Good schools in the Casselberry area and surrounding areas (Orlando: broker, house)

[Enigma79]

Hi, my family and I are looking to make the move from the UK to the USA in the next few months and we're looking at Casselberry and surrounding areas as a base due to business commitments etc.
After looking at the greatschools.org site I've come across East Lake elementary school as a possibility but as we aren't familiar with the area I'm really unsure which schools are good and which would be best avoided.

If theres anyone on here with children going to a school in this area I'd really appreciate your take on good vs bad etc so I can make an informed decision.

Thanks in advance

[Broker Dave]

I'd point you to Wekiva Springs area if you are setting up your business in Longwood as it would be closer.

Hope this helps,

[Enigma79]

Hi Dave, thank you for replying however we are buying an already established business and it's main catchment is Casselberry/Winter Park. After checking out the areas and asking around we have settled on Casselberry and surrounding areas for a place to live as it makes the most sense when it comes to commuting etc.

[bdpop]

You may want to check the Winter Woods subdivision off of Lake Howell Rd. It is a nice neighborhood and I believe the kids there go to Eastbrook Elementary.

[Broker Dave]

Have you viewed the school location you posted to the Casselberry area? Winter Woods is a bit closer.

Wekiva Springs is on the opposite side of I-4 from Casselberry has top rated lower, middle and high schools so you can stay put longer and is a quick drive to Winter Park by way of 3 different routes. The area offers great neighborhoods that are close to shopping, restaurants, parks, etc...

Hope this helps,

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Broker Dave

Have you viewed the school location you posted to the Casselberry area? Winter Woods is a bit closer.

Wekiva Springs is on the opposite side of I-4 from Casselberry has top rated lower, middle and high schools so you can stay put longer and is a quick drive to Winter Park by way of 3 different routes. The area offers great neighborhoods that are close to shopping, restaurants, parks, etc...

Hope this helps,

Actually the Lake Howell School District in Casselberry is "top-rated" as well, which includes Red Bug Elementary, South Seminole Middle School and Lake Howell High School.

[4powells]

I just moved to Casselberry from out of state. I can't comment with certainty on the schools because my two kids (12 and 9) have not attended yet, but we did a fair amount of research and I can tell you that while the Elementary School (Casselberry Elementary) was not an A school, the Middle School and the High Schools are. Even then, Casselberry Elementary seems like a good school with good teachers from all outward appearances. We've been to the schools multiple times to enroll our kids and look around.

I can tell you that in my opinion, school grades and FCAT scores are overrated in terms of telling what sort of experiences you will have in a school. An excellent school always has a few teachers who mail it in, and even the worst schools always seem to have a few teachers who fight every day to make a difference in some children's lives. Whether you get a good teacher for your little ones is significantly more of a factor, imho, than the grade of the entire school.

Now that doesn't mean you ignore school rankings and ratings. They are certainly a factor, just don't assume that your kid will do better at an A school over a B school solely because of the grades.

As for the Middle School, South Seminole Middle School is by all accounts an excellent school. It is the home of one of the Pre-IB programs in Seminole County and is a Leadership and Global Connections Magnet School.

Winter Springs High School, where we are zoned for, is also an excellent nationally ranked High School.

Why we chose Casselberry over other areas in Orlando is that it was a great combination of schools, affordability, and access to things. It seemed like 9 times out of 10, when we saw an ad for a business that had been around a long time, it was always somewhere close to 17/92 in Longwood, Altamonte Springs, or Winter Park. Those are minutes away (traffic notwithstanding). The food options within 5 miles of my house are hard to beat outside of a major downtown area.

On a different note, we're new to the area ourselves and would love to get acquainted with some other people locally. If you need any help or need me to scout something out for you in advance of your move, just send me a PM and I give you some better contact methods.

[bdpop]

My son went to Casselberry Elementary, which at the time was "A" rated and we have no complaints. All of his teachers were great.