Shaw AFB/Sumter, SC (Dalzell, Oakland: budget, apartments, zoned)

[Grave]

I'm in the USAF and I have orders to Shaw AFB. I'll be there in mid/late march.

Basically, what I need to know is: Where are the good neighborhoods to live?

Right now I'm just looking at rental houses (not apartments). I won't be in the market to buy for about another year.

I've been doing some research online, and it seems the NW part of Sumter and Dalzell is the better choice. How is the Millwood area?

I also have a daughter who will be attending elementary school here. Although I wish I could afford a private school's tuition, I'm afraid I can't do that at the moment. From what I've reseached, Alice Drive seems to be the local's pick as far as public elementary schools.

Also, I don't mind if I have to commute to get my daughter to a decent school. So if I live in Dalzell, but take my daughter to Alice Drive, so be it.

Anyway, input on various neighborhoods to look at and/or avoid will be greatly appreciated.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by Grave

I'm in the USAF and I have orders to Shaw AFB. I'll be there in mid/late march.

Basically, what I need to know is: Where are the good neighborhoods to live?

Right now I'm just looking at rental houses (not apartments). I won't be in the market to buy for about another year.

I've been doing some research online, and it seems the NW part of Sumter and Dalzell is the better choice. How is the Millwood area?

I also have a daughter who will be attending elementary school here. Although I wish I could afford a private school's tuition, I'm afraid I can't do that at the moment. From what I've reseached, Alice Drive seems to be the local's pick as far as public elementary schools.

Also, I don't mind if I have to commute to get my daughter to a decent school. So if I live in Dalzell, but take my daughter to Alice Drive, so be it.

Anyway, input on various neighborhoods to look at and/or avoid will be greatly appreciated.

The areas around Alice Drive, and extending up Wise Drive towards Shaw are generally considered the best parts of town. I know the principal of ADE and can attest that it is among the best schools in the area.

The Millwood area is hit or miss. My mother lives in that area on a very nice street. Other neighborhoods are a little seedier, but the whole area around Millwood is pretty safe and a fine place to live. There's also a lot of new construction along Loring Mill Rd, which runs from the Millwood area to the aforementioned area along Wise Drive. Wise Drive turns into the "Patriot Parkway", which runs to Shaw.

Some will steer you towards private schools. I leave that in your hands. I went through the public schools in District 17 and had a great experience. Others may differ on that point. If you have a choice, I'd go for D17 over D2. The area around Shaw and in Dalzell is District 2.

[Grave]

Thanks for the info.

About registering my daughter in school... if I live in Dalzell for example, can I still register my child to go to say, ADE? Or can I only register my child in the school that's nearest to where I live?

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by Grave

Thanks for the info.

About registering my daughter in school... if I live in Dalzell for example, can I still register my child to go to say, ADE? Or can I only register my child in the school that's nearest to where I live?

Last I checked, the schools are still zoned, so you'd send your child to the school serving your area. In addition to a different zone, Dalzell is also in another district. There are ways to work around that, but I think they involve tuition.

[Grave]

Well, I ended up settling for a house in the Ginkgo Hills subdivision, which is NW of Sumter. It looks like my daughter well end up going to Oakland/High Hills elementary, so hopefully everything works out. High Hills looks like it's actually inside Shaw AFB, which will be nice.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by Grave

Well, I ended up settling for a house in the Ginkgo Hills subdivision, which is NW of Sumter. It looks like my daughter well end up going to Oakland/High Hills elementary, so hopefully everything works out. High Hills looks like it's actually inside Shaw AFB, which will be nice.

I don't really know anything about High Hills, but if it isn't up to snuff, I'm sure you can make changes as neccesary.

Best of luck to you.

[Grave]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

I don't really know anything about High Hills, but if it isn't up to snuff, I'm sure you can make changes as neccesary.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks.

I believe you're right. Seems like Districts 17 and 2 have an open enrollment policy in effect. I don't know if that's something new or not... but if that's the case, Alice drive is right down the street from where I'll be living... albiet maybe a few miles, but down the street none the less.

It's worth checking out, which I'm going to call the school district tomorrow about.

[TopKnot]

Grave:

I just moved away from Sumter. I wish I could convince you of only one thing as my going away present. That one thing is:
If you place any value in a good education for your children, put them in a private school. The only thing you can really give a child is love and a good education. You'll not be giving your children the education they deserve by sending them to the Sumter Public Schools.

I sent my kid to Wilson Hall as a single parent (TSgt) and she got the education she needed and graduated from college last year. She has thanked me numerous times in the last year for sending her to Wilson Hall over the public schools. As a college grad I guess she saw all the advantages she gained from getting a proper high school education but didn't see this until she graduated from college.

Was the tuition high and was it a strain on my budget? I think I can say YES!!!! A huge strain but I managed it by not buying all the toys my friends had like boats, new cars, and eating at home instead of restaurants.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by TopKnot

I sent my kid to Wilson Hall as a single parent (TSgt) and she got the education she needed and graduated from college last year. She has thanked me numerous times in the last year for sending her to Wilson Hall over the public schools. As a college grad I guess she saw all the advantages she gained from getting a proper high school education but didn't see this until she graduated from college.

Was the tuition high and was it a strain on my budget? I think I can say YES!!!! A huge strain but I managed it by not buying all the toys my friends had like boats, new cars, and eating at home instead of restaurants.

I'm a Wilson Hall grad, and I generally agree with what you're saying about WH. In general, my classes in 10th/11th grade at Wilson Hall were more challenging than the freshman classes at USC.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by anonymous

I'm a Wilson Hall grad, and I generally agree with what you're saying about WH. In general, my classes in 10th/11th grade at Wilson Hall were more challenging than the freshman classes at USC.

For the record, as a Sumter High grad, I can safely say the same thing. In the interest of full disclosure, I was in AP and honors classes. My older brother, though, wasn't, and he still did very well in college and currently lives in Manhattan.

I will again assert that while public schools in Sumter are not some sort of educational shangri-la, they still provide a great deal to students who are compelled to learn.