Need your help Urgent! about schools in Blacksburg (house, neighborhoods)

[angelawongme]

we are looking at a house with Kipps as the elementary. but kipps ' match and reading scores are slow..... 74 on average compared to 95 in Gilbert and Harding.
and there are 35% economically disadvantaged kids in kipps compared to only 13% in Gilbert and Harding.
I don't want to be presumptuous here , but I have only been to b-burg twice. I have a concern that the house we are looking at might not be in a good neighborhood ( gladewood)and the school of kipps is very questionable to me.

Could someone comment on this? We already put an offer and received a counter offer. you timely info, will be very important .Thanks in advance

[jeb412]

I'm moving to Blacksburg as well, and my kids will be at Kipps (one will be at the middle school, the other 2 at Kipps.) We bought a house and will be in permanently in about a week and a half. We've been down a few times, and met our neighbors. Everyone we've spoken with has nothing but good things to say about Kipps. I know sometimes those scores can be deceiving, it was a concern of mine as well. Unfortunetly I don't have any first hand experience, I'm in the same boat as you. But so far, I've heard only positive things about Kipps. As far as the economically disadvantaged part, I haven't even seen any areas in and around Kipps that seem like they would qualify. I'm not sure where they're getting those numbers. In the end, all of the kids end up at the same middle school anyway, which I also hear is very good. I really don't think we have too much to worry about with the Blacksburg School District, then again, nothing's perfect. Good luck with your home, and your move. I'm moving down from PA, how about you?

[alice_61]

I'd be ok with my child at Kipps, although I have heard that it is getting full because of the growth in that part of town. I was concerned about schools when we picked a home in Blacksburg and chose a home in the Harding district. It is a very good school but I have also heard good things about Kipps. The county, which runs the school district, is very even handed with all the schools and runs them carefully. I think the demographics probably explains the difference in testing plus possibly an emphasis on teaching to the tests (SOLs) at Harding. Harding and Linkous probably has the highest percentage of professor's offspring. My child's 3rd grade teachers at Harding both coached the children continuously throughout the year for the tests. In my opinion, there is too much emphasis on the SOLs, especially for 8 year olds. But the school and teachers are judged on them so I expect it to continue. I'd also be tempted by some of the neighborhoods in the Beeks neighborhood. Everyone in Blacksburg goes to the same schools from 6th grade on. Best wishes!

[angelawongme]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. much appreciated.
We did not get the house though.

Originally Posted by jeb412

I'm moving to Blacksburg as well, and my kids will be at Kipps (one will be at the middle school, the other 2 at Kipps.) We bought a house and will be in permanently in about a week and a half. We've been down a few times, and met our neighbors. Everyone we've spoken with has nothing but good things to say about Kipps. I know sometimes those scores can be deceiving, it was a concern of mine as well. Unfortunetly I don't have any first hand experience, I'm in the same boat as you. But so far, I've heard only positive things about Kipps. As far as the economically disadvantaged part, I haven't even seen any areas in and around Kipps that seem like they would qualify. I'm not sure where they're getting those numbers. In the end, all of the kids end up at the same middle school anyway, which I also hear is very good. I really don't think we have too much to worry about with the Blacksburg School District, then again, nothing's perfect. Good luck with your home, and your move. I'm moving down from PA, how about you?

Thanks . good insights !

Originally Posted by alice_61

I'd be ok with my child at Kipps, although I have heard that it is getting full because of the growth in that part of town. I was concerned about schools when we picked a home in Blacksburg and chose a home in the Harding district. It is a very good school but I have also heard good things about Kipps. The county, which runs the school district, is very even handed with all the schools and runs them carefully. I think the demographics probably explains the difference in testing plus possibly an emphasis on teaching to the tests (SOLs) at Harding. Harding and Linkous probably has the highest percentage of professor's offspring. My child's 3rd grade teachers at Harding both coached the children continuously throughout the year for the tests. In my opinion, there is too much emphasis on the SOLs, especially for 8 year olds. But the school and teachers are judged on them so I expect it to continue. I'd also be tempted by some of the neighborhoods in the Beeks neighborhood. Everyone in Blacksburg goes to the same schools from 6th grade on. Best wishes!