Insider view of Germantown schools anyone? (Memphis, Bartlett: apartment, house, neighborhood)

[mkim]

We may be moving to the Memphis area. Recently we just returned from a visit and thought the Germantown area is nice but have not been to Collierville. Germantown would be a little closer commute for my husband (we are thinking maybe 20-25 minutes), so we thought if we are satisified with the area, there is no need to go further out.
So, I visited Germantown Elementary, Riverdale, and Dogwood. Did not see Farmington. Not sure what to think. I went on tours, but Dogwood was fast. I still do not have an accurate feeling of the schools. Can anyone tell me their opinions/advice based on their personal experiences at the schools? I think that is usually the best way to know how the schools are. I prefer a school that doesn't just teach to a schedule and/or state testing which looks like they may. Although private is too expensive for us and would prefer not to anyways.
Also, if anyone has any knowledge about Collierville I would consider that area too. We just thought living in a more metropolitan suburb is nice because where we live now in a golf course community is alittle too quiet for us, with not alot to do in the immediate area besides tennis, golf, a few stores, and the Y. Plus we would prefer a closer commute.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanx!

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by mkim

We may be moving to the Memphis area. Recently we just returned from a visit and thought the Germantown area is nice but have not been to Collierville. Germantown would be a little closer commute for my husband (we are thinking maybe 20-25 minutes), so we thought if we are satisified with the area, there is no need to go further out.
So, I visited Germantown Elementary, Riverdale, and Dogwood. Did not see Farmington. Not sure what to think. I went on tours, but Dogwood was fast. I still do not have an accurate feeling of the schools. Can anyone tell me their opinions/advice based on their personal experiences at the schools? I think that is usually the best way to know how the schools are. I prefer a school that doesn't just teach to a schedule and/or state testing which looks like they may. Although private is too expensive for us and would prefer not to anyways.
Also, if anyone has any knowledge about Collierville I would consider that area too. We just thought living in a more metropolitan suburb is nice because where we live now in a golf course community is alittle too quiet for us, with not alot to do in the immediate area besides tennis, golf, a few stores, and the Y. Plus we would prefer a closer commute.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanx!

Due to NCLB and standardized testing, public schools are going to teach to the test. Also, county schools are in the process of redistricting. The neighborhood you choose for a school today may be districted for a different school by the time your kids start the school year. If you want any instruction that's outside the box and not teaching to the test, public schools just aren't going to offer that - not even in the county (though they're vastly better than the city schools.)

[Pearlbob]

I have heard that same thing from every teacher I know, in multiple states: they are told to teach the test, get the kids out, pass them on to the next grade, do whatever it takes. Sad but true.

I think the only way you can really determine for sure regarding rezoning of school districts is to purchase a house extremely close to whatever school you want to attend. Chances are being rezoned to another school would then be slim.

I wonder if there is a grandfather clause for schools; if you start at a school and you get rezoned, can you finish out in that same school?

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

I have heard that same thing from every teacher I know, in multiple states: they are told to teach the test, get the kids out, pass them on to the next grade, do whatever it takes. Sad but true.

I think the only way you can really determine for sure regarding rezoning of school districts is to purchase a house extremely close to whatever school you want to attend. Chances are being rezoned to another school would then be slim.

I wonder if there is a grandfather clause for schools; if you start at a school and you get rezoned, can you finish out in that same school?

There's not a grandfather clause. There are a lot of kids who start out at one school and get shipped over to another. Sometimes, they'll give the kids a break if it's their senior year. And proximity to the school isn't a given (considering that Judge Donald is revisiting the idea of busing). We have friends at church who must pass one county elementary school to get to the one to which their kid is assigned. There's no rhyme or reason to any of it.

[Pearlbob]

Still though, any school in Germantown or Collierville would be astronomically better then Memphis city schools. Especially at the elementary level, I have not heard anyone complain about any schools there. For high schools, that changes.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

Still though, any school in Germantown or Collierville would be astronomically better then Memphis city schools. Especially at the elementary level, I have not heard anyone complain about any schools there. For high schools, that changes.

The issue that comes into question is that the areas in newly incorporated SE Shelby County have schools which will become part of the pool of schools for people in Collierville and Germantown as well. (It's a pretty significant issue and has been all over the news - causing a degree of controversy because the Shelby County Schools are not involving parental input in the redrawing of districts.)

Certainly, the county schools are better than the city overall (w/ the exception of Grahamwood, of course), but I've heard some dissatisfaction with them because of the focus on testing and teaching to the test to the exclusion of critical thinking skills, etc. Of course, that's going to happen in any public school system (other than the innovative ones in Massachusetts, Virginia and the like where the passing of standardized tests still happens despite a broader approach to instruction).

[Pearlbob]

Ahhh okay. The rezoning doesn't affect me at all so I must not pay attention. I knew they are rezoning the northern MS schools..seems like it's always something.

As for the other question comparing Gtown to Cville...Cville is a "newer" suburb...it's been there a long time but only recently has grown and become a place for tons of new development. Gtown has been around a long time and therefore has a lot more to do in and nearby.

A very general way of thinking of the 2 cities, IMO is that Gtown is old money and Cville is new money. Cville is the "new" place those with money to move and build a home, Gtown is where wealthy people already live and want to stay. That's a complete generalization, but it might give you an idea of what to expect if living there.

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by mkim

We may be moving to the Memphis area. Recently we just returned from a visit and thought the Germantown area is nice but have not been to Collierville. Germantown would be a little closer commute for my husband (we are thinking maybe 20-25 minutes), so we thought if we are satisified with the area, there is no need to go further out.
So, I visited Germantown Elementary, Riverdale, and Dogwood. Did not see Farmington. Not sure what to think. I went on tours, but Dogwood was fast. I still do not have an accurate feeling of the schools. Can anyone tell me their opinions/advice based on their personal experiences at the schools? I think that is usually the best way to know how the schools are. I prefer a school that doesn't just teach to a schedule and/or state testing which looks like they may. Although private is too expensive for us and would prefer not to anyways.
Also, if anyone has any knowledge about Collierville I would consider that area too. We just thought living in a more metropolitan suburb is nice because where we live now in a golf course community is alittle too quiet for us, with not alot to do in the immediate area besides tennis, golf, a few stores, and the Y. Plus we would prefer a closer commute.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanx!

All the Germantown and Collierville schools are very good. Farmington and Dogwood are the two best elementary schools in the Mid-South. Every public school in the country teaches to the test as a result of NCLB. Those two schools regularly score in the top 10% of the test and are in no danger of failing it, so they have more leeway. Nearly every child in those schools will eventually go to college.

[Wings]

Gtown and Cville are part of the same school system - Shelby County. I am moving to Collierville next week (an apartment at first) from Florida. I had a nice tour of Bailey Station Elementary in Collierville by the principal. It is only a couple years old. The facilities are nice and the teachers energetic. I didn't notice any philosophy of teaching to standardized tests. I don't believe the presumption that all public schools are that way. I suspect that poor performers and marginal schools may be out of necessity. If a school has adequate resources and more importantly parental involvement the testing will not dominate. I would give Shelby County schools a try.

[chuck1229]

Originally Posted by mkim

We may be moving to the Memphis area. Recently we just returned from a visit and thought the Germantown area is nice but have not been to Collierville. Germantown would be a little closer commute for my husband (we are thinking maybe 20-25 minutes), so we thought if we are satisified with the area, there is no need to go further out.
So, I visited Germantown Elementary, Riverdale, and Dogwood. Did not see Farmington. Not sure what to think. I went on tours, but Dogwood was fast. I still do not have an accurate feeling of the schools. Can anyone tell me their opinions/advice based on their personal experiences at the schools? I think that is usually the best way to know how the schools are. I prefer a school that doesn't just teach to a schedule and/or state testing which looks like they may. Although private is too expensive for us and would prefer not to anyways.
Also, if anyone has any knowledge about Collierville I would consider that area too. We just thought living in a more metropolitan suburb is nice because where we live now in a golf course community is alittle too quiet for us, with not alot to do in the immediate area besides tennis, golf, a few stores, and the Y. Plus we would prefer a closer commute.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanx!

GT schools appear on the downward swing, just got a new school in the south county and there was a big shift in demographics in the schools. With the highway I 385, Collierville is not too far on the travel time vs GT, depending of course where the job is. I live in CV and would not consider GT nor the Cordova or Bartlett areas. Just getting overly conjested. Now if you like shopping, Cordova is the place, malls, strip malls, dining, etc. But be ready for traffic jams every night. The GT roads are busy too and a good 10-15 minutes from access to any Interstate.