Moving to Charlotte very soon. Help! (Smithfield, Weddington: rental, mortgage, house)

[malaika1]

Greeting everyone:

I will be spending a week in Charlotte to find a rental house and register my two
children(ages 5 and 7) in school. We are looking to be completely moved to Charlotte
by the first week in August. I have researched schools and the area we want to move
in, on a daily basis. We have settled on South Charlotte, Ballatyne or possibly
Mathews area. Both my children are extremely smart, my 5 year old speaks, English,
French and Spanish. My husband and I both stress the importance of education and our
children rather read than watch television. I have narrowed my school choices to,
Providence Springs, Hawkridge, Elizabeth Lane and Collingswood or Smith Language
Academy for my daughter if she can get in. However, I have recently heard about Smithfield
Elementary so, maybe that is an option also.

It is important that our children are in a somewhat diverse enviroment and that they
are challenged academically but also are able to have fun and be exposed to extra-curricula activities. I have two request from anyone who wants to answer. Could
someone please rank the above schools based on a well rounded enviroment based on,
curriculum,diversity, and nuturing staff for all. We are also looking for a nice rental
home. I have seen plenty of rental property in the HawkRidge school zone but very
limited inventory in any other school I mentioned. I have seen nothing in the Providence Springs school area. I am looking for a 3 to 4 bedroom home with a fenced
in backyard, I have two small dogs. Your responses are greatly appreciated.

[indraman]

Might I offer up this suggestion: if your kids are truly gifted, I would call ahead to the gifted coordinator of the CMS district to make sure you have them scheduled for testing before the school year begins. Otherwise, your poor kids might be stuck in a traditional class for months until all the paperwork gets done. All of those schools have excellent reputations, but they are public schools. Challenging your kids isn't their top priority. Sorry to be blunt, but we just experienced this very thing with our oldest child. He spent 4 wasted months waiting to be tested because of the short staffing. Good luck.

[XNYgirl]

I beleive from my current research you have to have a lease/mortgage documents and a utility bill to register your kids in school. This might have an impact on how quickly you can get that done.

CMS has many programs for children for example foreign language, spanish emmersion academy, montesorri (spelling), padea (sp) just about everything, I know they are competitive to get a spot in them.

As far as gifted, our county said they don't do anything wiht gifted testing wise until 3rd grade.

Good Luck with your decision and your move!!

[U120]

It appears the whole Marvin School District may be overtaking Weddington as the premier one down here???

[Keith "Baby-Face" Lutz]

Only time will tell. Both are excellent areas and "Schools of Excellence", you are probably talking about splitting hairs.

Also alot of teachers get re-assigned. So who knows!

[groove1]

I know of a rental house in Fort Mill 3br/2ba. Fort Mill is in SC right next to Charlotte and has a reputation for very good schools.

[louiethe4th]

I was tested for being gifted when I was in first grade, it has been a while but I remember taking academically gifted classes as early as 2nd grade.

CMS has an elementary school devoted entirely to gifted kids, Barringer Academic Center.

Hope this helps