DeKalb or other nearby schools (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: houses, to buy, middle school)

[nlupfer]

I am moving to ATL as well this summer where my husband will be attending Emory. We would like to live as close as possible to Emory, but we know the houses in the very near area are pretty much out of our price range. I haven't spent that much time in Atlanta, so I'm not so familiar with the layout and how long it takes to get places. I've heard the traffic is horrible. I've limited my job search (I'm an elementary teacher) to DeKalb schools because of it's vicinity to Emory, but I've been seeing some pretty bad reports about some of the schools there on this web board. Are there other counties that I should look into that are still very near Emory? We DO NOT want to live outside of the loop, nor am I real excited about working out there. I've looked into Decatur city schools, but seeing how they is only one 4-5th grade school there, the prospects are limited for the grade I would like to teach. Any suggestions of good DeKalb elementary schools or other districts I should look into?

[lastminutemom]

The challenge for you with any school system is that your contract is with that school system not the school. As a new teacher, if a school comes in under enrollment projections, last hired are always the ones to have to move, unless a more experienced teacher happens to want to move.

If you are going to buy a home, I would first figure out where and then start searching nearby. It is silly to have to commute a far distance, in my opinion, for a teaching job if you can avoid it.

Most of the schools that abut the perimeter (the loop) are very similar to those inside.

Inside the loop you really are limited to DeKalb, City of Atlanta, Decatur and Fulton. There are good schools in DeKalb, and if you PM me the places you have been looking, I may be able advise you.

Are you up for a challenge? Because the City of Atlanta keeps class sizes really small, outside of the Buckhead/Morningside schools, but many of the schools have challenging populations.

Sandy Springs has some good elementary schools, but many have a large number of Hispanic students with limited english, so it can be challenging.

I feel like I am not being very helpful.

[JPD]

I can understand you not wanting to live way outside the perimeter. I wouldn't live way out there either.

Tucker is the first town outside the perimeter on the NE side of town. It's far more affordable than almost anything inside the perimeter, and there is a brand new middle school in Tucker (and several elementary schools: Brockett, Livsey, Midvale, Smoke Rise, as well as some in the Northlake area, all of which are good schools). I can get to Emory from my house in the Brockett part of Tucker in 10 minutes. To put that in the proper perspective, you can't get ANYWHERE in the metro area in five minutes, so 10minutes is a very nice commute.