I grew up in a small town in North Carolina and moved to Raleigh in 1991 to attend school at Meredith College. I stayed in Raleigh after college because I was looking for a diverse community with a small town feel and a place with lots of activities. Raleigh is a big city with a small town feel. There are so many great restaurants, cultural experiences, and music venues.  I was also so impressed by the friendliness. And of course you can’t beat the location – close to both the mountains and the beach.

Some of my favorite things to do around the Triangle include sporting events like the Hurricanes hockey games or NC State football games, concerts and finding new restaurants. My husband and I find a new restaurant to try every month.

My advice to newcomers who are looking at schools for their children is do your research. First, find out to which school you are assigned. Then take a tour of your school. Usually in December and January, every school in Wake County has tours or open houses, but if those aren’t available, you can always call to schedule a tour. It is also very important to get to know your principal and vice principal. Building relationships with those stakeholders will help make the transition smoother for you and your whole family.

Parents should expect to find schools with a community feel where parent involvement is excellent. You should also expect to find qualified staff, schools that have high expectations for their students, and schools that understand the importance caring for the whole child. Education is important, but so is teaching students how to be well rounded citizens.