Latest Opinions on Chattahoochee HS vs. Johns Creek HS Requested (Forsyth: house, buy)

[ratram]

I saw some threads dated 2010 where the new John's Creek High School was briefly discussed but nothing since.

Can anyone from the area give an update - JCHS is still not rated on the great schools website. With all the re-zoning of school districts going on, I want to keep my mind open to purchasing a house in Northeast Fulton and realize that I may fall into the Northview / Chattahoochee / John's Creek High School districts.

While I hear great things about Northview and Chattahoochee, Northview seems more academically competitive? As I've mentioned in my previous posts, I'm looking for a more well-rounded, low-key school environment. So as of now, Chattahoochee HS is our first preference.

So in comparison to Chattahoochee HS, how is the environment at John's Creek HS - academically? socially? sports? arts?

Is it true that the more financially well-off families tend to be in the John's Creek area? If I purchase a smaller 250K home in the JC area, will my kids feel left out of the crowd?

TIA!

[ATLTJL]

I'm sorry, I don't know that much about Johns Creek high school.

The only thing I wanted to say is between Johns Creek, Northview, and Chattahoochee, they are all really good, aren't they? I'm sure you can disect them and say this one is better for this, that one better for that, but I believe they're pretty comparable.

If I were you, I would be more focused on finding the right house knowing that any of these districts are going to be very good.

Of course, if I'm wrong, I would certainly go for the better school. I just think with those three you're going to get different answers depending on who you ask.

[lorilove]

The competitiveness at Northview is (in part) related to the high % Asian population. My understanding is that Johns Creek does not have the same concentration but that is true today and may not be true in the future.

[ratram]

I guess I'm sensitive to "picking the right school" (as much as possible) because when I was a kid, my parents bought a fabulous perfect house on Long Island (I still live here in NY) and while the schools were good on paper, my school experience (elementary through high school) SUCKED. Rich kids treated not-so-rich kids shabbily, lack of diversity meant I felt like an outcast during my whole formative years. Academic pressure was intense, but sports was valued more than arts, and this meant that most of the teachers (who doubled as assistant coaches for extra curriculars) paid extra attention to the students in class who were part of the sports system.

While my kids are young and I know things can change at the drop of a hat, I just want to ask those questions I wish my parents had asked to make sure the school would really be a good fit for me.

We seem to have a million questions like this as parents when we evaluate private schools, but not so much when it comes to public schools, maybe because we figure that we have no choice. But now that I'm in a position to make a choice, even when picking a public school, I'd like to make an informed choice if possible.

[livinginbuffalo]

I recently spoke to an asian college intern at the company my husband works for who attends UGA and attended Northview. I was telling him how we avoided Northview because we had heard it was so competitive and though my kids are smart, they aren't brilliant nor would I want them having to study 24/7 with no other life in high school. He agreed with me that we made the right decision.

I have heard the teachers teach to that top 10% and if your kid isn't in it, they aren't important. A teacher at Wilson Elementary (feeder to Northview) told me that they weren't even going to have a football team next year there because there was no interest. Whether that's true or not, I don't know but I want my kids to have a well rounded education and high school experience which includes studying but also includes sports, sporting events, arts, music whatever their interest. My kids are little (4,7) so I know this could all change and you should heed the previous poster's advice that the districts can change in just a few years. But we still evaluated schools assuming they would be similar when we need them and we chose the Lambert district for a lot of reasons including commute to work, golf community and school district.

Good luck to you!

[ratram]

Thanks livinginbuffalo. Where is Lambert? I was looking at the North Fulton feeder chart and didn't see it on there. Is it South Forsyth?

[livinginbuffalo]

Yes, S. Forsyth about two minutes from Johns Creek. Cheaper taxes.

[FromGA]

I did read some comments that many of the north fulton golf club communities got zoned to the new Johns Creek high school. You may want to look at the map of the school zone to verify. If you are sensitive to the peer pressure / problems it may be best to avoid it.

Not sure what age your kids are, or how they do in school. But if you consider them smart+, it is better to be challenged academically as well (you dont want a kid bored in school). You can get sports, arts, etc. easily near the Northview area outside the school if needed.

Chattahoochee High has some good subdivisions as well I think, and it is probably just as good as Northview. The ones off of State Bridge Rd may be good for easier road access.

[SW30303]

I have some relatives who live in the Chattahoochee school district that were then changed into the Johns Creek cluster. I was told Chattahoochee and Johns Creek are pretty much the same by reputation by academics right now. All I have is second and third hand information. Sports is pretty big there and academics.

I think Johns Creek High School has been operating 2 or 3 years maybe at most? not very long yet. If you are narrowed down to 2 or 3 high school clusters, just visit the schools in person and see what you want exactly. Reading reviews online and comments here only go so far.

Also note, North Fulton is supposed to change the school districts anyway in the next few years in that area, so you may buy a house that might be in another cluster not far off in the future.

I don't know about South Forsyth county, but that could be a good option for you as well if you want to go more northward.

[ratram]

Thanks for the info! Do you have links where I could read more about the future re-districting plans in N. Fulton?