Hampton Cove (Huntsville, Valley: month to, houses, neighborhoods)

[BKOTH97]

Originally Posted by Marc45002

Charles, thanks!

So what is the real draw to Hampton Cove? The "mountain" views? The fact that zip code 35763 is 93% white? I thought that there were walking trails but didn't see them within the individual subdivisions; are there a lot of walking and biking trails in the area that are "walkable" or "bikeable" from the home instead of having to drive? We are moving from Tokyo where we haven't owned a car for two years; the thought of having to drive everywhere is a bit much.

thanks,

Marc

I can guarantee you that regardless of where you move to in Huntsville it will be another world from Tokyo. Seriously, if you think you will be able to get around without a car, forget about it. However, if you are talking about pleasure riding / walking trails, you should be able to find those without a problem. Huntsville / Madison County / Madison are working on a network of biking / walking trails that are going to be awesome when completed. There are 1-5 mile pieces completed all over the city, but they just need to be connected.

City of Huntsville Greenways

I can't wait for this to make additional progress. I use the Indian Creek and Providence greenways all the time.

[ionlife]

Years ago I read an article that supports ZJ's assertions about family input being a major factor in the education a child receives in school, regardless of location (even in schools where there were lots of "issues."). However, studies showed that once those children reached the middle school and high school years, the parents influence could not balance out the other distractions in a poorer performing school. The peers, the motivation of the peers, and the differences in socioeconomics etc. did factor in heavily. At that point, many parents who could make the choice either moved or sent their children to private school.


One major difference between Huntsville schools and Madison City schools was pointed out in another forum:

Over 20 million in scholarship dollars to over 40 percent of the students in Bob Jones High School vs. 34 million scholarship dollars to all 7 high schools in the Huntsville School district (and how much of that was divied up between Grissom and HHS?).

That's a data point I'd look long and hard at--as well as number of graduating seniors heading off to college (tho' would like to see how many remain in college after their freshmen year).

That being said, the schools supporting Hampton Cove are great schools. Huntsville HS is a good school and should be able to provide an excellent education to the student. And Hampton Cove looks like a lovely area to live in--beautiful neighborhoods.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Marc45002

Charles, thanks!

So what is the real draw to Hampton Cove? The "mountain" views? The fact that zip code 35763 is 93% white? I thought that there were walking trails but didn't see them within the individual subdivisions; are there a lot of walking and biking trails in the area that are "walkable" or "bikeable" from the home instead of having to drive? We are moving from Tokyo where we haven't owned a car for two years; the thought of having to drive everywhere is a bit much.

thanks,

Marc

I still am not that familiar with the walking trails but I do see signs and it looks like a poster above included an informational link.

Not sure what you situation is, you didn't populate your profile.
As far as the draw, It depends.
Single? 22? He probably wouldn't find it a draw.
Married? 40? Three kids? He would find it a draw. Lots of other families for his kids to play with, lots of home selection, quite a bit of common landscaping, good schools. You drive around there and all you see are families, soccer moms, bikes, backyard play sets, etc.

A lot of people wouldn't like to live in a place where they wouldn't need a car (dense, urban, loud, expensive) even though they would save on vehicle expenses. Often it is the suburbs that have family amenities and in many towns a car is practically a requirement for having a life in the suburbs. If we look at demographic maps, we will see families living in suburbs (even with $4/gal gas) versus urban areas. That's just the way it is. Some people think this may be changing with energy costs rising - more people moving towards city centers away from exurbs, nearer to light rail lines for example.

[pennquaker09]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

Here's the thing with test scores;

a) There are a schools out there that really cater their curriculum to getting high scores. I am sometimes wary of schools with abnormally high scores, because this often have a tendency to "teach to the test". This method leaves little less time for things I personally value in my child's education such as time for the arts, creative learning, physical education, socialization, and so on.

b) Test scores often reflect a demographic more than they reflect the school's performance. That is, if you have the children of well-educated, well-off families, the scores are going to be higher even if the schools themselves are abysmal.

Both of these things make test scores only a marginally useful (but not useless) tool in assessing a school. I have family members with plenty of experience in the education field who would agree. My experience has been that test scores are useful for telling you whether a school is basically up to par or not.

For example, if both school A and school B have scores that are "up there", is all that matters to me. Just because school A scores slightly better than school B, doesn't mean school A is fundamentally better. However, if school C has ****-poor scores, then I'd avoid it. Hampton Cove Elementary does not have ****-poor scores.

I personally think a good rule of thumb is to visit the schools, and talk to parents who have children attending those schools. I've visited Hampton Cove Elementary, and spoken to parents there. Beyond being overcrowded and the stresses that come along with that, it appears to be an excellent, well-managed school with excellent facilities.


When it comes down to it though, I think the biggest determining factor as to how good an education a child will receive comes down to the individual child and the family they come from. You only get out of an education as much as you put into it. As long as the school is safe, clean, functional, with competent staff, your child can get a good education. It's not going to be intrinsically better because X school score 10% higher on their scores. Those scores are only a reflection on how *other* kids perform on a standardized test, not how *my* child will perform when it comes to a meaningful learning experience.

In terms of where I want to live in terms of my home/neighborhood, there are a lot of factors. A safe, clean, functional school is certainly one of them. But that's it - beyond the schools obligation to provide the basic materials, environment, and personnel, my child's education is my own responsibility. I am not under the delusion that my child is going to be a 10% more educated child because they go to a school with 10% better 3rd grade SAT scores. So beyond a school that meets those basics, my choice was based on - commute time for my husband's work, vicinity to our place of worship, number of young families in the neighborhood, cost and quality of the house itself, and how safe and community-oriented the neighborhood is, etc.

I agree with everything you said.

[Charles]

This is great news for the residents of the Big Cove area of Huntsville (including Hampton Cove):

"The new elementary school, which hasn't been named, would take pressure off nearby Hampton Cove Elementary School...

The new school could also mean hundreds more homes, and with them, many children. "

from

Board OKs $16M for New Elementary School in Big Cove - al.com

[Mkovacs]

McMullen Cove is a gated community feeding into the Hampton Cove schools and has 2 mountains and the river with over 22 miles of hiking trails. And surrounded by mountains. Heaven to us.

[daac09]

We're still looking for a home in Huntsville, and we last visited a couple of weeks ago. While I'm interested in Jones Valley or Blossomwood if we can find the right home, my husband really wanted to take a look at Hampton Cove. Well, visiting on a beautiful sunny Saturday in March when it's 70 degrees and there are kids out playing everywhere (we have 2 kids) was a very bad strategy for convincing him that HC is not for us. It really is a beautiful area and is starting to win me over. I'd appreciate any info / feedback on the following:

• We're thinking that the Deford Mills neighborhood is probably the best fit for us, with houses that are the right size and price and have nice flat yards. Any cautionary tales / disadvantages to this neighborhood?
• For some of the homes that we saw, Hampton House membership conveys with the sale. Can anyone tell me more about Hampton House? (I haven't found much online.) If our home doesn't come with a membership, can anyone who lives in HC join? Is there typically a long waiting list? Do you use the facilities at HH and are you happy with them?
• We've heard lots about the new planned elementary school to relieve the overcrowding at the HC schools. Until that's finished, I'm assuming use of portable classrooms will continue. Are these used for all ages? mostly older kids? While I understand that they're not ideal, has anyone had major concerns for your child's comfort or learning environment?
• One of my concerns was distance from work, shopping, restaurants, etc., but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of businesses close by. Would anyone recommend a growing church (prefer nondenominational Christian or possibly Baptist) in the area? Does anyone have experience with a nearby preschool that you're crazy about?

We still have a while to do more research and make our decision, but I've gotten some good info on this forum before and thought I'd try it again.

Thanks!

[Mawoods]

We live in the area (McMullen Cove) and there are many churches to choose from in HC and over the mountain. We go to Willowbrook which we really are enjoying.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by daac09

• We're thinking that the Deford Mills neighborhood is probably the best fit for us, with houses that are the right size and price and have nice flat yards. Any cautionary tales / disadvantages to this neighborhood?
• For some of the homes that we saw, Hampton House membership conveys with the sale. Can anyone tell me more about Hampton House? (I haven't found much online.) If our home doesn't come with a membership, can anyone who lives in HC join? Is there typically a long waiting list? Do you use the facilities at HH and are you happy with them?
• We've heard lots about the new planned elementary school to relieve the overcrowding at the HC schools. Until that's finished, I'm assuming use of portable classrooms will continue. Are these used for all ages? mostly older kids? While I understand that they're not ideal, has anyone had major concerns for your child's comfort or learning environment?
• One of my concerns was distance from work, shopping, restaurants, etc., but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of businesses close by. Would anyone recommend a growing church (prefer nondenominational Christian or possibly Baptist) in the area? Does anyone have experience with a nearby preschool that you're crazy about?

Advantages of Deford Mill is that it is easy walking or cycling distance to both Hampton Cove Elementary and Hampton Cove Middle school.

You are correct. The Hampton House has a useless website and I have asked Tammy over there repeatedly to get something going. I volunteered to do it myself. This is 2009 not 1958. Anyone who is Hampton Cove HOA can join the Hampton House. It is very popular and I doubt there is a waiting list as it is only open to Hampton Cove residents. Also, the Hampton House is in the process of building a brand new huge fitness facility to replace the existing one. Now there will be two huge buildings. I've worked out in the existing a few times and it is fine but the new one will be much bigger with all new equipment. Should be done at the end of summer.

Hampton Cove Elementary and Hampton Cove Middle School are adjacent to each other and are connected by hallways. I have a first grader and a fourth grader at Hampton Cove Elementary. Next year I'll have a kindergartner there too. I haven't heard anything bad about the portables, I think only the middle school uses them but I am not sure. In fact, I've heard only one grade of middle schoolers use them and to them it is something they are proud of. The students per teacher ratios are 17 for both Hampton Cove Middle School and Hampton Cove Elementary School. Both schools are pristine, colorful, and cheerful. Hampton Cove Elementary is fairly new, built around 1995 or 1996 and Hampton Cove Middle Schools is pretty new too, built around 2004 or something like that.

I can not recommend any churches.

One bummer about Hampton Cove is that there are no secular preschools nearby. There is a Montessori but it is all the way over near Grissom High School. I currently have a preschooler at Hampton Cove christian Academy. We're not crazy about the religion but the academic environment is superb. It is also a very clean, well maintained, and safe preschool. It is also extremely convenient as it is located right next door to Hampton Cove Middle and Elementary schools and also right next door to a Huntsville Fire Station - nice to have next door to the schools.

[GretelB]

We live in Deford Mill (about a year and a half now) and love it. Specifically:
-- great bike path nearby. Down to the end and back is 8 miles, so if you're a runner or just like to get out for some exercise, there is plenty of distance to be had.

-- you can walk or bike to the Publix, a pizza place, mexican place, etc.

-- right by the school, the anytime fitness

-- less than 5 minutes to Lowes.. which you will need if you will be visiting quite frequently (see below).

Downsides:
-- homes in Deford Mill, for the most part, are older than homes in other parts of HC. Our home is about 12 years old so in my opinion still a newish home. BUT, at 12 years old, things break, the unexpected may happen, you have to deal with 90s decor (read: be prepared to take down some wallpaper or paint over it). Before you purchase a home.. look and see what major appliances have been replaced/not replaced so at least you're prepared for the bill and can negotiate it in your contract If you want a NEW home, look in some of the newer HC neighborhoods.

-- school traffic. Since you're right by the elementary school, be prepared for the traffic (7:30-8am and then in the afternoon). If you're trying to get to work, you HAVE to leave the house by 7:15, or you will sit in what I call "mom traffic". Not meaning to offend -- I love the kids and moms! But, it gives you motivation to get out of the house on time.

Also, Hampton House gym is just OK. I am hoping that the new building will be much better and CLEAN. The current one is a little dingy, which is why I switched over to paying at the nearby (beautiful) anytime fitness facility that has new equipment, etc.

Hope that helps. Feel free to email if you have questions about specific homes currently for sale.. I've snooped a couple of them