Best school district in Tennessee? (Knoxville, Kingsport: relocate, job, homes)

[bbkaren]

A friend of mine who lives in Tennessee mentioned also, that, although it makes sense to be concerned about good schools, one shouldn't make that the deciding factor.

He tells us that there are many very good private schools in most areas, and that the costs for private school are not prohibitive as they would be up here ($1,000 a month and up).

So...he says if you fall in love with everything about a community, but the school isn't great, that there's probably a couple of local private schools to choose from that would make up the difference.

And the price of private school could potentially be made up for by the lower cost of housing.

Does this make sense?

(I think we're pretty narrowed down to Maryville ourselves so schools shouldn't be an issue for us, but for others' reference, do you find this theory to be true?)

[hiknapster]

If you are chatty you will do very well here. A lot of folks may not talk to you at first, but if you go up to them and start talking they will perk right up. I think it has to do with being polite or something. They are not big on eye contact at first. It took me awhile to realize that I had to make the first move.

We have a neighbor that complains about everything. His wife complains. His kids complain. Anytime the neighbor one street over shoots his gun, he calls the cops. Quite frankly, I think the cops are really getting sick of him. He's been told over and over that it is not illegal and he calls anyway. He complains about everybody's dogs. I don't care if they are loose, tied up or on a leash, he complains. I do not own a dog bcause I just don't want to hear him complain. He can't keep a job. He cannot get along with his co-workers. I think the longest this guy has had a job is a couple of weeks. He constantly complains that cars are speeding, even though they creep up the road.

His kids are animals. I have never met such devious little kids in my entire life. I am absolutely terrified of the ten-year-old. He seems like the type of kid that would actually harm my six-year-old daughter. But no one dare say a thing to this guy about those kids. And the kids know it.

He has complained so much that he drove our landlord to put the property on the market. Even he didn't want to hear it anymore.

Oddly enough, he is a transplant but not from Florida.

So, I can't wait until I can get out of here and live in the "real" Tennessee.

As far as schools go, I have never heard anything bad about any of the schools. Our daughter was in Florida schools for six weeks and that was enough for us. I don't need to tell you the horror stories. I bet you have your own.

So far, we have been very pleased with Knox County schools. The teachers and staff are great.

[smeeks1]

Hey! check out
www.greatschools.com for school information.

[MomsTn]

Originally Posted by bbkaren

A friend of mine who lives in Tennessee mentioned also, that, although it makes sense to be concerned about good schools, one shouldn't make that the deciding factor.

The way I see it, it is what you put into and get out of the schools that makes it a good school.

I have checked out the schools in the area that we will be moving to, and I won't be taking into account their state scores, because that doesn't really tell me about the schools themselves.
Having lower scores doesn't mean that it is a bad school.

As parents, we need to get involved in our childrens schools, and if we don't like something.. then, we need to help change it.
I have my little girl in a small community school. She knows all the teachers, they all know her. She loves school, and gets a lot out of it.

I haven't a clue what their state rating is.
All I know is that I have taken the time to get to know the principal and the teachers. I drive my daughter to school and pick her up.
I talk to the other parents, and I get involved in school activities.

I know that whatever school we decide on our daughter will do just fine in.

[hiknapster]

All of that is true for most schools. However, if you have classrooms with huge discipline problems or language barriers the teacher may never get around to teaching the kids. That's what we saw in Florida. No amount of parental involvement was going to change that.

We have not seen anything like the above problems in Knox County schools.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by JMT

A gated community in Straw Plains? Why on earth would anyone needs to live in a gated community in peaceful little Strawberry Plains???

To keep the coyotes out?

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Folks go to Disney on vacation, look around and decide they want to live in fantasy land. They buy into these slapped-together developments. The builder knocks down all the trees and creates this plastic little utopia. In some communities they are actually living on top of each other and I think they were quite happy that way.

Then reality sets in. Their neighbor gets mugged at the mall parking lot. The kids are attending school in modular classrooms. Service is poor at the restaurants because the minimum wage folks have moved out. The traffic is horrendous and everybody is so rude! They. of course, are not rude, just everybody else.

Then one day the tax bill comes, then the homeowners insurance bill.

You forgot about the incredibly hot summers, utility bills up the wazoo, skin cancer, drug smugglers, hurricanes, gators eating the pet dog, pools with *iss warm water, geezers driving on sidewalks, pervs trawling for kids, humungous sinkholes, Ugly American tourists, and roaches (palmetto bugs) they can put a saddle on.

[MomsTn]

Originally Posted by LauraC

roaches (palmetto bugs) they can put a saddle on.

EWWWWWWWWWWWw !!!!!

[menglin]

I was worried about the meth problem I was reading about on the message board and then I saw on news last night they busted a family for a meth lab in Melbourne. They had their 9 year old daughter playing near the chemicals. Geez Not worried about Tennessee anymore. Its everywhere.

LauraC you are so right. The bugs are big here and even though Orlando is known for its lakes, you can't swim in them, for fear of getting an arm or leg chewed off by a gator. To funny LOL

I just joined the maryville moms group and they are already very helpful, in fact one mom lives up the road from me and is moving to the maryville area soon. So we are going to chat before she leaves. Maybe I will know some people before, I move. LOL

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by LauraC

You forgot about the incredibly hot summers, utility bills up the wazoo, skin cancer, drug smugglers, hurricanes, gators eating the pet dog, pools with *iss warm water, geezers driving on sidewalks, pervs trawling for kids, humungous sinkholes, Ugly American tourists, and roaches (palmetto bugs) they can put a saddle on.

And don't forget the snowbirds! You haven't lived until you wait on these folks at the Walmart pharmacy in Fort Myers, Florida.