Apart from the DCC (which is often immature by design), I'll usually hang out in the Writing Forum, where people seem to be significantly mature, polite, and intelligent. :P I usually don't try to jump into politically charged topics because, for some reason, people here are terrified of discussion turning into debate.
Yep. @_@ I know of two schools that are going for a more Americanised method: a senior high (3 years) and a junior high (4 years).