Greetings Tribe fans.

I'll be moving to the Yorktown/Williamsburg area this summer (June). My wife and I are looking for places to live currently and I figured you all would be a wealth of information on the subject.

I have three kids, two of which will be in elementary school and a toddler that will be in the same before we move again.

Any good tips on schools, or if you know of any places available it would be a huge help.

We really like the Williamsburg area, but have heard the schools are slightly better in Yorktown. Any truth to that?

Thanks!

If you decide on the Williamsburg area, give my boy, Jay Colley, a call. He'll take care of finding you the right home. (William E. Wood & Assoc.)
757-229-0550. Oh, and talk your ear off...

(03-12-2015 01:59 PM)CoastGuardHawk06 Wrote:  Greetings Tribe fans.

I'll be moving to the Yorktown/Williamsburg area this summer (June). My wife and I are looking for places to live currently and I figured you all would be a wealth of information on the subject.

I have three kids, two of which will be in elementary school and a toddler that will be in the same before we move again.

Any good tips on schools, or if you know of any places available it would be a huge help.

We really like the Williamsburg area, but have heard the schools are slightly better in Yorktown. Any truth to that?

Thanks!

My general understanding is that if you're in York County or Williamsburg James City County schools, you should be in good shape. There's maybe one elementary school in WJCC (James River Elementary) that you might want to shy away from, but I'm going to take a stab that you wouldn't be looking at houses in that district anyways.

I think a preference between York/WJCC may be more bias than an actual significant difference between the two.

That being said, if you're going to be at the Coast Guard base (just based on your username), then obviously York County may be a better option for you.

I think you'll find similar housing costs around Yorktown as in Greater Williamsburg, with probably a few more options for newer houses in Greater Williamsburg than in York County.

Without knowing much about your budget and desires for housing hard to get into the housing discussion much, but if you had any specific areas you wanted feedback on I'm sure we could help - I know Greater Williamsburg much better than I know Yorktown, but I work in the Yorktown area (live in Toano) so I have knowledge of the area - just not specific housing developments, etc.

Who knows? Live in Williamsburg long enough and he may want to change his user name to CoastGuardTribe06.

Also, you'll want to factor the cost of Tribe season tickets into your housing budget calculations.

(03-12-2015 02:59 PM)wml33t Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 01:59 PM)CoastGuardHawk06 Wrote:  Greetings Tribe fans.

I'll be moving to the Yorktown/Williamsburg area this summer (June). My wife and I are looking for places to live currently and I figured you all would be a wealth of information on the subject.

I have three kids, two of which will be in elementary school and a toddler that will be in the same before we move again.

Any good tips on schools, or if you know of any places available it would be a huge help.

We really like the Williamsburg area, but have heard the schools are slightly better in Yorktown. Any truth to that?

Thanks!

My general understanding is that if you're in York County or Williamsburg James City County schools, you should be in good shape. There's maybe one elementary school in WJCC (James River Elementary) that you might want to shy away from, but I'm going to take a stab that you wouldn't be looking at houses in that district anyways.

You do realize that James River is where the Kingsmill kids go (those who opt for Public school), right? Plus its a magnet school as well. Yes it has a low income area in its district, but that has little to do with how good it is as a school. Low income folk work hard too.

All the schools in WJCC are good so are the teachers, that said I am not exactly a Helicopter parent either. I know my daughter makes the honor roll in middle school but if you were to offer me $10,000 to name her teacher, I would lose. The other kid who is in Elementary school, was kicked in the head by a mule at 2 so my hope is he turns out to be a good athlete he seems to run around the soccer pitch like Forest Gump so that is a start.

My wife is a teacher and worked at several W'burg schools as part of her MEd program at W&M. She'll be the first person to tell you that the schools down there are every bit as good as the schools up here in NoVA (which, are rated as some of the best in the country).

I strongly recommend pushing kids toward Scouting. They'll meet a bunch of good kids who go to your kids' school(s) and they'll keep busy doing fun activities.

Fair points Paul about JRES.

(03-12-2015 05:04 PM)Tribal Wrote:  My wife is a teacher and worked at several W'burg schools as part of her MEd program at W&M. She'll be the first person to tell you that the schools down there are every bit as good as the schools up here in NoVA (which, are rated as some of the best in the country).

The NoVA elitist in me disagrees with this statement so so so much.

(03-12-2015 05:23 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:04 PM)Tribal Wrote:  My wife is a teacher and worked at several W'burg schools as part of her MEd program at W&M. She'll be the first person to tell you that the schools down there are every bit as good as the schools up here in NoVA (which, are rated as some of the best in the country).

The NoVA elitist in me disagrees with this statement so so so much.

I was born and raised in Annandale. Save TJHS, nothing special about FCPS All VA schools have SOLs and they all have unique sets of issues.

I would second Billy Mac's recommendation of Jay Colley

(03-12-2015 05:39 PM)Tribal Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:23 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:04 PM)Tribal Wrote:  My wife is a teacher and worked at several W'burg schools as part of her MEd program at W&M. She'll be the first person to tell you that the schools down there are every bit as good as the schools up here in NoVA (which, are rated as some of the best in the country).

The NoVA elitist in me disagrees with this statement so so so much.

I was born and raised in Annandale. Save TJHS, nothing special about FCPS All VA schools have SOLs and they all have unique sets of issues.

OK but my NoVA high school was ranked 55th in the country and my roommate's SWVa high school was heated by a furnace and didn't offer high school chemistry. I feel comfortable saying there's a gap there

(03-12-2015 05:12 PM)wml33t Wrote:  Fair points Paul about JRES.

Its all good, your not the only person with a misconception about that school. We aren't zoned for JRES, but if we were, my kids would not know the difference between there and Matoaka.

(03-12-2015 06:07 PM)Paulbintheburg Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:12 PM)wml33t Wrote:  Fair points Paul about JRES.

Its all good, your not the only person with a misconception about that school. We aren't zoned for JRES, but if we were, my kids would not know the difference between there and Matoaka.

In fairness, I know quite a bit about it - but I just know that a lot of people, in spite of the facts about it, shy away from it - so I make a habit of throwing out caveats about it even though I shouldn't.

(03-12-2015 05:55 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:39 PM)Tribal Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:23 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:04 PM)Tribal Wrote:  My wife is a teacher and worked at several W'burg schools as part of her MEd program at W&M. She'll be the first person to tell you that the schools down there are every bit as good as the schools up here in NoVA (which, are rated as some of the best in the country).

The NoVA elitist in me disagrees with this statement so so so much.

I was born and raised in Annandale. Save TJHS, nothing special about FCPS All VA schools have SOLs and they all have unique sets of issues.

OK but my NoVA high school was ranked 55th in the country and my roommate's SWVa high school was heated by a furnace and didn't offer high school chemistry. I feel comfortable saying there's a gap there

What does that have to do with WJCC schools?

I'm from NoVa as well. I don't know a ton about the high schools down here, but I know the primary schools pretty well and I think Tribal's claim isn't crazy.

(03-12-2015 06:31 PM)wml33t Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:55 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:39 PM)Tribal Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:23 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-12-2015 05:04 PM)Tribal Wrote:  My wife is a teacher and worked at several W'burg schools as part of her MEd program at W&M. She'll be the first person to tell you that the schools down there are every bit as good as the schools up here in NoVA (which, are rated as some of the best in the country).

The NoVA elitist in me disagrees with this statement so so so much.

I was born and raised in Annandale. Save TJHS, nothing special about FCPS All VA schools have SOLs and they all have unique sets of issues.

OK but my NoVA high school was ranked 55th in the country and my roommate's SWVa high school was heated by a furnace and didn't offer high school chemistry. I feel comfortable saying there's a gap there

What does that have to do with WJCC schools?

I'm from NoVa as well. I don't know a ton about the high schools down here, but I know the primary schools pretty well and I think Tribal's claim isn't crazy.

Truth be told, WJCC schools are superior to UNCW so I think 'ol CG will be impressed. ;-)

Most parents prefer York County Schools over JCC. Also assuming you may be in the Coast Guard, York County closer to your work!

IF you are a football fan, you should joins us on Monday night for the Quarterback Club at W&M Hall in the Pearson Room!

(03-13-2015 08:03 AM)wmmii Wrote:  Most parents prefer York County Schools over JCC. Also assuming you may be in the Coast Guard, York County closer to your work!

IF you are a football fan, you should joins us on Monday night for the Quarterback Club at W&M Hall in the Pearson Room!

Do you have a link to the poll of "most parents"?gain I am not too involved in any of the education end of things (for obvious reasons), but I have never heard someone say " Dang I wish we lived in York County so our kids could go to school there, instead of James City".

This thread is taking a life of its own.

Like "Zable stadium cannot be renovated because it is out of code".

(03-13-2015 09:15 AM)Paulbintheburg Wrote:  

(03-13-2015 08:03 AM)wmmii Wrote:  Most parents prefer York County Schools over JCC. Also assuming you may be in the Coast Guard, York County closer to your work!

IF you are a football fan, you should joins us on Monday night for the Quarterback Club at W&M Hall in the Pearson Room!

Do you have a link to the poll of "most parents"?gain I am not too involved in any of the education end of things (for obvious reasons), but I have never heard someone say " Dang I wish we lived in York County so our kids could go to school there, instead of James City".

This thread is taking a life of its own.

Like "Zable stadium cannot be renovated because it is out of code".

Yeah - I go back to what I said earlier. I think any statements about York over WJCC or WJCC over York are purely personal preference and/or bias. Objectively, I think they're very much on par with each other and your child would get a very good education at either one.

Everyone, thanks for all the recommendations and chatter on the subject.

Yes, I am in the CG. Wife, family and I are all super excited about the move there and I've already told my son we'll be checking out some Tribe football this fall.

In terms of renting, we are looking at a price range of up to 2k per month. Additionally, we'll be keeping an eye on places to buy as well, but may look to do that after we've been there a year or so. I'll check out Mr. Colley as well. Thanks! I've heard great things about both York and WJCC schools. I'm also familiar with the NOVA schools, my mother grew up in Annandale as well Tribal. Good stuff.

Thanks again!