schools. Remember that admission is via lottery. Therefore, even if there is a charter school next to your house your child is not guaranteed a spot. Seems like it would be a better bet to improve the quality of instruction in the local school for all children.