Need feedback on 2 schools (Memphis, Bartlett: work, homes, suburban)

[kmt39]

Hi There,
We are rolocating to the Memphis area this spring. I've been interviewing Catholic schools and have narrowed my search down considerably. I'd like some feedback on two schools in particular - if anyone can provide some I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if you provide any names of any good solid secular private schools in the East Memphis/Germantown area that would be great. The two Catholic schools I'd like some feedback on are:

Immaculate Conception
Holy Rosary

We are currently looking at homes on Mud Island, the Germantown area and some other area's in East Memphis, which from what I understand are all in the vicinity or either IC or Holy Rosary.

Thanks much,
Kathy

[tigergal]

Well, Mud Island is in the vicinity of Immaculate Conception, but Germantown and East Memphis are closer to Holy Rosary.

Both are excellent schools, but if I had my pick, I'd go with Holy Rosary. It's a small tight-knit community. Memphis Parent (local periodical) had polls which ranked Holy Rosary as the top private elementary and middle school. Memphis Parent 6th Annual Family Choice Awards (December 2007) | Memphis Parent

Originally Posted by kmt39

Hi There,
We are rolocating to the Memphis area this spring. I've been interviewing Catholic schools and have narrowed my search down considerably. I'd like some feedback on two schools in particular - if anyone can provide some I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if you provide any names of any good solid secular private schools in the East Memphis/Germantown area that would be great. The two Catholic schools I'd like some feedback on are:

Immaculate Conception
Holy Rosary

We are currently looking at homes on Mud Island, the Germantown area and some other area's in East Memphis, which from what I understand are all in the vicinity or either IC or Holy Rosary.

Thanks much,
Kathy

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by kmt39

Hi There,
We are rolocating to the Memphis area this spring. I've been interviewing Catholic schools and have narrowed my search down considerably. I'd like some feedback on two schools in particular - if anyone can provide some I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if you provide any names of any good solid secular private schools in the East Memphis/Germantown area that would be great. The two Catholic schools I'd like some feedback on are:

Immaculate Conception
Holy Rosary

We are currently looking at homes on Mud Island, the Germantown area and some other area's in East Memphis, which from what I understand are all in the vicinity or either IC or Holy Rosary.

Thanks much,
Kathy

Both are excellent schools. Holy Rosary families tend to be more conservative while IC families tend to be more liberal (the former is in a very conservative area of the city while the latter is in a more liberal area of the city), though they aren't that much different. I know the high school graduates coming out of IC are very well-rounded ladies and well prepared to go anywhere. If your children are males, then they will go to Christian Brothers for high school. If your children are females, they will stay at IC if you send them there or they will go to St. Agnes if they are at Holy Rosary. All those schools are excellent. If after visiting the schools you like both, then I'd just base my decision on location.

[Pearlbob]

I don't know where Holy Rosary is exactly, but IC is in midtown. That is not close to Germantown at all. I forget what your situation is - if you live out east, but have to drive downtown for work, then you could drop your kids off at IC on the way (it might add 15 minutes). But otherwise, you'd have to drive into town for their school, then back out for work. I'd really keep location close in mind; adding a significant amount of time to your drive in the morning could really be a headache to you AND your child.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

I don't know where Holy Rosary is exactly, but IC is in midtown. That is not close to Germantown at all. I forget what your situation is - if you live out east, but have to drive downtown for work, then you could drop your kids off at IC on the way (it might add 15 minutes). But otherwise, you'd have to drive into town for their school, then back out for work. I'd really keep location close in mind; adding a significant amount of time to your drive in the morning could really be a headache to you AND your child.

Holy Rosary is on Park Avenue right between Mendenhall (or Mt. Moriah, I think at that point) and Colonial.

[Pearlbob]

Oh yes, okay. Quite a drive from midtown or Germantown. Definitely consider location.

[kmt39]

Thank you all for your feedback. I'm coming into Memphis to meet with both schools and once we decide on a school we will start narrowing down area's to live.

If it ends up being IC, we would be looking in Mud Island and Central Gardens and if Holy Rosary it would be Germantown, Bartlett or other East Memphis areas.

Does this sound about right to all of you? Are there any other areas around IC and/or Holy Rosary you would recommend as being safe, family friendly areas - we are looking in 250,000 range.

Thanks again for all your feedback. I really do appreciate it.

[Pearlbob]

$250k can buy you a very nice home in midtown. The island....not as much home, but still enough, I'm sure.

[teachmom]

There are a lot of excellent Catholic schools to choose from.

In Germantown, Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of the newer PK-8 schools in the diocese. St. Francis in Cordova is good. St. Ann in Bartlett is good. Incarnation in Collierville is another new school. St. Agnes/St. Dominic is a private Catholic school in Memphis (boys and girls PK-8. Girls only high school.) Tuition is much higher than the parish schools.

Holy Rosary and IC are older schools and seen by many to be past their prime, to be quite honest. In general, I think the suburban schools I mentioned above are considered to be stronger academically.

It really depends on what is the best fit for your family. Ask the principal to see the ITBS score results for each grade level. Visit the schools.