If there’s any question about the demand for good public schools in Montgomery, AL, check out the population explosion at Wynton Blount Elementary School.  Clearly there is a trend, and clearly Blount is meeting that need.

It’s the newest elementary school in Montgomery and it draws from neighborhoods on the south side of Vaughn Road in east Montgomery (Sturbridge, Deer Creek, Thorington Trace, Breckenridge, etc.).  Count the portables – they’re evidence of the demand for good neighborhood schools.

So it’s in a good location, but what goes on inside?  Click here to check out test scores for Blount Elementary.

With Carr Middle School scheduled to open next door in the fall of 2009, it seems that demand will remain strong for Blount Elementary School.  Its address on Ray Thorington Road means that it will be surrounded by new neighborhoods with varying price points, and it will be convenient to east Montgomery shopping and churches.

You can contact Blount elementary school at (334) 244-0078 or visit their website here.  You can also access the Montgomery Public Schools website by clicking here.

Several different neighborhoods in east Montgomery are zoned for Halcyon Elementary School.  Basically, Halcyon students come from the corner of Bell and Vaughn Roads, east down Vaughn Road (in between Vaughn Road and I-85).  If you can get to The Shoppes at EastChase, you can get to Halcyon.  The school backs up to some of the best shopping in town.

For the exact zoning of any school, be sure to contact the Montgomery Public School System at (334) 223-6700.

I drove by Halcyon Elementary School the other day and took these pictures.  Sorry, but they are not Ansel Adams quality, but I thought that people might be interested in what it looked like.  One teacher was even nice enough to let me in to photograph a classroom.  She was in there getting organized for the new school year, which starts on August 11, 2008.

Here is a look from the outside:

Here is the inside of a classroom:

For Halcyon’s SAT-9 test scores click here.

If you’re looking for a home in Halcyon Elementary School’s school zone, or any school zone in the Montgomery area, call us at the number at the top of the page, or send us an email.  We’d love to help!

I drove by the new soccer fields at Saint James United Methodist Church yesterday and took some pictures so you can see the newest sports venue for kids in East Montgomery.  In what was previously a big pasture behind the church, there are now soccer fields, bleachers, and a covered pavilion.  Looks nice!

The fall season in underway (practice started in August), and the location is great for residents of Pike Road and east Montgomery -although anyone from any part of town can play there.  If you’re not familiar with the Upward sports concept, click here to learn more from the national website.  Upward sports are also offered at Frazer UMC.  The Montgomery YMCA offers soccer and many other sports as well.

The Y’s are great in Montgomery.  Spread all around town, they have excellent facilities and high participation from all ages.  That’s where people go.  From someone who did not grow up with an active YMCA program, this is a marvel – great fitness and entertainment for the whole family (year round) for a really cheap cost!

For moms with young children, they have child care.  For working parents, there’s after-school care.  My personal favorite is the heated indoor swimming area - a great change of pace from the regular February activity! The exercise classes are top notch, as are the personal trainers - should you be so inclined.  The fellowship with other families is an added bonus.

In east Montgomery alone, there are Y’s located on Bell Road, Atlanta Highway, and at The Waters. It’s hard to get too far from one. Click here for a larger version of this map.

There are sports programs - soccer, t-ball, baseball, football, volleyball, gymnastics, tennis, wrestling, track, cheerleading, swimming, etc., and their website says over 10,000 kids in Montgomery participated in sports through the Y.   Non-members can play sports, but Y members get a 50% cut in registration fees.  Even for small families, that discount will almost pay for the monthly membership cost.

It’s a great deal.  I had no idea.

If you’re looking for a great location, Sturbridge Plantation is close to just about everything east in Montgomery.  I’m often envious of its position right in the heart of retail, restaurant, and residential development along Vaughn and Taylor roads. It’s hard to get much closer to grocery stores, pharmacies, shopping, movies, gas stations, banks, etc. and still have the privacy of this neighborhood.

Sturbridge is big, but it doesn’t feel big.  It’s new enough to offer modern amenities (pool, fitness center, playground, etc.), and old enough to have a little history (as far as east Montgomery goes) and a little foliage!

Sturbridge is divided into subdivisions, so there’s a little of everything:  the colorful Cottages near the entrance, the traditional homes in the Plantation, the large stone and stucco homes of Rockbridgse, the estate lots on Payne Road.

Bottom line: People in Sturbridge do a lot of living there.  They are zoned for two new schools: Wilson Elementary School and Carr Middle School They take swimming lessons sponsored by the YMCA at the pool.  They host holiday craft markets at the clubhouse (which are well attended).   I’ve been to a Super Bowl party at the clubhouse and I’ve met friends at the park for play dates.  I get a real sense of community when I’m in Sturbridge.

Would anyone else agree?  Help us out and let us know!

If you’d like to look at a home for sale in Sturbridge, let us know by calling the number at the top of this page or sending us an email.

If you’re mapping out a house hunt based on Montgomery public school zones in East Montgomery, Breckenridge could be on your short list.  Throw a rock from a Breckenridge home and you could easily hit Blount Elementary School, the construction site of Carr Middle School, and the Ray Thorington baseball complex.  Ray Thorington Road has become a major corridor for new development, so who knows what else that rock will hit in 2 years?  5 years?  Bottom line:  It’s close to good public schools and convenient to east Montgomery shopping and attractions.

My family was in Breckenridge the other day for a birthday party at the pool/clubhouse.  It’s a big facility, with all the bells and whistles a new neighborhood (e.g Deer Creek, Sturbridge, Woodland Creek) has these days:  pool, clubhouse, playground, green space, sidewalks, etc.  The kids loved the zero-entry pool.  The parents loved the shade at the pavillion.  The amenities were definately more than anticipated.

I also went along with John to show a house one Saturday.  To me, the houses looked pretty big, and in a higher price range than some neighborhoods off Ray Thorington Road.  The home I was in had features that were a notch above the traditional spec house – built in cabinetry, more extensive molding, high end finishes in the kitchen.

Curious about where your rock will hit?  Give Breckenridge a look.  We’ve been there and can help you.  Contact us at the phone number or email address at the top of this page for a showing of any River Region home!