Mt. Bethel/Princeton Walk vs. Murdock/Saddle Ridge Lake (to rent, houses)

[deacongirl]

Hi All,
OK now I am looking at two specific houses to rent:

one in Saddle Ridge Lake, Murdock Elementary School/Dodgen/Pope

one in Princeton Walk, Mt. Bethel Elementary School/Dickerson/Walton

Would love any feedback on the neighborhoods, schools (academics, gifted programs, special ed., drama, music) and commute to downtown.

Do kids walk to school in these neighborhoods?

Which swim/tennis club would have the most kids from Mt. Bethel?

I have an 11-yr old 5th grader

8 yr. old with Down syndrome

4 yr. old starting K in fall

Thank you!

[deacongirl]

Just read the article from a few years ago about Walton, Anxiety High. Is it really that much different at Pope? Interested in any perspective on this.

[kaday]

Hi deacongirl. You'll be fine with either. Walton is more commpetitive I do hear that kids with more middle of the road students are disatsifed. I can't elaborate much more on the schools. Did want to give you an FYI a super walmart is going into the shopping center right by Princeton Walk and some homes do back up to it. So just be sure to ask specific questions about the location. I did read recently some Princeton Walk people were upset about it.

On commute Princeton Walk would be just marginally closer but really we are talking 3-5 minutes at most. Good luck!

[deacongirl]

Thank you so much Kaday--it is really valuable to get the inside scoop. That is good to know about the Wal-Mart. I am really leaning towards the one in Saddle Ridge right now, as I think Pope and its feeders would prob. be a slightly better fit for us. Just to double check--you are still happy with Murdock, right?

[kaday]

Originally Posted by deacongirl

Thank you so much Kaday--it is really valuable to get the inside scoop. That is good to know about the Wal-Mart. I am really leaning towards the one in Saddle Ridge right now, as I think Pope and its feeders would prob. be a slightly better fit for us. Just to double check--you are still happy with Murdock, right?

Very happy with Murdock. Nice neighborhood school lots of technology in the classrooms. computer and science lab...nice new wing added a few years ago for kindergarten, music and art. Many kids walk depending on where they live. Both neighborhoods are great choices. Princeton Walk is a very nice community. Nice colonial style houses very well kept. I'd visit the schools and see what your vibe was.

[deacongirl]

Thanks Kaday. There are two possibilities in the Murdock zone and now I just found another one in Chestnut Ridge zoned for Shallowford Falls and Hightower Trail. The house is really pretty. Do you have any opinion on those schools or neighborhood? (I have searched the archives here too but am interested in any new opinions anyone might have).

I think that most likely any of these schools would work, but my oldest has had a wonderful (but really sheltered) experience at the same Montessori school since she was 3 and of course I am anxious to see what the schools' idea of including my son with Down syndrome will be. But, I am so ready for this change. I can't wait to send my kids to public school with their neighborhood friends and not pay tuition anymore!

We are coming the 2nd week in January. We will be renting (Just praying that we will at least break even on our current house, but it is highly unlikely we will have enough for a down payment). So there is really only a handful of houses for us to look at, but visiting schools will be time consuming.

OK, off to take down the Christmas tree and start purging! Nothing like a move to get rid of stuff!

[kaday]

Originally Posted by deacongirl

Thanks Kaday. There are two possibilities in the Murdock zone and now I just found another one in Chestnut Ridge zoned for Shallowford Falls and Hightower Trail. The house is really pretty. Do you have any opinion on those schools or neighborhood? (I have searched the archives here too but am interested in any new opinions anyone might have).

I think that most likely any of these schools would work, but my oldest has had a wonderful (but really sheltered) experience at the same Montessori school since she was 3 and of course I am anxious to see what the schools' idea of including my son with Down syndrome will be. But, I am so ready for this change. I can't wait to send my kids to public school with their neighborhood friends and not pay tuition anymore!

We are coming the 2nd week in January. We will be renting (Just praying that we will at least break even on our current house, but it is highly unlikely we will have enough for a down payment). So there is really only a handful of houses for us to look at, but visiting schools will be time consuming.

OK, off to take down the Christmas tree and start purging! Nothing like a move to get rid of stuff!

Shallowford Falls is a great school. I hear nothing but raves about it. I beleive they just got a new principal. I can't say enough great things about about Hightower Trail. The way they transition the kids in from elementary school is amazing. There is a separate wing for sixth graders. My shy child has competely thrived there both socially and academically. It was a very seamless transition. I think your child will do well there. They run a one day camp in the summer for incoming students. It is very helpful so look into that. The academics are great. The school is extremely well run, a tight ship. Honestly Dodgen would be great as well. Since Murdock splits many friends kids go there. Everyone loves it. Though one nice thing about Hightower is your child will be with the same group all the way through high school.

Chestnut Ridge is very nice. I have driven through there often and a friend used to own a home there.

I'm not sure how the public schools will handle your son. I have a special needs child as well but her issues are along the lines of learning disabilities. I do think the schools try to be as inclusive as possible. I know Murdock has a program for autistic kids currently...one of my friends is an instructor. I wish I could help more here but I just don't know.

[deacongirl]

Kaday you are a wealth of info! And I think we have similar desires for our kids re: school (and I am also from NJ--I think I read you are as well?) so I am so thankful you are taking the time to respond.

I just went back and read one of your other posts re: Hightower Trail--it sounds like it would probably be fantastic for my daughter. She plays the violin and would also be interested in chorus. I looked at the orchestra website and it looks great.

Academically sounds good as well...she is a pretty straightforward gifted kid with no LDs (emotionally intense but she saves it for me, and perfectionism--but nothing extreme) so I think the environment would be great for her. Glad to hear about the transition to middle school--I think that will make it much easier for her...and esp. glad to hear the 6th graders are seperate. (I may be asking for subject acceleration in language though?) Dd4 is I think a little more complicated and I suspect we may have some behavior issues with her if we don't get the appropriate educational fit.

Does Chestnut Ridge have a swim team? (it is nearly impossible to find out this info. online! I have searched and searched) Or do families in there join the Post Oak pool also? I would want to join a pool with other kids from school.

Thanks again for your help.

[kaday]

Originally Posted by deacongirl

Kaday you are a wealth of info! And I think we have similar desires for our kids re: school (and I am also from NJ--I think I read you are as well?) so I am so thankful you are taking the time to respond.

I just went back and read one of your other posts re: Hightower Trail--it sounds like it would probably be fantastic for my daughter. She plays the violin and would also be interested in chorus. I looked at the orchestra website and it looks great.

Academically sounds good as well...she is a pretty straightforward gifted kid with no LDs (emotionally intense but she saves it for me, and perfectionism--but nothing extreme) so I think the environment would be great for her. Glad to hear about the transition to middle school--I think that will make it much easier for her...and esp. glad to hear the 6th graders are seperate. (I may be asking for subject acceleration in language though?) Dd4 is I think a little more complicated and I suspect we may have some behavior issues with her if we don't get the appropriate educational fit.

Does Chestnut Ridge have a swim team? (it is nearly impossible to find out this info. online! I have searched and searched) Or do families in there join the Post Oak pool also? I would want to join a pool with other kids from school.

Thanks again for your help.

Yes it is close to Post Oak and there are some Shallowford Falls families there. Actually if I remember correctly there is a shortcut to the Post Oak pool from Chestnut Ridge. I don't think they have one but there is a pool there. So many swim clubs around... I might try and find one that had mostly Shallowford families which would help acclimate yours kids quickly. You can even call the elementary school and ask someone at the front desk if there is a swim team nearby that most kids join in the summer. Many schools man their phones with parent volunteers! I did that a lot before we moved here. The information was golden! Here is a link to the subdivisions that participated last year:

http://prca.cobbcountyga.gov/SummerS...0Divisions.pdf

My older child sounds very similar to yours (1st child syndrome?).They don't offer language at the middle school level unfortunately. There are afterschool language classes offered at most elementary schools that are very reasonsable. I don't know if Hightower offers any but they do have an astonishing array of clubs and acitivites. If your younger child has any academic issues we have not been succesful in getting any help through the schools for our younger LD child as she can perform on grade level. Our younger is a bit quirky and very moody. We tried private for her one year and she hated it. The structure of public school was a better fit for her personality. I might suggest requesting a team taught class which might work well for your younger child even if she is just a "spirited" kid. We found the dual teaching classroom to be a fantastic experience.