help with Roanoke Schools and renting with dogs (Cave Spring, Salem: best neighborhood, apartment complexes)

[MWeind]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum. I might be relocating to Roanoke area and can use help with schools and finding a rental that will accept us with our pets.

I have a 12 year old. School rankings indicate that Cave Springs, Hidden Valley and Glenvar are our best choices for Middle and High School. I would love to hear about real life experiences with these schools. Academics is more important to us than athletics. A good music program would be great for our 12 year old.

After schools our next problem is finding a place that will take us with our pets. We have 2 dogs (30 pound and 90 pound) and 1 cat. I saw some apt complexes that will allow the smaller dog and cat but not our 90 lb golden retriever. Are there any suggestions either on complexes to look at or property mgmt companies/rental agents to contact to help with this. If need be we can leave the Golden with family if there was a nice enough place that would take the smaller pets. Prefer at least a 2 bedroom apt and rent under $800 if that's reasonable. Prefer someplace without loud neighbors and definitely need someplace safe. Thanks!

[eebrbee]

Try Bent Tree Apartments. My boyfriend lives there with our small dog, but I always see bigger dogs (ex. goldens, labs, mutts) there too. It's technically in the county too, which will give you better schools than in Roanoke City.

Good luck!

[mccamp]

Personally, I would look to rent a house. Check out MKB Property Management. They're considered one of the best in town. Check here before you rent from someone else. I've heard folks have had some issues with some of the other companies.

As for the schools, it really depends on your kids. My kids are in the city schools and are doing great. They love the schools. We love the schools. If you settle in SouthWest City, you'll be hitting Patrick Henry high. We had our kids in private school in Boston and are pleased with how they're being challenged, the number of services and extracurricular activities and such. For music, Patrick Henry does just fine. My kids are taking instruments. School band. School chorus. The drama club.

The city schools score lower on the SOLs because they draw from a wide socio-economic spectrum. The schools do well targeting specific programs with specific needs. My kids are super smart, and they are being challenged. (REmember, we paid $20,000 per year to send our boys to private school and Patrick Henry is on par with their old school.)

Do a search on this forum for city schools. You'll get a good range of opinions.

Of course, the county schools are great, too. It really depends on the needs of your family.

[OuttaFlorida]

I can't comment on the schools, but I will second the previous poster that you should rent a house. Housing rentals in this area are a MUCH better deal. You can find a 4 bdrm house in a good area with a yard for the pups for pretty much the same price as a 2 or 3 bdrm apartment here. Check out craigslist and rentroanoke for some ideas. Stick to southwest areas. Good luck!

[headnsouth]

I found a house to rent via craigslist when I moved here a year ago, but I consider myself very lucky. There are not many rentals to choose from online. Once I got here though, I saw there were tons of rentals all over town that just had signs out in front with phone numbers. I got lucky and am really happy where we are, but if I had known that there were so many rentals available, I might have gotten a short-term lease (several apartment complexes had 6-month leases) and then taken my time finding a place that suits my family. That might work for you --- a short-term lease without the big dog that gives you the luxury of time when looking for the right place.

I agree with mccamp about the schools. I debated about county vs. city schools and opted for city walkability & neighborliness over test scores. My boys have done very well in the city schools and they benefit also from being around different races, languages, cultures, and socioeconomic situations.

If you do decide to look in the city, you might consider Old Southwest around Highland Park, which has a new dog park. Or where I live, which is the best neighborhood anywhere outside my home town --- Raleigh Court. This area's neighborhoods are called Raleigh Court, Grandin Court, Wasena, and Virginia Heights. They all are walking distance to historic Grandin Village.

[MWeind]

Thank you all for your suggestions. My wife is heading down there this week to look around. I've heard Raleigh Court and Grandin mentioned several times so I'll have her drive around there some. We've been debating between apartment complexes for some of the amenities and a small house for more privacy. It's been a long time since we've lived in an apartment and have forgotten the pros and cons of it. The short term lease at a complex might be the best way to get started. Thanks

[ChadTrent]

We live in Raleigh Court and love it.

As for schools, well, I went to Cave Spring and I despise it. Keep in mind I graduated in '91, but when I was there you were one of two groups - the rich kids or everyone else. The rich kids could do anything they wanted and were treated as if they mattered more than anyone else. The rest of us had a separate set of rules to adhere to.

After graduating I was the assistant lacrosse coach for the Cave Spring boys' team for 3 years, and was the head coach for the girls' lacrosse team for 8 years. I saw more of the same, even within the players on my teams. In dealing with the school, it was the same thing again. Cave Spring got a girls' soccer team as a varsity team because the parents that wanted it were rich. We didn't have rich parents helping our cause, even though we had 2-3 times as many girls on the lacrosse team as on the soccer team. To this day the team is still a club team.

My daughters are in city schools. If I had my choice I'd send them to Salem schools, but being divorced it's not my decision.