Whether we are looking to get the best possible education for ourselves or for our children, it is important to research cities that have top school districts. Sometimes it is hard to find some of the best schools in your own city and you are forced to relocate to a place where you can find better quality education.
Kids moving away from their hometown in hopes of a better future is also a hard decision that is not taken lightly. However, if you are living in Newton MA, this decision is made a lot easier because the city is well-known for having some of the best school districts in the state. With so many top-rated schools and colleges, you can’t go wrong in Newton, MA.
Let’s dive a little deeper and find out how it became one of the areas with the best education and what are the most sought after schools in Newton MA.
The history of Newton’s education
As far as 2019 reports go, there were about 12,500 students enrolled in fifteen elementary schools, two comprehensive high schools, four middle schools, and two alternative high school programs. With an additional preschool program that serves 184 students and over 70 different languages spoken within the student/parent population, the city of Newton upholds a standard in education that very few other cities could match.
How did this come to be, you might wonder? Where did it all begin and how did Newton benefit from such a great success as far as their school districts go? It all started back in 1850 when communities in Massachusetts with more than 4,000 inhabitants were required to have a high school education.
The first High School Division in Newton, MA shared the same schoolhouse with Grammar School on Homer Street. As the population of Newton hit 8,000 people, the Annual Town Meeting voted to create an edifice that would accommodate Pure High School. The building was located on Walnut Street and it featured furniture and appliances that would reflect the highest standard of English and Classical education.
The building suffered modifications in 1875 and in 1898 the original building was replaced with a new one. This would be the first building and the next one built in 1906 was the Vocational High School followed by a third one, opened in Walnut Street in 1926, adjacent to Building 1 and it was now part of the Newton High School Complex.
All three buildings were connected to each other through a series of maintenance tunnels and it formed Newton High School which was the only one that served the area for about 100 years. In 1960 Newton South High School opened and in 1973 Newton High School was renamed Newton North High School when the new building was constructed on Lowell Avenue.
In 2003 the building was already 30 years old and it was aging poorly. After a community debate, the decision was made to construct a replacement high school. The total cost of this project that involved demolishing the old building and building a new one, totaled about $200 million which is up to this day one of the most expensive high schools ever built.
Best schools and school districts in Newton MA
Now that you have a bit of background to how the city became so well-known in terms of its school districts. Let’s find out which are the best schools around and why.
Newton North High School
You might think that putting so much money into creating this school doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of its education. Apparently that is not true since Newton North High School is not only the most expensive high school building ever built but also one of the best schools in Newton, MA.
Newton North High School is located in Newtonville MA and is has over 2,000 students enrolled in grades 9 to 12. The student to teacher ratio is about 12 to 1 and according to state test scores students are 92% proficient in math and 96% proficient in reading. The school is rated with an A+ and it is reflecting the top school districts in Newton MA in every aspect.
However, if you are looking for housing near the school district you will find out that there are very limited options in terms of prices. There are very few homes under the $1M price point and there are homes that can go up to $4M if you are aiming for luxury homes.
Newton South High School
Newton South High School is just as highly placed as its above competition. This top-rated high school has about 1,900 students enrolled while the student to teacher ratio is 12 to 1. Students in Newton South High School have a math proficiency score of about 96% and they are 99% proficient in reading.
There are numerous sporting activities in which students can participate and most students agree that they feel safe at their school. Students here are competitive and teachers have a genuine care for their students, making it another high school that ranks up really high in terms of its education.
Home prices for houses around the school district are starting at around $500,000 but again, there aren’t many options under the $1M price point and prices can go as high as $6M for some of the mansions and luxury homes in the area.
Oak Hill Middle School
When it comes to middle schools, everyone will point out Oak Hill Middle School for its great results and high academic standards. Oak Hill Middle School is a highly-rated school in Newton MA with an A+ rating.
The middle school has a modest number of students enrolled in grades 6 to 8, around 600 students and a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. On the other hand, students from Oak Hill MIddle School have a 74% math proficiency and 71% in reading. The school welcomes students of all backgrounds and interests, not to mention the fact that the staff, as well as the teachers, are caring and hardworking in supporting the school districts.
In terms of housing around the school district, here you have more options under $1M but most home prices start at around $500,000.
Mason-Rice Elementary School
When it comes to elementary schools in Newton MA, Mason-Rice Elementary School is one of the most appreciated schools around. It is yet another top-rated school in the district that has about 500 students enrolled in grades K-5 and a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. Students have a 79% math proficiency and 82% proficiency in reading which makes it one of the best elementary schools around.
Our research shows that there is a limited number of homes for sale in this school district and we were able to find only 3 results under $1M.
Conclusion
Altogether, the city of Newton MA is a good place to live and one of the reasons for that is the top school districts. The community values its school and with deep care for the people, one of the best schooling systems was born here in Newton MA. From highly-rated high schools to middle and elementary schools the city is definitely a place where education prevails.
If you want to experience it for yourself by relocating to Newton MA, make sure you contact any of the local real estate agents in Newton MA, in order to find the best area to live close to some of the highly-sought-after school districts around.
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