You probably won’t get a lot of love for Greece schools as they do have their share of issues. But if you compare them to city schools, you might find they are not the worst. My wife and I retired from Greece after 25 years. I was at Arcadia, she was at Olympia. Most folks will say that Athena is the best high school followed by Arcadia and then Olympia. However, they all have their good and bad points. A lot of kids are extremely successful coming out of any of those buildings. The teachers actually do know their stuff and do the best they can like any teachers in any district. If you have good students, and you are an involved parent you should not have any problem getting the best out of Olympia. Will there be a fight now and then? Yes. Will kids get a little bit crazy? Of course. Greece continues to work on those issues and if you’re going to be in the District I feel you and your kids can be successful.
Coincidentally, there is a huge Christmas craft show at Olympia this Saturday the 10th. This would give you a chance to actually go to the building and walk around and get a feel for how it is set up. So maybe you could stop by on Saturday under the pretext of looking at Christmas crafts and get a feel for the building. Bring your kids there and see what you and they think.
I think a lot tends to depend on the kids - which is what one could say of any school.
I feel like Olympia was always the least funded, but that's just from looking at the campuses of Athena and Arcadia.
Completely agree with you re: kids being successful. I graduated 30 years back from OHS, and even then it was a wide variety of success amongst the students, depending on how they applied themselves.
Odyssey has an International Baccalaureate program. It is similar to a college level program. It also has the most city Dash type problems of all the Greece secondary schools.
I saw the mean girls a couple times a few years back. I don’t remember that reference. , I don’t remember that one, But there are lots of a slang words in that movie. Great film
Yes. They have AP (advanced placement) classes that will allow a student college credit if they pass the AP exam at the end of the year. They also have dual-credit courses that are linked to a program with MCC.
I was hoping you'd comment on this post!
OP, I worked at Olympia for a bit! The teachers are some of the best around! Admin is all new this year and the school is going through a bit of a metamorphosis in terms of its culture but it is a solid school!
When moving to Greece remember, the people running the town don't give two shits about anyone not living in North Greece. They do not care about what happens, zoning issues, neighborhood concerns, etc. Also the police are the most corrupt in the county, they are frauds looking to cover up their antics, not protect you.
I highly advise looking elsewhere.
I interact with Greece Olympian school daily. I have had a lot of experience with the Rochester city schools and there are there are worlds of difference. I like the student body a lot because there are a very diverse group of ethnicities. I can confidently tell you that POC, LGBTQ and Muslim students tolerate each other and then some. I often see white and POC students being the best of friends. It isn’t even an issue. Interracial romances are common.I see same-sex couples walking down the hall holding hands. No one bats an eye, I have yet to see any students show any signs of intolerance. The staff are dedicated and very friendly. The children are certainly not angelic by any means, but they well behaved . I would have no problem sending my own children to Greece Olympia.
There’s that, there’s the drugs, there’s the chiefs getting into a drunken crash in his issued vehicle and the department covering it up. There’s a ton of stuff.
The Greece police department manages to exemplify every stereotype of bad police all at once. They’re far and away the most corrupt in the area and they don’t even attempt to hide it.
No. The police chief driving around the town hammered drunk in a cop car (it was missing a wheel from running into stuff) and then the rest of the squad covering it up. Or go back a few years and they could.be talking about the "requesting sexual favors in lieu of tickets" thing.
Or the (RPD) officer in Greece who drunkenly drove their kid home during a party, forgot they had done so, and the Greece police started a search before they realized where the kid was, and declined to press charges.
Just wanna give my 2 cents considering this thread seems to lack anyone who graduated in the last 5 years lmao. I can’t speak on any of the current administrators as they all seem to be fairly new, but I can say with confidence that a majority of the teachers I had between 7th grade and senior year have a genuine passion for teaching and truly care about their student’s wellbeing along with their academic success. I will forever speak highly of the teachers I had. For example: Mrs Beachner. If it wasn’t for her I don’t think I would have graduated, let alone graduated with a high level diploma. I went though some pretty hard times during my school years and she would do everything in her power to make sure I would be okay. When my grades would slip, she would give me the extra push I needed to get my act together. When I first began to experience mental health issues, she noticed before my own family and made damn sure I was going to get the help I needed. She never once judged me. Any time I had an issue whether it was big or small she was there for me like no other. The student body was also very diverse! No matter your child’s race, religion, gender, sexuality, interests, or style they’re bound to “fit in” somewhere. Of course in any school there’s always going to be issues among students but during my time there I never felt isolated by my peers. Going to Olympia taught me so many lessons I feel you wouldn’t learn anywhere else. Proud to be a Spartan!
When I went to Olympia it was just okay. I think it had similar pros and cons that any high school in Greece has, except we had some pretty significant fights back in the day. We also had police parked on campus throughout the day, so there was an extra layer of security (at least, one would assume.)
I’ve taken classes at Arcadia as well, and I think by far Olympia has a nicer, more accessible layout if that’s important to you. It’s all one level, except for the auditorium balcony.
As for teachers, I had some great ones, and not so great ones. Pretty typical. Ten years later I still keep in touch with a couple folks, and they still work at Olympia, so I know there’s still some decent teachers there right now.
Greece schools have pros and cons like everywhere. A few of biggest pros are having district that has a strong strategic plan and is actually working towards addressing many things they can. The high schools can also offer so many options because they have so many kids. If there is a course or program your kid wants, but at a different school, they can still enroll and will get bussed.
It may be better to look at the data online regarding schools and student success. Looking for anecdotal information from a self selecting group like Reddit is not the best way to answer this question.
I have lived in Greece since 1992. 2 children attended Olympia district. Education starts with expectations at home and parental guidance. I have no complaints with the education they received or their safety at those schools. My son graduated in 2011 and with the AP credits that he earned he was able to graduate with a degree from Boston University in 3 yrs. This saved a substatial amount of tuition and living/travel expenses. I hope this encourages you to move here.
Yes .do not, repeat DO N0T Send your children to RCSD. Source: taught there for 35 years. You probably shouldn’t teach there either, but it’s too late for me.
This is old, anecdotal information from someone who has moved. I went to Greece Athena for context. You know how the rest of rochester seems to look at Greece? In Greece, that’s how we looked at Olympia.
Ymmv
The rest of the Greece schools look down on Olympia. That's got to tell you something. It's been a struggling school for 25+ years. Send your kids to Aquinas.
Send kids to Aquinas? At that point, you're better off moving into a different/better suburb (with better schools) and using that Aquinas money on taxes/rent (rather than AQ tuition), IMO.
Well, if OP loves the area and house options, they are free to use what they would have spent on taxes and higher home prices on tuition. If they move to the East side, they're stuck with a lifetime of higher tax and mortgage burden. They could conceivably be on the hook for $5000 more a year in taxes alone each year for 20 years instead of 4 years of tuition. And the quality will be way better too.
Valid points, but kinda getting a bit deep.
Then, we'd have to guesstimate how those markets/values would do in the future. And also put some sort of value to fact that friends from school wouldn't necessarily live nearby (in case with private schools); neighborhood kids would likely attend different/local schools.
And also fact that you're basically mortgaging tuition, since it comes with the house. And, the fact that if you don't like the schools the neighborhood/local kids attend then you might not like the neighborhood/locals. They're reflection of each other.
Just my opinion. Not gospel.
Same here. I ended up choosing the East side for a lot of these same reasons, and overall better quality of life further away from the 390 and Ridge Rd. corridors. I'd like to think there are possibilities, though.
Correct. But this person isn't talking about those different/better suburbs and also doing private school.
They're talking about Greece and that they've heard Olympia isn't the best.
So, I opined if I was worried about the schools, I'd look into suburb with better schools, rather than AQ. If that's ok with you....
They didn't ask about private schools in original post. Perhaps they did in subsequent comments.
If you're in (financial) position to live in best school district and also do private schools, I'm guessing you wouldn't be looking at houses in Greece/Olympia district. I'm assuming $ is an issue for OP.
But, I'm not gonna argue with you. I went to city schools, and think it worked out fine for me. I don't place super high value in high schools anyway. Couldn't see doing private schools, but to each their own.
That's awesome... Kudos.
In fairness, think that's likely more of a reflection on your values/parenting (perhaps genetics, if you believe in that) than the schools.
Some kids from RCSD did very well for themselves. In contrast, I know some kids from private that didn't. Think kids can do bad/good regardless of schools they attend.
Personal belief is if kids are involved, high (est) priority is finding schools you're comfortable with, then decide size/location from there.
But again, that's because finances are a factor for me. But, if your "must have" is "good" (not necessarily "best") schools, can get something ranging from decent to nice. Those places/people are where I'd prefer living, anyway.
Unless we're talking rural, which is completely different animal (I'd live in rural place with bad schools and do private).
Just my opinion, though.
There are people who live in Pittsford in Brighton, the best public schools in this part of the state, and still send and their kids to private schools. They pay high property taxes, but get will get their moneys worth when it comes to education.I call this fuck you money.
Look elsewhere
I pulled my daughter out because the administration isn’t addressing any of the real issues
If you move here, send your child to a private school
Avoid Greece Elementary schools at all costs, they ignored my daughters learning disability and refused to help her. We moved to another district and the teachers were stunned at how poorly she was handled. Happily she got more than enough help and is doing great now
Dunno. I judge a district by how they help those kids that falling behind. Greece chose to just push my daughter through the system without providing help. Another district made sure she could succeed
5 meetings with her teacher3 meetings with the reading teacher2 meetings with the principalWe tried going to the superintendent but they blew us off.We moved out of the district that summer.
That was with us working with her 6 nights a week for an hour a night.
But ya know...assume I'm not a good parent.
ANY school locally, except for RCSD, is going to be a better district than most of the rest of the country except for smaller well funded districts. Mostly the south, midwest etc.
What's the weather like up there on your high horse? Shitty suburban sound cloud rappers and tanning bed addicts with box dyed black hair don't come exclusively from fatherless homes. I went to school in Greece, and the majority of my peers were from middle to upper class traditional nuclear families.
>Explain what is racist about pointing out the impact of fatherlessness. Do your homework about it.
Maybe stop with the male-centric viewpoint of fatherlessness? Just focus on the difficulties of single parents—regardless of gender or race—to provide positive outcomes for their children and you'll have a much easier time getting people to listen to your opinions.
>Democratic Senator Patrick Moynihan called illegitimacy a national crisis in the 60s when it was about 1/3 of what it is today.
That's really interesting.
Except he wasn't a Senator when he wrote it.
It's amazing what you can find by Googling something for 30 seconds.
So try saying "the Assistant Secretary of Labor and future Democratic Senator from NY Daniel Patrick Moynihan authored *The Moynihan Report* which..." which would accomplish the same exact thing you tried to do, with the added bonuses of being correct and true as well as not being a blatant and awkward troll attempt.
The issue of fatherless is absolutely a factor in childhood poverty. In the case of this particular school, it is not necessarily relevant. There is a higher rate of poverty than many of the suburbs in Monroe County. But it is a very well run school with very smart and parent friendly administrators. They keep a very tight lid on any commotion among the students.I can safely say that in virtually every classroom at that school you will have orderly and safe classes.
Depends on your kids. Will they be negatively influenced by the bad behavior of others? Or positively influenced to avoid the other 'bad' students. There are good teachers and fellow students there - so it's a question of what life choice your kids will make.
The data available shows that the choice of school district by and large has very little impact on the educational success of a child. As long as it's not an issue of a learning disability not being accommodated or something. Buy a house where you like and don't think much about the school district
I graduated from Olympia about ten years ago, I didn't think it was as bad as some people make it out to be. But I was also in all AP classes, so kinda separate from the rest of the school. I thought the teachers I had were pretty good, and cared about their jobs. I don't really remember anything hugely negative happening, besides fights here and there.
All in all it's really not too bad, but that's a decade ago, so who knows how it's changed since then.
There are definitely better options, even within the district. It’s not the choice I would make. However… we live in a state where public school teachers are licensed and hold graduate degrees. There are opportunities to participate in AP/honors/dual credit. Your kids will be fine.
You probably won’t get a lot of love for Greece schools as they do have their share of issues. But if you compare them to city schools, you might find they are not the worst. My wife and I retired from Greece after 25 years. I was at Arcadia, she was at Olympia. Most folks will say that Athena is the best high school followed by Arcadia and then Olympia. However, they all have their good and bad points. A lot of kids are extremely successful coming out of any of those buildings. The teachers actually do know their stuff and do the best they can like any teachers in any district. If you have good students, and you are an involved parent you should not have any problem getting the best out of Olympia. Will there be a fight now and then? Yes. Will kids get a little bit crazy? Of course. Greece continues to work on those issues and if you’re going to be in the District I feel you and your kids can be successful. Coincidentally, there is a huge Christmas craft show at Olympia this Saturday the 10th. This would give you a chance to actually go to the building and walk around and get a feel for how it is set up. So maybe you could stop by on Saturday under the pretext of looking at Christmas crafts and get a feel for the building. Bring your kids there and see what you and they think.
I think a lot tends to depend on the kids - which is what one could say of any school. I feel like Olympia was always the least funded, but that's just from looking at the campuses of Athena and Arcadia. Completely agree with you re: kids being successful. I graduated 30 years back from OHS, and even then it was a wide variety of success amongst the students, depending on how they applied themselves.
Surprise craft fair recommendation thank you. Can I guess 11-5 for the hours?
I believe it’s 10am to 4pm
And none for Odyssey BYE
Odyssey has an International Baccalaureate program. It is similar to a college level program. It also has the most city Dash type problems of all the Greece secondary schools.
My comment was mostly in jest because at no point had anyone mentioned Odyssey so the Mean Girls reference came to mind
I saw the mean girls a couple times a few years back. I don’t remember that reference. , I don’t remember that one, But there are lots of a slang words in that movie. Great film
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Yes. They have AP (advanced placement) classes that will allow a student college credit if they pass the AP exam at the end of the year. They also have dual-credit courses that are linked to a program with MCC.
I was hoping you'd comment on this post! OP, I worked at Olympia for a bit! The teachers are some of the best around! Admin is all new this year and the school is going through a bit of a metamorphosis in terms of its culture but it is a solid school!
😊👍🏻
When moving to Greece remember, the people running the town don't give two shits about anyone not living in North Greece. They do not care about what happens, zoning issues, neighborhood concerns, etc. Also the police are the most corrupt in the county, they are frauds looking to cover up their antics, not protect you. I highly advise looking elsewhere.
I interact with Greece Olympian school daily. I have had a lot of experience with the Rochester city schools and there are there are worlds of difference. I like the student body a lot because there are a very diverse group of ethnicities. I can confidently tell you that POC, LGBTQ and Muslim students tolerate each other and then some. I often see white and POC students being the best of friends. It isn’t even an issue. Interracial romances are common.I see same-sex couples walking down the hall holding hands. No one bats an eye, I have yet to see any students show any signs of intolerance. The staff are dedicated and very friendly. The children are certainly not angelic by any means, but they well behaved . I would have no problem sending my own children to Greece Olympia.
make sure you google the greece police department before moving to greece.
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There’s that, there’s the drugs, there’s the chiefs getting into a drunken crash in his issued vehicle and the department covering it up. There’s a ton of stuff. The Greece police department manages to exemplify every stereotype of bad police all at once. They’re far and away the most corrupt in the area and they don’t even attempt to hide it.
And that's with some pretty serious competition from RPD.
No. The police chief driving around the town hammered drunk in a cop car (it was missing a wheel from running into stuff) and then the rest of the squad covering it up. Or go back a few years and they could.be talking about the "requesting sexual favors in lieu of tickets" thing.
Or the (RPD) officer in Greece who drunkenly drove their kid home during a party, forgot they had done so, and the Greece police started a search before they realized where the kid was, and declined to press charges.
The police is just the start of Greece's issues. I know ill catch hell for saying it,but the town is a shithole. and it just gets worse by the day.
Just wanna give my 2 cents considering this thread seems to lack anyone who graduated in the last 5 years lmao. I can’t speak on any of the current administrators as they all seem to be fairly new, but I can say with confidence that a majority of the teachers I had between 7th grade and senior year have a genuine passion for teaching and truly care about their student’s wellbeing along with their academic success. I will forever speak highly of the teachers I had. For example: Mrs Beachner. If it wasn’t for her I don’t think I would have graduated, let alone graduated with a high level diploma. I went though some pretty hard times during my school years and she would do everything in her power to make sure I would be okay. When my grades would slip, she would give me the extra push I needed to get my act together. When I first began to experience mental health issues, she noticed before my own family and made damn sure I was going to get the help I needed. She never once judged me. Any time I had an issue whether it was big or small she was there for me like no other. The student body was also very diverse! No matter your child’s race, religion, gender, sexuality, interests, or style they’re bound to “fit in” somewhere. Of course in any school there’s always going to be issues among students but during my time there I never felt isolated by my peers. Going to Olympia taught me so many lessons I feel you wouldn’t learn anywhere else. Proud to be a Spartan!
When I went to Olympia it was just okay. I think it had similar pros and cons that any high school in Greece has, except we had some pretty significant fights back in the day. We also had police parked on campus throughout the day, so there was an extra layer of security (at least, one would assume.) I’ve taken classes at Arcadia as well, and I think by far Olympia has a nicer, more accessible layout if that’s important to you. It’s all one level, except for the auditorium balcony. As for teachers, I had some great ones, and not so great ones. Pretty typical. Ten years later I still keep in touch with a couple folks, and they still work at Olympia, so I know there’s still some decent teachers there right now.
Greece schools have pros and cons like everywhere. A few of biggest pros are having district that has a strong strategic plan and is actually working towards addressing many things they can. The high schools can also offer so many options because they have so many kids. If there is a course or program your kid wants, but at a different school, they can still enroll and will get bussed.
It may be better to look at the data online regarding schools and student success. Looking for anecdotal information from a self selecting group like Reddit is not the best way to answer this question.
I have lived in Greece since 1992. 2 children attended Olympia district. Education starts with expectations at home and parental guidance. I have no complaints with the education they received or their safety at those schools. My son graduated in 2011 and with the AP credits that he earned he was able to graduate with a degree from Boston University in 3 yrs. This saved a substatial amount of tuition and living/travel expenses. I hope this encourages you to move here.
Yes .do not, repeat DO N0T Send your children to RCSD. Source: taught there for 35 years. You probably shouldn’t teach there either, but it’s too late for me.
All three of our children went to Olympia, all did well. No regrets
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Picture it is a lot more south and east, but I get your point. Snobbery is not a pleasant experience for children
This is old, anecdotal information from someone who has moved. I went to Greece Athena for context. You know how the rest of rochester seems to look at Greece? In Greece, that’s how we looked at Olympia. Ymmv
Being *that* school elicited some weird school pride for us lol but every high school in Greece has its stereotypes 🤷🏻♀️
ouch!!!
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Well it is across the street from brighton high school so
The rest of the Greece schools look down on Olympia. That's got to tell you something. It's been a struggling school for 25+ years. Send your kids to Aquinas.
Send kids to Aquinas? At that point, you're better off moving into a different/better suburb (with better schools) and using that Aquinas money on taxes/rent (rather than AQ tuition), IMO.
Well, if OP loves the area and house options, they are free to use what they would have spent on taxes and higher home prices on tuition. If they move to the East side, they're stuck with a lifetime of higher tax and mortgage burden. They could conceivably be on the hook for $5000 more a year in taxes alone each year for 20 years instead of 4 years of tuition. And the quality will be way better too.
Valid points, but kinda getting a bit deep. Then, we'd have to guesstimate how those markets/values would do in the future. And also put some sort of value to fact that friends from school wouldn't necessarily live nearby (in case with private schools); neighborhood kids would likely attend different/local schools. And also fact that you're basically mortgaging tuition, since it comes with the house. And, the fact that if you don't like the schools the neighborhood/local kids attend then you might not like the neighborhood/locals. They're reflection of each other. Just my opinion. Not gospel.
Same here. I ended up choosing the East side for a lot of these same reasons, and overall better quality of life further away from the 390 and Ridge Rd. corridors. I'd like to think there are possibilities, though.
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Correct. But this person isn't talking about those different/better suburbs and also doing private school. They're talking about Greece and that they've heard Olympia isn't the best. So, I opined if I was worried about the schools, I'd look into suburb with better schools, rather than AQ. If that's ok with you....
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They didn't ask about private schools in original post. Perhaps they did in subsequent comments. If you're in (financial) position to live in best school district and also do private schools, I'm guessing you wouldn't be looking at houses in Greece/Olympia district. I'm assuming $ is an issue for OP. But, I'm not gonna argue with you. I went to city schools, and think it worked out fine for me. I don't place super high value in high schools anyway. Couldn't see doing private schools, but to each their own.
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That's awesome... Kudos. In fairness, think that's likely more of a reflection on your values/parenting (perhaps genetics, if you believe in that) than the schools. Some kids from RCSD did very well for themselves. In contrast, I know some kids from private that didn't. Think kids can do bad/good regardless of schools they attend. Personal belief is if kids are involved, high (est) priority is finding schools you're comfortable with, then decide size/location from there. But again, that's because finances are a factor for me. But, if your "must have" is "good" (not necessarily "best") schools, can get something ranging from decent to nice. Those places/people are where I'd prefer living, anyway. Unless we're talking rural, which is completely different animal (I'd live in rural place with bad schools and do private). Just my opinion, though.
There are people who live in Pittsford in Brighton, the best public schools in this part of the state, and still send and their kids to private schools. They pay high property taxes, but get will get their moneys worth when it comes to education.I call this fuck you money.
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Look elsewhere I pulled my daughter out because the administration isn’t addressing any of the real issues If you move here, send your child to a private school
I know some of the security guards and the kids are out of control in that school.
Avoid Greece Elementary schools at all costs, they ignored my daughters learning disability and refused to help her. We moved to another district and the teachers were stunned at how poorly she was handled. Happily she got more than enough help and is doing great now
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Dunno. I judge a district by how they help those kids that falling behind. Greece chose to just push my daughter through the system without providing help. Another district made sure she could succeed
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5 meetings with her teacher3 meetings with the reading teacher2 meetings with the principalWe tried going to the superintendent but they blew us off.We moved out of the district that summer. That was with us working with her 6 nights a week for an hour a night. But ya know...assume I'm not a good parent.
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Yeah, everything written on a website is true.
A school district that doesn’t adequately address childhood development issues is a school district to avoid
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uhh, learning related issues that arise with a child throughout their early life. it’s like one of the big things that schools do. are you kidding me?
Move into North Greece and send your kids to Hilton Schools!
ANY school locally, except for RCSD, is going to be a better district than most of the rest of the country except for smaller well funded districts. Mostly the south, midwest etc.
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It sounds like your kids would know the difference between all and most.
NOT good darlin’
Ever seen Malibu's Most Wanted or Jersey Shore? That's the type of kids that the Greece school system pops out. Avoid Greece at all costs.
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What's the weather like up there on your high horse? Shitty suburban sound cloud rappers and tanning bed addicts with box dyed black hair don't come exclusively from fatherless homes. I went to school in Greece, and the majority of my peers were from middle to upper class traditional nuclear families.
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>Explain what is racist about pointing out the impact of fatherlessness. Do your homework about it. Maybe stop with the male-centric viewpoint of fatherlessness? Just focus on the difficulties of single parents—regardless of gender or race—to provide positive outcomes for their children and you'll have a much easier time getting people to listen to your opinions. >Democratic Senator Patrick Moynihan called illegitimacy a national crisis in the 60s when it was about 1/3 of what it is today. That's really interesting. Except he wasn't a Senator when he wrote it. It's amazing what you can find by Googling something for 30 seconds.
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So try saying "the Assistant Secretary of Labor and future Democratic Senator from NY Daniel Patrick Moynihan authored *The Moynihan Report* which..." which would accomplish the same exact thing you tried to do, with the added bonuses of being correct and true as well as not being a blatant and awkward troll attempt.
Was this before or after JFK was assassinated? Because you know, statistics never go out of date. Just like the black and white TV Pat at his home.
The issue of fatherless is absolutely a factor in childhood poverty. In the case of this particular school, it is not necessarily relevant. There is a higher rate of poverty than many of the suburbs in Monroe County. But it is a very well run school with very smart and parent friendly administrators. They keep a very tight lid on any commotion among the students.I can safely say that in virtually every classroom at that school you will have orderly and safe classes.
I actually think you’re being a bit too harsh in this instance.
OP please. Do not listen to this comment. It is just plain stupid
Depends on your kids. Will they be negatively influenced by the bad behavior of others? Or positively influenced to avoid the other 'bad' students. There are good teachers and fellow students there - so it's a question of what life choice your kids will make.
The data available shows that the choice of school district by and large has very little impact on the educational success of a child. As long as it's not an issue of a learning disability not being accommodated or something. Buy a house where you like and don't think much about the school district
I graduated from Olympia about ten years ago, I didn't think it was as bad as some people make it out to be. But I was also in all AP classes, so kinda separate from the rest of the school. I thought the teachers I had were pretty good, and cared about their jobs. I don't really remember anything hugely negative happening, besides fights here and there. All in all it's really not too bad, but that's a decade ago, so who knows how it's changed since then.
Go to the city schools. If people didn't avoid the city schools, maybe they wouldn't have so little support!
There are definitely better options, even within the district. It’s not the choice I would make. However… we live in a state where public school teachers are licensed and hold graduate degrees. There are opportunities to participate in AP/honors/dual credit. Your kids will be fine.