Northview High School (Atlanta, Roswell, Alpharetta: fit in, transplants, home) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

arks613 · 07-05-2008, 04:03 PM

Does Northview HS have a decent jewish population? I know that Walton does. I also know that there are a lot of jews in Dunwoody and Roswell, but I thought that a lot of these residents send their kids to private school. I have a gifted kid (so I need a good school) who is one of a handful of jewish kids at her MS in Kansas. I know she won't be a majority member, but I don't want her to be one of five either. From my research, I think that Walton is #1 and Northview #2 in the area. We wanted to spend under 400K if possible, so the Walton area is hard. I found Alpharetta and Northview and though that maybe this would be a better way to go. Please help! Thanks so much.

Mattie · 07-05-2008, 05:40 PM

The North Fulton area is full of transplants from around the country. There are temples, so there must be a Jewish population. But, questions like this always puzzle me. If you are sending your children to public school, what difference does the religious affiliation of the other students matter? I am not looking to offend anyone, I am just curious as to the reason for the question. The state of Georgia may be heavily Baptist, but North Fulton has all religions.

arks613 · 07-05-2008, 06:10 PM

It's difficult to be a minority-whichever one you are. Kids can sometimes be cruel and it's difficult to be different. My kid was the only Jew in her Kansas elementary school and heard a "joke" about the difference between a pizza and a jew. The punch line was that you can eat a pizza when it comes out of the oven. She was in the 4th grade and came home hysterically crying. By being part of a community in school, not only are you not alone-particularly around holiday time-but if the community is large enough, you hope that ignorance can be overcome by others because they interact with several people of that community. I can understand why you may be curious about questions like mine. If it was never explained to me, or if I (or my child) had never encountered prejudice, I may be curious too. I believe in the public school system and admire the diversity-it is one of the main things that I appreciate about it. (I grew up in NY and my wedding party was a veritable UN.) I just want my child not to be alone. Been there, done that and it's terrible. In a backwards way, in asking about the Jewish population, I am asking about diversity. I want to know that the school community is not homogeneous. That's why I won't send her to private school. I want both my kids to exposed to all different kinds of people, but I don't want them to be the poster children for Judaism. I want them to fit in, feel comfortable and not be the only different ones. Hope that helps.

lastminutemom · 07-05-2008, 06:26 PM

Yes -- there are Jews at Northview -- but Northview is huge. A new school is getting ready to open up there as well, so that should help. Walton probably has the highest percentage of Jewish students at any public high school in the state, but Northview probably has plenty. (Riverwood has actually has a bunch of Jewish students and you very well may find housing in that district in your price range. Lots of students who finish at the Jewish day schools enroll at Riverwood. It has an outstanding IB programme.)

Northview is only 60 percent Caucasian (nearly 30 percent Asian) so it is fairly diverse racially and ethnically though not socio-economically.

Mattie · 07-05-2008, 07:32 PM

OK Arks613, I understand what you are saying, but I don't think you will have any issues in the North Fulton schools. But, as lastminutemom pointed out, they are opening a new high school in the area of Northview, so if your heart is set on that school, watch out for redistricting maps.

Philagirl · 07-05-2008, 07:51 PM

I've no idea what the Jewish population is like, but I can tell you that there are a ton of non-Christians at Northview. The families I know there are Hindus and Buddhists. Your child will certainly not be the only person not celebrating Christmas.

Dignan · 07-06-2008, 06:08 AM

Druid Hills High School in Dekalb County used to have a significant Jewish population, but I don't know if it still does.

lastminutemom · 07-06-2008, 11:03 AM

It doesn't -- Lakeside has more and even that isn't that significant.

arks613 · 07-06-2008, 04:06 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Does anyone know if there is a Jewish population in Northview HS, though?

lastminutemom · 07-06-2008, 06:58 PM

Yes-- there are Jews at Northview, but the percentage of overall population is probably higher at Riverwood and perhaps North Springs -- though that school has become less popular the last few years.

Regardless of where you go to school, in the South, you will still run into the odd situation of homecoming on a high holiday, tests scheduled on a high holiday, etc. It isn't about anti-antisemitism as much as it is about ignorance and small numbers. Ironically, as Atlanta has become more diverse it has become much more difficult for schools to balance all the "demands' of the various religions.

Northview is a very large school -- so your child may not have Jews in every class. This may not be true at Walton or Riverwood for that matter.