about getting back home...

[socaltoeastTN]

Hiknapster, My apologies. No harm meant. Just trying to be playful by quoting your 'grating northeastern accent' comment.

Thanks to everyone for the help. Oldmanbob, you have a lot of knowledge on the area...

Thanks again.

[aquarijen]

Hey there!
I just wanted to mention that the public high schools here have a lot of kids, too. 2500 kids is very normal.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by aquarijen

Hey there!
I just wanted to mention that the public high schools here have a lot of kids, too. 2500 kids is very normal.

There's only one high school in the entire state of Tennessee with more than 2500 students, and that's McGavock HS in Nashville (2817 students).

The 20 largest high schools in the Knoxville area:

1. Jefferson County HS (2318)
2. Bearden HS (1931)
3. Farragut HS (1893)
4. William Blount HS (1876)
5. Sevier County HS (1792)
6. Heritage HS (1688)
7. Hardin Valley Academy (1605)
8. Maryville HS (1555)
9. Karns HS (1511)
10. Oak Ridge HS (1506)
11. Morristown East (1464)
12. Campbell County HS (1437)
13. Morristown West HS (1409)
14. Powell HS (1403)
15. Knoxville West HS (1392)
16. South Doyle HS (1373)
17. Clinton HS (1365)
18. Cocke County HS (1343)
19. Halls HS (1323)
20. Lenoir City HS (1268)

Source: 2009-2012 Classification Information

[aquarijen]

Thank you for posting this! We came from the Nashville area a few years ago and looked into Bearden and Farragut and decided they had too many kids for my son. But I should have checked my facts before posting.
Great Schools must still have the numbers from before Harden Valley Academy was built because it still lists Farragut at 2338, Bearden at 2003 - which is still less than 2500 students.

[socaltoeastTN]

Thank for the info JMT!
Aquarijen, where did you wind up sending your son, and are you both happy with the choice?

Thanks for the help!

[aquarijen]

My son goes to Walker Academy - a very small private Middle and High school on Lovell Rd. Yes, we are very happy - this school turned him around socially and academically and his self esteem is salvaged. He's got plans now to go to college and he did not before...
Are you here visiting the area? We are having an open house on Monday, November 3rd from 7 to 9pm if you wanted to check it out (well, anyone for that matter! Come one, Come All!)
Yes, I am very happy with the choice. He went to public school for middle school - he went to Cedar Bluff - which is very small and the individual attention was very good, but after that, we had issues at the public High School, so we switched him to Walker Academy. The focus is not on extra curricular activities, but the individual attention is what he needed and is getting. They tailor the learning experience to the child. The added bonus is that even though I am moving across town, I don't have to worry about my son - he doesn't have to change schools.

[socaltoeastTN]

Aquarijen, ca I ask, what public high did you guys try out? And, if you don't mind, about how much is the annual cost of the private school that your son attends now?

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it!

[JMT]

Originally Posted by aquarijen

My son goes to Walker Academy - a very small private Middle and High school on Lovell Rd. Yes, we are very happy - this school turned him around socially and academically and his self esteem is salvaged. He's got plans now to go to college and he did not before...
Are you here visiting the area? We are having an open house on Monday, November 3rd from 7 to 9pm if you wanted to check it out (well, anyone for that matter! Come one, Come All!)
Yes, I am very happy with the choice. He went to public school for middle school - he went to Cedar Bluff - which is very small and the individual attention was very good, but after that, we had issues at the public High School, so we switched him to Walker Academy. The focus is not on extra curricular activities, but the individual attention is what he needed and is getting. They tailor the learning experience to the child. The added bonus is that even though I am moving across town, I don't have to worry about my son - he doesn't have to change schools.

I'm so glad your son is doing well at Walker Academy! I've heard nothing but good things about that school.

SocaltoeastTN, you should know that Knox County's schools are generally pretty good. Unfortunately, some political correctness is starting to creep in, and inner-city students are being shipped to some of the ring high schools like Central, West, and even Bearden.

The recent shooting at Central HS (which is nowhere near central Knoxville, by the way) by a student from an inner-city neighborhood--whose neighborhood is nowhere near Central HS--has caused a lot of parents (and even a school administrator friend of mine) to lament the state of our school system.

I still think our school system is, over all, good. But I don't want to paint a rosey picture when it sure seems that there are some festering problems in Knox County's school system. I never would've said that 2 years ago, but the redistricting nightmare and the school shooting tragedy have left me a little jaded. Or maybe it's just that the cruel outside world is finally appearing in what used to be a very safe and secure school district.

There are some wonderful private schools in Knox County in pretty much every price range. If you do a Google search for Knoxville private schools you should see all kinds of web sites and info.

Good luck!

[socaltoeastTN]

Ah! I was thinking that very thing, worrying about the safety of central high school, and if safety is a problem at any other knox county schools.

is the redistricting problem expected to be ongoing or does it seem to be settling down? should i expect to anticipate moving my child mid-way through high school to another high school?

We are looking very closely at the hardin valley academy and area. this will be her fourth school in three years (just left the military), and we really, really, really want it to be her last and best (or, at least very good) to finish out the high school years.

Thanks for your help, jmt. we heading down to tn next weekend to look around, and we're really, really excited. i appreciate the info and help!

[itsjustme64]

Socal,

We looked at several area high schools and settled on Hardin Valley. That was our daughter's first choice. We thought Oak Ridge was the best, with HV a close second.

The schools are glad to show you around and take you on a tour. Both HV and OR were very gracious about answering any and all questions. I highly, highly recommend you go on a tour before choosing a place to live.