Smithtown address / Haauppauge Schools

We saw a home we like in Smithtown but in the Hauppauge School district. How do the Hauppauge Schools compare to Smithown?

Is one better??????

I can only comment regarding the services they provide for children needing speech, inclusion setting, etc. ( I am a speech pathologist for preschool-age) and Hauppauge is more accomodating than Smithtown. They advocate for providing services and then taking them away if they are not needed as the year progresses. Smithtown had more of a 'sink or swim' attitude for Kindergarten children. Both districts have excellent reputations.

I think both are pretty equal - I think you just tend to hear more about smithtown since it's a larger district and some areas of that district have more money (ie nissaquoge and head of the harbor).

I think if you choose hauppauge your children will still get a very good education :)

Smithtown address w/ Hauppauge schools is fantastic - you get a great school district and MUCH lower taxes.

You'll be very happy

I just wanted to say that I went to school in Hauppauge, and my family still does. It is an excellent district. You wont be disappointed. My DH went to Smithtown and they are very comparable.

One more thing about smithtown... At the moment it's going through a transition. A lot of teachers are retiring - My friend recently got hired there and for the last 3 or 4 years they've hired over 100 new teachers a year... this year it was only 30. I graduated in 2000 and i can almost count on one hand the teachers that I had that are still there....

Also, when I was going through school. they were going through a period where the numbers for the district were way down (hence the combining of the 2 high schools, and the 3 middle schools into the 2nd high school). Then I a lot of younger people with young kids started moving back into the neighborhoods and caused a need for more classrooms (I wish I got my degree about 2 or 3 years ago...)

Everything should settle down once your kids are in school though.

Smithtown is great, as much as I liked to complain about it, and I got a wonderful education. If I were staying on Long Island it's one of the few areas I would settle in so that my kids could get a great education....

Good luck with your decision!

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Posted by 121502

I can definitely vouch that both are excellent school districts, but I agree whole-heartedly with whomever made the comment about Smithtown's special ed services. They are HORRIBLE. TERRIBLE. Also, Smithtown school district is splitting into two high schools again, which is fine, but it's still overcrowded. Hauppauge schools are much less crowded.

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I work with many special ed teachers and administrators in Smithtown and the services are NOT horrible. I've never seen a more dedicated group.
Both school district have excellent reputations and produce great results. Check the school report cards- I think they're on the the NYS Ed site. Good luck with your house search!

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Posted by sam

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Posted by 121502

I can definitely vouch that both are excellent school districts, but I agree whole-heartedly with whomever made the comment about Smithtown's special ed services. They are HORRIBLE. TERRIBLE. Also, Smithtown school district is splitting into two high schools again, which is fine, but it's still overcrowded. Hauppauge schools are much less crowded.

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I work with many special ed teachers and administrators in Smithtown and the services are NOT horrible. I've never seen a more dedicated group.
Both school district have excellent reputations and produce great results. Check the school report cards- I think they're on the the NYS Ed site. Good luck with your house search!

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I have to agree to one thing... smithtown schools are great! I grew up in smithtown and feel I received a fantastic education. I now teach in smithtown and can say that the smithtown children are receiving a fantastic education.

Now, what I have to disagree with is their special ed. dept. I taught sped for smithtown for many years and have seen the administration change over and the services cut. They used to look at us sped. teachers as professionals but not anymore. It's more money driven thant student need driven. I can understand why to a point, but if a child needs services, they should receive the services. This is one of the many reasons why I got out of the sped dept.

overall, the district and town is great! I am very happy I grew up there and am still part of the community!

Good luck!

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Posted by sam

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Posted by 121502

I can definitely vouch that both are excellent school districts, but I agree whole-heartedly with whomever made the comment about Smithtown's special ed services. They are HORRIBLE. TERRIBLE. Also, Smithtown school district is splitting into two high schools again, which is fine, but it's still overcrowded. Hauppauge schools are much less crowded.

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I work with many special ed teachers and administrators in Smithtown and the services are NOT horrible. I've never seen a more dedicated group.
Both school district have excellent reputations and produce great results. Check the school report cards- I think they're on the the NYS Ed site. Good luck with your house search!

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I happen to know this first hand. I could never discuss it due to privacy issues, but I certainly would not make a statement like that without valid reasons. I am an educator and try to stay as informed as possible.