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Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children
New Jersey Schools: JEC vs. Kushner



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amother
Orchid


 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 6:03 pm
Hi,
We are looking to move to Linden, New Jersey and we are having some trouble deciding on a school. JEC is in Elizabeth which is 10 minutes away but there is no bussing and I currently don't drive. I plan to learn to drive once we move. However, Kushner does provide door to door bussing but is in Livingston, which is an hour away from Linden. I know that both are good schools. Kushner is a lot more modern, which I am very ok with. I guess my question is, better to send closer to home, but need a way to get my daughter home from school (my husband would drive her there) or send to a school further away but guaranteed door to door bussing? In the end, the choice is mine to make, but I just wanted to get a feel of what others would do in my situation.
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 6:21 pm
If you like both schools equally and it really comes down to your question- I would definitely do whatever I could to avoid having my child sit on a bus that long every day before and after school. The school day is long and stressful enough without that.
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doctorima




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 6:42 pm
Agree with chartreuse. I don't know how old your kids are, but an hour each way (and even longer if traffic is bad) would be cruel and unusual punishment to me, let alone to little children. If you're moving to Linden, it will anyway be really important for you to learn to drive, so I'd focus on that and then work on carpools or other transportation options for the much-closer school.
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BetsyTacy




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 7:02 pm
Also an important thought are all the times there won't be transportation.
Kid not feeling well and the nurse calls for child to be brought home?
How about the doctor appointments that can't be scheduled around school and need a pullout during school hours?
You will appreciate the shorter drive.
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amother
Periwinkle


 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 7:06 pm
You should start learning how to drive now op.
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amother
Aquamarine


 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 8:42 pm
There can be a big difference in cost once you figure in the NJ transportation reimbursement (for grades k-12 if between 2-20 miles away). You get the same amount no matter if it is 2 miles or 20, but none if it is less than 2 or more than 20.

An hour commute is probably over 20 miles, so the cost of transportation may be quite high, although the school may choose to absorb some of the cost. On the other hand, your reimbursement may cover a good chunk of the cost of a private taxi for a ten-minute drive.

I wouldn't send a young child far away to school, but depending on the child some don't mind a long ride in middle/high school. It really depends on the kid.

Especially for high school, there may be many sporting events, play rehearsals and other things requiring a ride home in the evening long after the bus time, so keep that in mind too.
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TzipG




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 9:07 pm
Definitely learn to drive now. Where do most of the Linden kids go to school? I imagine jec? Then it's important for your kid to have local friends.
BTW Linden is not an hour from Livingston, more like 30 minutes. Although a school bus route could definitely be an hour, maybe that's what you heard.
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amother
Orchid


 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 9:30 pm
TzipG wrote:
Definitely learn to drive now. Where do most of the Linden kids go to school? I imagine jec? Then it's important for your kid to have local friends.
BTW Linden is not an hour from Livingston, more like 30 minutes. Although a school bus route could definitely be an hour, maybe that's what you heard.

Op here: Yes, it is roughly 30 minutes from Linden, but when we went to see the school, we were told the bus ride would be about an hour due to all the stops.
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amother
Amber


 

Post Wed, Apr 19 2017, 10:04 pm
I agree that a major consideration should be where the neighbors send their children. It's important for kids to have friends who live nearby, otherwise you'll be driving to Livingston all the time for playdates.

Learn to drive NOW. Try to arrange a JEC carpool, with your husband driving in the morning and someone else doing afternoons. (Culture shock alert: it may be too late to get into a carpool for next year.)
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amother
Cyan


 

Post Thu, Apr 20 2017, 10:08 am
Many people in Linden carpool to JEC, so you should look into that.

Also, when I was growing up, JEC was a much better school than Kushner. That may not be the case now, but it is something to ask around about.

There aren't that many kids in Linden, so I do agree that it's important to make sure that your kid has friends in the neighborhood that they go to school with.
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