Bottom line on schools (Greensboro, High Point: cinema, magnet schools, college) - Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point - North Carolina (NC) -The Triad Area - City-Data Forum

songgirl · 08-26-2008, 09:49 AM

It's very subjective, I know, but I need the low down on schools. May be moving to Greensboro or High Point soon and I have a 5 year old who is a bit ahead for her age (can read) and is entering kindergarten. I want her to feel challenged and interested in school right from the start.

I also would like to find a school that has a great arts program and a more creative environment.

can anyone help me out here? I've looked at greatschools.net, which gave me an idea, but I'm looking for the best fit. Right now I'm leaning toward Greensboro Academy based on their scores, but am I really want to make the right choice.

ibeg4sushi · 08-27-2008, 07:18 PM

I am looking around too. So far the only information I can give you is to talk to actual parents who have their children enrolled at schools that pique your interest. I hear a lot of to-do about Oak Ridge Elementary for example, but the schools in the Battleground area have the same, if not even better scoring and ratings. (Except Brightwood). General Greene and Joyner are two in the immediate area here, GG being the better of the two I think, but also Sternberger and Jesse Wharton are supposed to be fabulous. If you get out to the areas around Rt 150, you might be going to the new Northern Elementary which has very little history so far, but, many parents are interested in having this be a great school. It's a great time for parents and teachers alike to dig in their heels and make this yet another great Guilford county public school.

There are other schools which are more SE, such as Pilot Elementary which gets rave reviews that certainly should not be overlooked. Also, housing's a bit cheaper down that way and one has all the shopping one could ever need right there are the Wendover area, the Landmark Shopping Center, as well as the proxomity of the newer, north High Point area, such as the Palladium cinemas. Morehead elementary is a magnet elementary school I believe, and public, and the kids can even take violin lessons there!!

Also Reedy Fork, it's new and well laid out, is getting plenty of good talking up from people. It's north, off Route 29. The elementary school in Summerfield is supposed to be good too, I forget the name though...Laughlin? And, right in town Lindley elementary has great reviews as well, and good scores, placed among historical, adorable cottagey streets. I guess that's all I can share for what I have learned so far....Greensboro is much larger in some ways than I thought!

ericab · 12-09-2009, 09:05 AM

I will soon be relocating to the Greensboro area and am looking into the schools. My children are in K and 2nd. I was thinking Sternberger and am really not sure of where else to include. Summerfield and Oak Ridge would make the work commute longer than we would like. My husband's job will be near McLeansville. Please let me know what your final impressions were of the schools.

Thanks,
Erica

goodgal · 12-09-2009, 10:55 AM

Jesse Wharton is great! The scores sometimes are deceptive if a school is deemed ESOL (English Second language) Those kids (learning to speak English by mainstreming them with the rest who speak perfect english) are few in each class but take the tests with english speaking children so it lowers(unfortunately) the scores across the board. Teachers are great and parental involvment is super there.

skimbro000 · 12-10-2009, 04:09 AM

Please don't limit your search to just elementary schools - your children will grow up and be entering middle school and high school before you know it. So make sure you look at what MS and HS the elemetary school feeds into. Having said all that - we chose to live in Jamestown when we moved here 13 years ago (Millis Road Elem, Jamestown MS, and Ragsdale HS) and had great expereinces at all 3. We love the Jamestown area - easy to get anywhere and ahs a small town feel.

ericab · 12-10-2009, 07:27 AM

Thanks for your replies! I am thinking of Middle school and high school as you mentioned. I was thinking of Summerfield, Oak Park and Northwestern. However, these all would make my husband's commute longer than we would like. So to get more central we decided the Sternberger/Kiser/Grimsley school zones were appealing. I may also be interested in looking at Greensboro Academy. It was nice to see there are several magnet schools available if needed.

We like living closer in to the city and have everything in walking distance. It would be nice if my husband's commute could be close to nothing but I have no idea of the schools East of central Greensboro and the reports seem very low.

Thanks for all your feedback!

NCBarrister · 12-10-2009, 08:16 AM

With respect to Grimsley, I knew several parents who had their Children enroll in classes only offered at Grimsley in order to be able to go their instead of the school they were assigned to. Don't know if they allow that anymore, though.

And it's helpful to know that GCS offers several alternatives to traditional public high schools, including the Early College, which was consistently been ranked of the 25 best high schools in the country.

I second the previous comments about Jessie Wharton. Irving park has a great K-5 program as well. But you'll pay for it with some of the most expensive property values in the city if you live in the area districted for the school.