Valdosta schools (Atlanta, North Atlanta, Adel: transfer to, middle school, college)

[kp_rmk]

could you possibly tell me why valdosta schools aren't that great? we are relocating there in june.

Peggy

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by kp_rmk

could you possibly tell me why valdosta schools aren't that great? we are relocating there in june.

Peggy

Valdosta is located in rural South Georgia.
From their web site--'Economic Growth'>>>
http://www.valdostacity.com/EconomicDevelopment/ (broken link)

sls

[annabelle400]

What I am going to say I hope doesn't offend anyone. I am from Valdosta- lived there all of my school years. I went to Valdosta High School when it was the "winningest " football team in the nation. Anyway I live in a different county now. but here is my insight. most of my friends send there children to private schools or county (Lowndes) schools through 8th grade. then they transfer to the high school (Valdosta). not everyone transfers. here is the flat out reason why----Valdosta city schools are 90%+ black. Alot of inner city children. When they get to high school they level you--- so most of the white children have classes together and the black children have classes together. The leveling is based on who is getting a college prep diploma. so there you have it. I said what no one wants to. It is all based on race and money. Here are the most popular schools: Valdosta City-- Salas Mahone Elementary, West Gordon, Valdosta Middle, then Valdosta High. Lowndes County--- Hahira Elementary or Dewar, Hahira Middle, Lowndes High. Private--Valwood or St. Johns Catholic. If you decide to look out of the county DO NOT look in Cook county (Adel) or Quitman. I hope this helps. Berrien county, Nashville Georgia, is a great place to live. I lived there for 3 years and was very pleased with the schools. This is a very rural community. But very united. If it were me I would look into moving here. About 20 miles north of valdosta.

[lizzybeth]

I am a teacher in the Valdosta City School system and all of my children have attended Valdosta City Schools. Your children will get out of any school what they and you are willing to put into it.
Some of what the previous poster put in was correct, VCS is about 75/25 black/white population - however the test scores are generally equitable whether your child attends the Lowndes County system or VCS so lets go on and pull race out of it.
Why are the test scores so low. Some of that has to do with the high poverty level in South Georgia. Regardless of the school your children attend they are not going to get the depth and breadth of educational opportunity they would in North Atlanta. They will get a good education in either system but it will not be an education that is equitable with the opportunity they would receive in Atlanta and no where near the education they would receive in a public school in Massachusetts.
There are some really great programs going on in the Valdosta City Schools - the emphasis under our new superintendent is whole child education, not merely trying to get temporary gains in test scores. Many of the Lowndes elementary programs have overcompensated for poor test scores by spending the entire year on nothing but test preparation (my nephew attended Pine Grove elementary, fifth grade this last year, and they did not use actual instruction to foster a love of learning but narrowed instruction simply to meet the testing requirements). Valdosta City Schools has an emphasis on the joy of learning which will long-term impact test scores and educational levels in the region. Do not look at a school simply based on test scores. The new super has been here for a year and a half so you are coming at the right time. My daughter attends SL Mason and all of her CRCT scores were over 900. She also has a love of learning that has been fostered by her teachers. SL Mason is a beautiful school for elementary school, I recommend it.
Good luck on your move. Your children will get out of either school system what they and you are willing to put into them. I am very pleased with the Valdosta system and the impact it has on my children's learning and potential. I have a sixth grader at Valdosta Middle who cannot wait to go to England during her eighth grade year for an exchange program - that is wholly funded by donations and fundraising. The middle school drama program is one of the best public school programs in the state, the bands are successful and of course sports. Valdosta High School is and IB school and that will positively impact test scores, graduation rates, college admissions, and college graduation.

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by annabelle400

If you decide to look out of the county DO NOT look in Cook county (Adel) or Quitman. I hope this helps. Berrien county, Nashville Georgia, is a great place to live.

I would say the exact opposite of this is true. And since you don't live here anymore, I would tell the OP my advice is more up-to-date. I"ve spent a lot of time in all three counties; Nashville is the worst by far.



The valdosta city schools are fine; the students are the problem.

The teacher who posted can verify this, but I recall that VHS is starting the Internationl Baccalaureate program next year.