Buying A New Home In A School District That Makes The Grade

GSIR agent Bill Tierney explores
the homebuyers crucial step of researchingschooldistricts and
spotlights the Cohasset Education Foundation

There are several variables to consider when choosing that
perfect place that you and your family can call home. To help you
make this important decision, the quality of local school systems
often inevitably enters the equation. People will search
publications such as US News and World Report, The Boston Globe,
and Boston Magazine to learn how school systems rank among their
local counterparts. Fortunately, the aforementioned publications
rank the Cohasset Public School system rather highly. Cohassets
public schools are a significant part of the local municipal budget
and in a similar train of thought, a great source of local
pride.

But what does not get factored into many of the ranking
methodologies, is the amount of local support that the schools
receive from the community. One extraordinary yet often overlooked
fact about the Cohasset Schools Systems is the support the schools
garner from the local community.

Now, in fairness to the various ranking methodologies, it can be
cumbersome to equally measure a school systems level of community
support. To assess support for schools in Cohasset, prospective
homebuyers can look to the tremendous support earned by the
Cohasset Education Foundation over approximately the last ten
years. Since its revitalization over a decade ago, the Cohasset
Education Foundation has evolved an endowment of nearly one-million
dollars for the Cohasset Public Schools, while simultaneously
funding over $1.2 million dollars in grants for teachers to improve
various aspects of their curriculums. With all funding deriving
from local businesses and residents of Cohasset, the unmeasurable
level of advocacy offered to the Cohasset Education Foundation is
arguably the X Factor that makes Cohasset schools so
attractive.

So, what is the Cohasset Education Foundation?

The Cohasset Education Foundation
(The CEF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt community-based organization
whose mission is to ensure that Cohasset students, teachers and
administrators have access to the programs, materials and
up-to-date equipment necessary to maintain a level of academic
excellence in todays competitive environment.

The CEF raises funds throughout the
year through contributions from residents, businesses and corporate
and private enterprises who recognize that excellence in public
education is essential to the social and economic fabric of our
community. Entirely independent of the school system, the CEF
maintains a close partnership with the school administration and
evaluates for funding those needs submitted for consideration by
teachers and administrators. The CEF is not intended to supplant or
replace the public funding of our schools. (Cohasset Education
Foundation)

In simpler terms, the CEF is run by a small group of volunteers
that raise funds from the local Cohasset community. Half of the
funds collected are placed in the endowment fund, which ultimately
serve the Cohasset School System. The other half of the funds
raised on an annual basis are used to fund grant requests for
materials, training, programs, and programming designed to enhance
the educational experience of Cohasset students. The CEF has funded
various educational programs, including Digital Literacy, The Model
United Nations, Lego Robotics and The Robotics Team. Other programs
strengthen math fluency and establish digital learning for special
education.

For Cohasset teachers, the process of making a grant request is
rather simple. Teachers simply submit a grant application to the
CEF Board. Members of the CEF grant committee then review and
select which grants to fund. The grants have historically funded
items or programs that enhance the educational experience for both
teachers and students alike.

Since its inception in 1992, the CEF has funded dozens of
grants, improving the educational experience for teachers and
students alike. Several teachers have asserted that they have
remained in the Cohasset School System due to the CEFs support for
their educational mission.

If you find yourself evaluating school systems during your home
search, look beyond the rankings and dig deeper. How much support
does the school system have from its community? Does the school
system have an official support network like the CEF? Would your
children benefit from being in a school system that receives close
to $100,000 in annual support from an outside organization?

For a full list of funded grants, click here.

This article was authored by
Bill Tierney, a realtor withGibson Sothebys
International Realtywho is based in the firms Cohasset
office. Tierney serves as a board member of the Cohasset Education
Foundation.