Looking for the best schools— particularly high schools! (Atlanta, Marietta: house, neighborhoods)

[Soccernerd]

My husband and three children (6, 8, and 11) will be likely moving from St. Louis to Atlanta in time for the 2018-2019 school year (I will be moving down in January, and they will follow me). We are looking for the best schools public schools Georgia has to offer particularly STEM, but the arts are important as well. Our budget is 600,000 but is somewhat flexible. My husband will be working at Lockheed-Martin, and I will be working at SunTrust downtown. Access to the airport would be nice. We're currently half an hours drive from our city's airport, but I understand that probably won't be realistic in ATL. Close proximity to shopping and entertainment is relatively important too, and I'd like to be within a 15 minute drive of a Costco. Also coming from an area that has a large number of municipalities, does it matter if you live in an unincorporated area in Georgia or not?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Soccernerd

My husband and three children (6, 8, and 11) will be likely moving from St. Louis to Atlanta in time for the 2018-2019 school year (I will be moving down in January, and they will follow me). We are looking for the best schools public schools Georgia has to offer particularly STEM, but the arts are important as well. Our budget is 600,000 but is somewhat flexible. My husband will be working at Lockheed-Martin, and I will be working at SunTrust downtown. Access to the airport would be nice. We're currently half an hours drive from our city's airport, but I understand that probably won't be realistic in ATL. Close proximity to shopping and entertainment is relatively important too, and I'd like to be within a 15 minute drive of a Costco. Also coming from an area that has a large number of municipalities, does it matter if you live in an unincorporated area in Georgia or not?

Lockheed-Martin in Marietta?

I recommend:


East Cobb or West Cobb, baby!



Based on your criteria above and commuting needs, look in the following high school clusters (listed in priority order):

1. Walton High
2. Pope High
3. Hillgrove High
4. Kennesaw Mountain High
5. Wheeler High
6. Sprayberry High
7. Marietta High
8. Lassiter High
9. Harrison High
10. Kell High


Look at and study the map below:

http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...danceZones.pdf


Here is school district information:

Cobb County School District
https://www.marietta-city.org/


***If you give some more particulars (commuting tolerance, type of house desired, type of neighborhood desired, demographic comfort), I and others can help you narrow down the list above.***

[brown_dog_us]

Is it correct to assume that you want a SFH, you will work at Sun Trust Plaza, and your husband will work in Marietta? If so, the natural area to look will be a long I-75 between the two locations. There are plenty of nice areas, but the 600k price point will be tough inside the perimeter. Also, A lot of people inside the perimeter (inside I-285) send their kids to private school for high school.

So, I would look for a nice school cluster just outside the perimeter on the North side. Two that pop into my head are Walton HS and Dunwoody HS. Walton would have the shorter commutes.

[aslowdodge]

Yes, east Cobb has great schools and good access to Lockheed Martin. If no traffic I can be at the airport in 35 minutes.

[Soccernerd]

Thank you! My commute now is about 30-45 minutes with traffic. His is about 30. Neither one of those are realistic I know. I guess I'd just deal with it. His commute to Lockheed will probably be much easier. We currently live in a fairly diverse area, but we don't have a preference either way really. As far as neighborhoods, we would like to live in one with a clubhouse and pool. A neighborhood pool would be preferable because of the hot summers and to avoid all of the hassle of owning one ourselves.

[Soccernerd]

[quote=brown_dog_us;48845713]Is it correct to assume that you want a SFH, you will work at Sun Trust Plaza, and your husband will work in Marietta?

That is correct.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by Soccernerd

Thank you! My commute now is about 30-45 minutes with traffic. His is about 30. Neither one of those are realistic I know. I guess I'd just deal with it. His commute to Lockheed will probably be much easier. We currently live in a fairly diverse area, but we don't have a preference either way really. As far as neighborhoods, we would like to live in one with a clubhouse and pool. A neighborhood pool would be preferable because of the hot summers and to avoid all of the hassle of owning one ourselves.

My neighbor works at Lockheed. It's an easy commute. There are lots of neighborhoods around me with community pools and tennis. I think you will find diversity to your liking here.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Soccernerd

Thank you! My commute now is about 30-45 minutes with traffic. His is about 30. Neither one of those are realistic I know. I guess I'd just deal with it. His commute to Lockheed will probably be much easier. We currently live in a fairly diverse area, but we don't have a preference either way really. As far as neighborhoods, we would like to live in one with a clubhouse and pool. A neighborhood pool would be preferable because of the hot summers and to avoid all of the hassle of owning one ourselves.

Hello Soccernerd,

Ok. Then I would focus on #'s 1-6 from the list in my post above...in priority order.

The schools at top-half of the list generally offer a better commute with the academic needs you desire.


The schools at the bottom of the list have the academic needs you desire, but a slightly longer commute.



The only outlier is Marietta...along with Wheeler, it is the best commute for you both. However, Marietta may not be to everyone's liking...even though it is a good school in a well-governed school district.

[Soccernerd]

We're still in the very early stages of looking, but I was paging through listings in the extreme western Walton area. In particular I was looking in an area west of Piedmont Road. Do School boundaries change frequently, or should I look closer to the high school? It looks like if you get too far east then you're really from 75 and 400 seems like a nightmare.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Soccernerd

We're still in the very early stages of looking, but I was paging through listings in the extreme western Walton area. In particular I was looking in an area west of Piedmont Road. Do School boundaries change frequently, or should I look closer to the high school? It looks like if you get too far east then you're really from 75 and 400 seems like a nightmare.

They do not change frequently.

However, there is always a possibility of change.

Which swim/tennis communities in the Walton district were you looking at that are westof East Piedmont Road?