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We are looking for info on the Chapel Hill School ratings and wondering if anyone could tell me which schools in Chapel Hill are worth looking into, which schools are rated high. We are interested in elem, middle and high.
They are all rated high. Seriously. Carrboro High is new so that could be a factor, but they all receive the same funding, they are all neighborhood schools, etc. There are nuances amongst them that might make one appeal to you over others (which has immersion, which doesn't; which offers French vs. which offers Spanish to K-5; which has a higher student population of one ethnic group over another; which schools house the gifted program (so if your child is truly gifted, they would not have to change schools if, for example, Glenwood was already your base school, etc).
But they are all great. That's why many people choose Chapel Hill.
There is more variability among the elementary schools than among the high schools. CHCCS has 2 or 3 elementary schools that have not met performance goals for certain subgroups, and as a result families at those schools are allowed to send their kids to a different elementary school if they choose (few do). Even those schools are pretty good schools though. Data should be available on the district websites.
All of the high schools are excellent. East Chapel Hill is considered the better of the three schools. Chapel Hill has suffered from a higher level of social/behavioral problems in the past couple of years. As noted Carrboro is pretty new, and has had a few issues getting started. (E.g., the first principal was fired after the first year.)
I don't agree really that there is much academic difference in the elementaries. The groups which haven't met the goals are minority groups (specifically Hispanic and Black) whose parents did not finish HS. This is a "risk" group in any school and not, in my opinion, much of a reflection of the school itself. I guess if you happen to be a black or hispanic parent who has not finished HS and who is not very involved in your child's education, you might want to see which school you feel is best. But for the avg. person of any race who is involved in their child's education, the schools and results are excellent at all of them. As mentioned, data (with race, educational level, etc) is available on that.
Glenwood is one of the gifted schools. I believe there is another, but I don't know what it is. They bus the kids from the base schools to the gifted school if in the program. There are several levels of "gifted" in the CH schools. Most of the "gifted" kids are not really gifted, but are academically advanced, and their needs are met at whatever base school they attend. There is a subgroup who is considered truly gifted (based on test schools--I believe they have to get 99% on their standardized tests and meet some other criteria). These kids have the option of going to one of the schools with a formal gifted program. Some parents send their kids there if they get in (and some parents hire tutors to help their kids get the 99% which would suggest their kids aren't actually gifted and says something about the parents more than the kids!); other parents choose not to send their kids there (there's been a lot of talk about how these kids come out thinking they are "superior", about how this probably does not serve them in the long run, when they get to college and they are smart but as it turns out not as "gifted" as they'd been led tobelieve, many of the kids are somewhat socially inept which often goes along w/extremely high intelligence but some parents feel their child needs more things to help them socially than academically as they are already clearly very bright, etc). Anyway, if your child is in that position, post a question about it. There are definitely pros and cons to choosing the that program if invited.
I have been less than impressed by the middle school my daughter goes to. She has told us some scary stories. Thankfully behavior seems to improve by the time they get to high school and we have been very happy with ECHH where I have a daughter who is a sophomore.
I have been less than impressed by the middle school my daughter goes to. She has told us some scary stories.
Which middle school? My son is a sixth grader at Smith and we have been pleased with it. My son has not had any complaints thus far.
My two youngest sons are going to the new Morris Grove Elementary school. We are very happy this school as well. Much better than Ephesus Elementary that they were going to last year.
Which middle school? My son is a sixth grader at Smith and we have been pleased with it. My son has not had any complaints thus far.
My two youngest sons are going to the new Morris Grove Elementary school. We are very happy this school as well. Much better than Ephesus Elementary that they were going to last year.
I love Smith. My daughter was there for a few months when we first moved down here and lived in an apartment but had to switch schools when we moved to a house. I will send you a DM to let you know where she goes. I don't want to say too much about the incident publicly as I only have her word so I don't have all the details.
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