Good Catholic and/or Private Schools in Cary or Near? (Raleigh: chapel, house)

[tallulah1]

We are looking to relocate to Cary from NJ and are getting nervous about everything we've been reading about the overcrowding of the schools. We are concerned about our two kids (ages 6 and 9) going to a school far from home and/or not being at the same school, etc. We are now looking at what other options there might be. I found St. Michael's school but am wondering if it has any kind of reputation? Our kids are currently in public school in a small town here. Are there any others?
Thanks

[nelly76]

We just moved here from NJ, and school situation is definitely different. We moved from Freehold, NJ, where we had neighborhood schools, where parents of the kids in my son's class went to 30 yr ago. Here, due to so many kids in the area, schools are surely overcrowded. Why are you concentrating your search on Cary? Nothing against Cary (its very nice) but there are other nice areas around Raleigh. I heard good things about St.Michael's,but again I think its pretty competitive to get in.

[SarahMom]

I think you're really smart to consider private school. We also looked at St. Michael's, but not being Catholic it was clear we'd never get in. It looks like a wonderful school. They were, however, happy to take our $100 application fee. This is true for many of the private schools - - they will take your application fee when there is no chance that you will get in. Its actually quite a business.

No one is safe from the reassignments of the public school system until we completely overhaul the system. So don't believe anything else from your realtor or any contrary advice here. There are lots of realtors on this site. There are more examples of parents who could spit on the school steps from their front door whose children do not attend that school than any other story. There are many examples of children reassigned five times in five years never having moved. Its a debacle we're trying to change.

Thank God we found Thales. Thales Academy is a series of affordable private schools, one of which is very near the edge of Cary in Apex. Its $5000 per year and we're very happy with our three children there. We have a child who is gifted in math. St. Michaels could offer no advanced program in math. Thales' system is based on a child studying at the level at which they need to, and so their classes are synchronized. Everyone studies math and reading at the same time. So, if a child needs to study up or study back, they can do that. Unlike many private schools, and unlike public school my gifted math student can study in a class forward.

This is a new school and there are still places for next year. It won't be so for long. We opened in a temporary place in the fall, and so we were at about 1/2 capacity. We just opened our beautiful, all brick new building and then had our open house on Jan 15 in our new building. Now that folk have seen the building they have been flocking to it.

Check it out. You might be very happy there. Good luck.

[mfrank2109]

There are a number of Catholic Schools in the Raleigh metro area. Cathedral (downtown), Our Lady of Lourdes (inside the beltline), St. Raphael (North Raleigh), The Franciscan School (North Raleigh), St. Catherine of Sienna (Wake Forest), St. Michael's (Cary), St. Mary Magdalene (Apex), not to mention Immaculata (Durham), and St. Thomas More (Chapel Hill). All of the above have kindergarten through 8th grade although for most you need to be a member of the parish if you hope to get in. There are also good Protestant schools (St. Timothy's - North Raleigh - Episcopal) although you need to be careful because some have an anti-Catholic bias. Also good secular private schools such as Ravenscroft. Having had kids in both the Catholic schools and public schools in Wake County, I personally think the whole reassignment issue is blown way out of proportion with parents over-reacting because the kids will adjust. But when parents get upset about it and make a big deal the kids feed off that negativity and start getting upset as well. But I know not everyone agrees - that's just my 2 cents.

[tallulah1]

We are not stuck on Cary, just a starting point. We are from Mendham where we also have a neighborhood school. Therein lies my concern for public school in Cary - I don't think my kids are going to experience school the same anymore. Can I ask where you decided to move? Is there a "neighborhood" school there? Maybe you'd rather not post it here. My email is njcheflady@gmail.com if you'd like to reply privately. Thanks!