Introduction

Moving to a new place and starting over at a new duty station has its challenges. You have to secure housing, find your way around a new area, and figure out where your kids are attending school or what daycares are available for your children. Luckily, there will be no shortage of quality schools and childcare options for your children in and around the Westover Air Reserve Base (ARB) area. See for yourself.

Suggested Read:

Westover Air Reserve Base: In-Depth Welcome Center

Massachusetts School Enrollment

To be enrolled in a Massachusetts school for kindergarten, a child must attend in September of the calendar year in which he or she turns six. However, kindergarten is not mandatory for children in Massachusetts. Registration typically requires a birth certificate or other proof of the child’s age and the child’s previous school records and immunization records. Visit the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website for more information. Check with individual schools for additional enrollment requirements prior to arriving.

Schools in Westover ARB

Massachusetts allows residents to enroll their school-aged children into the school of their choice in the district they live in. For those connected to Westover ARB, you will send your child to the school in the district connected to your mailing address. If you’re right outside Westover in Chicopee, your children will attend Chicopee Public Schools. If you’re living in nearby Holyoke, your children will enroll in Holyoke Public Schools. Wherever they attend, rest assured that they’ll have access to the finest education possible. And if your child requires extra assistance, there are a number of programs available through the school district.

Westover ARB Elementary Schools

All elementary schools are off base and listed below.

Westover ARB Middle Schools

All middle schools are off base and listed below.

Westover ARB High Schools

All high schools are off base and listed below.

Schools Near Westover ARB

There are a number of public schools, charter schools, private schools and other options for school-aged children living near Westover Air Reserve Base.

Chicopee Public Schools

180 Broadway St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3410 Chicopee Public Schools serves nearly 7,400 students across 15 schools in Chicopee. The district has 10 elementary schools, two middle schools and three high schools to meet the needs of the 55,000 residents of Chicopee. Many students have ties to nearby Westover ARB.

Holyoke Public Schools

57 Suffolk St. Holyoke, MA 01040

Phone:

1 (413) 534-2000 Holyoke Public Schools serves more than 5,500 students across 12 schools, including one high school with three campuses, three middle schools and eight elementary schools. Innovative school programs, community initiatives and university partnerships offer plenty of choices for students to develop a wide range of skills and explore college and career options.

Elementary Schools Near Westover ARB

1. Barry Elementary School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 44 Connell St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3425 About four miles from Westover ARB sits Barry Elementary School. The nearly 400 kindergarten through fifth graders enrolled at Barry have plenty of options when it comes to getting a quality education.

2. Bowe Elementary School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 115 Hampden St. Chicopee, MA 01013

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3431 Bowe Elementary School is just under seven miles from Westover ARB. The 400-plus kindergarten through fifth grade students at Bowe have access to a quality education. Second through fifth grade students can join the typing club to acquire and improve their skills.

3. Fairview Elementary School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 26 Memorial Ave. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3501 Only two miles from Westover ARB’s front gate sits Fairview Elementary School. The elementary school enrolls more than 400 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Fairview boasts typing programs and an emphasis on music, language, math and science.

4. Lambert-Lavoie Elementary School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 99 Kendall St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3444 Lambert-Lavoie Elementary School sits about four miles southwest of Westover ARB, very close to Bellamy Middle School. The elementary school enrolls nearly 300 Chicopee students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Students benefit from a robust library and reading program.

Middle Schools Near Westover ARB

1. Bellamy Middle School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 314 Pendleton Ave. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3527 Bellamy Middle School sits about four miles from Westover ARB’s front gate. The middle school enrolls more than 800 sixth through eighth graders. The students benefit from opportunities to join the student council and drama club, as well as learning in small classes.

2. Dupont Middle School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 650 Front St. Chicopee, MA 01013

Phone:

1 (413) 594-1881 Students at Dupont Middle School benefit from an array of activities at the school: anime club, computer club, video club, yoga, latex engineering, pet care, cheerleading and more. The nearly 800 students at the diverse school benefit from small classes and a focus on their academic success.

High Schools Near Westover ARB

1. Chicopee Comprehensive High School

District:

Chicopee Public Schools 617 Montgomery St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 594-3534 Chicopee Comprehensive High School is the closest high school to Westover Air Reserve Base, with nearly 1,200 students. The National Banner-recognized high school works to prepare students for life after school, whether that means college, technical schools or entering the workforce right away. The diverse school offers a variety of clubs and athletic programs to set up students for success.

2. Holyoke High School

District:

Holyoke Public Schools 57 Suffolk St. Holyoke, MA 01040

Phone:

1 (413) 534-2000 Holyoke High School consists of three campuses: Dean, North and Opportunity Academy. All campuses serve students in grades 9-12, and students at both campuses have access to the full high school experience. The Dean campus hosts nine career vocational technical education programs, while North Campus hosts a comprehensive academic program featuring three linked-learned academies. The Opportunity Academy offers an alternate route that allows students to continue or restart on the path to a diploma.

Charter Schools Near Westover ARB

Charter schools are public schools of choice that are tuition-free, serve all students, and have open enrollment. There are nearly 80 charter schools in Massachusetts; there are nine located within 30 minutes of Westover Air Reserve Base. For more information about the charter schools in Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts Department of Education’s website.

1. Hampden Charter School of Science East

20 Johnson Road Chicopee, MA 01022

Phone:

1 (413) 593-9090

2. Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School

134 Springfield St. Chicopee, MA 01013

Phone:

1 (413) 536-3201

3. Holyoke Community Charter

2200 Northampton St. Holyoke, MA 01040

Phone:

1 (413) 533-0111

4. Libertas Academy Charter School

146 Chestnut St. Springfield, MA 01103

Phone:

1 (413) 342-5510

5. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence

285 Dorset St. Springfield, MA 01108

Phone:

1 (413) 214-7806

6. Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School

65 Lincoln St. Springfield, MA 01105

Phone:

1 (413) 273-1236

7. Springfield Preparatory Charter School

594 Converse St. Longmeadow, MA 01106

Phone:

1 (413) 231-2722

8. Sabis International Charter

160 Joan St. Springfield, MA 01129

Phone:

1 (413) 783-2600

9. Veritas Preparatory Charter School

370 Pine St. Springfield, MA 01105

Phone:

1 (413) 539-0055

Private Schools Near Westover ARB

Parents who choose to send their children to a private school near Westover ARB are met with a handful of options. A couple of the private schools in the area have a religious affiliation but they do not skimp on academics. According to Niche, these are the best private schools in the area.

1. St. Stanislaus Elementary School

534 Front St. Chicopee, MA 01013

Phone:

1 (413) 592-5135 St. Stanislaus School has been a fixture in the Chicopee community for over 120 years. The school enrolls more than 320 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The students of this co-ed private school are taught a balance of traditional Roman Catholic teachings as well as standard academics.

2. St. Joan of Arc School

587 Grattan St. Chicopee, MA 01020

Phone:

1 (413) 533-1475 St. Joan of Arc School offers small class sizes, after-school tutoring and various educational programs to enrich the whole child. Nearly 200 students are enrolled in the kindergarten through eighth grade school. The co-ed school services students primarily from St. Rose de Lima Parish, though children from neighboring communities can enroll as well.

3. Valley West School

269 Moore St. Chicopee, MA 01013

Phone:

1 (413) 593-6069 Valley West School serves nearly 100 students from first through 12th grade. The school has been providing a quality education to Chicopee residents since 1992. The curriculum is aligned with the state’s common core standards and instruction is provided with a low student to staff ratio of about 3:1.

Daycares Near Westover ARB

Leaving your child in someone else’s care is not an easy decision. When looking for the right daycare facility, reading reviews on sites like Care.com and Yelp and visiting a few options when possible is the best way to make a decision about where to send your child. There aren’t any child development centers on base at Westover ARB. Contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center for child care referrals and information, as applicable, at 1 (413) 577-3024.

Conclusion

Moving so often can be difficult for you and your children but ensuring their education is taken care of right away helps alleviate this burden. There are plenty of educational options near Westover ARB to make sure your children’s mental and physical well-being will be well taken care of. Use the above information to help narrow down the choices so you can rest easy and spend your time on something else, like finding new restaurants to try, shopping at the nearby outlets or visiting some of the fun things to do in western Massachusetts.