High Schools in Durham vs Greensboro/Winston-Salem (Chapel Hill: home, rent)

[adove]

I am planning to relocate from just outside of Philly to NC over the summer. My employment inquiries are generating responses from Greensboro, Winston-Salem & Durham. My dilemma is that I have a soon to be high school freshman (son/football player) and a soon to be sophomore (daughter/artist). Can someone point me in the right direction to find great schools, diverse student population, good football, & an art program? Am I looking for to much

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by adove

I am planning to relocate from just outside of Philly to NC over the summer. My employment inquiries are generating responses from Greensboro, Winston-Salem & Durham. My dilemma is that I have a soon to be high school freshman (son/football player) and a soon to be sophomore (daughter/artist). Can someone point me in the right direction to find great schools, diverse student population, good football, & an art program? Am I looking for to much

In Durham you will find most of the schools have diverse student populations. The 3 High Schools that I would look at are: Jordan, Riverside, & Durham School of the Arts (a magnet / lottery school). Honestly, I don't know about the high school sports. Google Durham Public Schools for the district's site to find out more about these schools.

If you post your question on the Triad site you will get more responses about WS and Greensboro. Good luck.

[ausmerika]

If you are looking at Durham, look at Riverside. School of the Arts would be a good choice too for your dau, but really don't have a football program at all. Stay away from Jordan right now.
For Orange Co, Cedar Ridge. In Chapel Hill, either CHHS or ECCHS but don't know which has a better art program. For Triad schools, I'd post in that section as I am really unfamiliar with G'boro or Winston.

[NChomesomeday]

For what it's worth, I know a creative type person who lives in Chapel Hill and her kids attend ECHHS. She says it's a great match for her son (not creative/artistic) but thinks her daughter would have done better at CHHS--though she's fine at ECHHS too).

Just passing that along.

[durhammom]

Not sure why Ausmerika thinks you should avoid Jordan right now (I would be very interested to know more details as I'd like to know as much about Jordan now as possible) but it has always had a great reputation and my neighbors who have kids there are all very happy. I know I've heard comments that it's not what it used to be but I've talked to a number of people recently who are still very happy with it. I know Joran has a good competitive sports program including football and they also appear to have an arts program. The music program is also supposed to be excellent. One thing Jordan does is create what they call a "Freshman Academy" for all incoming freshman. This is essentially a system where kids are put into teams for 4 core courses (English, World History, PE & Science). Each team is taught by the same set of teachers and those teachers meet regularly to compare notes to better identify kids who may be having trouble adjusting to high school for any reason. They also send progress reports home every two weeks. Parents rave about that program.

One thing to note is that all Durham high schools other than DSA run on a block system where kids generally take 4 courses a semester with each class running a double period. There are pros and cons to that system. Note: that the Freshman Academy courses listed above do run the full year and alternate days instead.

[ausmerika]

Originally Posted by durhammom

Not sure why Ausmerika thinks you should avoid Jordan right now (I would be very interested to know more details as I'd like to know as much about Jordan now as possible) but it has always had a great reputation and my neighbors who have kids there are all very happy. I know I've heard comments that it's not what it used to be but I've talked to a number of people recently who are still very happy with it.

Sorry Durhammom, I probably say more than I should sometimes, but it was a statement made that is strictly my opinion, and that made from people I know in the system. I try not to make up my mind based on just one thing, but rather a multitude of statements.
You are right in saying that many people at Jordan, a school of about 1800, are happy. It is made up of a diverse student body (a good thing!), and there are many taking advanced courses. It is (or was) the flagship school of Durham, and I think was even listed in Newsweek in the top 500 of HS nationwide. All good. But it is not what it once was. Part of the problem is the influence of gangs in Durham altogether. While there have been minimum gang related activities at Jordan, there have been some. But I can tell you that for a while at least, rare was the week when some fight did not break out, some serious. Yes, this is an issue with many schools, in particular in DCS (see December 5, 2007 Press Release:
DURHAM -- Durham Public Schools reports an increase in crime and violence acts or offenses overall in the last year. As a result, DPS will strengthen efforts to ensure safety at all schools during the coming year.
Durham Public Schools reported a total of 322 crime and violence acts or offenses in 2006-07, up from 286 in 2005-06. The total number of acts or offenses per 1,000 students was 10.29 for the 2006-07 school year, up from 9.187 per 1,000 students districtwide in 2005-06. State Department of Public Instruction figures show a statewide decrease of 0.13 incidents per 1,000 students.
Areas showing decreases were possession of a weapon, down from 160 in 2005-06 to 131 last year; possession of a firearm, down from six incidents in 2005-06 to five last year; and sexual assault, down from six incidents in 2005-06 to four last year).

Most recently (Sept 07 there was a rather serious gang related fight at the school), and the two charged with murder both attended Jordan. Please understand I am not saying every student is like those involved in such activities. Far from it. As a matter of fact, it seems Jordan almost has 2 schools within one (those in high achieving, who really care to succeed, and the other being at-risk/don't care kids). Jordan is still a good school, I am just concerned with certain influences right now which seem to be growing worse. Until administration really gets a handle on it, in close work with the SROs I just don't know about that school. I remember Riverside once had the same issues (when Jordan was the creme-de-la-creme), and they were able to turn it around, so I know it can happen. It just takes money, effort and time.
No school is without it's issues, it's just how great the issues are.

[MrsSteel]

Don't forget that the girl who won this year's Intel Science Talent Search (known as the Junior Nobel Prize) is a student at Jordan High.
newsobserver.com | Durham teen wins 'junior Nobel Prize'

[ausmerika]

Oh yes...I did remember that, and forgot to mention, so thanks for bringing it up. There are good kids and good programs at Jordan (I think they are known best for their science program). I've just heard from too many about the frequent fights, although it does seem to be cooling off since fall.

[durhammom]

Ausmerika -- thank you for filling in the concerns on Jordan. I too have reservations about some of the gang/fight incidents I've heard about at Jordan but when I talk to students and parents there, they say it is not generally a problem and if you aren't part of the groups that fight then you are left alone. I will also say that most of the kids/parents I know fall into the high-achieving (or at least "not low-achieving") group. The one thing I do hear about Jordan is that students need to find their niche and students who don't find their niche could have problems. However, given that the original poster's kids seemed to have interests, I think they would likely find their niche. I'll also say that I generally here good things about Riverside too.

[adove]

This has been very helpful. I want to make the right dicsion and you have provide a balance of opinions and fact. Just what I need.