Have you toured Courtenay? I did last fall while looking into Pre-K options for my sons and was very impressed with the staff/classrooms I saw. While I wouldn't have hesitated to send my kids there for Pre-K, I don't think I would have made that choice for K-8 (with the disclaimer that our home school is Coonley, so a school would have to be amazing for me to want to go out-of-neighborhood).

Basically, along with the postives Courtenay has as a small school (small classes, sense that everyone knows each other) come the negatives (the smallish gym is also the cafeteria, they didn't as of last year have full-time music/art/foreign language teachers).

It is difficult for them to fundraise for extra stuff with a smaller community that is highly low income. Although I know they do have a Friends of Courtenay up and running now.