Supporting Local Schools

Why is supporting our local schools important for the neighborhood? 

There’s a quote that’s stuck with me for several years that comes from an old motto in Shaker Heights in Cleveland - “A community is known by the school it keeps.” In today’s world there are infinite factors that affect the success of a school, but there is no arguing that a well-regarded, well-supported school can be a tremendous benefit to its neighborhood. The reputation of Normal Park Museum Magnet (NPMM) is what drew our young family to Northshore when we moved to Chattanooga in 2020 and it has been a draw for countless other families. 

Our neighborhood is fortunate to have great schools at every level, from daycare & preschool at Northside Learning Center (NLC) to NPMM for pre-k-8th and Chattanooga and Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts (CCA), a magnet school for 6th - 12th grades. 

How does having these schools right out our front door benefit our neighborhood? 

• Socially

• The ability for families and students to safely walk to school everyday is a key to community building and creating a family-friendly vibe. 

• Strong schools help families put down roots. These roots give us the motivation to engage with our neighbors to find ways to identify and overcome problems. 

• Economically

• For homes in the Normal Park school zone, the reputation of the school continues to positively impact home values. Homeowners who want to see their house values remain strong should have a vested interest in the school’s success, whether they have children attending school or not. 

In future posts, we’ll be sharing ways that NCNA and our neighborhood-at-large can support our local schools. Education committee members will also be meeting with school leaders to learn about ways our community can partner with the schools and promote those opportunities through NCNA, including opportunities to learn more about Historic Preservation grants to help modernize our aging school buildings. 

So where do we go from here? Join us for our next Education Committee Meeting on Sunday, October 6 at 4:00 p.m. at the Amy’s home. Please email: northchattanooganeighbors@gmail.com to let us know that you plan to come. Address details will be sent via email. 

- Amy Packer, Head of NCNA Schools Committee