North Chatham Elementary- Chatham Co/Amberly Neighborhood. Any input (PLEASE!)? (Lexington: sales, neighborhoods)

[momto2cs]

We're strongly considering the Peninsula neighborhood in Amberly, but I'm very concerned about sending my child to a sub-par elementary school. Education is a top priority for me, and what I'm seeing is really stressing me out. I know what a difference a good school can make, as I was a product of going from a not-so-good school system making pretty bad grades to a really good one and making all A's.

Does anybody here live in this section of Amberly and currently attend this school? Any feedback? Is it possible to pay to send our kids to a Wake school? We have a couple of years before my first child starts Kindergarten, but...

Somebody please chime in and help!!

[RadiatorSprings]

You said you have a couple of years before your first starts school. You may want to do a search on here under Governor's Club (I believe they are at the same school as the Peninsula) and search under Amberly on here as well. I've read that new schools are supposed to be coming closer to the Peninsula in Chatham. If I recall, Chatham has a site that breaks down the school's scores and demographics for the school as well. All of this will change I'm sure before yours starts school. Anyway, wish I could be of more help. Good luck.

[NC gal (aka Oregon gal)]

I live in Lexington at Amberly and we're in the Wake Co. school district and I was under the impression all of Amberly was.
We just moved here from Oregon and my 2nd grader goes to Greenhope Elementary.

[PA Hokie]

Originally Posted by momto2cs

We're strongly considering the Peninsula neighborhood in Amberly, but I'm very concerned about sending my child to a sub-par elementary school. Education is a top priority for me, and what I'm seeing is really stressing me out. I know what a difference a good school can make, as I was a product of going from a not-so-good school system making pretty bad grades to a really good one and making all A's.

Does anybody here live in this section of Amberly and currently attend this school? Any feedback? Is it possible to pay to send our kids to a Wake school? We have a couple of years before my first child starts Kindergarten, but...

Somebody please chime in and help!!

I wish I could give first-hand feedback, but I wanted to say that we are building in the Peninsula. We'll be moving in next June and our daughter just turned 2 y/o. We considered the school "situation" and decided that Chatham schools are being fed by some very high-end neighborhoods, the elementary school seems to get very good marks (although not the high school), and by the time she's ready for school who knows what the elementary schools will be like for Chatham or Wake county. I'm not sure that it's fair to call North Chatham Elementary school "sub-par". My husband and I are very turned off by all the Wake county school system flux that has been going on recently...debates over mandatory year-round and how far across the county your kids may get shipped to school. The fact is, you don't really know what situation you'll get in Wake in a few years.

Chatham is a growing area that will have to support the development moving in and they have already passed bonds to build more schools. A new high school is scheduled to open in 2010 and a new elementary school is planned for 2012. Visiting the Peninsula, we have seen lots of other young kids, which also reassures us that others feel comfortable with the school options there as well.

The sales agents in the neighborhood refer you to these websites:

ncreportcard.com
greatschools.net
North Chatham School