The Best Corn Mazes in Atlanta, Georgia

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What Every New Atlantan Needs To Know

What Every New Atlantan Needs To Know
Getting the Inside Scoop On Your New City
by WHITNEY BRENNAN

As a new or future Atlanta resident, you’ve picked a great city to call home. But undoubtedly, you are experiencing some stress and anxiety as a result of preparing for your new life in an unfamiliar place. A new job, a new school for your children, new people, new places. But rest assured: Atlanta is a great place for everyone. Forbes.com recently ranked Atlanta the No. 1 Best City for Singles; Peachtree City was named One of the Best Places to Retire by U.S. News & World Report; and Kiplinger.com ranked Atlanta one of its 25 Best Cities for Married with Kids. In other words, no matter your situation, Atlanta is sure to feel like home. The city is a thriving, vibrant area, offering plenty to do, incredible neighborhoods to call home, fantastic job opportunities and top-notch health care. In fact, there is so much to know about Atlanta that you may need some help navigating this metropolis. Where can you shop, see a play or concert, browse artwork, watch a baseball game? What is The Hooch, the Perimeter, Tech or The Ted? The following answers these questions and more, offering insight into such topics as Atlanta’s entertainment options, the job market and health care. It’s what every new Atlantan must know.

Arts, Entertainment & Shopping

Atlanta is home to some world-class attractions, entertainment venues and shopping destinations. Whether you’re into theater shows, concerts, exhibits, history, animals or sports, Atlanta has you covered.

Shopaholics enjoy the fact that there are more than 15 major shopping malls in Metro Atlanta. Buckhead’s Phipps Plaza, once named a “Southern Best” in Southern Living magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, features over 100 specialty stores, including Jimmy Choo, Juicy Couture and Gucci, as well as four full-service restaurants. With 225 stores, the Mall of Georgia is the largest mall in the state—and one of the largest in the country. Located just half an hour from the city of Atlanta in Buford, the Mall of Georgia features such stores as H&M, Armani Exchange and Swarovski Crystal.

After a shopping excursion, why not enjoy a concert or theater production at one of Atlanta’s world-class venues? The Arabian palace-style Fox Theatre downtown is itself a must-see, but the venue often hosts world premieres, innovative adaptations of classics, as well as exciting concerts. Upcoming shows include Nutcracker and Tarzan. Located on 45 wooded acres in Alpharetta, the state-of-the-art 12,000-seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre offers an unparalleled outdoor performance experience. Since its opening in May, the venue has hosted four sold-out Eagles shows, other concerts, and community events such as movie nights.

Metro Atlanta also offers plenty to do for history and art buffs as well. The Atlanta History Center boasts one of the Southeast’s largest history museums, as well as permanent, temporary and traveling exhibitions and historic homes and gardens. Temporary exhibit Jim Henson’s Fantastic World is on display through Jan. 18. The High Museum of Art has more than 11,000 works of art in its permanent collection—19th- and 20th-century American and decorative art; European paintings; modern art and photography; and more. The final year of its unprecedented three-year partnership with the Louvre Museum explores how the definition of “masterpiece” has changed over time, with 91 works of art from the Louvre spanning 4,000 years.

The Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world.  Photo by: Kevin C. Rose,  AtlantaPhotos.com

For those who may be more into wildlife, Atlanta is home to the world’s largest aquarium. Boasting 8 million gallons of fresh and marine water and more than 100,000 animals from around the world, The Georgia Aquarium houses aquatic life from whale sharks to piranha and African penguins to sea otters, and coming in 2010, dolphins. A short drive away in Grant Park, Zoo Atlanta offers more than 200 species of animals. The clouded leopard, giant panda, African lion and Komodo dragon are just a few of the zoo’s residents.

Atlanta pleases sports lovers as well. Baseball fans can visit state-of-the-art Turner Field for an Atlanta Braves game; football fans can enjoy a thrilling Atlanta Falcons game at the Georgia Dome, the largest cable-supported domed stadium in the world; and those looking for basketball or hockey can find it at Philips Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers. And all three of these world-class venues offer fun and activities in addition to the games.

Navigating Neighborhoods

Atlanta has come a long way from its beginnings 170 years ago as a railroad village called Terminus. Today, “Atlanta” refers to a metro area encompassing more than 20 counties, but the city itself also has a collection of intown neighborhoods that have developed such a unique character and charm that it’s easy to forget that these vibrant communities are not cities, but neighborhoods of Atlanta. The following are just some of these great intown neighborhoods.

Some of the finest examples of period architecture can be found in Atlanta’s Ansley Park. Developer Edwin P. Ansley modeled his Ansley Park on park designs by famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The neighborhood, featuring wide winding streets, offers a suburban lifestyle in the heart of the city. Also recognized for its architecture is Atlanta’s beautiful Inman Park neighborhood. As Atlanta’s first trolley suburb, Inman Park has a rich history, and its caring citizens work hard to preserve its beautiful Victorian-era homes. The more than 1,400 retail stores in Buckhead generate more than $1 billion in sales every year. The upscale neighborhood also boasts multi-million-dollar estates. The Greenwich Village of Atlanta, trendy Virginia Highland is home to an ever-growing number of nightclubs, galleries and boutiques, as well as renovated turn-of-the-century houses and exclusive gated communities.

Getting Around Atlanta & Beyond

Because Atlanta is a metropolis—with over 5 million people—traffic congestion is an everyday part of life for most residents. However, metropolis status also has its advantages, including the fact that there are various ways to travel and alternate transportation options. Atlanta’s regional transit system comprises five major systems, one of which is the city’s local Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), which offers both bus and train service for $1.75 one way including transfers. The four other major transit options include Cobb Community Transit, Gwinnett County Transit, Clayton County’s C-TRAN and Xpress, a luxury coach service for 12 metro counties. (Tip: Some employers will pay for their employees to use mass transit.) Those who may want to carpool can find a carpool partner through The Clean Air Campaign, a nonprofit organization that encourages Georgia schools, employers and commuters to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. And for those who need to travel outside Atlanta by air—for family visits, vacations, business trips— Atlanta is home to the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Business is Booming

Atlanta is home to more than 138,000 businesses and has become one of the top job producers in the nation. Much of this job creation can likely be attributed to the fact that the metro has the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation—Coca-Cola, UPS, Delta and The Home Depot, to name a few. Major businesses continue to choose Atlanta, and it’s no surprise. Atlanta has long been recognized by reputable companies as one of the best business cities. In 2006, consulting firm KPMG concluded that Atlanta was the least costly large U.S. city for doing business. In addition, in 2007, The Boyd Company, the New Jersey-based management consulting firm, named Atlanta the second-least-expensive major city in which to operate a corporate headquarters. Atlanta is expected to add about 34,000 jobs in 2009. Global technology company NCR will contribute to this job creation, adding 916 jobs in the next 26 months at its Peachtree City and Duluth locations.

High-Quality Health Care

Atlanta is well known for hospitals and medical facilities boasting first-rate technology and care. The area is home to world-renowned U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, American Cancer Society, Arthritis Foundation and top research medical universities, including Emory University and the Morehouse School of Medicine. Grady Memorial Hospital has one of the top trauma and burn centers in the nation, while Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is renowned for its exceptional care for children. North Fulton Regional Hospital, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. Atlanta is also home to The Shepherd Center, one of the nation’s largest catastrophic care hospitals treating patients with spinal cord injury and disease, brain injury and degenerative, neuromuscular and urological disorders. Both The Shepherd Center and Emory University Hospital were among the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals 2008. The Shepherd Center was ranked 9th among the top 25 for rehabilitation. Emory University Hospital was ranked in seven categories, including 13th among the top 50 in the country for heart and heart surgery, as well as 9th in ophthalmology; 11th in psychiatry and in geriatric care; 13th in neurology and neurosurgery; 19th in ear, nose and throat; and 20th in kidney disease.

Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. Photo by: Kevin C. Rose, AtlantaPhotos.com

Know the Lingo
Common Atlanta terms and phrases

Big Chicken: An Atlanta landmark, this 56-foot metal rooster that soars above a KFC in Marietta has been in existence since the ‘60s
The Connector (or Downtown Connector): The stretch of highway where interstates 85 and 75 overlap
The Hooch: The Chattahoochee River serves as a source of power, drinking water and recreation
ITP/OTP: Inside the Perimeter/Outside the Perimeter—meaning inside the I-285 loop (the more urban areas) or outside (suburbia)
King and Queen Buildings: Located at the I-285/Ga. 400 merge, the designs of the two towers resemble chess pieces
The Perimeter: I-285, which circles the city of Atlanta and is meant to be used as a bypass
Spaghetti Junction: Complicated intertwining of I-85 and I-285 loops and bridges
Tech: Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, one of the oldest, most respected polytechnic universities in the country
The Ted: Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves

published in Dec/Jan 2009 issue of Newcomer magazine as cover story

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Movin’ on Up to Middle and High School

Easing the Transition
by WHITNEY BRENNAN

Middle School and High School

The transitions to middle and high school can seem daunting—to both children and parents. New middle and high schoolers enter a larger school and must deal with a larger number of new peers, new teachers and new subjects than they’re accustomed to, as well as become the youngest in the school—again. Parents hope their kids feel accepted by peers and teachers, earn high scores, meet great friends and make good decisions. And these challenges of transitioning are compounded by relocation to a new city as well. Some stress will always accompany the move to middle and high school, but there should be excitement, too, as the change also means new friends, new extracurricular activities, lockers and more freedom in the hallways. Parents, rest assured—there are ways to make the transition easier, for both you and your child.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, parents feel they can become less involved with school as their children get older, when parental involvement actually becomes more important at this time. Research has shown that involvement results in fewer absences, improved behavior and social skills, higher grades and test scores, and an increase in self-esteem and motivation. And according to the National Education Association, an organization dedicated to improving the country’s education system, students’ grades typically drop when they enter middle school, and freshmen in high school are more likely to drop out than their older peers. Clearly, it’s important to help ease this transition for your child. And one of the keys to a more successful transition is to be involved and communicate openly with the school and your child.

To help your child transition into middle or high school, you must understand what concerns they have. According to the National Middle School Association, the only national education association dedicated solely to the educational and developmental needs of middle schoolers, the main concerns of new middle school students include getting to class on time, getting lost, making failing grades, having more challenging work, being picked on and taking tests. As these students transition into high school, their concerns change somewhat: getting good grades, taking tests/final exams, taking difficult classes, preparing for college and turning in work on time. However, these concerns may not apply to all children. Your child may be more concerned about what you expect from him or her, making friends, peer pressure or getting into trouble. Discuss the transition with your child and ask how he or she feels about the change (excited, stressed, anxious) so that you can better understand what worries he or she has.

Perhaps one of the best ways to help alleviate some of your child’s fears about the transition is to make sure you and your child are familiar with the school and its transition resources. Most schools host an orientation/open house for students, which is particularly helpful to sixth- and ninth-graders. Some high schools even offer a freshman orientation for students entering the ninth grade. Orientations and open houses typically allow students to meet teachers and other students, get a copy of their class schedule, and, most important, familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. Getting to know teachers and other students helps ensure that your child will see at least one person he or she knows on the first day. Because students typically have one teacher and one classroom before entering middle or high school, having classes with more than one teacher in various rooms can be a confusing concept. Students who receive their class schedules at orientation should walk from class to class, if possible, so they feel more comfortable on the first day of school. Locating the lunch room, gym and restrooms may also help reduce first-day stress. Orientation also is a great place to practice opening a locker if your child receives his or her locker assignment. In addition to hosting orientations, some schools may also mail information packets to families, which may include materials about peer pressure and middle/ high school expectations, a student handbook and what to expect the first day of school. Be sure to speak with school administrators about options that will allow you and your child to learn more about the school. For example, middle and high schools usually offer more extracurricular activities, from drama to lacrosse, which allow your child to make friends and explore new interests—so find out as much as possible about the school.

If your child has started middle or high school this school year, then he or she has likely already attended an open house or orientation. However, transitioning is not an event, but a process that your child experiences beyond the first day of school. And there are additional ways to help ensure that this transition process continues to be a successful one. Many middle and high schools offer programs that pair an incoming sixth- or ninth-grader with an older student in the school who is available to answer any questions or concerns that the younger student may have. Typically, the older student helps with navigating the school, including finding classes, the lunch room or the gym, opening lockers, etc. But at the very least, this peer mentoring gives younger students the comfort of knowing that they have someone at the school to turn to during their time of transition. Similar to peer mentoring is teacher mentoring. A sixth- or ninth-grader is assigned to a teacher who answers questions and provides assistance. Some schools also offer Q & A sessions, where students typically meet in small groups and ask administrators or older students questions relating to the transition experience. Another valuable transition resource for students throughout the year is the school counselor, whose job is to help students with academic, career and personal objectives. Make sure your child takes advantage of opportunities to meet the counselor—at open houses, orientations or other school visits. Most important, if your child has any questions during the transition year, he or she should know who to ask—an older student, a teacher, a counselor or a school administrator.

In addition to ensuring that your children succeed socially during their first year as a middle or high schooler, you should also help ensure that they succeed academically. Schoolwork will be a bit more challenging than it was in prior years. In elementary school, your child was likely graded on a check system (check-plus, check, check-minus) or a satisfactory/unsatisfactory system. The move to middle school typically means grading will be done on an A-B-C scale (A+, A, A-, B+, etc.) or 100-point scale (scores in the 90s are typically As; scores in the 80s are Bs; 70s are Cs, etc.). If students are not exposed to the 100-point scale in middle school, then they may experience it when they enter high school. But regardless of whether your child experiences a new grading system, the grading and assignmentswill be tougher, as more is expected academically of students at these grade levels. Be sure to meet with your child’s new teachers before the start of the school year or in the beginning of the year to find out what these new expectations and grading policies are. Also, ask about homework—will your child have homework nightly; how much time will he or she be expected to spend on homework; will the homework be graded for accuracy, or will the teacher just check to make sure it was completed? Of course, share the information with your child—the more information he or she has about expectations at the new school, the more at ease he or she will feel. High school students should be encouraged to think about what they want to do after high school—if attending college, they need to choose classes, such as college prep, advanced placement, etc., that will help them reach their goal. School counselors are a great resource for helping students prepare for life after high school.

Education
Continue to meet regularly with the teachers throughout the year to track your child’s academic progress. Because of the research that suggests students’ grades drop when they enter middle school and ninth-graders have a higher risk than older students for dropping out, a smooth transition to middle and high school is critical to your child’s future academic success. High schoolers who plan to attend college will need to maintain good grades to attend the schools of their choice. Thus, it’s important to know how your child is doing in school so you can provide the assistance he or she may need. Along with parent-teacher conferences, many Metro Atlanta schools offer online programs where parents and students can monitor grades. Ask school administrators what options are available for tracking your child’s progress. Discuss any academic issues with a teacher as soon as possible. Your child may need more assistance in school, a bit more help at home or tutoring.

Because your new middle or high schooler will have classes that are more challenging and more assignments to complete, organization and time-management skills will be critical to a successful transition. Students entering middle and high school are expected to be more responsible academically, so if your child fails to complete an assignment on time, the result may be poor grades. A different colored notebook for each class may help improve organization. Also, sit down with your child, look at his or her assignments and help your child create a schedule. Don’t hesitate to ask your child if an assignment has been completed. If you ask middle schoolers now, then you should need to ask less when they enter high school. Additionally, your child’s teachers understand that the transition to middle or high school can be difficult, so if your child is feeling overwhelmed by the amount of schoolwork, discuss this with them. They may be able to help your child better organize his or her assignments. For high schoolers who attend college, time-management and organization skills will be needed to juggle even more difficult classes and assignments.

Transitioning to middle and high school certainly can be difficult for both parents and children—especially when combining this transition with a move to a new city. But by being involved and communicating with both the school and your child, the transition may indeed be easier.

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