Looking at Sprayberry High School (Roswell, Woodstock: home, new construction, prices)

[darkskinman740]

Originally Posted by aries4118

The Sprayberry Cluster is one of the best kept secrets in the Metro Atlanta Area--especially considering it is in the Northern Arc:

1. Good Schools/Great Academics
2. Beautiful Homes and Neighborhoods--lots of choices and variety.
3. Excellent Interstate Access--and access to major job centers
4. East Cobb Amenities and Convenience

And--school "ratings" do not tell the whole story. Sprayberry suffers because of the hyper over-interest in Pope/Walton/Lassiter. If Sprayberry was located among the schools of West Cobb, for example, it would be seen more favorably.

Three middle schools feed into Sprayberry High: Daniell (100%), Simpson (45%), and McCleskey (~15%). All three middle schools are good, with Simpson seen as particularly well-regarded (Simpson is included when people talk about the "golden" middle schools of East Cobb: Dickerson, Dodgen, Hightower Trail, Mabry, Simpson). And McCleskey and Daniell are strong as well.

The elementary schools that feed all, mainly, or partly into Sprayberry are: Addison, Bells Ferry, Kincaid, Mountain View, Blackwell, Nicholson, Chalker, and Sedalia Park.


Most neighborhoods in most parts of the cluster would be good.

However, if I had to recommend a Sprayberry feeder line, my list would look like this:

1. Mountain View/Simpson
2. Kincaid/Simpson
3. Addison/Simpson

Then...
4. Nicholson/McCleskey (great neighborhoods/schools here {ie., Heritage Farms Subdivision}, however, the feeder pattern is small from this line--which could be difficult for some kids going from 8th to 9th grade).
5. Blackwell/Daniell
6. Chalker/Daniell


I hope this helps. I would definitely raise a family in the Sprayberry Area. Let me know if you have more questions. Good Luck!




{As I mentioned, the area is a wonderful secret. Hence, the lack of responses to this thread.}

This is excellent information. Thank you so much Aries4118. My wife and I want a great area and education for our daughter and we also don't want to get burned on Real Estate like we did on the Southside. We want something that will sell and sell quick if needed. We are still underwater but they are rental properties now.

Right now our list is

1) Buckhead Area(Sara Smith)
2) East Cobb(Sprayberrry\Pope\Walton)
3) Brookhaven(Montgomery Elementary)
4) South\West Forsyth(West Forsyth High)
5) Roswell - West of Hwy 9
6) Johns Creek
7)Chamblee(Montgomery Elementary)

By the way, my wife asked how do you know so much about the schools and real estate?

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by darkskinman740

This is excellent information. Thank you so much Aries4118. My wife and I want a great area and education for our daughter and we also don't want to get burned on Real Estate like we did on the Southside. We want something that will sell and sell quick if needed. We are still underwater but they are rental properties now.

Right now our list is

1) Buckhead Area(Sara Smith)
2) East Cobb(Sprayberrry\Pope\Walton)
3) Brookhaven(Montgomery Elementary)
4) South\West Forsyth(West Forsyth High)
5) Roswell - West of Hwy 9
6) Johns Creek
7)Chamblee(Montgomery Elementary)

By the way, my wife asked how do you know so much about the schools and real estate?

He won't brag on himself so I will. Has a brain that makes a Garmin look like a child's toy and education is his profession, so not a better person on this forum to give insight into schools and neighborhoods. He is a walking encyclopedia. Seriously.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Where is Bells Ferry on your list? The thing that has changed since my kids were there over a decade ago: it is the school that is taking in most of the apartments that have since mushroomed in the Town Center area.... at least those closer to Barrett Parkway. Ones closer to Chastain are Chalker I do believe. Schools that draw from heavy apartment areas do suffer from the sometimes transient nature of apartment dwellers. But we loved Bells Ferry when our kids were there.

I said, if I had to choose.

Both Bells Ferry and Sedalia Park are fine schools. And both have good/stellar reputations.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by JOinGA

Mountain View Elementary is getting a brand new school building that will start construction on Sandy Plains Road very soon. It is scheduled to open in Fall 2017.

Yes. Northampton will then have all three of its schools within very close walking distance.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by darkskinman740

This is excellent information. Thank you so much Aries4118. My wife and I want a great area and education for our daughter and we also don't want to get burned on Real Estate like we did on the Southside. We want something that will sell and sell quick if needed. We are still underwater but they are rental properties now.

Right now our list is

1) Buckhead Area(Sara Smith)
2) East Cobb(Sprayberrry\Pope\Walton)
3) Brookhaven(Montgomery Elementary)
4) South\West Forsyth(West Forsyth High)
5) Roswell - West of Hwy 9
6) Johns Creek
7)Chamblee(Montgomery Elementary)

By the way, my wife asked how do you know so much about the schools and real estate?

That's a broad list. You may want to narrow it down.


And--My Good Brother Marks answered your final question.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

He won't brag on himself so I will. Has a brain that makes a Garmin look like a child's toy and education is his profession, so not a better person on this forum to give insight into schools and neighborhoods. He is a walking encyclopedia. Seriously.

Aw, shucks, my good brother...

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I said, if I had to choose.

Both Bells Ferry and Sedalia Park are fine schools. And both have good/stellar reputations.

If the family hadn't disintegrated and the move to Texas hadn't ensued, the kids would all be Sprayberry graduates now.... well the last one as of this May. But the ex had gotten a teaching position after a decade of being home and taught at Hightower Trail our last year there and she was ready to move to the Pope district. If we had come into her daddy's money back then, I would rather have gone to an area around Kennesaw Mountain, either city of Marietta or one of the West Cobb schools, either Hillgrove or Harrison.

As it were, I feel their education here in McKinney ISD has been very on par with those Cobb schools. If I could only rewrite history....

Well I can't, so on to schools and neighborhoods in ATL...

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

If the family hadn't disintegrated and the move to Texas hadn't ensued, the kids would all be Sprayberry graduates now.... well the last one as of this May. But the ex had gotten a teaching position after a decade of being home and taught at Hightower Trail our last year there and she was ready to move to the Pope district. If we had come into her daddy's money back then, I would rather have gone to an area around Kennesaw Mountain, either city of Marietta or one of the West Cobb schools, either Hillgrove or Harrison.

As it were, I feel their education here in McKinney ISD has been very on par with those Cobb schools. If I could only rewrite history....

Well I can't, so on to schools and neighborhoods in ATL...

I think the Kell district is also an appealing area. Many of the same attributes as Sprayberry, but just a little farther north and a little farther out.

[darkskinman740]

Originally Posted by aries4118

That's a broad list. You may want to narrow it down.


And--My Good Brother Marks answered your final question.

Yeah the top 4 is really the main focus. My wife is saying no to Chamblee, although I think it is the next Brookhaven since everything in Brookhaven is being swiped up and prices are through the roof. Although there are two sides to Chamblee, just like there are two sides to Brookhaven. It's like the left side going toward Dunwoody, split by Peachtree St\Peachtree Industrial is sought after and the right side going toward I-85 not as much....

She also ruled out Johns Creek.

Her thought is that we should try to avoid any school district that has a very high density of apartments nearby. Buckhead being the exception due to the apartments there being mostly high end or luxury. The reason is that apartments tend to change over time usually for the worst and the schools tend to reflect that change. Examples are Buford Hwy, Holcomb Bridge, Pleasantdale Rd., Gardenwalk Blvd(Riverdale), and Franklin Rd. I remember when a lot of these apartments were really nice and they have changed, with some accepting Section 8. That feeds into the schools and brings the ratings down. FYI I'm not against bad or low income apartments, people have to live somewhere. I'm just looking for the best area for resale and best education for my child.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by darkskinman740

Yeah the top 4 is really the main focus. My wife is saying no to Chamblee, although I think it is the next Brookhaven since everything in Brookhaven is being swiped up and prices are through the roof. Although there are two sides to Chamblee, just like there are two sides to Brookhaven. It's like the left side going toward Dunwoody, split by Peachtree St\Peachtree Industrial is sought after and the right side going toward I-85 not as much....

She also ruled out Johns Creek.

Her thought is that we should try to avoid any school district that has a very high density of apartments nearby. Buckhead being the exception due to the apartments there being mostly high end or luxury. The reason is that apartments tend to change over time usually for the worst and the schools tend to reflect that change. Examples are Buford Hwy, Holcomb Bridge, Pleasantdale Rd., Gardenwalk Blvd(Riverdale), and Franklin Rd. I remember when a lot of these apartments were really nice and they have changed, with some accepting Section 8. That feeds into the schools and brings the ratings down. FYI I'm not against bad or low income apartments, people have to live somewhere. I'm just looking for the best area for resale and best education for my child.

Based on this information and your prior list, I recommend the following for you:


East Cobb
1. Sprayberry High Cluster
2. Kell High Cluster
3. Pope/Lassiter/Walton


Roswell
1. Centennial High Cluster
2. Roswell High Cluster