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My husband will be relocating to NC in June and our family in July.
B/w Chapel hill/Cary /Durham/Raleigh which is the best private school for our 3 children ages 5,10 14.Will prefer all 3 in one school but will consider 2 schools .Academic program and diversity at school a priority.
Also then what areas would you recommend for buying a 4 BR home ,range 600,000 within 10 mins of these schools.Highway access a plus.
If recommending more than 1 please give pros and cons of each.
I would suggest Ravenscroft for all 3 kids: Ravenscroft School That would put you in the North Raleigh area so you could do anything along Falls of the Neuse, or Wakefield even. You'd have access to 540.
There are many many great private schools in the triangle. I know that carolina parent online has a substantial list, and that may help you.
I would agree in north raleigh area, Ravenscroft as well as North Raleigh Christian have excellent reputations (although I am sure that there are more out there!!)
In the cary/chapel hill/durham area it depends on what type of school you are looking for............
Durham Academy
Carolina Friends School
Cary Academy
Trinity School
Duke School
All of these schools have an excellent reputation. Cary Academy is probably the "newest" of the ones listed, built off of Harrison Ave. I went to Carolina Friends, but that was YEARS ago!!!
There are many schools to choose from, and it may be easier to read up on them and see which make the most sense for your family (and then see if there are openings!)
Chapel Hill/Carrboro have excellent public schools as far as college prep goes. Really hands-down excellent. They need to work on some other things, like bringing up lower performing students, but the college prep area is excellent.
Durham Academy is a traditional academic based private school. There are also many religious private schools. Carolina Friends is a little more left-leaning in philosophy.
Thank you everyone for taking the time.
I have a list of private schools and researched on line but wanted a first hand/personal/local perspective .Example I have the impression that at Ravencroft the focus is sports rather than academics and no diversity.My children enjoy sports for fun but not competitively.
Private schools b/c my children perform better when more is expected of them and in the public schools are lost in the crowds/tend to just go with the flow.
Prefer a non religious school
Durham Academy. You might also consider Duke School for the youngers. You can easily get the home you need in Durham for that budget. check Duke Forest neighborhood for good proximity to both schools and for decent highway access.
Thank you everyone for taking the time.
I have a list of private schools and researched on line but wanted a first hand/personal/local perspective .Example I have the impression that at Ravencroft the focus is sports rather than academics and no diversity.My children enjoy sports for fun but not competitively.
Private schools b/c my children perform better when more is expected of them and in the public schools are lost in the crowds/tend to just go with the flow.
Prefer a non religious school
I have friends who have children at Cary Academy, and one of the deciding factors for sending their children there was the amount of diversity, I think it is some place around 25 percent. Along with that, there is a definite focus on academics, and although athletics are important, they are certainly not the main focus. For what it is worth, my friends love it as do their kids.
Academics are rigorous at Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools. Actually that's a common complaint — that it's too academically competitive and kids who aren't motivated and/or gifted fall in the cracks. I wouldn't rule them out until you check them out. Very diverse also. There is usually at least one and often more than one perfect SAT score each year.
The people I know who go the private school route (and I do know several, myself among them) don't do it because the academics aren't up to snuff in Chapel Hill. We mostly want a smaller environment or a different teaching style and there are always a few folks who feel like their kids are too good for public school.
There are some good charter options around, too, like Woods Charter in Chatham County and I think I've heard good things about Raleigh Charter? If we do private high school it's likely to be Friends school. If you're looking for a traditional private school, I'd say Durham Academy on this side of the triangle. I can't speak to Raleigh options.
Example I have the impression that at Ravencroft the focus is sports rather than academics and no diversity. My children enjoy sports for fun but not competitively.
Private schools in the area are not really known for their diversity. Ravenscroft is academically focused first, then athletics or arts. They believe in the "well-rounded" student so while academics are important, extra curricular activities are also important.
We are fortunate to live in an area with so many great options. I did not see Cardinal Gibbons listed yet, so I'll throw that in the mix too.
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