Relocating soon- top schools in Alpharetta, North Fulton area? (Atlanta: real estate, 2015)

[MsThing]

This site has been so helpful, I thought I'd try to get some specific advice for our impending move.

I'm starting a job in early January in the Sandy Springs area. We're looking to rent in the Alpharetta area. Not surprisingly, top schools and quality diversity are really important to us. We have two middle schoolers, high achievers and would love to continue in a school that values and supports extra programs and college preparedness as much as possible. Also avid soccer players. We'll be renting out our home here in NY and looking to rent for $1500-$2000. One will be heading to high school within a year of our move.

Right now I'm looking at Alpharetta, John's Creek and the Kennesaw/Cobb area. Any advice on these communities would be great.

Also, Atlanta seems to have several great charter schools. Specifically Amana Academy and Fulton County Science Academy have popped up in my research. Any thoughts or guidance on those or other charter schools?

It would be ideal to have some percentage of a caribbean community but that may be asking too much. we would be happy with some level of diversity though both culturally and economically if possible.

I'd appreciate any and all advice on neighborhoods. And are there websites, community groups etc that I should be using?

[Mattie]

Look for a house that fits your needs in either North Fulton or John's Creek, and the schools will be fine. East Cobb schools also, but the commute will be longer. Fulton County Science Academy is in Roswell I believe, I am not familiar with Amana. If you opt for one of the academies, your children can play soccer through Stars Soccer Club in Milton. I have been told it is a competitive program.

You won't have a problem finding a rental in the better school districts with your budget.

[lastminutemom]

While both good charter schools, if extracurricular activities are important to you, I would choose traditional public schools in N. Fulton or East Cobb. Charter schools are not inherently better than traditional public schools, especially in the areas of Metro Atlanta you are asking about.

[lawmommy]

I believe Milton HS is the best in North Fulton, so I would look for neighborhoods that go to the middle schools that feed into Milton HS.

Or, you could live where I do in East Cobb, the Walton HS/Dickerson MS/Timber Ridge ES area. Those homes are on the very edge of East Cobb, almost Roswell and would be an easy commute to Sandy Springs (15 to 20 minutes). And, those three schools are some of the very best, not just in Georgia, but in the nation.

All three ES that feed into Dickerson MS (Sope Creek, Mt. Bethel, Timber Ridge) are great, though, so you could broaden your home search a little. Just make sure you're renting in the Dickerson/Walton school zone if you decide on East Cobb.

[sith]

though a few years old, this site Alpharetta Real Estate » Alpharetta-area (North Fulton County) Public Schools should give you good information. i don't think much has changed.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Mattie

Look for a house that fits your needs in either North Fulton or John's Creek, and the schools will be fine. East Cobb schools also, but the commute will be longer.

Originally Posted by lawmommy

Or, you could live where I do in East Cobb, the Walton HS/Dickerson MS/Timber Ridge ES area. Those homes are on the very edge of East Cobb, almost Roswell and would be an easy commute to Sandy Springs (15 to 20 minutes). And, those three schools are some of the very best, not just in Georgia, but in the nation.

All three ES that feed into Dickerson MS (Sope Creek, Mt. Bethel, Timber Ridge) are great, though, so you could broaden your home search a little. Just make sure you're renting in the Dickerson/Walton school zone if you decide on East Cobb.

I mostly second what lawmommy write. I live in the northern part of East Cobb (in fact, in the portion of East Cobb that somewhat confusingly has a Roswell zip code) and commute to an office in Sandy Springs. I actually work from home a lot and lawmommy is absolutely right, the commute to Sandy Springs from the Walton HS zone (southernmost East Cobb) will be shorter and preferable to my commute from the Lassiter HS zone (northernmost East Cobb). In either case, the schools are great, though.

I commute to Sandy Springs down Johnson Ferry Road, and that's what lawmommy probably has in mind, too. The construction project doubling the span of the Chattahoochee bridge on Johnson Ferry Road is almost complete. (At present, all traffic is actually routed over the new bridge while the original bridge is closed for some upgrading.) Once they have both sides open at once, the rush hour commutes across that bottleneck should be much improved. On the other hand, GA 400 is pretty bad in rush hour. A commute to Sandy Springs down Johnson Ferry from the Walton zone in East Cobb would likely be shorter and quicker than a commute from Alpharetta or John's Creek via GA 400, rather than longer.

The original post also mentioned Kennesaw. That's further and would involve a commute on I-75 - probably not as attractive.

[lawmommy]

I forgot to mention that East Cobb and North Fulton are not known for their diversity. I think that is changing, though. And, don't let that turn you off. We need more diversity and won't get it if people like you don't move here!

In East Cobb, we have a growing affluent hispanic community, including many from South America, especially Brazilians. My subdivision has at least three hispanic families. We also have many from China, Korea and India living in the area.

That said, I'm not sure where you can find a concentration of people from the Carribean.

[MsThing]

Thanks so much! All helpful and will guide our tour when we visit later this month. My family will be follow me later in 2012 so I'll have a chance to research neighborhoods in person before everyone moves.

[SW30303]

People from the Caribbean are pretty spread out. Gwinnett comes to mind as having more people from there by number, but all I know is heresay. I think this can be found online somewhere with rough estimates of Caribbean people living in Atlanta.

Since you are interested in good public schools, go with pretty much any high school cluster in North Fulton (Alpharetta). East Cobb is also a good choice. When you visit, you can see how diverse all the suburban areas really are.

I would definitely rent first and decide later since you are new to Atlanta. Good luck with your move!

[ATL Golfer]

Why not rent in Sandy Springs? Riverwood is a great school.