Good K-12 (Other Than East Cobb) (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: homes, school district, housing)

[LovelySummer]

Everyone,

We're trying to identify whether there are any areas of Atlanta (other than East Cobb) that have good elementary, middle and high schools. We'd looked at Buckhead for their great elementary schools but it goes downhill after that. We know about Mary Lin and Morningside and then the Inman Middle and Grady route. Are there any others?

ITP or OTP, doesn't matter but not interested in East Cobb area.

ETA: what we mean by "good" schools are those in which the teachers are well-qualified, high level of parental involvement, most of the students are doing well academically, low percentage of student behavior/drug problems. We are partial to those with higher greatschools scores. Also, we do not want to be in the DeKalb county school district because of all of the recent issues.

Thanks,
LS

[ATL Urbanist]

"Buckhead for their great elementary schools but it goes downhill after that."

I've read similar remarks about intown schools and I'm puzzled. What do you mean by the Buckhead schools going downhill after elementary? Is there a specific criteria you're referencing?

I don't mean to challenge you -- I'm just very curious. I'm not personally aware of any deficiencies in the public schools for Buckhead at any level.

[flyonpa]

Where is 'Work' ???

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by LovelySummer

Everyone,

We're trying to identify whether there are any areas of Atlanta (other than East Cobb) that have good elementary, middle and high schools. We'd looked at Buckhead for their great elementary schools but it goes downhill after that. We know about Mary Lin and Morningside and then the Inman Middle and Grady route. Are there any others?

ITP or OTP, doesn't matter but not interested in East Cobb area.

ETA: what we mean by "good" schools are those in which the teachers are well-qualified, high level of parental involvement, most of the students are doing well academically, low percentage of student behavior/drug problems. We are partial to those with higher greatschools scores. Also, we do not want to be in the DeKalb county school district because of all of the recent issues.

Thanks,
LS

Depends on what you mean by "Atlanta"; Parts of Gwinnett, NorthFulton, Forsyth, etc. Have what I believe you described.

[lastminutemom]

More and more families are using Sutton and N Atlanta. But great schools gives scores solely on test scores. While you may find elementary schools in close in communities that are not economically diverse, the same can not be said of middle and high schools. The attendance zones are simply too large and reflect diverse housing stock. Of course, things can change over time. Riverwood high is an example. Big improvements in the last decade.

The reality is that kids from educated homes do well in these high schools. The struggle is with kids from poor families and how to best reach them. This is a national issue with no simple or even single solution.

Decatur which becomes less and less economically diverse as time goes on may very well fit what you are looking for. Their test scores should continue to rise.

[AtlJan]

I'm with Atlanta Urbanist... There are many, many students doing very well at Sutton and North Atlanta High School. Check these schools out. You may hear a bunch of different opinions online, but I urge you to go to a NAHS baseball game this Spring and talk to the parents in the stands. Talk to the kids who are watching the game. See if you feel at home.

[aries4118]

Here are twenty good K-12 areas that are not East Cobb, Buckhead, the Grady Cluster, or DeKalb County:

1. South Lilburn/Mountain Park/North Stone Mountain (Parkview Cluster)
2. North Snellville/South Lawrenceville (Brookwood Cluster)
3. Eastern Gwinnett
4. Northern Gwinnett
5. Suwanee
6. North Duluth
7. Peachtree Corners
8. Riverwood/South Sandy Springs
9. North Fulton
10. West Cobb
11. Cherokee County
12. Forsyth County
13. Most of Paulding County
14. Alexander High Cluster of Douglas County
15. Fayette County
16. Union Grove Cluster of Henry County
17. Ola Cluster of Henry County
18. Locust Grove Cluster of Henry County
19. City of Decatur
20. Coweta County


I hope this helps some. Good Luck!

[LovelySummer]

Thanks a million to everyone that posted! This is a WEALTH of information!!! We'll research the schools and clusters suggested!!! Thanks again!

[LovelySummer]

Hi ATLUrbanist, np at all. I meant that the middle and high school test scores fall off and that most Buckhead parents are sending their kids to private by then. As a result, that mass of parents that were so involved at the Elem level is no longer present at the middle and high school levels. So the parental involvement also falls off. When parental involvement falls off, u have a problem. And if u'v got enough kids doing poorly academically to affect the average test scores at the schools, that's a sizable number of kids. We aren't interested in sending our kid to a school where he is going to be one of the "few" doing well in a sea of underachievers. We want a more academically strong and positive environment. So that's what I meant by the middle and high schools being downhill. For us, this has nothing to do with wanting our kid ammongst rich kids or amongst kids of certain races. Ideally, we want our kid to be in an economically, culturally and racially diverse envrmt. And, to add to that, this que is directed to finding schools that would also place our kid in a strong academic environmt where most of the kids are doing well/decent academically and the teachers can just focus on teaching.

Originally Posted by ATL Urbanist

"Buckhead for their great elementary schools but it goes downhill after that."

I've read similar remarks about intown schools and I'm puzzled. What do you mean by the Buckhead schools going downhill after elementary? Is there a specific criteria you're referencing?

I don't mean to challenge you -- I'm just very curious. I'm not personally aware of any deficiencies in the public schools for Buckhead at any level.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by LovelySummer

Hi ATLUrbanist, np at all. I meant that the middle and high school test scores fall off and that most Buckhead parents are sending their kids to private by then. As a result, that mass of parents that were so involved at the Elem level is no longer present at the middle and high school levels. So the parental involvement also falls off...

Um...(see below)

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

More and more families are using Sutton and N Atlanta. But great schools gives scores solely on test scores. While you may find elementary schools in close in communities that are not economically diverse, the same can not be said of middle and high schools. The attendance zones are simply too large and reflect diverse housing stock. Of course, things can change over time. Riverwood high is an example. Big improvements in the last decade.

The reality is that kids from educated homes do well in these high schools. The struggle is with kids from poor families and how to best reach them. This is a national issue with no simple or even single solution.

Decatur which becomes less and less economically diverse as time goes on may very well fit what you are looking for. Their test scores should continue to rise.