Archive for the 'Schools' Category
What’s Going On With The New Bethany High School
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Milton Real Estate, Schools
I’m amazed at how many people are wondering - I’ve been asked a lot recently about the new Bethany Bend High School .
While most people are just curious, it’s also surprising how often I hear someone say “I hope it get’s delayed so my kid can go to Milton” . It seems to me that the new school will have the same demographic, same curriculum and many of the same students that would have gone to Milton. Granted, the sports and PTA organizations will have to start up from scratch, but I can’t imagine that the quality of education will be any different. Assuming that our children’s education is what is most important.
The school is still in the works, the money has been set aside and in place for construction. The Fulton County Board of Education has signed the contract with Parsons and Evergreen Construction and ground should break at the end of this month. The good news is that due to lower construction costs in the current market, the school will come in over $14 million dollars less than originally planned. Katie Reeves let me know that she has asked the Superintendent to set up a community meeting with Parsons & Evergreen to go over questions and timeline. At this time, the plan has not changed from having a project completion of summer 2012. Once we have this meeting completed we can all focus on the uproar to come…the R word. Redistricting - who’s in, who’s out and who cares….
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Milton High School Ranks in Top 500 Nationally According to Newsweek
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Milton Real Estate, Roswell Real Estate, Schools
As reported in Newsweeks annual ranking of the top High Schools in the nation, Milton High School ranked number 313, down slightly from last years ranking of 311, and is the highest ranked high school in North Fulton. Milton comes in just in front of Alpharetta High School but well behind Walton, North Gwinnett and South Forsyth High School. There are 19 Georgia high schools in the top 500, with 13 of them being located in North Atlanta. I’ve highlighted those schools below among the list of Georgia High Schools in the top 500 nationally.
| Rank | Scool | City | State | Index | Subsidised Lunches | E&E |
|
79
|
Walton | Marietta | GA | 4.36 | 5 | 57 |
| 148 | Riverwood ** | Atlanta | GA | 3.54 | 24 | 49.8 |
| 186 | North Gwinnett | Suwanee | GA | 3.32 | 21 | 46 |
| 199 | South Forsyth ** | Cumming | GA | 3.24 | 14 | 43.3 |
| 240 | Berkmar | Lilburn | GA | 3.04 | 71 | 18 |
| 242 | Davidson Fine Arts Magnet | Augusta | GA | 3.03 | 15 | 71.9 |
| 248 | DeKalb School of the Arts | DeKalb | GA | 3.00 | 29 | 74 |
| 295 | Chamblee Charter | Chamblee | GA | 2.81 | 40 | 48.6 |
| 313 | Milton | Alpharetta | GA | 2.75 | 6 | 29.2 |
| 345 | Alpharetta | Alpharetta | GA | 2.66 | 11 | 53.9 |
| 347 | Wheeler | Marietta | GA | 2.66 | 40 | 37.2 |
| 391 | Osborne | Marietta | GA | 2.51 | 81 | 13.6 |
| 399 | Roswell | Roswell | GA | 2.48 | 18 | 55.4 |
| 410 | Northview | Johns Creek | GA | 2.46 | 5.3 | 56.3 |
| 413 | Norcross ** | Norcross | GA | 2.45 | 60 | 34.3 |
| 429 | Morgan County ** | Madison | GA | 2.43 | 40 | 18 |
| 438 | Brookwood | Snellville | GA | 2.41 | 16 | 43.9 |
| 452 | Duluth | Duluth | GA | 2.39 | 40 | 36.7 |
| 467 | Lassiter | Marietta | GA | 2.36 | 10 | 49.5 |
Public schools are ranked according to the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school and divided by the number of graduating seniors. All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000; they are in the top 6 percent of public schools measured this way.
Note: Subs. Lunch % is the percentage of students receiving federally subsidized meals. E and E % stands for equity and excellence percentage: the portion of all graduating seniors at a school that had at least one passing grade on one AP or IB test.
** Includes IB. Nearly all other schools use just AP tests.
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Real Estate Sales Data in North Fulton - It’s Like the Weather
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Local Market Conditions, Metro Atlanta Statistics, Milton Real Estate, Roswell Real Estate, Schools
Just wait a while and it will change….The question is "What does it mean?"
I’m just trying to stay as away of the trends in our area as I possible can. I wrote a post last month about the average sales price for homes in North Fulton West going up. I compared the sales for March 2009 to March 2010. Subsequently I reported on an AJC article regarding 4 zip codes in metro Atlanta that have had year-over-year increases in Sales Prices - 30004 was one of those zip codes.
I wasn’t ready to declare "mission accomplished", we have a long road out. But…there was a nice trend shaping up. Little things point to larger things. The tax credit increased sales numbers and, despite our school systems financial woes, our schools and quality of life continue to help demand for housing in North Atlanta. All the dots are forming a nice picture. Then I pull the year-over year numbers for North Fulton in May:
The Good News
We are selling more properties than a year ago. Considerably more in North Fulton East of 400 - thank you tax credit. The tax credit put buyers in the market that not only freed up sellers to move-up locally, but relo traffic into North Atlanta has increased as well. Also, homes are selling faster on average than last year.
The not-so-good news
Needless to say I wasn’t expecting to see a decrease in the average sales price year-over-year. So, I took a look at a chart showing the average sales price for residential detached homes in Metro Atlanta for the past 10 years. 2010 is only current in this chart to April. What I noticed is a dip in the average sales price every April or May. Usually in April but it occurred in May of 01′ and 05′.
Why? To be honest, I have no idea. It’s a strange fluctuation that happens fairly consistently each April or May, but I don’t know why. In three of the past 10 years there was no dip (03′, 06′ and 09′). So does that mean we aren’t on track? Are we still improving? I think the the answer is that the the little things still point to bigger things. The direction is positive but the trip will take a while. It’s too soon to ask "Are we there yet".
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Nine Reasons to Buy a Home in North Fulton
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Johns Creek Real Estate, Milton Real Estate, Roswell Real Estate, Schools
There are several considerations buyers take into account when moving. The right home, the commute, community, access to shopping and entertainment. But one of the biggest reasons home buyers choose a particular area is for good schools. So here are nine reasons for buyers to search for a home in North Atlanta, because nine Fulton County High Schools were named AP Honor Schools.
Of the nine schools, eight were named AP Merit Schools for having at least 20 percent of students taking AP exams and with at least half of those exams receiving a score of 3 or higher. One of the nine, TEACH Charter High School, was the only Fulton County school to be named an AP Challenge School for having fewer than 900 students and offering AP classes in core areas. Here is the list of schools:
· TEACH Charter High School
· Alpharetta High School
· Centennial High School
· Chattahoochee High School
· Milton High School
· North Springs Charter High School
· Northview High School
· Riverwood International Charter School
· Roswell High School
The eight AP Merit Schools have made the list for the third year in a row. The College Board administers AP exams each spring, with scores ranging from 1 to 5. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams are eligible to receive college credit or may be exempt from some introductory college courses.
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Alpharetta Real Estate Market Stats: It’s local
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Johns Creek Real Estate, Local Market Conditions, Milton Real Estate, Roswell Real Estate, Schools
I just wanted to put a few numbers together to illustrate that we have to temper what we hear on the news about the housing market. Lately a lot of people have been pointing out to me that the number of homes sold for January 2o10 has gone down, unexpectedly, from units sold in December 2009. It’s true, January wasn’t as good a month in our industry as a lot of people had anticipated. However, just like other markets, we shouldn’t pay too close attention to gyrations that happen over a short period of time, but rather look at trends year-over-year.
The local part
In all of North Fulton (which includes Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek and Roswell), across all price ranges there were 202 homes sold in December 2009. That number a month later in January 2010 was 109 or 54% less than the previous month. But looking at the year-over-year figures, the number for January of this year was up 25% over the January 2009 figure of 87 sales.
It doesn’t mean we’ve arrived, but the gloom and doom on the national news isn’t necessarily the case either.
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Best Schools in North Fulton (Says Atlanta Magazine)
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Johns Creek Real Estate, Milton Real Estate, Schools
Atlanta Magazine came out with their Best Schools issue , listing what they have determined is the best Elementary, Middle and High School in each metro Atlanta county. The criteria they used to determine the best was based on the percentage of students who exceeded expectations in the most recently available CRCT results. High schools were selected by SAT scores.
Fulton county runs from Milton, through the city of Atlanta, to south of the airport. It is a very large school system, however it’s no surprise that the top schools were in North Fulton where a high level of parental involvement is the norm.
CRABAPPLE CROSSING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
12775 Birmingham Highway, Milton, 30004
770-740-7055
Grades K-5
Total Students: 757
Founded 1992
CRCT scores exceeding standards: Math: 71.5%, Reading 67.6%
Teachers avg. years of experience: 11
Homes for sale in this school district: Home Search
WEBB BRIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL
4455 Webb Bridge Rd., Alpharetta, 30005
770-667-2940
Grades 6-8
Total Students: 1357
Founded 1996
CRCT scores exceeding standards: Math: 63.7%, Reading 62.3%
Teachers avg. years of experience: 12
Homes for sale in this school district: Home Search
NORTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
10625 Parsons Rd., Johns Creek, 30097
770-497-3828
Grades 9-12
Total Students: 2133
Founded 2002
SAT: 1722
Graduates going to college: 99%
Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 88%
Teachers avg. years of experience: 10
Homes for sale in this school district: Home Search
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Why now is the time to purchase a home in Crabapple
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Crabapple, Local Market Conditions, Milton Real Estate, Schools
I know, your saying, "but there are all these empty lots and builders aren’t building". That’s true, but this area has been a sought-after location for home buyers for a long time and it continues to be, even in this market. The community is highly involved in managing area development and keeping the look and feel that currently exists. So, here are….
5 Reasons why NOW is a good time to purchase a home in Crabapple:
1. Prices have dropped about 30% from thier peak
Now, I’m speaking specifically about the new construction, which includes Crabapple Crossroads , Crabapple Crossing and Crabapple Station . The surrounding communities in the resale market have not dropped that much. From the peak of the market, prices for Metro Atlanta have come down about 23% on average. Of course some areas suffered more and some less, Alpharetta home prices are only down around 16%. And, for the other reasons outlined below, we’ll see home values in Crabapple come up over the coming couple of years and I believe they will eventually surpass the peak market values (over time).
2. Crabapple has some of the best schools in North Fulton
The three schools that Crabapple feeds, Crabapple Crossing Elementary, Northwestern Middle and Milton High School, are in demand for good reason. Crabapple Crossing ranks 15th among elementary Schools in the state of Georgia. Northwestern Middle School raised thier SAT scores to 1722 out of a possible 2400 and Milton High School is in the top 500 in the nation , ranked at 311.
3. Crabapple is a solid destination for dining
As I sit here in Element coffee shop , using their free wireless and writing this post, I’m looking at a group of women in a personal training class at Anytime Fitness next door and I’m thinking about how my wife told me she met a friend at the Olde Blind Dog Pub at 7:30 on a Wednesday night they were packed and on a wait. And Sip’s new Tapas and Wine bar has been full since they opened a few weeks ago. Having been there on a couple of occasions, I know first hand how good their food is and why they are staying so busy. So, add in Little Azios, Milton’s , Cans, and you have a great dining destination community.
4. Crabapple is a great Walkable Community
So, the three new communities in Crabapple that surround the shops and restaurants are Crabapple Crossroads, Crabapple Station and Crabapple Crossing. All are within a mile of the antique shops, restaurants and stores. It’s one of the only walkable communities in North Fulton.
5. Crabapple has been proposed as the city center for Milton
Milton is only 3 years old (next month) and while it’s residents take an active roll in the community / government and embrace the small-town rural feel, Milton lacks a city center that will give it real location and city destination. A local developer, J.T. Adams has proposed a Milton Town Center which, if completed, will further enhance Crabapple’s draw and support the recovery of property values.
Do you live in Crabapple? Are you thinking of moving to the area? Let us know what you think about what’s there, what’s needed and if a City Center is a good idea.
Posted by Bob Strader | Currently 5 Comments »
New Bethany High School Plans Introduced
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Local Affairs, Local Information, Milton Real Estate, Schools
If you didn’t have a chance to attend the community meeting last week to review the proposed site plans for a new high school in Milton, you will want to review the information below. This is a first draft, not a final proposal, that was shown to the community by the architects, CGLS Architects, and by Fulton County Schools. CGLS is the same firm that designed the new Johns Creek High School and due to the short time-frame that they have to finalize a design for the new high school, they will be working with something along the lines of the Johns Creek High School plans.
The site is located at the corner of Bethany Bend and Cogburn, across from Kings Ridge, on a 64.48 acre site. Approximately 25 of those acres will remain undisturbed due to some wetlands, stream buffers which flow intermittently, and an existing pond that will remain intact. It will take 24 months to build and will be open for the 2012 school year.
There were quite a few residents in attendance and many questions were brought up (no shortage of opinions by any means!), some of which I’ll share with you, but first I’ll give you the short list of what is proposed:
Key Points of Interest
- Enrollment: 1,900
- School size: 327,640 sq. ft
- 600 - 700 parking spaces for cars, 24 for buses
- 600 seat performing arts theater
- 200 seat gymnasium w/ raised 3-lane running track
- 5 tennis courts
- Baseball field w/ batting cages
- Sports stadium which will accommodate 2500 home and 1200 visitor attendees
- Softball field
- A separate practice field
- A band practice area
Student Population and Redistricting
I had to chuckle at the first question from the crowd when a gentleman stood up and asked "where on that plan will the trailers go?". As you probably know, trailers are an issue at some of the schools in North Fulton and certainly not unique to schools all around Atlanta. This is a local sore subject I mentioned in an earlier post regarding redistricting and trailers at Cogburn Woods . The answer was reassuring, and hopefully accurate. When this school opens and pulls students who would have otherwise attended Milton or Alpharetta High Schools, there will be no requirement for trailers at any of these schools for some time to come.
The last question led into the next obvious question regarding redistricting and who will be allowed to remain at the other schools. The answer is rising 10th, 11th and 12th grade students can choose to remain at the High School they are already attending but parents will have to provide transportation to that school. Redistricting meetings will take place in the spring of 2011 and the final lines will be drawn by August 2011. Families impacted by the redistricting will be notified by that winter and the spring of 2012. Fulton County Schools has a Redistricting page on their website for additional information.
Other Questions from the community
Another big question had to do with potential access from Hwy 9 in order to minimize traffic on Bethany and Cogburn. A good question but with all commercial property along that side of the school property it isn’t an option. However, the plan does provide for an entrance off both Bethany and Cogburn for drop-off and pick-up which will ease traffic concerns on those roads.
From there the questions ranged from wanting the school to have a look and feel that will mirror our rural, equestrian community to a concern over the distance from the locker rooms to the softball field. With no vehicle access to the softball field, kids will have to carry their equipment too far. Hmmm… maybe the school should be a barn and the kids can ride horses to the stadium.Ok, I’m just kidding….
Some of the other questions or comments had to to with: The cafeteria being too small to feed that many children, why isn’t there a swimming pool, why isn’t it a 3-story building instead of a 2-story building, will the school be built by Americans or illegal aliens, how long will it take to acquire books for the library, will the sports programs and band programs be in place at the beginning or be built from scratch. I have to give Katie Reeves, our district representative from Fulton County Schools, credit for breathing common sense back into the conversation when the discussion would go a little astray. As she pointed out, the principle is hired one year out from opening. Teachers, staff, sports and band programs and operations will all be worked out in advance in order to have a fully prepared and operating school from day one.
What about Money?
With declining tax revenues a question was raised about building costs. Katie Reeves pointed out that while SPLOST revenues were down over $6 Million, building and material costs were down significantly and would "save the day" allowing for the school to be built within budget. We were assured that teacher and staff salaries were in the budget when a question was raised about hiring quality teaches in light of the recent teaching layoffs and staff cuts. Oddly this was the only question of the night regarding education…
It’s great that we have such overwhelming community involvement from local parents and certainly you can’t please everyone but I’m sure the school will be something we will all be proud to have our children attend. You can see the full presentation from that evening on the Fulton County Schools site. If you missed the meeting and have some ideas about what was discussed we would like to hear from you. Tell us what your thoughts or concerns are. Or better yet, what do you think we should name this school?
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