Could anyone tell me about the Providence schools and Columbia High school in Huntsville, al? (Madison: rental, credit)

[bunky]

We are relocating to Huntsville and considering buying a home zoned for the Providence Elementary/Middle and Columbia High School. Could anyone one give us advise or recommend these schools?

[Reactionary]

HSV Grissom HS and Madison Bob Jones HS are recognized as the best in the area.

Providence schools were built to attract new development (I think the area is about 15% built of what is planned), but the schools are overcrowded due to west HSV students fleeing their neighborhood schools for the newly constructed schools (IIRC Providence is majority minority now).

The city is may be planning to try to get out from under a federal desegregation order, which will allow the school board / city more control over schools / zoning.

Search on Huntsville Times reporter Challen Stephens, who does a creditable job of writing about local school issues, including:

al.com: Everything Alabama

[Relocated 1998]

I read with interest the reply that Grissom and Bob Jones were the best high schools in the area. I believe most of the schools in Huntsville and Madison City are good schools. Of course, all schools have problems, but for someone to state an opinion without backing it up with facts is misleading. Columbia High is the newest school in Huntsville (opened in 2005). The current enrollment is 530 students (grades 9 - 12). The student population is fairly balanced (African-American/White and Other - 55%/45%). Those are the categories used for the desegregation order. What the other reply didn't mention is the Columbia is the ONLY International Baccalaureate school in Huntsville. If you are looking for a challenging program that will increase your child's acceptance to a major university, please check it out. I have children in Providence and while yes, it is crowded, they are starting to build an addition this year to help alleviate the problem and the school system is looking at building a separate middle school in the next 2-3 years. To get more information, I would contact the schools or the PTA associations. To be completely straightforward, I work at Columbia. We welcome all phone calls and invite you to come and visit the school when you are next in Huntsville.

[Reactionary]

for someone to state an opinion without backing it up with facts is misleading

By someone, you obviously mean me.

You, as an educator, either know or should know that Grissom and Bob Jones are "recognized" as superior schools.

Here are the Newsweek rankings (Grissom = 558, Bob Jones = 1121):

America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com

Here's a previous thread:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/2287939-post1.html

[June-KW]

I moved here, in Aug 2006. Prior to moving, I phoned Columbia to find out about their curriculum. My kids were enrolled in pre-AP classes in middle school and AP in High School. My son is very talented, musically, and it was important that we found a school that supported this, and THEN we'd find a home based upon such. Any official I spoke with, at Columbia, assured me they had all bases covered. Based upon this, we selected a rental in their district and moved down.

Now I'm not sure if Columbia has AP classes, yet (they didn't when we enrolled).. but my daughter had to take their Honors classes, instead, AND retake Alg "A" that she took in Middle School (credit wouldn't transfer from a middle school). There was no orchestra or strings program for my son to take at Columbia... but there is a magnet school, Lee High School, but no transportation provided (we lived on Jeff Road, at the time which equates to round-trip twice a day - approx 50 miles a day)!

Come visit the schools and speak to a registrar or principal, in person. I wish I had done so.

[flstatenolefan]

Originally Posted by Relocated 1998

I read with interest the reply that Grissom and Bob Jones were the best high schools in the area. I believe most of the schools in Huntsville and Madison City are good schools. Of course, all schools have problems, but for someone to state an opinion without backing it up with facts is misleading. Columbia High is the newest school in Huntsville (opened in 2005). The current enrollment is 530 students (grades 9 - 12). The student population is fairly balanced (African-American/White and Other - 55%/45%). Those are the categories used for the desegregation order. What the other reply didn't mention is the Columbia is the ONLY International Baccalaureate school in Huntsville. If you are looking for a challenging program that will increase your child's acceptance to a major university, please check it out. I have children in Providence and while yes, it is crowded, they are starting to build an addition this year to help alleviate the problem and the school system is looking at building a separate middle school in the next 2-3 years. To get more information, I would contact the schools or the PTA associations. To be completely straightforward, I work at Columbia. We welcome all phone calls and invite you to come and visit the school when you are next in Huntsville.

It's good to know it's in the IB program. One reason I will not send my child there...but that's a debate all on it's own...LOL

[Reactionary]

flstatenolefan - don't leave us hanging...

What do you think of IB programs?

[ionlife]

That's a debate here in Fairfax--all my research says don't do Columbia--period. I've looked at all the numbers--been there and done that here as well--

IB is another debate--we have school districts here getting rezoned for an area that is not optimal and it only offers IB--

If your child is into music--theater? what about the local community on that--I have heard it is excellent!

c

[Reactionary]

cglover - "all my research" - would you care to share your research and findings?

[ionlife]

I just looked at the schools and compared data online-that information is available to anyone with a computer and internet access. I determined that those particular schools were not a match for our family based upon that information and my daughter's academic needs.

IB programs are great for people who want them and if that's a match then people should go for it. I look at the overall picture of the school population, the test scores nationally and locally as well as programs offered alongside the academic programs.

In reading my post, I guess it might have looked like no one should go there, but that was not my intent. Again, these decisions are personal and must reflect the family's overall desires for schools and community.