Need info from parents for life in Suwanee please (Atlanta: home, middle school)

[sunseaker]

During our last visit to the area ( 3Rd time!) among other towns in the north suburbs of Atlanta we have visited Suwanee and liked the area and vibe a lot. We are considering a move to the area this coming summer. (We both work from home so work related location not an issue)
We are a family of 5, kids ages 7, 12 and 14. Though our kids are eager to make the move we are concerned about several things including getting used to new schools, making new friends and overall adjusting. Our 12 y o son, loves competitive basketball and is now in a local team in MA. Is there a Suwanee basketball team, middle school and/town that kids can join and how competitive it is to get in? Any parents with kids in the Suwannee area please chime in ..with whatever info you can give me about the schools, activities, especially basketball. We have North Guinnett HS cluster in mind. How easy/hard it is for new kids to get accepted and form friendships...we like a racially and ethnically diverse environment and though from my search it appears that Suwannee consists mainly of Caucasians (school stats) appears that there is a good representation of many ethnic groups as well. Thanks

[cwkimbro]

Gwinnett County has a larger than normal school system and is a go to area for many families.

For this reason we have dumped more money into our park system than most. There are a large number of youth leagues and this should not be an issue.

They often handle registration at each individual park. The key thing is some of them are competitive and some aren't. Some parks will be parks that will produce 4 or 5 major league players, while others don't. It tends to drive competitiveness up. I'm in the opposite end of the county, so I can't give you particulars about Suwanee's parks.

Then all of the schools have their own sports programs as well, which you can probably find out more by going to area schools' websites in the area.

Here is a list of Gwinnett County parks with youth leagues. Please note they all won't be in your area, so you will need to look at which parks are close to where you want to be.

https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/porta...thletics#adult

Map: https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/porta...sandRecreation


Gwinnett is a very diverse county, but also very spread out and it trends more socially conservative and a bit more religious. It isn't the only way to get to know people and make friends, but many do it through churches. If this doesn't fit you, I'd just be proactive at getting your children involved in sports, clubs, summer camps, etc...

If you go just bit further south, diversity will pick up quite a bit. There are a great deal of Koreans and Indians between Johns Creek, Duluth, and Lilburn. There is a large hispanic population between Norcross and Lilburn as well. Blacks are a bit more scattered across the county, but have a foothold in the southern tip. Whites are the same way, but have a foothold in the area you are looking at.

The area between Norcross, Lilburn, Duluth, and Lawrenceville is busier and much more blended with a whole lot of everyone. The closer you are to that area, the more diverse it gets.

[Pemgin]

If you want ethnic diversity, almost anywhere in Gwinnett is the place to be. Suwanee is about as good as traditional suburbs get in Gwinnett. Pretty sure everything you're looking for is there.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

If you want ethnic diversity, almost anywhere in Gwinnett is the place to be. Suwanee is about as good as traditional suburbs get in Gwinnett. Pretty sure everything you're looking for is there.

Yep. And it's pretty much the top traditional HS in Gwinnett right now and shows no signs of slowing down. It's going to be a great area for a long time. Really can't go wrong unless the commute is awful which in this case is not an issue.

[twilkins72]

We've raised three kids in the North Gwinnett cluster and have been very happy with the schools and with Suwanee. Suwanee Sports Academy (ssasports.com) has a great basketball program.

[bestofallworlds]

we just recently located from the northeast too (about a year ago) and live on the suwanee/duluth border near i-85. the high school is peachtree ridge. i have cousins that are athletes (not basketball) that love it there. my kids are younger, but we chose this area partially because of the great schools and the value you get for your money (as compared to the northeast, and in the perimeter). i also love the diversity in this area compared to other towns in georgia. there are amazing parks and outdoor activities and fun community events on the town greens (food truck fridays in the summer!) - it really has a wonderful family feel. as a recent transplant from the northeast, i'm happy to answer any questions.

good luck!