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I keep hearing that NC has the best public schools, but looking at the school report cards, I haven't been very impressed. Many fall below the state average, I'm assuming that the schools that are balancing that are the "magnet" and "charter" schools that are miles away from your home and you'd have to deal with transportation, etc.
We live in the Chicago suburbs, and it's a norm for elementary schools to offer foreign language. On the other hand, it seems like they only do so at these magnet and charter schools and not regular public schools in NC? Is my impression wrong?
I was checking, because my family's planning to move to another state for work-related circumstances, and I didn't want my younger siblings to move to a state with lower education standards. Since I'd be in NC, I was thinking of taking my brother with me instead, but seeing the school stats in NC, I wasn't very impressed. On top of that, it seems that to get into a magnet or charter school, you'd have to be "picked" through a lottery? Are there no magnet schools where you can APPLY to? There are so many schools to sort through, I'm having difficulty reading up on every single one of them. So any advice or tips will be much appreciated. Specifically schools that are not too far from UNC. Thanks!
You don't say, but what grades are your siblings in? As for quality public schools, and proximity to UNC (I assume you mean UNC-CH, but bear in mind there are 16 universities in the UNC system), that would be Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System, which is reputed to be the top in the state. Compared to schools in Chicago, I don't know.
As for magnet schools, if you are talking HS you can look at DSA (Durham School of the Arts) or NC School of Math and Science (11 and 12th gr residential public school).
If you are talking about elementary or middle schools, there are charter schools in the area and a year round elementary program in OCS, which is by lottery (although that may be changing).
OH! I've been checking the Orange County public school system (I thought that was the county UNC-CH was in.. according to the county map on google) rather than the Carrbaro-Chapel Hill district. That makes a bit more sense. I was very surprised to see mediocre stats for what I thought were schools around UNC-CH (you guessed correctly, I did mean Chapel Hill, sorry for the lack of clarity).
The stats for schools in Carrbaro-Chapel Hill are much higher. My siblings will be in middle school (big age gap between us). The family's planning to move out west to the middle of nowhere (i.e. Arizona), which I know for sure has less rigorous programs than where we're living now. So there's a possibility that my brother (the older of the two) will come with me to NC. I'm trying to look for a place that would have a good middle school and is close to UNC-CH, since I'll be doing my master there.
It seems like Grey Culbreth and Guy Phillips Middle Schools are good schools. Does anyone have experience with these schools?
I keep hearing that NC has the best public schools, but looking at the school report cards, I haven't been very impressed. Many fall below the state average, I'm assuming that the schools that are balancing that are the "magnet" and "charter" schools that are miles away from your home and you'd have to deal with transportation, etc.
We live in the Chicago suburbs, and it's a norm for elementary schools to offer foreign language. On the other hand, it seems like they only do so at these magnet and charter schools and not regular public schools in NC? Is my impression wrong?
I was checking, because my family's planning to move to another state for work-related circumstances, and I didn't want my younger siblings to move to a state with lower education standards. Since I'd be in NC, I was thinking of taking my brother with me instead, but seeing the school stats in NC, I wasn't very impressed. On top of that, it seems that to get into a magnet or charter school, you'd have to be "picked" through a lottery? Are there no magnet schools where you can APPLY to? There are so many schools to sort through, I'm having difficulty reading up on every single one of them. So any advice or tips will be much appreciated. Specifically schools that are not too far from UNC. Thanks!
There are plenty of great schools throughout NC. People put too much stock in "school report cards" and other things that measure how good a school is. Kids that are highly motivated have no trouble learning and performing well in the NC school system. If you have a highly motivated child then all you need to concern yourself with is the performance of students that share the same characteristics as your child.
Many schools might appear to be underperforming to the undiscerning eye but this isn't the schools fault. You can't force kids to learn, the desire to do well in school comes from a kid's parent(s) and his/her home environment. The education system in this country is not failing, (No Child Left Behind is such a joke) what is failing is family values and the importance of school to many of today's youth.
as you see some people play dumb with respect to college rivalries in these parts as it pertains to UNC or UNC-Chapel Hill or Carolina or UNCCH or Chapel Hill or the Hill
people, particularly those from a central Raleigh, get overly sensitive when people refer to UNC as "UNC" of course we ALL know you meant UNC Chapel Hill, based on your description and mention of Orange Co but....nevermind, that's a different discussion. We all know what you mean, don't worry about it. There's no other "UNC-" system university with a UNC in front of it in the triangle and yet people act dumb.....
But as for your question, Chapel Hill City Schools would be your best bet. Though Chapel Hill is located in Orange Co, it's a seperate entity. CHCS are better academically IMHO and I would look there. The Chapel Hill City Schools are generally considered the top 3 in the state of NC. If it's public you want and you want to live in the UNC...opps University of North Carolina at CHAPEL HILL area, than I would go w/the Chapel Hill City Schools. NC doesn't have "Independent School Districts" probably like Chicago. I moved here from Dallas and it was pretty different in terms of how the school system is set up. Most cities are a part of the "County School District" if you will. Chapel Hill is a rare exception probably b/c of the money $$$ and influence over there with a well educated population wanting their kids to achieve academically. No offense to Orange Co Schools. So just keep that in mind when looking at schools. Even if you live out in the burbs, you really don't have independent suburban school districts which operate seperately from inner city schools. Everyone attends the same school or county district here.
All the Chapel Hill schools are very good, so I wouldn't worry too much about which middle school district within CH you're in. I know a number of people whose children go to Phillips and they are very happy with it. I think you'd be fine with any of the CH/C schools though.
If you're wanting something comparable to good Chicago suburb schools, then I'd go Chapel Hill all the way.
Foreign language isn't offered in all Wake County middle schools, but I think that most do. Its mostly the year round middle schools that don't offer it. Magnet schools will offer several different languages while 'regular' schools will offer 1 or 2.
The magnet lottery is not a true lottery. Applicants are given a 'priority number' based on where they live, what the F&R (Free & Reduced Lunch) participation rate of their base school is, and how crowded their base school is.
You could also end up in a year round middle school in Wake County. Right now you have the right to say no to a year round assignment, but WCPSS is currently appealing that court decision. The traditional 'opt-out' schools are often not nearby and WCPSS has said that they purposely make the traditional options unappealing so students stay at the year round schools.
If you want a school system that puts academics first and foremost, go to Chapel Hill.
as you see some people play dumb with respect to college rivalries in these parts as it pertains to UNC or UNC-Chapel Hill or Carolina or UNCCH or Chapel Hill or the Hill
people, particularly those from a central Raleigh, get overly sensitive when people refer to UNC as "UNC" of course we ALL know you meant UNC Chapel Hill, based on your description and mention of Orange Co but....nevermind, that's a different discussion. We all know what you mean, don't worry about it. There's no other "UNC-" system university with a UNC in front of it in the triangle and yet people act dumb.....
But as for your question, Chapel Hill City Schools would be your best bet. Though Chapel Hill is located in Orange Co, it's a seperate entity. CHCS are better academically IMHO and I would look there. The Chapel Hill City Schools are generally considered the top 3 in the state of NC. If it's public you want and you want to live in the UNC...opps University of North Carolina at CHAPEL HILL area, than I would go w/the Chapel Hill City Schools. NC doesn't have "Independent School Districts" probably like Chicago. I moved here from Dallas and it was pretty different in terms of how the school system is set up. Most cities are a part of the "County School District" if you will. Chapel Hill is a rare exception probably b/c of the money $$$ and influence over there with a well educated population wanting their kids to achieve academically. No offense to Orange Co Schools. So just keep that in mind when looking at schools. Even if you live out in the burbs, you really don't have independent suburban school districts which operate seperately from inner city schools. Everyone attends the same school or county district here.
Dude,
Chill out....
There was NO reference to Orange county in the OP first post and since the person looking for info is not FROM here it is not unreasonable to clarify which school in the UNC system is being discussed...
Also, the person you are taking to the woodshed over this MASSIVE oversight which has so incensed you is either a native of Chapel Hill/Orange County or a very long time resident based on his/her previous posts...certainly has been here longer than you.....
There are plenty of great schools throughout NC. People put too much stock in "school report cards" and other things that measure how good a school is. Kids that are highly motivated have no trouble learning and performing well in the NC school system. If you have a highly motivated child then all you need to concern yourself with is the performance of students that share the same characteristics as your child.
Many schools might appear to be underperforming to the undiscerning eye but this isn't the schools fault. You can't force kids to learn, the desire to do well in school comes from a kid's parent(s) and his/her home environment. The education system in this country is not failing, (No Child Left Behind is such a joke) what is failing is family values and the importance of school to many of today's youth.
Thank you Altx for making these points! If you are basing your criteria on school reports, than CHCCS will probably have what you are seeking (and definitely proximity), but as I've always advocated--seek a match for the student where possible. That said, I too would agree Phillips is a great middle school.
For a little history lesson, the reason CHCCS is a separate school district (one of 12 I believe in NC, out of the 100 counties) dates back to the turn of 20th century. 1908 to be exact. One really needs to understand what occured though prior to that though to really comprehend. The University was closed during the Civil War, and barely survived reconstruction. And with that Chapel Hill barely survived. Many business which relied on the students (much as today) closed. As Cornelia Spencer Love put it, "It was the Deserted Village of the South." At that time there were few schools open period, and only for a required 4 months. The public school law of 1869 provided for the levy by county commissioners a sufficient township tax to support the 4 month term. At that time Orange County Schools was exactly that--county. Because of the financial burdens felt throughout the state, schools were still closing. Chapel Hill elected then to open a chartered school district within Orange County in 1908, but it wasn't until 1924 that the first district tax, which supports the school, was levied. Then in 1933 the Chapel Hill School system became an entity in it's own right with the agreement btw the State School Commission and the OCSBOE.
So, as you can see, the fact that CHCCS is separate is not new. Actually Greensboro and Charlotte paved the way back in the latter 1800s.
Just thought I'd share a bit of what I know of Orange County/Chapel Hill history since the topic of separate schools seems to keep cropping up.
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