Salem Middle School area apt rentals (Raleigh, Cary: townhomes, transfer, neighborhood)

[vtmover]

I am thinking of moving to Apex area in NC. Based on my research, I like Salem Middle School a lot (for my 1st son), and looking for a rental apt community in this school district (preferably with a good elementary school for my younger son who will be ready for ES in a couple of years). Since my younger one runs around a lot and makes some noise, the rental community preferably should be a kid/noise-tolerant one. I looked at Beaver Creek townhomes, but wasn't sure if this falls under Salem MS district.
Also is it possible to enroll my son in a neighboring school district if I want to?
Any suggestions/pointers will be greatly appreciated.

[just_sayin']

well you're going to hear it a lot...but that's because it is the truth. There are no neighborhood schools in Wake County. We lived in Apex from 2005 until last August when we moved back to upstate ny (had lived in NC since 1994, previously in Raleigh and Cary). It's a charming town and where it USED to be that most of the kids who lived there went to the nearby schools that were actually IN Apex. Beaver Creek townhomes I do believe are assigned to Salem Middle, and middle schools don't usually get reassinged as often as elementary schools. However, the high school assigned to that area of Apex has changed from nearby Apex High School, to Panther Creek High up in Morrisville (has a Cary address, but is essentially Morrisville)..about 20 minutes away. By the time your son is ready for high school that may change, but you never know. I'm also assuming you would want to eventually buy a home. Any realtor will tell you and it's true, you just don't move to a neighborhood or choose a home for the schools in Wake County, because they can and often do change.

[MikeJaquish]

This link will let you search school assignments for any Wake County address. (http://wwwgis2.wcpss.net/cgi-bin/Production/MainScript.pl?MainOption=StreetMain - broken link)

Then I would suggest you confirm assignment with Wake County Public School System/WCPSS.

[vtmover]

I'minformed2 and MikeJaquish, thanks much for the really helpful info. I checked the link and find that Beaver Creek townhomes are assigned to Salem MS (and Baucom ES and Apex HS for 08-09) like you mentioned (of course I will confirm the assignment before actually moving).
I am trying to understand the "changing assignment" thing -- if a kid completes 9th, then if the address gets re-assigned to a different high school, then next year he/she *has to* start going to the new school?! I don't know about my son but if I were that kid, it would sure hit my morale.

[just_sayin']

indeed...they transfer the 9th graders to the new school. This is what happened in Apex for the 06-07 school year. The subdivision we lived in (Hollands Crossing) as well as most other subdivisions west of Kelly Road and/or North of Hwy 64 in Apex were reassigned from Apex high to Panther Creek. My daughter was a rising freshman so we just went straight from Apex Middle to Panther Creek high, no big deal, and my son was a rising senior so he was able to stay at Apex High. The rising sophomores in our neighborood and the others reassigned however; students who had their freshman year at Apex High ( as well as rising sophomores from Green Hope and amazingly Leesville High) all had to move to the new Panther Creek campus for their sophomore years.