I hate Caroline County

[Dean]

And posing as someone else, really?? You must not have one damn thing going for you in life, you just post your garbage bullsh*t on here. Lord Landor, SillHillbilly whoever the F you are please go dive into shallow water.

[Janice]

For what it is worth, I moved to Caroline County in 2003 and I happen to love living in the country. Yes there are times I wish we had amenities closer to us but that just means I plan my shopping trips all at once. Other than that (and my long commute to work) the reward is the peace and quiet I enjoy in my 5 acre yard. I love our house and wouldn't want to live in some 1/4 acre per lot subdivision if my life depended on it.

[13 and hating this place]

It's been a year and a half since I wrote my last post. Now I'm almost fifteen and frankly, not much has changed as far as the schools go.

I did some research and Caroline County Public Schools got a two out of ten rating on NeighborhoodScout.com and GreatSchools.com , as well as a number of other websites. In 2011, CHS fell below the state average for literally every single SOL there is except for one, where they were barely average. I mean... wow.

This year we are trying out block scheduling at the high school where I am now a sophomore, and let me tell you, at the beginning of the year it was a bloody mess.

Of the 1200+ students attending the school, about 500-700 had problems with their schedules. These problems included having empty class periods, being assigned classes that were no longer offered at CHS, and being assigned classes completely inappropriate for their grade level among others. It took about two and a half weeks for the problems to be sorted out by guidance, and there are still students sitting in the library doing nothing during class periods to this day.

There are not enough classrooms for all the teachers now, so teachers are forced to "migrate" from class to class throughout the day. One class is even held in a back room in the library. I'm pretty sure it used to be a closet or a kitchen, but only about four desks fit in there comfortably. There are ten.

In one of my classes there were too many kids for the limited space offered, so I sat on a pile of textbooks for my first three weeks in class. Nicely done, Caroline.

I'm not saying that the teachers are bad. There are a lot of truly passionate and caring staff members, and they are greatly appreciated. However, the dearth of proper academic equipment that most other schools take for granted is truly shocking. One of the main problems is simple: There isn't enough money.

Also, the lack of student participation has led to the downward spiral in the attitudes of some teachers. I don't know why, but for some reason many students have grown up thinking that they can just show up (or not show up) to class and goof off the entire time. There is no restraint of profane language or really.. well, anything. A lot of people don't take their education seriously and it is seriously distracting for those of us who actually want to make something of ourselves someday.

Personally, if I were a teacher at CHS, I would be tearing my hair out in grief and frustration. As hard as some of them try, and as smart as some students may be, if those students don't want to do the work, they won't. They simply DON'T CARE about the consequences. I'm not exactly sure how this started, but something needs to happen to make it stop. Truthfully, there have been times when I am just not feeling motivated as well. It's this widespread indifference throughout the population that is causing the lack of classroom involvement and the low test scores.

Yes, it is nice to know a lot of people around the town. Yes, the quiet atmosphere can be stress relieving. But the main problem here (in my opinion, and I am probably biased being a student) is the schools. There are no choices, and the schools available are inadequate. If anyone reading this is considering moving to Caroline and has children, please take this into consideration. Caroline is an excellent place to live for seniors (In fact, people over 55 make up about 42% of the population in Bowling Green) and nature lovers, but if you value your child's education, then this may not be the place you want to live.

I am sorry if I offend anyone, and I know from living here that there are in fact many intelligent and genuinely kindhearted people living in the area, but overall this is my view, and what has been my view since I moved here, and I'm not going to change it without reason.

[ivnws4u]

RE:13 and hating this place:
For a HS sophomore you offer a true perspective of what's happening inside the schools.
It sounds as if the block scheduling was put into action just days before the fall semester and not weeks in advance so the "bugs" were taken care of before classes started and not after causing the problems.
What you say about the lack of respect on the part of some students is disruptive to others like you who want to learn and grow. However, this has been an ongoing problem in Caroline since my kids went to CHS, the last graduating in 2002.
Somehow, all three of them did well at CHS and went onto college. One lives in SC and works as a chemical engineer. The second works in a biological lab at Dahlgren and the third is an architect with a firm in Richmond and is now the lead for a major project in Hampton.
Despite, all of the distractions I am sure you will remain focused on the task at hand and be successful long after your experience at CHS.
Now, to any of those who read this, whether a parent, teacher or school administrator take what this young person is saying to heart and strive to make things better.
Parents, you know if you have a teen that can be disruptive. If so, discipline them and not just throw your hands up in the air and leave it to the teachers. You're the parent. Teachers are not baby sitters. For those parents who have students like this one and want a better environment let your school board rep know.
Teachers, you need to use your voice and empower yourselves and send those disruptive students out of the classroom. If things have deteriorated so badly, go before the school board.
Administrators, what can you do to make the teaching environment better for all by listening to what staff, students and parents are telling you, so they don't have to take it to the school board.

[JMC]

When I bought my house in Lake Landor in 2000, my HOA fees were under $600 a year, Personal Property taxes on my vehicles were under $400 a year and, water service ( from Landor Utilities ) was $25 a month. Fast forward 12 years -- Not much has changed for the better in Caroline County ( unless you consider another subdivision, a new bank and the FoodLion shopping center "Better" ). No, I do NOT want rampant development in Caroline County -- that is why I moved from Fredericksburg -- but, I also do not appreciate the backwards thinking of the idiots who run our government and HOA either. This year, my HOA fees are $925 a year ( and there is nothing any better here now than in 2000 -- The maintenance still blows, the roads still are in dire need of replacement and the "rules" are more restrictive than ever ). My 2012 Personal Property tax is $1000 a year ( because the county voted to increase tax assessments to 100% of NADA retail value instead of 50% of NADA retail ) and, water service ( now from Aqua Va.) is an exhorbitant $150 per month for the same stinking, dirty well water that we used to pay just $25 a month for.
Caroline County may not be the worst place to live but, it certainly isn't at the top of anyone's list either. Yes, it still is like "country living" but with a New York City price tag ! Had I known then ( in 2000 ) what I know now, I would have picked someplace else to make home because Caroline will certainly price the working class or retired out of existence in this county -- Northern Virginia is moving south and Richmond metro is moving north. The prices are already here.

[ricky bobby]

I have lived in Caroline County for 5 years and they have nickled and dimed for every penny they could get out of me, first it was the property taxes, then business taxes, now it's the taxes on my vechicles, i just don't understand how my taxes went up on my vechicles and not down. Then all the school fee's you must pay for kids, I tell you Caroline county has really screwed me over..oh yeah then it's my water and sewer bill, on average $150.00 a months, my water is cloudy and smells like rotten eggs.

[Krizzah]

Instead of complaining, do something a lot more productive. Move. NOVA would be glad to increase its tax base. Caroline isn't exactly the best, but I've lived in PA and my taxes are much lower here. School fees? My PA hometown has a dress code and requires clear backpacks because of the Hispanic gangs. I would rather pay for a few random crayons and paper than multiple school cops and a metal detector at the entrance. And for JMC who believes our HOA are backwards idiots, I invite you to come to the Board meetings. You will see we have a CPA, a middle school vice principal, and a math PhD on it. Run for the Board next year if you want to implement change. Don't be cowardly and complain behind the randomness of the internet.

[badwatercostsmor e]

I have lived in Ladysmith for over 7 years. My house has lost value, the EPA reports of our water quality are horrible, the cost of water and sewer are ridiculously high, and there is nothing in this town but a single stop light, a supermarket, and a gas station.

I like the clear skies - I can see the Milky Way most nights. I love the clean air, the geese, the lakes, and the people in my neighborhood.

I do not understand why people think it is ok to charge more for bad water. My brother is a water wasting fool and lives in Prince William County. Not only does he never have to change his water heater elements and can DRINK his water, but he paid less than $30 last month for water and sewer. We average half his usage and pay $130 a month for water that clogs my faucets, corrodes my water heater electrodes in 3 years, and tastes terrible. Anyone who has made coffee with water from the tap can attest to the horrible smell and taste. The radioactive and toxic levels of our water are at the upper limits of the EPA tests (some exceed the limits and generate an error on the reports). What are we paying for? How can they justify not being able to provide potable water (that you do not have to filter and boil first) after taking so much money from our residents? What are they spending it on? There's less than 30,000 of us. It is not difficult to create better water systems for that small of a population (especially with the ridiculous amount of money they have taken from us). This is my only major gripe here in Caroline. The somewhat remote nature comes with less amenities and I can live with driving to Spotsy. I work in NoVa anyway. God knows there are no jobs in this county. Heck, the police aren't even hiring (which is actually a good sign).

[ivnws4u]

The value of everyone's house every where has gone down in value, sorry to say.
$130 a month. You must live in LLO.
I'm surprised that your water is at the upper EPA limits that people in that area of the county don't need electricity because they glow at night.