As you mentioned the big advantage if you have young kids is it’s so easy for them to walk to school. We live in a gated community so not affected by traffic but one potential negative I’d say if you’re right across the school or within a block or so is traffic can be bad in the morning and also in the afternoon when parents are picking up their kids.
I wouldn’t say the traffic is a huge deal because you can typically try to avoid those streets but if you lived right across the street, there won’t be any avoiding the traffic. Cars can be snaked around the block on some of these streets. Or they will have student/kid crossing guards with signs who tend to hold intersections forever so if you can’t avoid these streets you can get stuck with traffic.
Plus during drop off and pick up times there simply aren’t enough spaces in the school parking lot so you’ll have people parking in front of your house. Not a big deal probably unless you are having some function or guests arriving at these times.
I don’t think noise would be a big issue unless you’re right across the street from an Elementary school. These elementary schools all typically have multiple playgrounds outside and young kids scream while they are playing so that probably could get annoying if you’re right across the street.
No way I’d want my backyard facing a playground. Just too much noise. And some of these elementary schools have ESS (Extended School Services) programs where they have daycare until 6 PM and as late as 4:30 PM they are playing outside. Young pre-school age kids are loud.
I’d say noise and traffic are going to be the main disadvantages. I’d think twice about your backyard facing a playground. When I pick my daughter up at Willow Grove Elementary, it’s very loud with kids screaming in the playground. And the thing is that you have various classes all taking turns playing out on the play ground so it’s not even like the noise is concentrated a few hours in the morning or afternoon.
I don’t think the school rank is going to matter when it comes to noise levels. 10 rated school kids will be as loud as 7 rated school kids. LOL.
