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Me and the misses are looking at some housing options in the metro area. If we do decide to move back it won't be till late 2021 to early 2022. We've started browsing like crazy for houses pretty much all over the metro. Was looking at some websites for home prices ITP and was pleasantly surprised by the prices we saw. So that led me to a bunch of other questions hopefully I get some answers to.
1. I see remolded homes in our price range in neighborhoods like Vine City/Venetian Hill/Capital View/Ormewood Park/Mozley Park/Oakland City. How "gentrified" are these areas? What phase of gentrification are these neighborhoods in? I ask because I would assume homes in convenient areas like this would be much higher than what's listed on these sites i'm viewing. I know homes in gentrifying communities here in Houston cost much more than what i'm seeing listed in Atlanta. And these are homes that have no remodeling whats so ever. So i'm wondering what phase of gentrification are these neighborhoods are in. Btw, I’m looking at 3 bd/2ba homes in these area in the price range of 270K-360K.
2. Are there any highly rated charter schools in the Smyrna/Vinings area? I've studied this area for a while and don't see any good public schools with a significant amount of black students in a diverse school setting. Gwinnett county seems to have the best options for what we're looking for with our child but we would prefer to be close to Atlanta.
3. If anyone is familiar with Drew Charter school or Dekalb school of the Arts, how hard is to get your child enrolled in these specific schools ?
4. How is the neighborhood Audobon Forest?
Btw, I've made several threads in this section before. We're not new to Atlanta. Lived in Chamblee for 2 years and worked in Duluth and the Perimeter area. So we're familiar with Atlanta but new in the Parent department so looking to move back into the city from a different perspective. Thanks in advance!
Last edited by Redlionjr; 05-18-2020 at 05:23 PM..
Me and the misses are looking at some housing options in the metro area. If we do decide to move back it won't be till late 2021 to early 2022. We've started browsing like crazy for houses pretty much all over the metro. Was looking at some websites for home prices ITP and was pleasantly surprised by the prices we saw. So that led me to a bunch of other questions hopefully I get some answers to.
1. I see remolded homes in our price range in neighborhoods like Vine City/Venetian Hill/Capital View/Ormewood Park/Mozley Park/Oakland City. How "gentrified" are these areas? What phase of gentrification are these neighborhoods in? I ask because I would assume homes in convenient areas like this would be much higher than what's listed on these sites i'm viewing. I know homes in gentrifying communities here in Houston cost much more than what i'm seeing listed in Atlanta. And these are homes that have no remodeling whats so ever. So i'm wondering what phase of gentrification are these neighborhoods are in. Btw, I’m looking at 3 bd/2ba homes in these area in the price range of 270K-360K.
2. Are there any highly rated charter schools in the Smyrna/Vinings area? I've studied this area for a while and don't see any good public schools with a significant amount of black students in a diverse school setting. Gwinnett county seems to have the best options for what we're looking for with our child but we would prefer to be close to Atlanta.
3. If anyone is familiar with Drew Charter school or Dekalb school of the Arts, how hard is to get your child enrolled in these specific schools ?
4. How is the neighborhood Audobon Forest?
Btw, I've made several threads in this section before. We're not new to Atlanta. Lived in Chamblee for 2 years and worked in Duluth and the Perimeter area. So we're familiar with Atlanta but new in the Parent department so looking to move back into the city from a different perspective. Thanks in advance!
*There is a lot more I can say/add. I will see if I have more later.
I try not to act like websites like greatschools/school digger or niche are the end all be all and I know there’s some cultural bias in their grading system( at least a/ great schools) but some of these schools ratings all across the board don’t look to good. At least on paper. Do you have experience with these schools? I’ll definitely do my due diligence since Smyrna is an area of interest.
If you want diversity and top-rated public schools, you can't go wrong with Gwinnett County. I'd at least look at Peachtree Corners; depending on where you're going in Atlanta, your commute won't necessarily be any worse than one from Mableton or Smyrna.
There are some good performing schools in the city of Atlanta, but at the elementary level they tend to be less diverse (you do get some diversity at the middle and high school level, but it tends to be White/Black diversity rather than across the spectrum like you get in Gwinnett - if that matters).
In Atlanta, you should not count on getting your kid into a charter (especially if your kid is not going into Kindergarten - more seats available=greater chance to get in). There was a period where it was a near given that (for instance) everyone living in Grant Park or Kirkwood could send their kid to Drew (which was a big part of the gentrification wave there - you could move into Atlanta but not send your kid to an "Atlanta" school), but that time has come and gone (at least on paper people in Kirkwood and East Lake still have an admission preference to Drew, but because of changes to the lottery and the popularity of the school, it's not a given that the slots even last long enough to help there - and if you have more than one kid, Drew is completely dropping sibling preference). I guess if your kid is young enough you could try to navigate entry into one of the pre-school programs that feed into Drew, but I think those tend to be income based.
The top performing elementaries in Atlanta tend to be Morningside, Mary Lin, Springdale Park (all in the Grady cluster) and Jackson, Brandon, Sarah Smith, and maybe Rivers (in North Atlanta). Perhaps counterintuitively, above elementary Grady cluster is generally better than North Atlanta, partially because the lower performing elementary in Grady goes through 8th, and partially because in Buckhead a lot of folks move their kids to private for middle school.
If you want diversity and top-rated public schools, you can't go wrong with Gwinnett County. I'd at least look at Peachtree Corners; depending on where you're going in Atlanta, your commute won't necessarily be any worse than one from Mableton or Smyrna.
There are some good performing schools in the city of Atlanta, but at the elementary level they tend to be less diverse (you do get some diversity at the middle and high school level, but it tends to be White/Black diversity rather than across the spectrum like you get in Gwinnett - if that matters).
In Atlanta, you should not count on getting your kid into a charter (especially if your kid is not going into Kindergarten - more seats available=greater chance to get in). There was a period where it was a near given that (for instance) everyone living in Grant Park or Kirkwood could send their kid to Drew (which was a big part of the gentrification wave there - you could move into Atlanta but not send your kid to an "Atlanta" school), but that time has come and gone (at least on paper people in Kirkwood and East Lake still have an admission preference to Drew, but because of changes to the lottery and the popularity of the school, it's not a given that the slots even last long enough to help there - and if you have more than one kid, Drew is completely dropping sibling preference). I guess if your kid is young enough you could try to navigate entry into one of the pre-school programs that feed into Drew, but I think those tend to be income based.
The top performing elementaries in Atlanta tend to be Morningside, Mary Lin, Springdale Park (all in the Grady cluster) and Jackson, Brandon, Sarah Smith, and maybe Rivers (in North Atlanta). Perhaps counterintuitively, above elementary Grady cluster is generally better than North Atlanta, partially because the lower performing elementary in Grady goes through 8th, and partially because in Buckhead a lot of folks move their kids to private for middle school.
Our child is under the age of 5 so definitely wanted to try to get in at kindergarten. But I forgot all about Peachtree Corners. Actually a pretty good location and not as brutal of a commute as other burbs in Gwinnett. Thx for the info!
I try not to act like websites like greatschools/school digger or niche are the end all be all and I know there’s some cultural bias in their grading system( at least a/ great schools) but some of these schools ratings all across the board don’t look to good. At least on paper. Do you have experience with these schools? I’ll definitely do my due diligence since Smyrna is an area of interest.
To better help you...
1. a. When you have conducted your research, what have you found particularly lacking or questionable about King Springs Elementary, Teasley Elementary, Nickajack Elementary, and Smyrna Elementary?
b. Which Gwinnett County Public Schools are you comparing to King Springs, Teasley, Nickajack, and Smyrna?
c. Also, Gwinnett County is huge. Where are you looking? Which schools/clusters?
Moreover...
Give me a little bit more information about your parameters - particularly, about location within the Metro. Are you looking for close-in? Further out? ITP? OTP? ATP? What are your "musts?" What are your "hell-to-the-nos?"
If you want diversity and top-rated public schools, you can't go wrong with Gwinnett County. I'd at least look at Peachtree Corners; depending on where you're going in Atlanta, your commute won't necessarily be any worse than one from Mableton or Smyrna.
There are some good performing schools in the city of Atlanta, but at the elementary level they tend to be less diverse (you do get some diversity at the middle and high school level, but it tends to be White/Black diversity rather than across the spectrum like you get in Gwinnett - if that matters).
In Atlanta, you should not count on getting your kid into a charter (especially if your kid is not going into Kindergarten - more seats available=greater chance to get in). There was a period where it was a near given that (for instance) everyone living in Grant Park or Kirkwood could send their kid to Drew (which was a big part of the gentrification wave there - you could move into Atlanta but not send your kid to an "Atlanta" school), but that time has come and gone (at least on paper people in Kirkwood and East Lake still have an admission preference to Drew, but because of changes to the lottery and the popularity of the school, it's not a given that the slots even last long enough to help there - and if you have more than one kid, Drew is completely dropping sibling preference). I guess if your kid is young enough you could try to navigate entry into one of the pre-school programs that feed into Drew, but I think those tend to be income based.
The top performing elementaries in Atlanta tend to be Morningside, Mary Lin, Springdale Park (all in the Grady cluster) and Jackson, Brandon, Sarah Smith, and maybe Rivers (in North Atlanta). Perhaps counterintuitively, above elementary Grady cluster is generally better than North Atlanta, partially because the lower performing elementary in Grady goes through 8th, and partially because in Buckhead a lot of folks move their kids to private for middle school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redlionjr
Our child is under the age of 5 so definitely wanted to try to get in at kindergarten. But I forgot all about Peachtree Corners. Actually a pretty good location and not as brutal of a commute as other burbs in Gwinnett. Thx for the info!
Yes, Peachtree Corners is great. I adore the Norcross Cluster of schools.
Also, I can recommend a few other areas in Gwinnett County that are Mableton-Smyrna-Vinings-Peachree Corner-ish once I get a bit more information from the OP. (See post above)
There's no substitute for feet on the ground. At least you're familiar with the Atlanta area.
I left Gwinnett County (and Georgia) 16 years ago, but we still have property in the mountains. Since that time, there has been a great migration of people within the metropolitan area. Gwinnett has become increasingly diverse as can be seen with Korean churches popping up all throughout Gwinnett Mall to Duluth areas. I honestly don't know where all my friends and neighbors moved to--I assume another county out.
I would think that Peachtree Corners and the eastern side of Roswell is still a fine place to be. Otherwise, I'd be heading toward Forsythe County.
There's no substitute for feet on the ground. At least you're familiar with the Atlanta area.
I left Gwinnett County (and Georgia) 16 years ago, but we still have property in the mountains. Since that time, there has been a great migration of people within the metropolitan area. Gwinnett has become increasingly diverse as can be seen with Korean churches popping up all throughout Gwinnett Mall to Duluth areas. I honestly don't know where all my friends and neighbors moved to--I assume another county out.
I would think that Peachtree Corners and the eastern side of Roswell is still a fine place to be. Otherwise, I'd be heading toward Forsythe County.
Gwinnett has some of the best schools in the state; it does have the best (public) high school in the state (#12 nationally).
It's a model nationally for maintaining excellence in a school system throughout the massive changes and growth Gwinnett continues to see, and refuting the lazy claim that diverse schools can't be good schools.
And for that matter, Forsyth County isn't the sundown town it was 15, 20, 25 years ago - far from it.
To better help you...
1. a. When you have conducted your research, what have you found particularly lacking or questionable about King Springs Elementary, Teasley Elementary, Nickajack Elementary, and Smyrna Elementary?
b. Which Gwinnett County Public Schools are you comparing to King Springs, Teasley, Nickajack, and Smyrna?
c. Also, Gwinnett County is huge. Where are you looking? Which schools/clusters?
Moreover...
Give me a little bit more information about your parameters - particularly, about location within the Metro. Are you looking for close-in? Further out? ITP? OTP? ATP? What are your "musts?" What are your "hell-to-the-nos?"
Ok as far as the elementary schools in Smyrna I’m comparing them to schools in Gwinnett and at least on the 3 different sites I use (Greatschools/School digger/ Niche) those schools seem to be less than desirable in comparison to a lot of the schools in Gwinnett. Also there seems to be a mixed bag of good to bad reviews from Parents.
As far as Gwinnett is concerned I rather stay in Peachtree Corners or Norcross since their the closest to ITP but I wouldn’t be opposed to Duluth if that made the much sense as far as school options go and not terribly far.
So dream scenario would be to stay ITP and enroll my child to one of the top charter schools in Drew or Dekalb school of Arts.
Realistic scenario based on my criteria of schools would be Peachtree Corners/Norcross
Hell no’s? Nothing past Duluth, nothing 40 mins outside the city. I’ll be working at a Norcross location and occasionally Midtown too so commute time is important.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bamaman1
There's no substitute for feet on the ground. At least you're familiar with the Atlanta area.
I left Gwinnett County (and Georgia) 16 years ago, but we still have property in the mountains. Since that time, there has been a great migration of people within the metropolitan area. Gwinnett has become increasingly diverse as can be seen with Korean churches popping up all throughout Gwinnett Mall to Duluth areas. I honestly don't know where all my friends and neighbors moved to--I assume another county out.
I would think that Peachtree Corners and the eastern side of Roswell is still a fine place to be. Otherwise, I'd be heading toward Forsythe County.
Yeah I use to work in Duluth and thought it was a cool suburb. Had a nice downtown as well. Forsyth though it’s too far for my taste.
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