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Old 10-01-2015, 05:40 PM
 
Location: My House
34,935 posts, read 36,065,245 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jesslauren310 View Post
Not all of the Wake County schools are good, in my opinion. And some are excellent. Just like not all of the schools anywhere are good. There are towns even 20 min away from us that I don't think have the greatest schools. The Wake County system is confusing to an outsider who is used to buying a house, being zoned for a school, and attending that school. I posted asking for clarification, and a lot of people have been very helpful with that. However, yes, it's a little disheartening to think about spending more $ on a house because you like the area and the base schools, only to be told there's a cap and your child will have to attend a school 20+ min away, and possibly one you aren't thrilled with.
I don't entirely disagree with you. Not all the schools in Wake are great... or even particularly good. I don't think any are exactly terrible, mind you.

That said, there aren't any schools in Cary where I'd refuse to send my child for fear that he/she would get a bad education. Not wholesale, anyway. It's complicated and I can see how it would be especially so if you weren't living here already with plenty of neighbors, friends, family, and anecdotal evidence to add to stuff like test scores and such.

This is most definitely not an area where you can buy yourself into "the best" school, though. You can most assuredly buy yourself into "better" schools, but "the best?" Nope.

The system tries to ensure that there's more equality than that. It's tough to decipher from a distance, so I do feel for you in that regard.

My comment about you not being content wasn't meant to be flippant. I did post it on the fly. I more or less meant that the way the system is run here is going to frustrate you, because it's so different than what you're used to.

I do think that you're doing your due diligence and you'll wind up in a good school, even if you do not think that it's your top pick right now.

Hang in there. I can tell you that it'll make more sense once you're here, and I think it will. But, it has to be a bit daunting from a distance.
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Old 10-01-2015, 05:46 PM
 
Location: My House
34,935 posts, read 36,065,245 times
Reputation: 26535
Quote:
Originally Posted by TinkaMcKirk View Post
I totally get where you're coming from. But the difference here is there isn't a correlation between "working hard" and being "able to send" your child "to a top public school". At least not in the way I believe you mean it (hard work = good job = house in good school district = top ranked public school = good education).

Here, "working hard" to get your child a good education means doing a ton of research, learning how the assignment plans work, investigating magnet and charter options, learning how the magnet and charter applications work, learning about calendar options and how those applications work, learning about the leadership academies and the early colleges, etc, figuring out transportation options, and comparing them to your current base school options.

In my 9 years of experience in WCPSS (3 elementary schools and 2 middle schools), I've learned that if you find an elementary or middle school with "great" test scores, you will find a school that has a low percentage of economically disadvantaged students, a high percentage of Asian/Indian students and, most importantly, an administration that prioritizes EOGs (pep rallies for EOGs, PTA fundraisers paying for practice test books instead of a computer lab, etc). You'll also be limiting yourself to non-magnet schools if you go by test scores, which would be a shame. Because quite a few of them truly do offer a great education with more empowered administrators and teachers.
I cannot remember if I alluded to this in this thread or the other one we have going about capped schools, but it's so very true.

Basically, there will always be a correlation here between higher scores and certain population combos.

I'm sure that's the same all over the country, to some degree, but the biggie here in Wake County is that you cannot buy your way into each of these better schools with much of a guarantee if you want one that's in a rapid growth area.

That's why I was thinking the OP should focus more on the high school. You can buy your way into Green Hope and right now, it's the best Cary has to offer. Also has a very good magnet option, if you get selected, of course. The caps all around are confusing, really.

It IS harder to buy your way into Green Hope and buy new construction at the same time. The middle schools are indeed more volatile and West Cary (the other side of 55, because that is really what West Cary is now) is unpredictable due to all the new construction and people moving in.

I think it'll even out over the next 5 years or so, but for the folks who have kids in school now, it's just not the safest place to move if you aren't flexible with the schools you'll accept.
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Old 10-02-2015, 11:44 AM
 
78 posts, read 102,715 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TinkaMcKirk View Post
I totally get where you're coming from. But the difference here is there isn't a correlation between "working hard" and being "able to send" your child "to a top public school". At least not in the way I believe you mean it (hard work = good job = house in good school district = top ranked public school = good education).

Here, "working hard" to get your child a good education means doing a ton of research, learning how the assignment plans work, investigating magnet and charter options, learning how the magnet and charter applications work, learning about calendar options and how those applications work, learning about the leadership academies and the early colleges, etc, figuring out transportation options, and comparing them to your current base school options.

In my 9 years of experience in WCPSS (3 elementary schools and 2 middle schools), I've learned that if you find an elementary or middle school with "great" test scores, you will find a school that has a low percentage of economically disadvantaged students, a high percentage of Asian/Indian students and, most importantly, an administration that prioritizes EOGs (pep rallies for EOGs, PTA fundraisers paying for practice test books instead of a computer lab, etc). You'll also be limiting yourself to non-magnet schools if you go by test scores, which would be a shame. Because quite a few of them truly do offer a great education with more empowered administrators and teachers.
This is excellent advice, and I want to thank you so much for writing it. I am very open to your suggestions, so any tips you have would be much appreciated. I have definitely been looking into Magnet and Charter, but I don't think we will be able to close on a house until April or May, so I figured that was too late for us to apply?
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Old 10-02-2015, 11:47 AM
 
78 posts, read 102,715 times
Reputation: 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedZin View Post
I don't entirely disagree with you. Not all the schools in Wake are great... or even particularly good. I don't think any are exactly terrible, mind you.

That said, there aren't any schools in Cary where I'd refuse to send my child for fear that he/she would get a bad education. Not wholesale, anyway. It's complicated and I can see how it would be especially so if you weren't living here already with plenty of neighbors, friends, family, and anecdotal evidence to add to stuff like test scores and such.

This is most definitely not an area where you can buy yourself into "the best" school, though. You can most assuredly buy yourself into "better" schools, but "the best?" Nope.

The system tries to ensure that there's more equality than that. It's tough to decipher from a distance, so I do feel for you in that regard.

My comment about you not being content wasn't meant to be flippant. I did post it on the fly. I more or less meant that the way the system is run here is going to frustrate you, because it's so different than what you're used to.

I do think that you're doing your due diligence and you'll wind up in a good school, even if you do not think that it's your top pick right now.

Hang in there. I can tell you that it'll make more sense once you're here, and I think it will. But, it has to be a bit daunting from a distance.
Thank you so much. You are exactly right, it is so different from what I'm used to. I love the way that there is more equality, it just makes it confusing as hell to an outsider because I truly feel helpless as to how to have her attend a school she and I are both happy with. I hope that makes sense.

We are going to need to close on a house in April or May, so any advice you could give regarding steps to take, things to research, people to call, etc. would be much appreciated. I don't particularly have my heart set on certain schools, I just don't want to have to take her 20+ minutes to and from because I have a 2 year old (he will be three at the time) and will have a 6 month old to trek. My 2 year old also attends preschool and will there, too, so this age gap presents a lot of challenges, as is. I'm just trying to be realistic and make sure that it's doable for us.
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Old 10-02-2015, 11:58 AM
 
78 posts, read 102,715 times
Reputation: 26
Another question about Magnet schools, and I'm so sorry that I'm clueless -

For the ones in Wake County, do they each have a separate application process? Or all they all one application?

Once your child is accepted into a Magnet school, let's say for 6th grade - do they have a higher chance of getting one in 9th grade, too? Or are some Magnets 6-12 grade?
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Old 10-02-2015, 04:35 PM
 
Location: Sodo Sopa at The Villas above Kenny' s House.
2,492 posts, read 3,014,554 times
Reputation: 3910
Once your accepted into the Magnet program I believe it carries through till Graduation. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. My child attends a magnet but she got in under living in the base zone. She currently still attends though we have moved. I'm in the process now of applying for magnet status so that she can stay in the program when it's time for middle school.
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Old 10-02-2015, 04:38 PM
 
Location: under the beautiful Carolina blue
22,615 posts, read 36,516,975 times
Reputation: 19819
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyn7cyn View Post
Once your accepted into the Magnet program I believe it carries through till Graduation. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. My child attends a magnet but she got in under living in the base zone. She currently still attends though we have moved. I'm in the process now of applying for magnet status so that she can stay in the program when it's time for middle school.

I think you're right.
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Old 10-02-2015, 06:00 PM
 
Location: Containment Area for Relocated Yankees
1,054 posts, read 1,977,922 times
Reputation: 1122
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyn7cyn View Post
Once your accepted into the Magnet program I believe it carries through till Graduation. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. My child attends a magnet but she got in under living in the base zone. She currently still attends though we have moved. I'm in the process now of applying for magnet status so that she can stay in the program when it's time for middle school.
For middle and high school magnet applications, the only guarantee is for incoming 6th and 9th graders with older siblings at that current magnet school. The priority list is as follows:

Quote:
Priority 1: Incoming 6th and 9th grade siblings of current magnet students wanting assignment to the same school – Guaranteed priority if the selection is made during the magnet application period

After assigning the students who meet the criteria above and vacancies have been determined, 90% of these vacancies will be filled from valid priority applications in the following order:

Priority 2: Current magnet students who follow their program pathway.

Priority 3: Current magnet students who seek to change their program pathway.

Priority 4: Non-magnet students at magnet schools who follow their program pathway.

Priority 5: Students residing in an area designated as high-performing – top 1/3*. Determine if your application qualifies for this priority.

Priority 6: Students whose next school facility utilization is projected to be crowded. Determine if your application qualifies for this priority.

Priority 7: Non-entry grade siblings of current magnet students whose first choice school is their sibling's school.

10% of vacancies will be filled randomly from all remaining applications

*An area is considered high-performing when the multiple year average proficiency rate is in the top 1/3 of the district by rank order. Proficiency rate averages are based on all state tests taken by any student living in that area (i.e., EOG, EOC, Writing Test) over the past few years.
We fall into priority 5 & 6. We applied to a magnet for 6th grade and didn't get in. There were around 300 other students that year who also applied. We applied again in 8th grade and got in. That time, there were only 18 students applying. The good news is that she loves the school (for so many reasons that I can't list them all here), and now she'll be a "priority 2" next year when we apply for high school. So yes, unless there is an entire class full of younger siblings applying next year, she should essentially be "guaranteed" a spot.
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Old 10-02-2015, 06:40 PM
 
Location: Raleigh NC
25,118 posts, read 16,073,937 times
Reputation: 14408
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesslauren310 View Post
This is excellent advice, and I want to thank you so much for writing it. I am very open to your suggestions, so any tips you have would be much appreciated. I have definitely been looking into Magnet and Charter, but I don't think we will be able to close on a house until April or May, so I figured that was too late for us to apply?

Given that you find it great advice, then you really should be able to use ncreportcards, and scroll down to see scores by demographics. David drive has ridiculously low free and reduced lunch, and their "diversity" comes from driven Asian kids.

You're not getting into magnet or charter schools next year, given your timeframe. Additional info/insight to follow tomorrow.
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Old 10-03-2015, 07:28 AM
 
Location: Sodo Sopa at The Villas above Kenny' s House.
2,492 posts, read 3,014,554 times
Reputation: 3910
So TinaMcKirk, Are you saying your child has to reapply for high school even though they were accepted in middle? I said I was in the process but the point I'm at is the " looking into it" so I better get in gear. Mine would be priority #4 at this point looking into Ligon or possibly Moore Square.

Sorry for thread hijack..
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