Shauna and Bobby Hill decided to rent out their three-bedroom home in Union City in order to settle into a different school district. A new home in northwest Atlanta offered more space and modern interiors for the Hills and their kids, Bray, 7 and Saige, 5.
The priority
Finding a school district with public elementary, middle and high schools that were consistently top-ranked and offered challenging curriculum was a motivating factor for moving and a priority in their search.
“We wanted to find somewhere that we were satisfied with the elementary school, the middle school, and the high school,” said Shauna, who works in the Fulton County Juvenile Court. “We were trying to look for that consistency all throughout their school years.”
The family was drawn to Bolton Academy because of its diverse student body, level of parental involvement and its accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School program, Shauna said. Bolton Academy began in August 2003 and provides education from pre-K through fifth grade for the Bolton, Riverside, Whittier Mill and Collier Hills neighborhoods. It is part of the Atlanta Public School system’s North Atlanta Cluster, which feeds into Sutton Middle School, an IB school that was renovated in 2006, and North Atlanta High School, a $147 million facility that opened in 2013.
Besides the school district, the Hills desired a backyard big enough for their kids to play. Their previous home lacked yard space, so they often made frequent trips to the park.
“A backyard was huge,” said Shauna. “They like to go outside.”
The search
Bobby stumbled upon Riverside Walk while driving home from work and saw that Epic Development was building new homes in the neighborhood, located off Bolton Road and inside the Perimeter. The two-story Craftsman-style homes, priced in the low $300,000s, offered about 2,000 square feet, three to four bedrooms and lots of a quarter acre or larger.
The Hills purchased a lot and selected the floor plan, then were able to customize the four-bedroom home. They closed on the home in August.
“We weren’t aware of all of these homes over here,” Shauna said. “Don’t be discouraged and don’t settle.”
The home
The Hills selected modern finishes, such as dark wood cabinetry and granite countertops for the kitchen, and hardwood floors throughout the home. The backyard is spacious enough for Saige and Bray to play outside after school and on weekends. The children are also enjoying having a two-story home as compared to their previous ranch-style home.
“I think they are liking the stairs,” said Shauna. “It reminds them of when they go over to their grandparents’ home.”
The tip
Keep your priority in mind. For the busy family, the school is close to Bobby’s job as a project manager. Bray can take the bus to school, and if he misses the bus, the school is only five minutes away.
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