Raising children in Southern Utah naturally leads parents to
be highly interested in the community’s schools. Personally, having children at
all levels in the charter and public school system, we have had quite a bit of
experience with different schools.
Washington County school district
is somewhat unique in that there are four different schools in the progression
of schools from kindergarten to 12th grade: Elementary is K-5, Intermediate
School is 6-7, Middle School is
8-9, High School is 10-12. The areas
that feed into each high school are referred to as cone sites. In Washington
County, we have the Desert Hills, Dixie,
Hurricane, Pine View, Snow Canyon and
Enterprise cone sites. In addition, there is Millcreek, an alternative high school, that is fed from all of the
cone sites. A list of all the schools can be found on the county website: http://www.washk12.org/
There are also several private and
charter schools that are worth, at least, considering as you choosing which
area to purchase a home and lay down roots. Currently, the charter schools are
George Washington Academy, Success Academy at Dixie State, Tuacahn, Valley
Academy and Vista at Entrada. http://www.charterschooltools.org/charterSchools.cfm?stateID=44
One of the first things I find
myself researching is test scores and comparisons of schools in the area. And
one place to start is at the Utah Department of Education site. https://psdreports.schools.utah.gov/Gateway Type in the school that you are curious about;
see what scores pop up.
But as helpful as scores can be as
a starting place, I find that talking to locals helps me find out more about
the personality of each school and the meaning behind some of the scores. For
example, East Elementary in St. George in recent years has posted low test
scores, but when I talk to people whose children attend the school, I hear
about wonderful, dedicated teachers and fantastic teaching. The explanation
(that is completely unquantifiable and subjective) I hear from parents is that
there is a high percentage of students who are not native English speakers.
Despite the quality of teaching, this seems to drag down the test scores as a
whole.
In the following posts, I will look
a little closer at the schools, but there is nothing like talking to the
locals. We can be some of the locals you talk to as you look for homes in the
area. We have heard the praises and the frustrations. We want to help you find
the best situation for you.
Contact us:
Chris Jones 435-313-3966
Or
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