Expert: Homer A. Bruno Date: 3/19/2000 Subject: moving
Question Hi
Moving to Closter in NJ.My children will be studying in Hillside elementary,Tenekill middle
school and Northern Valley high.Please tell me about schools` reputation.
What R options travelling to work in NYcity?
Are there any other activities after school for
kids?Even in nearby areas is ok.
In India we drive on the left.Is there any way
that I can have lessons to orient myself to the
road rules there?
Are there any good clubs for aerobics,yoga etc?
Any good library as I like reading?
Please suggest a good way to familiarize myself
with the NJ area,books that help,good places
of interesting sights all around there.Any groups
that help newcomers orient&adjust?
Please do let me know all about and neigbouring
areas too(Bergen county?)
Thank you very much
Answer Hello Jiggi,
Because I live nearly one hundred miles from Closter, I do not have first hand knowledge of Closter. There is not very much available on the internet, but I made a few telephone calls and what follows is the best that I can come up with:
Closter is undoubtedly a very fine community. It has a population of 8000 people. As you know, it is located in Bergen County, which has many of the most affluent communties in New Jersey.
The schools you mentioned are highly regarded. The State of New Jersey has recently issued an evaluation of each individual school and its reports have been made available to the public. You might want to request the data on the three schools by writing to the Closter Superintendent of Schools, 340 Homans Avenue, Closter, New Jersey 07624. In your letter, you might also ask about after-school activites for students.
As for other information about the town and for social activitea I suggest you write to the Closter Library which is located at 280 High Street,Closter, NJ 07624. Librarians typically have wealth of infomation about the community are are happy to share it with others.
To learn more about Bergen County and the communites within it I suggest you send a request to the Office of the Bergen County Executive, Administration Buliding, Hackensack, NJ
In regard to commuting to New York City, your best option is bus transportation. There is some commuting by train but I do not find evidence of such service in Closter. Commuter busses to New York offer very good service. Their destination is a Port Authority Terminal from which you can get a bus or subway to any part of the city. Commuting by auto is not a good idea because of traffic congestion and the cost of parking.
As for driving instuctions, the Bergen Area telephone directory lists about a dozen driving schools. Each of these will tell you about driving requirments and rules of the road. Furthermore, the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles will give you with a drivers manual at the time you apply for a learners permit. It will provide everything you need to know in order to pass a written test that accompanies a road test that you must pass to qualify for a license to drive.
Even though I was not able to answer all of your questions in greater detail, I nevertheless hope that what I've writtten is helpful.
Best wishes.
-Homer
