Specific Tallahassee School Advice (Palm Beach, Christmas: houses, transfer, neighborhoods)

[MaggieMooster]

We are possibly moving to Tallahassee over the Christmas break. I have a gifted child that is in 7th grade and a child with mild aspergers in 4th grade.

My older child has been through the ringer with schools this past couple years. We moved to a very poor area and my daughter has suffered the brunt of it. It is very important that I find her the right school and then I'll find a way to move to that zone.

She is bright, a competitive swimmer and I'm looking for THE BEST MIDDLE and HIGH SCHOOL in the area. Preferably ones with swim teams, IB or AP classes, plenty of extra curriculars.

My son is in elementary, but I'm more worried about his middle school situation. He is particularly strong in maths/sciences but doesn't test well so I'm not sure if he can get into special programs. He doesn't do well with change.

So - it is very important to me that I get this right the FIRST time.

I know all the school evaluation web sites but I'm hoping for first hand knowledge from parents.

I've only had vague recommendations so far. Someone suggested north of I-10 and near Thomasville Road area. Is that a nice area?

We'd be interested in 4 bedroom/2-3 bath 2-3000 sq ft house. Preferably with pool, but not sure if those are common in this area. We are basically from Palm Beach area but have been living in rural Georgia for the last 2 1/2 years.

I am familiar with ATAC swimming and my daughter will likely join that club immediately.

We will find out if my husband can transfer near Thanksgiving and then would move over Christmas so I have very limited time.

Also, I plan to return to teaching once I get the kids in a good situation and I'm not concerned about husband's commute as much as I am the school situation.

I generally prefer to have shopping close by, plenty of restaurants (independent and chains) etc. Normal middle class living.

I appreaciate ANY advice. Suggestions for good schools and which schools feed into each other would be helpful. I've scoured the website, but it is impossible to really get inforamation that randomly.

[Strel]

Normal middle class living and decent schools = where you have already been told to look.

NE Tallahassee, north of I-10 along the Thomasville Rd. corridor. I live near DeSoto Trail Elementary which is an award winning school. Kids actually WALK to school by themselves in this neighborhood, if you can believe that in this day and age.

It's not the most exciting place to live, but an excellent place to raise a family.

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by Strel

Normal middle class living and decent schools = where you have already been told to look.

NE Tallahassee, north of I-10 along the Thomasville Rd. corridor. I live near DeSoto Trail Elementary which is an award winning school. Kids actually WALK to school by themselves in this neighborhood, if you can believe that in this day and age.

It's not the most exciting place to live, but an excellent place to raise a family.

Quiet beats exciting any day.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by HeartofFlorida

Quiet beats exciting any day.

I got plenty of excitement in this town as an undergraduate at FSU.

Probably enough for several lifetimes...

Now I just want a nice, green safe place to raise my little girl. So I moved 8 miles north of campus.

[TD*]

There are plenty of good schools here, but you will have to drive to get to them.

Leon High is a good High School, along with Chiles.

I like Sail as a High School as Well.

Rickards has the IB program, and AP classes are offered at most or all of The area High Schools.

Tallahassee is a spread out city. Neighborhoods are great in midtown, all around town actually.. Giving general advice is really difficult.

I Swam for the Maclay Swim Team which I really enjoyed. Maclay is a private school, (i didnt go here, only was on the swim team) located in the northeast.

Atac practices or used to at myers park near downtown.


Great neighborhoods everywhere, Like I said.

More specifics more answers.

[MaggieMooster]

Thanks. I think I have narrowed down to Killearn, Deer Lake and Chiles area. That seems to be getting good recommendations and I've found a few houses that would work that are zoned for those schools.

I don't need exciting. I just want good place to raise two kids.

Thanks.

[JAS]

I agree with the north of I-10 advice.