Smithie007

Hi

We are relocating to the Sarasota district with an 11yr old boy and would appreciate any advice on the best schools in the area. We would want to base where we lived on the correct school.

Many thanks,

Smithie

Ray

http://www.greatschools.org/florida/

Michael

Click on any symbol for more information.

http://schoolperformancemaps.com/fl/...51019%2C11%2C1

Smithie007

Thanks for both those site they have been extremely helpful. Does anyone know Lakewood Ranch is like? Its a new village location that has been built north of Satasota with schools, houses, shops, etc. Thanks.

VivDee

Yes,LWR is a great place. Everything is so clean here.

Of course just like all Florida towns,it is suffering from the poor economy but that means house prices are wonderful for new people coming Also it being primary in Bradenton,the taxes ,home insurance,are lower than in Sarasota,which we love being not too far off.

Sarasota has a Brit Club.

btw/do not buy a home older than 2003,since the building codes get updated.So the ones that aren't up to present code are more costly for home insurnce.

We bought a new home.The last updated code I think was 2006.we bought a new home in 2008

Good luck. quite a few of Brits in this area..

Smithie007

Thanks VivDee - Are you from England too then?

We were told that the Tampa area would be better for teenagers than Sarasota? It does look like Sarasota, although beautiful, might not be geared up for teenagers? Any advice?

Thanks,

VivDee

Tampa,well maybe so for Teens.I asked a Teen here "what they did for fun"
their reply was "We go to Tampa" everything is there"

Personally,now I have gotten used to this slow,open spaced area,I do not like going into Tampa,I have gotten to dislike built up towns.For me,it is much prettier here. Plus we have Siesta Key Beach,not too far off.Great Beach,one of the best ones in USA.
Though,I would expect job wise(which is hard to find in Florida,due to the economy right now).It may be a better place for some,as far as employment goes..
Though English and having lived up north before comiing here.I find not many things cheaper here in Florida,yet wages for the average Joe type employment is lower.

Go oto City Data.com forum and go to Bradenton/Sarasota site.It can be very helpful,though they tend at times to be disgruntled from some unhappy folks.
P.S/I would advise renting first,this way you have time to look around and see what location fits you and your family best.

Tea Pot

I live in Lakewood Ranch and have a 14 year old at school here. He has been in the school system here since we moved from England 7 years ago. Most of the schools here are A rated. We have never had any reason to complain about the education he has received and he has thrived.

Try to visit the places you are interested in if you can.....all the best.

Smithie007

Hi

How did your son settle - that is one of the things I am most worried about. Also the english schooling system is obviously going to be different than that in the US. Could you tell me what age they go to each of the schools. I think there is a primary, middle and high in the US whereas the UK there is just the two. He will be 11yrs old - would he be at the middle school?

Thanks,

Englishtart

It can depend on the school district when they start middle school, we have been in some that start at age 11/12 and others that started at 10/11, most high schools start at 13/14. check the website greatschools.org they have really good info on districts, specific schools and performance etc.

Tea Pot

He is our youngest of four sons and is our shy one. We were dreading relocating with him, but it wasn't as bad as we had feared. I think he was young enough to settle quickly, plus the staff at the Elementary School he went to were fully aware that he was British, shy and had no other family and friends around for support (apart from us and two of his three brothers). They were brilliant with him and all went well.

Yes, there is an Elementary, Middle and High School system here. Our Kid is off to High School in August - he will be going into 9th Grade and he will be 15 in November. He will stay there for four years and Graduate High School at age 18.

Middle School is Grades 6, 7 and 8 (ages 12, 13 and 14).

So your son, at age 11, would go into Grade 5, which is the last year of Elementary School. (Unless he is a summer born child...I am not sure of the cut-off date which determines which school year he would go into).

We visited three Elementary Schools before we moved here, and found them all to be very good. We then found a house we liked and he went to the one of the three that we were in the "catchment area" of.

Richmark

Hi,
We emigrated out to Lakewood ranch in September 2010 from near Leeds in West Yorkshire and have lived in Lakewood ranch, not too far from Sarasota or Bradenton. My daughter goes to lakewwod ranch high which is a great school, but Riverview high school is also very good in Sarasota.

Richmark

Hi,
We emigrated out to Lakewood ranch in September 2010 from near Leeds in West Yorkshire and have lived in Lakewood ranch, not too far frpm Srasota or Bradenton. My daughter goes to lakewood ranch high which is a great school, but Riverview high school is also very good in Sarasota.

wilma12

Hi we are moving to Lakewood Ranch, we have a 14year old daughter and we took her for a look around LRH school. It seemed like a good school, and I have heard good things about it too.