Preferred elementary school near Rhodes campus? (Memphis, Central: condos, loans, neighborhood)

[PTA]

My wife will begin teaching at Rhodes College next year, and we'd like to live within walking distance (about a mile radius) of the campus.

What recommendations do you have for elementary school districts nearby?

So far, we have often heard people mention Snowden and Idlewild.

I recognize that many who post here are emphatic about the need to send children to private/parochial school; we'd rather avoid this if at all possible, at least through elementary school.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[Pearlbob]

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USthreeR...ntyID_791.html

On the left, you can search for Memphis City elementaries, which will give you rankings. granted from 2003 (i'm sure you can find the updated ones online). There's another site of school ratings that is better, but I can't seem to find it now.

[Pearlbob]

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USthreeR...ntyID_791.html

On the left, you can search for Memphis City elementaries, which will give you rankings. granted from 2003 (i'm sure you can find the updated ones online). There's another site of school ratings that is better, but I can't seem to find it now.

[PTA]

Thank you, Pearlbob, for the link -- I had seen a couple of other databases with similar statistics.

Unfortunately, I am starting at a somewhat more naive level: what other schools are within a 1-2 mile radius of Rhodes campus? I don't know the area well enough to be familiar with anything beyond Idlewild and Snowden, and would appreciate any guidance (names and locations of other schools, reputation) that could be shared. It would be tedious to go through the whole list of 118 to find others nearby . . . As you've indicated you live in Central Gardens, are you familiar with other public schools in your neighborhood?

[Pearlbob]

Well, Rhodes isn't near Central Gardens. It's near Evergreen more.

But, I must say...people who live in Central Gardens don't send their kids to public school. People who live around here have money, are upper class, and don't want their kids in the horrible Memphis public schools. There is an elementary....let's see, behind Union east of McLean. Don't know the name. That's the only thing other than the private schools I can think of in CG.

Let me say one thing, and I in no way mean this to be racist, just pointing out a fact. Most Memphis city elementary schools are about 95% black. I think if you are white, and your kids are white, that will be a HUGE culture shock to them.

In Memphis, just because it's a wealthy neighborhood does not mean the schools there are good. Wealthy people send their kids to private. Some schools in the city may be better than others, but not by too much. You really have to dig and get them in the magnet schools or whatever they are called here. I *think* Snowden is one of those, thus is would have a waiting list and you have to go on certain days in the summer to wait in line and try to get your kid in. Even then, I drive by Snowden many times a week, and it's basically a mostly black school. Which, isn't a big deal - other than the fact it's in a mostly white and wealthy area of town.

[Pearlbob]

Also, the Downtown Elementary is also a magnet school (I know they aren't called that here, but that's what they were called where I grew up) and it's all black. I go the gym next door to the school and I have seen maybe 2 white kids the past couple years it's been open.

Again, I am not saying this to be racist, but using it as an example - downtown is probably mostly white. Mud Island is downtown, the $300k condos are downtown....the majority of these people living downtown are white, yet the downtown elementary has to be over 90% black. Therefore, the wealthier people (ie, people who live downtown) don't send their kids to public school. Granted, condo people likely don't have kids, but mud island is families and thus there are a lot of kids there.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by PTA

My wife will begin teaching at Rhodes College next year, and we'd like to live within walking distance (about a mile radius) of the campus.

What recommendations do you have for elementary school districts nearby?

So far, we have often heard people mention Snowden and Idlewild.

I recognize that many who post here are emphatic about the need to send children to private/parochial school; we'd rather avoid this if at all possible, at least through elementary school.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I used to live around the corner from Idlewild in Central Gardens. Looking at the state report card, it says Idlewild is about 1/3 white, 2/3 black, and its scores are pretty mediocre (which means it's probably one of the better schools in Memphis). My neighbors whose kids went to Idlewild loved it. Many parents walked their kids to and from school every day. It's a true neighborhood school.

But I agree with Pearlbob, if you have the financial means to send your kids to a private school, by all means, send your kids to a private school. It might not matter so much at the elementary level, but it will in middle and high schools.

[Pearlbob]

I agree with that....elementaries aren't nearly as bad as middle and highs here. By middle schools, kids are starting to gravatate towards gangs, drugs, crime, etc....and you don't want your kids around that.

I definitely am not trying to put any of the elementaries in the area, but the racial demographics in most of them do show that the racial demographics there don't match the demographics of the city. IE - Central Gardens is not even close to being 2/3 black like Idlewild. I would say CG is maybe...90% white? At least?

[PTA]

We appreciate the difficulties of the public schools that are described here, but financially private schooling is not an option -- hence our desire to know about the best choices available within this geographic range.

So, to be blunt -- is the consensus that Snowden is preferable to Idlewild?

Are there other options?

[Pearlbob]

Plus, I think you have to live where you go to school, right? IE you'd need to move to a specific area where the school is.

I have no clue if Snowden is better than Idlewild. Please keep in mind, like we said....elementaries may not be that bad, but the middle schools are. So once your child hits middle, there are NO good middle schools in this area. You'd have to move again, or send them to private.

I think your best bet would be to come down here and check out the elementaries yourself. Set up an appt with the VP or someone in management at the school, tour the schools, see the kids, see how the classes are run, etc.

And please also keep in mind...memphis city public schools have more than just "difficulties." These are the worst schools in the state, by far, year after year. One of the worst in the country. Gangs, drugs, beatings, fights, teachers abused, rapes in the bathrooms, etc. Again, hopefully not on the elementary level, but above that, that's what you see in the schools. Not all, but a lot. People here pinch pennies and take out loans to send their kids to private. It's not just that the schools are unsafe, but they are also worthless in terms of teaching kids basic skills and giving them anything that resembles an education. If you and your spouse are working....you have the means to send kids to private. Or at least start saving now for later on, if you have to live near Rhodes (why not live elsewhere in town where they have better schools? White Station, Ridgeway....) ???