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Rosemount does sound lovely. How far of a drive is it to abbott? To Eagan? as that seems to be where the lifetime fitness (for yoga, swimming, tennis,etc) and gymnastics schools are. I love the idea of being close to the zoo, Lebanon park, etc. what about distance to Hopkins, as family lives there. And airport noise in Eagan/rosemount? That is good to know about minnetonka's music program. It looks like white bear lake has also cut out a lot of their music and art programs, but that's only going off the district site so maybe I'm wrong? Do you know anything about Eden prairie or shore view?
Success does begin in the home, but i disagree in some part about the schools role in their future. my kids "happiness" at school is just as important, and that can only add to their well being and self confidence. They are there five days a week for years. Unfortunately, we have had the experience with my eldest of dealing with panic and anxiety attacks for weeks on end that we had to get professional help with because of bullying and other issues at school, tears everyday when we had to bring him to school, breakdowns on pick up as he had to do "nothing" in class because he already knew the work and finished his quickly so had to sit and wait up to an hour for the others finish. Going to the school for help resulted in nothing. What kind of future would he have had if he had to stay there for the rest of his school years? So we switched schools and it has been like night and day, he thrived and is so happy to go, helping him to be happy at home and within himself. Or maybe all the schools in MN are just that good that things like that don't happen there and I'm worrying for nothing? I know my middle one would not be so excited to go to school if he couldn't do his favourite things, music, choir, and instruments. So I'm not looking for a school community that turns all of them into PhDs (I feel like my posts have been misread as I'm not quite sure where you are getting that idea), just a well rounded one that supports differentiation, tough on bullying and programs and teachers that keep kids enthusiastic about learning. I'm not sure why it's a negative that I'm trying to find that for my kids, when I have the ability to, as we are having to find a new community/state to live in anyway? If its within a place that provides all the other things our family would like around them, wouldn't it be the most obvious choice of suburb to pick?
Airport noise in Eagan is really minimal and confined to a few areas, mostly commercial but some residential. It's easy to avoid. We get no noise in Rosemount. Rosemount and Eagan share a border so they are "across the street" from each other.
Eden Prairie has pretty good music programs, not as good as Rosemount, but better than Minnetonka. The schools are just HUGE so be aware of that. If your kids want to participate, they have to be the best of the best for sports, etc. or they won't make the team/play, etc.
Commute to Hopkins-for family visiting times, it's not a big deal. You can get from one end of the metro to the other in 30 minutes, non-rush hour. The commute to Abbott from the south metro is actually really easy-just hop up Cedar Ave. That gives you the option of Eagan, Apple Valley, Rosemount, maybe even into Lakeville (but budget issues in Lakeville makes participating in sports, etc. very expensive). Cedar is probably one of the easiest commutes in the metro-especially working nursing hours. It's probably easier than coming from the west metro because you don't have to cross over 35W then.
Shoreview is mostly in the Mounds View district, which is also an excellent school district. Irondale High School has a pretty good music program. It's gone downhill some in the past couple years but it's still well supported. Hopefully they turn it around again though. It's been one of the steady programs in the state for years. It's just hard to top Rosemount's music program. There are 3 full time band directors with 6 concert bands, 4 jazz bands, numerous ensembles and 8 time state marching band championship and 4 time state-fair parade champions-and they are going to be in the Rose Bowl Parade this year. They are one of the best bands in the nation. Irondale and Eden Prairie would be the next best choices. Eastview (in Apple Valley) would be after those.
I agree with you that the schools do matter. Yes, children can succeed anywhere, but being in an environment that suits them sure makes it a lot easier. You also have to look at opportunities--Eagan high school, for example, has far fewer AP classes than the other schools in the district--not sure why--but that can impact college choices down the road. Students from Eagan still do well though.
It's a good problem to have when there are too many choices vs not enough choices.
Rosemount does sound lovely. How far of a drive is it to abbott? To Eagan? as that seems to be where the lifetime fitness (for yoga, swimming, tennis,etc) and gymnastics schools are. I love the idea of being close to the zoo, Lebanon park, etc. what about distance to Hopkins, as family lives there. And airport noise in Eagan/rosemount? That is good to know about minnetonka's music program. It looks like white bear lake has also cut out a lot of their music and art programs, but that's only going off the district site so maybe I'm wrong? Do you know anything about Eden prairie or shore view?
I can answer some of your questions as I live in Lakeville on the border of Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Farmington. Rosemount also borders Eagan and hence the drive between the two towns is very quick and easy. It is about a 27 mile drive to Hopkins and about 24 miles to Abbott but travel times to either location will vary greatly depending on traffic; during non-peak hours you can get to either place in about a half hour but if inclement weather or rush hour conditions are part of the picture, you trip times can double in a hurry. There is no problem with airport noise in Rosemount. Eagan sits right next to the airport and while some areas don't have problems with noise, other neighborhoods can be bad depending on location/proximity to the airport and flight paths.
Eden Prairie and Shoreview are also both very nice towns but on virtual opposite ends of the metro (EP is southwest and Shoreview is northeast). As far as schools, Shoreview is served by Districts 621 (Mounds View) and 623 (Roseville), and my understanding is that Mounds View is one of the best districts in the state, although other posters who have kids and a more accurate knowledge of MN schools will probably chime in. This town is farther from the airport and MN Zoo than Eagan or Rosemount but offers other terrific assets (including parks) and is close to St. Paul. Eden Prairie is a very nice, affluent southwest suburb, and my understanding is the school district is good but it's very large (the high school is second largest in the state). It would be a quick trip to Hopkins from Eden Prairie, but travel time to Minneapolis (Abbott) can be tough because the major freeways in the area (494, 169, and 62) are always congested. It has some great parks and is close to the MN Arboretum in neighboring Chanhassen. Edina and St. Louis Park are also nearby, and both of these towns offer a plethora of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.
In my opinion any of the aforementioned towns are great choices, and you really can't go wrong with any one you select.
Thank you so much for your advice! It's really reassuring. I think we will limit our searches to those areas, rosemount/Eagan, shore view, Eden prairie. Do some test runs to work etc when we get there, visit schools and the other places we will be frequently (like the library, parks, etc). Eden prairie sounds good, the size of the schools is concerning. Not so much because of sports as I think we will have to outsource for that anyway (I think they may like having a go at team sports, but I don't think they will be too worried if they aren't the best as long as they are having fun with it), since mine seem to be drawn more towards tennis and gymnastics anyway, but in terms of class sizes and sheer number of kids "on the playground" so to speak. The school we had a bad experience at was also a very large school so they had issues with keeping things like bullying under control.
Just to throw another one out there, what about mahtomedi? Are there any particular areas of Eagan/rosemount that are more quiet (not just in terms of air noise, but safe cul de sac type, wooded areas), and family orientated, that we could focus on looking?
Thank you so much for your advice! It's really reassuring. I think we will limit our searches to those areas, rosemount/Eagan, shore view, Eden prairie. Do some test runs to work etc when we get there, visit schools and the other places we will be frequently (like the library, parks, etc). Eden prairie sounds good, the size of the schools is concerning. Not so much because of sports as I think we will have to outsource for that anyway (I think they may like having a go at team sports, but I don't think they will be too worried if they aren't the best as long as they are having fun with it), since mine seem to be drawn more towards tennis and gymnastics anyway, but in terms of class sizes and sheer number of kids "on the playground" so to speak. The school we had a bad experience at was also a very large school so they had issues with keeping things like bullying under control.
Just to throw another one out there, what about mahtomedi? Are there any particular areas of Eagan/rosemount that are more quiet (not just in terms of air noise, but safe cul de sac type, wooded areas), and family orientated, that we could focus on looking?
Mahtomedi is also a great district. You really aren't going to find unsafe areas in any of the towns you are looking at. Eagan you want to stay in the 196 schools, there are 2 other districts in Eagan. Evermoor in Rosemount probably has the most kids in general but you will find great, family friendly neighborhoods all over town. There is a neighborhood off McAndrews and Pilot Knob that you might like, very wooded, off the beaten path type place, full of kids. It's partially zoned for Eastview and partially for Rosemount but you can pick either. It gets you 5 miles closer to work too, easy biking distance to the Zoo, Lebanon Park, etc. too. Dover Drive is one of the streets into that development.
If bullying is a concern, maybe you can do some research, perhaps with the school administration. No school should have any bullying going on, but I do know from accounts published in local media that some schools take that duty more seriously than others. I'm inclined to think inner city schools are more of a bullying hazard, but that's a prejudice of mine. Bullies have always been around, but our country gives lip service to nonviolence while supporting a culture of violence over and over. I wouldnt be surprised if there was a history of inaction on bullying in some of these armed attacks on schools. I think some administrators prioritize protecting themselves over protecting their kids. I know ONE place for SURE that is different. The Friends School of Minnesota on Englewood in St Paul. They originated an Alternatives to Violence program that gets presented other places.
To me bullying is a lot like doctors' mistakes. The public should know EVERYTHING about bullying incidents, but insiders don't like transparency on the subject. Frankly, I think parents whose children are bullied should go public with their difficulties getting action from school systems. I'm not sure why there isn't something like MADD for bullying. There is a lot of social repercussions from covering up bullying. The bullies and their victims both need help. Covering up, either by parents or school personnel just scabs a social sore over and lets it infect, only to burst later in various sorts of crime and social dysfunction.
Honestly, the only wealthy suburb that I'd steer clear of is Eden Prarie if you are worried about bullying. The type of mental bullying that's been reported on there is terrifying.
If you haven't moved here yet; my advice is to move to another state. As I stated in my reply to the "What do like most about Minnesota" thread; I literally don't have anything positive to say about this state, and the condition it's in. If what I said doesn't detour you; you will learn later on.
"PAGANISTAN"; that title should scare anyone enough with some form of morals or ethics!!
If you haven't moved here yet; my advice is to move to another state. As I stated in my reply to the "What do like most about Minnesota" thread; I literally don't have anything positive to say about this state, and the condition it's in. If what I said doesn't detour you; you will learn later on.
"PAGANISTAN"; that title should scare anyone enough with some form of morals or ethics!!
Wow, must have been a T Party loser nursing wounds. They always think they are the most "moral" people in the state. I wonder if any of them will move to a "more moral" state like North Dakota.
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