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I know that the topic of schools is one of the most discussed topics on this board but I have to ask again
We will be moving to the Charleston area within the next 6 months and although I have done much research on schools, I was hoping for some personal experience stories for a bit more clarification.
It seems that Mt. Pleasant has a great school system and if we based our decision solely on schools we would move there - no argument. But looking at other factors such as property values, proximity to water, distance to the airport, lot sizes, etc. adds a bit more to the mix.
We are a family of 5. Our oldest is going into grade 8, and then we have one going into 2nd grade and our youngest is just entering Kinder so we need our community/schools to offer a wide variety of activities for all ages.
Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.
Everything I have read/heard says Johns Island public schools are sub-par. In fact, when we tried to get a house on Johns Island, the owner flat out told us, you cannot send your kids to the public school here. (It was in a neighborhood near Kiawah....totally gorgeous).
I don't blame you for considering Johns Island....some of the neighborhoods are BEAUTIFUL.
What about James Island? Isn't there a charter high school there?
Johns Island is a wonderful semi-rural community to live in, but unfortunately the schools aren't the best - meaning low test scores, high dropout rate, high number of discipline problems, etc. Many islanders send their children to Charleston Collegiate, a private school on the island (Plowground Rd.). Others send their children to private, Christian, and Parochial schools in West Ashley, James, Island, or downtown, while others try to get their children into the public schools on James Island or West Ashley.
Angel Oak Elementary isn't bad and Haut Gap Middle now has a charter school for gifted and talented students from around the county on its campus.
I do love living on Johns Island and have lived here for 17 years, but the schools do need some major improvements. However, with so many options, I wouldn't write moving here off completely.
I do love living on Johns Island and have lived here for 17 years, but the schools do need some major improvements. However, with so many options, I wouldn't write moving here off completely.
Nice to hear for some who lives on John Island. It is a beautiful location.
I had a friend who worked at the high school and described it as an absolute nightmare- parents who wanted things 'as they were' even though they had not been up to par, unsupportive administrators and a lot of discipline problems. She left and went to work at a non-profit. She had previously worked in North Charleston schools and in NCHS through a joint CCSD-Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce program so its not as if she had come from Academic Magnate or Wando. But she described it as by far the most disfunctional setting in which she had worked.
I'm typically pro-public school but everything I have heard about the St John's high school form first ahnd sources has confirmed her description. And I doubt those problems wait until the 9th grade to surface.
If you could send your kids out of the attendance area it is actually an easy drive to either CE Williams Middle or West Ashley High School- both in West Ashley. And there are a number of charter/magnate elementary schools to look into. One of my friends on John's Island was going to use Orange Grove but lucked into a spot at Buist.
I had a friend who worked at the high school and described it as an absolute nightmare- parents who wanted things 'as they were' even though they had not been up to par, unsupportive administrators and a lot of discipline problems. She left and went to work at a non-profit. She had previously worked in North Charleston schools and in NCHS through a joint CCSD-Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce program so its not as if she had come from Academic Magnate or Wando. But she described it as by far the most disfunctional setting in which she had worked.
I'm typically pro-public school but everything I have heard about the St John's high school form first ahnd sources has confirmed her description. And I doubt those problems wait until the 9th grade to surface.
If you could send your kids out of the attendance area it is actually an easy drive to either CE Williams Middle or West Ashley High School- both in West Ashley. And there are a number of charter/magnate elementary schools to look into. One of my friends on John's Island was going to use Orange Grove but lucked into a spot at Buist.
i have a friend who taught french at st. johns 1/2 time and at haut gap middle school 1/2 time for a year and said it was awful. she couldn't leave that school any quicker as the school year came to an end and sought employment out in berkley county.
i'm not sure how populated johns island is but st. johns high is a Class A school meaning really small.
James Island has a charter school but it is attached to the regular high school. that's why its official name is James Island Charter High School.
One of the main reasons we are moving states is because we are not happy with the schools in our neighborhood. Although our oldest is in one of the top rated middle schools in the country which feeds into a top 5 rated high school (Academic TAG schools) we and she wants to be in a school that offers "everything". Her current school has no PE department really, they have to go to another school if they want to play sports (I mean take the bus from their school to the other school after class) and we really want our kids to experience more than just academia in school.
We live in a Historic District and decided that we would rather move to the coast (for the lifestyle improvement) and live in a suburb than move up to a suburb here where the schools are better.
I taught in the public school system up in Canada before I moved down here and am a true believer in the system so we will weigh all options before deciding what to do. Your comments have been so helpful.
Thanks again!
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