Good Private Schools in Cobb County (Atlanta, Smyrna: real estate, apartment complex, rental)

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by DawgPark

Perhaps, if I hadn't spent 17 years in GA's public schools and universities, then my reading comprehension would be more proficient.

Just kidding. Yes, I can and do read, but I was trying to make a point and defend people on this board who consider all education options and are really just trying to find the best fit for their kid.

I'm not a private-school elitist or even a defender. Like I said, my whole education (prior to grad school) was spent in public schools and my mom taught in public schools for 30 years.

But, I'm also not a public-school nazi like many on here who take any thread referencing private schools as an opportunity to get on their soapbox.

There's a place for both.

Considering all options is the way I personally think is best, of course. I think we're very much in agreement there.

Also, the OP said fairly quickly that they felt they didn't have a good public elementary school, so the desire to send to a private school was understandable to me.

That said, it does seem like many parents in this city send their kids to private schools for what are (to my midwestern mind) fairly strange reasons.

[DawgPark]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

That said, it does seem like many parents in this city send their kids to private schools for what are (to my midwestern mind) fairly strange reasons.

Maybe so. And to my south GA mind, this whole ATL school thing is a little nuts.

The idea that some parents use their kids' school as something other than a means of educating their kids is, as you say, fairly strange.

On the other hand, do I seriously have to sell my house, leave our neighbors of 11 yrs, and turn a 5 min commute to work into 20-25 min each way . . . just to get my 5 yo into a good school?

Well, that's pretty odd, too.

Guess that's why about half the posts on this board seem to be about schools, huh?

[Marsha33]

Originally Posted by teacherwhoknows

If you are looking into Saint Benedict's, it is a new school and has had already a high turnover rate of teachers and there is not much of a curriculum and their teachers are paid much less than the public schools. Most teachers there are waiting until the public schools hire again. The kids there are very well behaved and if that is why you are spending money on a private school: association with other kids, then maybe I can see why you might send your kids there.

Look very closely at them though. There is no technology, no teacher training, no multiculturalism. Very risky.

Thanks for the info. My child will be attending a different private school this year. But this is good to know. St. Benedict's talks about diversity but I have wondered if that's more of a sales point than reality. The classes don't seem to be as diverse as one would expect from a school in the Vinings area. High turnover--not a good thing.

[Marsha33]

Originally Posted by JAS

Heaven forbid your kid goes to school with a few black kids at Hillgrove (even though Hillgrove has a large majority white population).

If you go to greatschools.org and compare the test scores at Hillgrove vs. Harrison, you will notice that they are alomst identical; Hillgrove is rated a 9 out of 10, Harrison a 10 out of 10. We live in the Kemp/Lovingood/Hillgrove district (gasp - south of Dallas Hwy). To say that you can't find a good school south of Harrison is a ridiculous statement.

I've heard really good things about Hilgrove.

[Marsha33]

Originally Posted by DawgPark

We didn't choose St. Benedict's, but that's about opposite of our experience w/ them.

Our daughter did spend time at Vinings Academy, which in some way spawned St. Benedict's. We found it to be very multicultural.

Maybe a little disorganized because of the newness of everything, but definitely multicultural.

Lots of families we know are at St. Benedict's and they all love it. That's hardly a scientific sample, but we hear only good things about them.

It wasn't the right fit for us and our daughter, but was definitely worth considering.

It seems to be St. Benedict's feeder school.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by DawgPark

Maybe so. And to my south GA mind, this whole ATL school thing is a little nuts.

The idea that some parents use their kids' school as something other than a means of educating their kids is, as you say, fairly strange.

On the other hand, do I seriously have to sell my house, leave our neighbors of 11 yrs, and turn a 5 min commute to work into 20-25 min each way . . . just to get my 5 yo into a good school?

Well, that's pretty odd, too.

Guess that's why about half the posts on this board seem to be about schools, huh?

Yup, I think so.

The state I came from has had statewide open enrollment for a couple of decades now (since the 1990-1991 school year):

http://www.education.state.mn.us/MDE...ent/index.html

Choice Ironies: Open Enrollment in Minnesota

and that seems to solve some of the issues.

I also think many smaller school districts are superior to a few large ones (corruption impacts many fewer schools and students), but that's purely a personal opinion based on what I realize is shaky anecdotal evidence.

[suprascooby22]

Originally Posted by JAS

Heaven forbid your kid goes to school with a few black kids at Hillgrove (even though Hillgrove has a large majority white population).

If you go to greatschools.org and compare the test scores at Hillgrove vs. Harrison, you will notice that they are alomst identical; Hillgrove is rated a 9 out of 10, Harrison a 10 out of 10. We live in the Kemp/Lovingood/Hillgrove district (gasp - south of Dallas Hwy). To say that you can't find a good school south of Harrison is a ridiculous statement.

In 5 years Hillgrove WILL be a majority minority school! Dont believe me look no further than a few miles down the street at McEachern for what is coming. Hillgrove may be OK now but what about in 5 years? That is why we choose Harrison. NOT because their are blacks at Hillgrove but because of the crappy areas that it pulls from and because it will be the next McEachern with ALL the problems that it is currently facing. Sorry but I dont want my kids that are currently in middle school having to deal with all of that.

[Marsha33]

Originally Posted by suprascooby22

In 5 years Hillgrove WILL be a majority minority school! Dont believe me look no further than a few miles down the street at McEachern for what is coming. Hillgrove may be OK now but what about in 5 years? That is why we choose Harrison. NOT because their are blacks at Hillgrove but because of the crappy areas that it pulls from and because it will be the next McEachern with ALL the problems that it is currently facing. Sorry but I dont want my kids that are currently in middle school having to deal with all of that.

McEachern and Hilgrove have sound test scores and win academic competitions. What is to stop minorities from eventually moving to the Harrison district?

[suprascooby22]

Originally Posted by Marsha33

McEachern and Hilgrove have sound test scores and win academic competitions. What is to stop minorities from eventually moving to the Harrison district?

Nothing but the cost of housing. The area that Harrison pulls from has far fewer low end homes than McEachern or Hillgrove and many more subdivisions over $300K.

[arjay57]

The Cobb school system is now majority minority, right?