dekalb county schools? (Atlanta, Roswell, Alpharetta: sales, townhomes, school districts)

[alicea042]

We are thinking about moving to the decatur area in the summer. Therefore we will have our daughter enrolled in a school in dekalb county.

What are the best High Schools in the decatur area? She will be entering High School this September.

Thanks everyone!

[jxu66]

Lakeside and Druid Hill high schools. There is excellent Magnet program in Chamblee high as well.

[lastminutemom]

first school starts here in August --August 13th to be precise. As a high school student, you will want to get her registered ASAP to ensure that she gets her choices for classes.

If you move within the Decatur city limits, then she would attend Decatur High School -- if not, be careful, not all that carries a Decatur address is such a nice part of ATlanta.

Lakeside and Druid Hills are both good choices -- unless you have younger children as well. If this is your only school age child, then you should be ok. DeKalb County as a whole is not in such good shape and the long term health of the system is questionable -- time will tell, but for the next 4 years your child should be ok.

[bbuch]

I agree with lastminutemom. Dekalb county as a district is on the way down. People don't move to Decatur for the schools.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

first school starts here in August --August 13th to be precise. As a high school student, you will want to get her registered ASAP to ensure that she gets her choices for classes.

If you move within the Decatur city limits, then she would attend Decatur High School -- if not, be careful, not all that carries a Decatur address is such a nice part of ATlanta.

Lakeside and Druid Hills are both good choices -- unless you have younger children as well. If this is your only school age child, then you should be ok. DeKalb County as a whole is not in such good shape and the long term health of the system is questionable -- time will tell, but for the next 4 years your child should be ok.

My advice is to go to ajc.com (Atlanta Journal and Constitution) and look for their links on 'Education'. You could also click on 'Metro/DeKalb' and read the articles about 'What Is Going on DeKalb County'. There is another link--try Googling 'Go DeKalb'---you can subscribe to weekly updates and become familiar with how issues are being addressed.
ETA: GO DEKALB
http://www.godekalb.com/

Just read some disturbing news about healthcare and other assorted issues.

I don't know what sort of home you are hoping to find---there are some new townhomes near me--upper $300,000---at Briarcliff and N Druid Hills--within the Lakeside High School district---'Oak Grove'--that is about 'As Good As It Gets Here'--close to Emory/Decatur.

Lakeside has been an excellent school for over 40 years.

Other than that--as we say in these parts--go to Cobb, Fulton or Gwinnett--John's Creek/Alpharetta/Roswell might be alternatives to consider. I doubt that you would ever get over to Decatur from those areas--due to traffic. As you will hear over and over again.

Atlanta is looking great this week---the Spring Peak is probably a couple of week away. Glorious.

Then comes the pollen and hopefully rain.



sls

[spacelord75]

Consider Dunwoody - it is the northernmost tip of Dekalb county and the elementary schools (based on 2005 data) were rated very high (although the middle school and high school are just above average). If you look there, avoid Chestnut Elem. like the plague, Vanderlyn and Austin are great elementary school districts, however.

[lastminutemom]

The original poster has a high schooler and Lakeside High School always has higher test scores than Dunwoody (and sometimes Druid Hills does to). If I had to choose, and I really wanted to be close in, I would pick Lakeside.

If I had younger children, I wouldn't move to DeKalb. Period.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

The original poster has a high schooler and Lakeside High School always has higher test scores than Dunwoody (and sometimes Druid Hills does to). If I had to choose, and I really wanted to be close in, I would pick Lakeside.

If I had younger children, I wouldn't move to DeKalb. Period.

Lakeside has 'been in business' since the late 60's---LOL--The Vikings--pretty much 'Did It All'--as well as It can be done--academics, athletics, fine arts and I am certain they have progressed--community would not have It any other way...

Product of Briarcliff High myself--we were more um--"Nerdy and/or Artsy Fartsy'---never had much of a football team--soundly trounced by every high school in the county--Highest test scores in the county that year...Having taught I will not share my opinions on 'test scores'. The function of The School is to produce well rounded citizens of high integrity.
'Sound of Music' premiered the year I graduated or maybe the year before--not important---jmo---wholesome and Good and Good for Something--The Boomers---we were charged with shaping the Future...

I know I would want my child to have such experiences --wherever I had to live and however I had to do it.

Yup--a wholesome educational experience is important. As many have have said go to Fulton---Chattahoochee High sounds incredible. I looked at their website and the opportunities there are similar to 'How Things Were' in most DeKalb schools several decades ago.


Parent involvement is high in the Lakeside/Oak Grove area---I know I would be in close communication with the teachers and administrators--that is the only way to be certain that the student's individual plan is appropriate and things are going in the right direction.

I have 'Had' to deal with the Retail World this week--sigh--cannot help but conclude that whomever is 'Accountable'--many in this field simply do little more than what they are 'Told'. After a very few minutes I now say--'Call the Manager'--knowing this does not sit will with Management. Several establishments will not get another cent from me---certain that many 'Know' how difficult it is to consume at times. <evil grin>

I might as well wear my hair in a bun and carry a ruler--cannot abide lack of initiative and ill mannered 'Service'...
as my students knew only too well. 'You have a brain--use It--NOW...' One of my favorite suggestions and 'Courtesy'--very important. Ah well--certain that merchants are going insane--'Diversity' and more...

When I worked in retail--summers and holidays--for Macy's and others--if you had said ---'I need to exercise my religious 'Freedom'--have to leave the floor...' You would have been told to 'Go'--and don't let the door hit you on the way out...

Tired tonight--over shopped and had to do everything but ring up the sales myself--grateful to have found 'Someone' who would and could do that...

Macy's got an 'A' today---go NYC--gratified to notice that the same standards for customer service remain anywhere in the marketplace. Publix does well --small stores do well and the rest can pretty much 'Kiss My Grits'------pleasant shopping in Peachtree Corners/Norcross--that is where I want to live--near ''The Hooch"---Gwinnett County---not too far from 'The City' if you must commute but much more peaceful than the Emory/Briarcliff/Lakeside/Oak Grove area. Traffic continues to be hellacious---stressful...

Still glad to call Atlanta 'Home'--some days more than others...

Later. :-)

sls