Assigned to Ft McPherson w/ 2 high schoolers - Walton HS or McIntosh HS? (Atlanta: rent, houses)

[armyfamily]

It seems you have to be really far away from Ft McPherson to get to a good high school. Walton seems to be the closest on the north end and McIntosh seems to be the closest better school on the south side. Is the commute from East Cobb County really that bad to Ft McPherson? I hear the traffic is horrible on the north end.
We'll only be there 2 years, so we'll rent a house and there are nice ones near McIntosh -- and the golf carts are appealing to high schoolers -- any opinions?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by armyfamily

It seems you have to be really far away from Ft McPherson to get to a good high school. Walton seems to be the closest on the north end and McIntosh seems to be the closest better school on the south side. Is the commute from East Cobb County really that bad to Ft McPherson? I hear the traffic is horrible on the north end.
We'll only be there 2 years, so we'll rent a house and there are nice ones near McIntosh -- and the golf carts are appealing to high schoolers -- any opinions?

OK, you should stay on the Southside of Atlanta. However, there are many great high schools on the Southside besides McIntosh. Check out these high school districts (Note-you will also have a decent commute to Fort McPherson for all of the high schools listed):

I highly recommend the schools with an asterisk (or two!)! (*)

Fayette County
**Sandy Creek
*Whitewater
*McIntosh
*Starr's Mill
*Fayette County

Henry County
*Union Grove
Eagle's Landing
*Ola
*Luella
*Locust Grove (new for 2009-2010)
Woodland
Stockbridge

Coweta County
**Northgate
**Newnan
**East Coweta

South Fulton County
Westlake
Langston Hughes (new for 2009-2010)
Creekside


Check out these maps for the locations and the attendance zones of the schools...


Fayette County:
http://www.fcboe.org/generalinfo/docs/fayettemap_high.pdf (broken link)



Henry County:
http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/151610129144153340/lib/151610129144153340/All_High_Schools.pdf (broken link)



Coweta County:
Coweta County School System** |** Newnan, GA** |** 770.254.2800 (http://www.coweta.k12.ga.us/redistricting/maps.htm - broken link)



South Fulton County:
http://www.fultonschools.org/redistricting/SouthFultonHS/SFHS_Final_Esize.pdf (broken link)


There is no need to commute from a place like East Cobb if you'll be working at Fort McPherson! There are plenty of good/great schools much, much closer!


I hope this helps. Good Luck!

[armyfamily]

Thanks for your input - those boundary links especially!
Do you have an idea of the time of commute from East Cobb vs. the southern areas like East Coweta, McIntosh and Northgate? We are moving from Northern Virginia, so my kids are used to activity - movies, shopping & restaurants, & jobs close by. Is the golf cart community that big of deal?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by armyfamily

Thanks for your input - those boundary links especially!
Do you have an idea of the time of commute from East Cobb vs. the southern areas like East Coweta, McIntosh and Northgate? We are moving from Northern Virginia, so my kids are used to activity - movies, shopping & restaurants, & jobs close by. Is the golf cart community that big of deal?

I can't give you exact times for commutes--however, trust me...if you're working at Fort McPherson, you want to stay on the Southside.

Because of Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem, Fayette and Coweta counties have lots of military people/families. Many people similar to your situation.

I really think you would feel very comfortable (with great schools) if you find a place in Peachtree City/Tyrone/Fayetteville (Fayette County) or Newnan/Sharpsburg (Coweta County). Southern and Eastern Henry County are good as well.

I think someone has put "East Cobb" in your head...because along with "North Fulton" the areas are seen as the most similar to Northern Virginia. However, the aforementioned Southside Atlanta communities (Fayette and Coweta) have exactly what you are looking for...just on a smaller scale. They're just not as well known outside of Atlanta.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by armyfamily

Thanks for your input - those boundary links especially!
Do you have an idea of the time of commute from East Cobb vs. the southern areas like East Coweta, McIntosh and Northgate? We are moving from Northern Virginia, so my kids are used to activity - movies, shopping & restaurants, & jobs close by. Is the golf cart community that big of deal?

...And another poster will surely chime in soon with exact commute times (they always do)...the commute from Fayette/Coweta to Fort McPherson will be pretty good/quick (but, unfortunately, no trains like NoVa!).

[armyfamily]

Ok, I only have 2 days to look at high schools. Northgate & East Coweta seem to be the closer in East Coweta. I think once we get there to look though, my girls maybe swayed by the neighborhood pool and golf cart in Peachtree City. You put 2* by Sandy Creek, why do you like that over McIntosh? Someones else also told me Whitewater my be less cliqueish. I have 9th grade & 11th grade girls, so fitting in is a big deal. We also want to be near church with a contemporary service & good youth program.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by armyfamily

Ok, I only have 2 days to look at high schools. Northgate & East Coweta seem to be the closer in East Coweta. I think once we get there to look though, my girls maybe swayed by the neighborhood pool and golf cart in Peachtree City. You put 2* by Sandy Creek, why do you like that over McIntosh? Someones else also told me Whitewater my be less cliqueish. I have 9th grade & 11th grade girls, so fitting in is a big deal. We also want to be near church with a contemporary service & good youth program.

That's exactly why I placed two ** by Sandy Creek and the Coweta County schools...they are less cliqueish.

Plus, Sandy Creek is closer in. Check out the Southampton area (of Sandy Creek High) in particular.


There are a couple of mega-communities in Coweta County similar to, but on a smaller scale than Peachtree City that could "sway" your daughters as well...

I think one is called Summergrove. Other posters (Coweta experts...), please chime in. I know there are some really nice communities in the immediate vicinity of Northgate High.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by armyfamily

Ok, I only have 2 days to look at high schools. Northgate & East Coweta seem to be the closer in East Coweta. I think once we get there to look though, my girls maybe swayed by the neighborhood pool and golf cart in Peachtree City. You put 2* by Sandy Creek, why do you like that over McIntosh? Someones else also told me Whitewater my be less cliqueish. I have 9th grade & 11th grade girls, so fitting in is a big deal. We also want to be near church with a contemporary service & good youth program.

...also--

For Coweta, Northgate is closer in....however, don't count out Newnan High...it's really the same distance as East Coweta and only slightly further than Northgate.

[Tdiddy0027]

just a heads up- woodland high in Henry county is apparently closed

[ecuresident]

In Newnan there are def some mega communities that are nice, the ones that come to mind are Summergrove which is a subdivision with about 2000 houses, a golf course, lake, etc. The school there I think it East Coweta, Arbor Springs is on the other side of Newnan which is similar to summergrove. The school on that side is Northgate. Northgate is academically considered better than East Coweta. I think East Coweta is considered the worst of the high schools in Newnan, but I dont know spec, just from what I have heard. The schools are considered better in Fayette, actually the best in the state. But are VERY Clickish. A lot of the homes in peachtree city are $1 million+ and unfortunately comes with the associated sterotypes. Someone told me that peachtree city has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the state. Keep in mind I have only lived in Newnan for about a year and this is all what other people have told me that have grown up in the area.