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We are looking at a potential move to the triangle from a Greensboro. While we aren’t too far away, we don’t have any info on schools. Currently my 1st and 2nd grader are in a private episcopal school (current school does a lot with the Duke School and St. Timothy’s School) we will more than likely make a move to public if we move, but I’m looking for the closest thing possible to what they have. High achieving yet still puts a big focus on outdoors, recess, project based learning, not overloaded with hw, close knit school community, etc. does this exist in the public school world? Both my brother and my husband’s sister live in the triangle area ( N Raleigh and Fuquay) but they are childfree so they can’t offer much on the school and family side of advice. We are pretty open to area, I work from home and my husband will have to commute a few days a wk to Burlington, but not usually during rush hour. Ideally we would like an area with lots of younger families, not in a cookie cutter subdivision, and with greater than .20 acres.
"...does this exist in the public school world?"
not in chapel hill/carrboro schools using our experience.
1. close-knit...people come-and-go frequently. not enough time to complete the knitting.
2. hw...overloaded is expected and normal. and asking for more. extra credit.
3. outdoors...look out the window. i don't like looong posts, so i'll stop.
You won’t find the educational aspects you mention in public school here at least from our experience. But our son is younger so maybe that changes. We have liked public school but there is homework and not enough recess or outdoor time in my opinion and there is homework. I have heard a few schools are going away from it for elementary aged kids but ours has not. I also feel like public schools are seriously lacking with regards to putting the parents in contact with each other. There are no phone directories and getting a play date coordinated can take an act of Congress it seems just to get your contact info to the other parents and then hope they contact you back. PTA where we are isn’t really geared to working parents either.
When we looked for kindergarten we toured at Timothy’s and several others. St Timothy’s did not impress me for what you pay. They had a very laid back approach to learning and didn’t seem to push the kids enough for me especially if I’m paying for it. St David’s was better but also pricier. We were impressed with several catholic options such as OLLS and they do accept you without being catholic.
That said we love the area and would highly recommend north raleigh. I just wanted to make sure you got some honest feedback on education since I’m sure that is a major issue.
...we will more than likely make a move to public if we move, but I’m looking for the closest thing possible to what they have. High achieving yet still puts a big focus on outdoors, recess, project based learning, not overloaded with hw, close knit school community, etc. does this exist in the public school world?
I will say when my kids were in elementary school at Carrboro Elementary I found it to have most of the things you mentioned. They are 8th grade and 11th grade now, so I know a lot of things have changed. At that time, though, the principal was big on project based learning and I didn't find the homework too onerous. They had a school garden and chickens and a fun playground and put on a fantastic school play every year and also had a big school carnival each year.
You might look at some of the charter schools if you're open to that. I've heard good things about Willow Oak Montessori Charter near Pittsboro. Central Park School For Children charter school in Durham is very much like Duke School.
I will say we have not continued in CHCCS although I would have been happy for my younger kid to do so. My older kid has bad anxiety and needed a smaller school so after elementary we opted for a small charter. She has still struggled, but I think it has been better, maybe.
A lot of this is dependent on the school you end up in. My kids elementary school (from which they have graduated) has a a garden. Many of the public schools are pressed for recess time with all the testing required. I think teachers get the kids outside for lessons when possible.
Our elementary school (and middle school) has a directory for parents who wish to be a part of it.
Overloaded with homework is also probably child-specific....some kids can simply manage it better than others. I'm not a fan of mindless rote h.w. assignments myself. Most annoying to me in elementary school is Study Island, to prepare for the state testing at the end of the year.
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