Richmond Hill vs Wilmington Island (Savannah, Rincon: for sale, real estate, house)

[bellhead]

Best Schools

Chatham County...

If you go by Standardized tests Savannah Arts Academy where my daughter goes they have an average SAT score of 1721 compared to the mid 1500's at Richmond Hill and low 1500's in Effingham. When you claim to be the best be prepared to back them up with test scores, opinions on the best without facts are opinions. Every year several kids go to Ivy league and other Tier one schools.

Google these two schools...Both are open enrollment schools..

1.) Savannah Arts Academy...It offers over 10 AP classes, highest SAT score in Ga. Nationally ranked Silver Medal U.S. News school. The majority of the Kids could care less about the Arts they are there for the academics. About 1/2 of all kids came from private school as the school is better than the private high schools and its free.
2.) Ellis Montessori... A majority of the public school teachers send their children to this school. A great elementary, covers k-8 and avoids the pitfall of the Chatham county school district which is middle school. Located in Ardsley Park.

Looking in Wilmington Island and being military I guess your budget is between 250k to 400k. Which puts you out of reach of a private dock.

Neighborhoods I would recommend...
1.) Ardsley Park....10 minute Drive to Hunter... Close to shopping downtown. Mariana 10 minutes.
2.) Area by Habersham YMCA....5 minute drive to Hunter... Shopping is within walking distance, YMCA is within walking which includes daycare. Mariana 10 minutes.
3.) Coffee Bluff...5 to 10 minutes to Hunter straight down White Bluff, lights determine drive time...Marina at $110 a month for slip, Quiet neighborhoods, New construction gated community available with private pool. Mall is right down the road at 5 minutes. I live here and about 1/3 of all residents are Army the majority of them are pilots. A lot of people have boats and love it because the Mariana is less than a mile down the road.

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4.) Isle of Hope...10 to 15 minutes to Hunter, marina, available. Old Southern Charm.

I moved here 3 years ago and went through the same things with Richmond Hill being the best we thought until we started to do the drives.

[Jennifer L]

If you don't mind being bored out of your mind, then go for Wilmington Island. The only pro is that it's close to the beach.

How do I know - been living here for 7 years.

And just beware of Savannah high schools. The standards of learning here are far lower than in northern states. So although they may have scores that are good, if you compare them with other states, you actually see that their curriculum is nowhere near the others. Just a warning. That's why they have so many private schools here, better off sending kids to a private one for sure.

[Newsboy]

If you don't mind my saying Jennifer L it is not the schools that's the problem, it's what's taught in the home. Georgia's curriculum standards (by law what must be taught and/or tested for in every public classroom) are among the strongest in the nation and was recently ranked 7th among all the states. The private schools in Savannah don't have to abide by those standards and in fact many of them -- especially the religious schools -- DO have weaker curriculums. If you value education in your home and have a child driven to succeed, that kid can graduate from a Chatham County public high school and attend any Ivy League college in this country -- many do year after year. But if you are caught up in bigotry and blinded by race and socioeconomic stereotypes - - like so many in Savannah seem to be -- then all bets are off and opportunity in life is already limited for you.

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by Jennifer L

If you don't mind being bored out of your mind, then go for Wilmington Island. The only pro is that it's close to the beach.

How do I know - been living here for 7 years.

And just beware of Savannah high schools. The standards of learning here are far lower than in northern states. So although they may have scores that are good, if you compare them with other states, you actually see that their curriculum is nowhere near the others. Just a warning. That's why they have so many private schools here, better off sending kids to a private one for sure.

I would explain why they have private schools here but most people know it was because of a certain court case in Topeka Kansas.

[Newsboy]

^^^ It's unfortunately NO COINCIDENCE that every PRIVATE Christian high school in Chatham County was "ESTABSLISHED IN 1969" ... Moderator cut: language

[AuburnAL]

It bears repeating especially since it might not have been clear the other time it was mentioned that the "new" Islands High School you referred to is located in existing buildings that were a middle school before it became a high school. Facilities aren't everything, but it would be disappointing to move there thinking you get a brand spanking new school when really you just had a name and grade level change over the summer.

[Newsboy]

^^^ GOOD POINT AUBURNAL ... though they have made modifications to the building, necessary because the state simplly requires certain things of high schools that middle schools don't have. Also, they've fast-tracked the football program to begin this fall at the insistence of parents; that was the only varsity sport that the school still lacked and the folks out here on the islands were pretty adamant (and rightly so!) that it needed to be done! Don't know if they'll have a marching band, but I sure hope so!

[Padgett2]

Just to add a bit of different viewpoint. I had a granddaughter that decided on her own that she would rather change from her private school to the Islands High School. The Reason? It offered more choices in things she was interested . She delighted that she made the change. She wants to be a veterinarian.

[912]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

^^^ It's unfortunately NO COINCIDENCE that every PRIVATE Christian high school in Chatham County was "ESTABSLISHED IN 1969" ... Moderator cut: language

Your "white guilt" is astonishing, if not laughable. Also, please post the stats of ChatCo public school grads from last year who attend Ivy League Schools. Thanks.

[Newsboy]

How does stating a fact represent white guilt? You've shown your true colors on here many times 912 ... typical old school Savannah. Fortunately, use of the N word by whites in everyday conversation here is slowly becoming a thing of the past. You?