Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks to you both for taking the time to respond. I am going to look in Clayton as well. Maybe I would feel differently if I wasn't used to being at home with my babies and they were already in school before we moved. Right now, I'm still dealing with the shock that my "baby" is almost old enough to go to school!
Thanks again.
We live in Clayton, and it is quite a haul to the airport. Plus, traffic on I-40 can be bad during rush hour. That might not be a very pleasant commute for your husband--just something to consider. If it were me, I would look more to the western suburbs...
We are in Morrisville, just minute from the airport, and we love it. I can't think of a nearby elementary that I would be upset about my child going to--the year round calendar is not my favorite but we have loved our school. We have wonderful neighbors (loads of kids in our n'hood). We love our house. Even if our kids did get redistricted it would be to another solid school.
The fact of the matter is that kids come and go all the time. People move, etc. I know you're scared and I get it--but it really will be ok I would recommend that once you figure out where you want to live, look up the schools assigned to that address and make sure the year round and traditional options look ok
Agreed. If the OP's hubby works at RDU it would make sense to look at Durham too. The area around Southpoint is a good spot to look as it's close access to i-40 and about 10-15 to the airport.
My kids go to Creekside and we are very happy there.
Fester - now that's funny I know, there are lots of cool areas in Durham.
But if the Op wants Wake Co I agree, find the home, and stay involved in the school. But, remember before the new board starts mucking around with the elementary schools, currently at least 92% of K-5 kids attend their neighborhood school. So the chances are slim you'd get switched around unless you live in a hi growth area like Cary and I'll bet Clayton will be like that soon.
As for Clayton and the commute. I wouldn't want to do it. Each yr as the town grows, so will the traffic issues. Morrisville, Cary, N. Raleigh and W. Raleigh are all good options for the shortest commute other than Durham, which means hubby would be going opposite of traffic, a wonderful thing!
Yeah, Fester tries to keep things enjoyable around here
But in all seriousness, I believe the original poster was asking is she should consider other counties and the thought of Johnston county came up. If the mere thought of Johnston came up, why in the hell is Durham not even in the picture?
I am sure her Dear Husband (did I get that right?) would love a commute to work that is < 15 minutes so he could stay with his family longer in the mornings, and get home earlier at the end of his day! I am sure people are jealous of my 10 minute commute to work from Southpoint (Fairfield) to RTP (IBM)
I will admit, when we were moving from Cary and looking for houses schools were also a high priority on our list (although we have no children, we are planning on having some in the near future). And let me clue you in on alittle secret, Durham really ain't that bad . I would recommend a community that is attached to Creekside Elementary (which my other Durham homer - PDXmom - already recommended).
On a side note, colleges these days do look at diversity and are looking for students that have gone to diverse schools. I know that is 18 years down the road for me, but just something to think about...
I am not saying that Durham is the best thing since sliced bread, because it is not. There is no place that is perfect. There are great places to live here in the triangle whether it be in Raleigh, in Cary, @ the peak of good living (aka Apex), in Chapel Hill. and in Wake Forest... I am just saying that Durham should at least be in the conversation also.
MJ, I apologize if I am hijacking your post. I wish you the best in your home search and welcome to the area! I am pretty certain you will love it wherever you move.
I agree with all the posters who said that schools in wake are uniformly good especially elementary .If possible rent before you buy. Seems like you are really pressed for time so if you do not find a house you love perhaps you could rent in an area you feel comfortable about the schools and then find the right house/neighborhood/school at leisure?
I agree with all the posters who said that schools in wake are uniformly good especially elementary .If possible rent before you buy. Seems like you are really pressed for time so if you do not find a house you love perhaps you could rent in an area you feel comfortable about the schools and then find the right house/neighborhood/school at leisure?
I agree about renting. However, I'd add that you should rent in the general area you plan to stay in. There are other things that will bind you to the community. For instance, your pediatrician! If you move to Clayton, for example, then settle in Morrisville, having a pediatrician that far away would be a pain. So that would be another important change, all so soon after your initial move. Not to mention soccer or dance or whatever... or (gasp!) the friends you are sure to make!
I would consider your husband's commute, then move on from there. It is hard to flip a house, so when you buy you need to be comfortable with the choice. it is important that you give yourself time to live here to figure out what is crucial to your happiness.
Here's a dirty little secret... with a child so young, if you rent, then hate the school or community (which is probabaly unlikely, but, what if....) when you then moved, you could just tell her she graduated kindergarten and she could accept it....
I am not minimizing the effects of constant upheavals and reassignments, but I am saying that with a young child, the spin you place on a change will color the child's experience. (Enjoy that while you still can! )
I will just interject that chances are not all of your neighbors will be going to the same school. Yes, you and your neighbors will be assigned to the same school (unless you're on the line between school assignments), but with year round, traditional, magnet, charter and private school options you may find that not many of the neighbor kids go to the same school.
Assignments will get more stable with the new school board, so you shouldn't have to worry about arbitrary reassignments. But the comment I hear most from newcomers in my neighborhood is how the kids go to so many different schools. Granted, I'm sure it varies from neighborhood to neighborhood but its something to keep in mind. Next year on my cul-de-sac of 15 houses, the kids will be attending 5 different elem schools, 4 middle schools and 2 different high schools.
ETA: this is about wake county schools and is in response to Holly Marshall's post.
Last edited by raleighjayne; 05-27-2010 at 11:30 AM..
Reason: clarify
We moved here 3 years ago to an apt in Morrisville. The base was Morrisville Elementary. Then we bought a house in Cary and the base is Laurel Park. I've been happy with both schools. I know things can change. But I think my children would adapt better to being redistricted with the kids on their street to another school more than moving to another town and not knoeing any of the kids at the new school. I just don't lose sleep over it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would recommend that once you figure out where you want to live, look up the schools assigned to that address and make sure the year round and traditional options look ok 
. I would recommend a community that is attached to Creekside Elementary (which my other Durham homer - PDXmom - already recommended).
)
