Sissonville Info needed (Charleston, Pinch, Elkview: houses, neighborhoods, middle school)

[sat832]

We are relocating to the Charleston area and orginally set on South Hills, primarily for schools.

However, nice homes/lots available in Sissonville. Concerned about the school quality. The test scores are much much lower than South Hills area schools. Elementary school would be Flinn.

Any thoughts/advice? Commute from Sissonville to Elkview for work - would that be doable?

Is this a growing area?

Thanks!

[Almost Heaven WV girl]

The commute from Sissonville to Elkview is definitely doable but you are right. The quality of the schools in South Hills is much better than the ones in Sissonville.

[Chriscross309]

Originally Posted by kim825

We are relocating to the Charleston area and orginally set on South Hills, primarily for schools.

However, nice homes/lots available in Sissonville. Concerned about the school quality. The test scores are much much lower than South Hills area schools. Elementary school would be Flinn.

Any thoughts/advice? Commute from Sissonville to Elkview for work - would that be doable?

Is this a growing area?

Thanks!

Hi,

you should try searching in the Elkview/Pinch area

great schools in Pinch El, Elk Center El, Elview Mid, and Capital High

Elkview and Pinch are growing at a slow, but steady pace. Most of Pinch is Subdivisions and I'm sure you could find a house or lot in your price range. That is if you could afford South Hills. Elkview is about 10miles on interstate to downtown, and even less on US-119

hope this helps! Good Luck!

[SorryIMovedBack]

I knew people who bought houses in Sissonville, and this was back in the '90s. They got a very good price on a house, BUT they were always having problems with other people's kids, and break-ins, and vehicle theft, etc. Sissonville used to be the "Wild West" back in the '80s and '90s, and I don't know what it's like now. But back in late '80s into early 2000s, the apparent major vehicle chop shop informally ran out there, and vehicle thefts were common. And four wheeler thefts more common, still. They'd knock out concrete block walls and / or use a Sawzall or whatever it took to hack into garages and storage buildings and steal four wheelers. Lots of drinking out that way, too.

Now, there might be some nice calm places to live out there, but if you see low, low prices, the lifestyles might be why, lol.

Elkview / Pinch is more stable family fare afaik, and some people have already advised you to look there. Lots if Union Carbide people lived out that way.

[sat832]

Thanks, I guess that might explain the low prices on homes/acreage near Sissonville.

We would love to have some land but I guess at this stage in life must prioritize schools first. That said, probably no choice but to stick with South Hills.

I will look into Elkview/Pinch just in case. Although, I'm not quite sold on Capital High.

[Chriscross309]

Originally Posted by kim825

I will look into Elkview/Pinch just in case. Although, I'm not quite sold on Capital High.

Well Capital High isn't the school your kids would go to

Herbert Hoover is, but about 50% of the Pinch area kids go to Capital because Hoover isn't well know for "Test Scores"

I graduated from Hoover and can say that you won't find a better collection of teachers anywhere!

[NOVAmtneer82]

Originally Posted by kim825

We are relocating to the Charleston area and orginally set on South Hills, primarily for schools.

However, nice homes/lots available in Sissonville. Concerned about the school quality. The test scores are much much lower than South Hills area schools. Elementary school would be Flinn.

Any thoughts/advice? Commute from Sissonville to Elkview for work - would that be doable?

Is this a growing area?

Thanks!

If schools are among your top concerns then I would stick with the decision to look in South Hills. Despite the common belief in the Kanawha Valley that everyone in South Hills is a earning a six figure salary (far from the case), you can still find plenty of affordable housing in various subdivisions along Rt. 119 which is known locally as "Corridor G". The Lucado Road area in particular has a variety of neighborhoods built mostly in the 1970s and 80s that are quite nice but offer lower prices than the traditional old money areas closer to Bridge Road. A few to note are Parkwood and Rolling Hills. You will of course pay more to live in South Hills as opposed to Sissonville or Elkview but there is a reason for that...proximity to the regions job base and the reputable school system.

I would also suggest the Kanawha City neighborhood of Charleston but at this point would recommend private school after the middle school years. I went to Capital High School in the late 90's and while it was still rather reputable then, things seem to have quickly gone down hill. I moved to the Washington DC area a little more than 5 years ago but growing up in Charleston, the schools in Sissonville were always regarded as rather abysmal. Best of luck with your decision!

[Almost Heaven WV girl]

I agree. Stick with South Hills schools. GW is by far the best high school in the area.

[MommaC]

I am from Sissonville WV. I gradutated from Sissonville High School in 2007. (not long ago) My brother is currently a sophmore at SHS. I now live in the Pinch area. I prefer to live in the Pinch area. However, my daughter will go to Sissonville when she starts school. I actually loved going to school, so does my brother now. My husband graduated from Hoover (elkview/clendenin/pinch/minkshoals area) and his sister is currently in school there as a sophmore. I can say that my brother and I have a higher level of intellegence. I also have friends who graduated from Hoover that will actually joke about not learning anything in school. Sissonville tries to create a fun learning enviroment which actually makes kids enjoy school more. Where at Hoover, the teachers don't act like they care too much about the students learning. I actually attended Horace Mann Middle School for half of the year my 8th grade year (these are the *higher income* students of Capital High School.) It was a joke. Too much racism and drama. In that kind of enviroment it makes it hard to learn. I can remember at lunch one day a group of African American students and a group of Caucasian students were in a serious altercation and it was very scary. I hear that Capital High Schools is worse, because they combine the students from Stonewall and Horace Mann together and they were already rivals in middle school. I was an all star cheerleader and I actually cheered with girls and guys all over the state, that is one reason i am so knowledgeable about how schools operate in the area. We used to discuss it all the time at practices. I know I want my daughter to go to a school that she will not only enjoy, but will also WANT to learn. Sissoinville is definitly the way to go. BTW, I actually attended Flinn Elementary and loved it as well. It is where the *wealthier kids* of Sissonville go. I know it has changed recently because the school board merged another school from the area with them. Good luck!

[MommaC]

haha this is the funniest thing I have heard. I have lived in Sissonville my whole life and it is definitly nothing like that.