Parents of middle school & high schoolers ..... Pl read (Decatur: 2014, neighborhoods)

[nanhi]

Has any one of you faced the situation wherein the teachers don't teach? They just give packets to do, specially in Math. I am doing relocation research . I want to move just because of schools. What are your academic experiences? Are you fully satisfied with the academics? If so, please tell me your school. It will help in my decision making process. I know that teachers can be of all kinds even in a private school. And my work & all should be the factor to decide where I should live. Want to know the feedback as I don't want to land in a situation again where I am not satisfied with the school. This forum has helped me a lot. Looking forward to hear from all of you out there. Thanks

[ATLTJL]

That's a really difficult question to answer because all schools, no matter how great they are, will have a handful of teachers that simply can not teach.

Or maybe a better way to say is the teacher does not teach in the same manner that your child learns.

You can do school research -- and you should -- but no matter how good of a school you find, there is always the chance that your child is going to get a teacher here or there that does not do an effective job teaching the way that your child learns. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee this will happen at least a few times in any school.

As a parent, you can concentrate on pushing hard to make sure your child gets teachers that are effective at teaching math and science. If you get a bad English teacher here and there and never gain an appreciation of literature or some bum history teachers so you never completely understand all the aspects of World War 1, that's a cultural deficit, but one that can easily be fixed in adulthood by reading a few books. If you miss out on the fundamentals of math or science, that is much more detrimental and difficult to correct later.

Unfortunately, math is also one of the most difficult subjects to learn simply because there are so many different ways to teach it and equally many ways that people comprehend it.

All you can really do is just go with the conventional wisdom. Stick to North Fulton, East Cobb, Decatur city, portions of Gwinnett, etc. It's not a sure fire bet, but all you do is the best job you can with the information that you have. If you can afford it, there's always private school where you may have more leverage in deciding which teachers your child gets.

[nanhi]

What about Forsyth?

[flyonpa]

I feel Forsyth school are on par with the other top schools, Some are a little better then others, but all are good.

[nanhi]

flyonpa Which high school cluster is the best in Forsyth according to you? Thanks

[flyonpa]

I would Rank them as:
1st Lambert
2nd South / West (tie)
3rd FCHS / North (tie)

FootNote:

Elem & Middle School are being redistricting for Aug 2014
I would Expect a HS redistricting in Aug of 2016 or 2017

http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/redistricting

[nanhi]

Yes that is my major concern so don't know whether to avoid Forsyth because of that. I have a 7th grader & a 1st grader

[nanhi]

Why do you expect a HS redistricting in 2016? Is it because of the future new schools that are in their plans?

[flyonpa]

I would not avoid Forsyth Because of the redistricting.

Growing schools have to redistrict to even out the student population to new school being opened. The students and teachers move around with the redistricting. So there is very little effect to the overall education level in the schools.

For Middle/HS its a little more disruptive (For the student) when it happens, New school, But unless you are on a school line, they move with friends to new school. Buin large sub-divisions move in 1 group to new schools together. (Some very large sub/division might get split to different schools, but But sub/neighborhoods are not split.

[vince217]

to nanhi: where are your children going to school now?