What School Disrict Should I Choose?

[homewifeev]

I have no problem with diversity. If you would view my profile you would know that I grew up in Shaker Heights, OH. A town where wealthy Blacks and Whites raised families side by side. Shared schools, parks, grocery stores, etc. I know spelling my thread title wrong, I was in a rush here. I don't know how to change the title of my thread. I am a General Surgeon, just so everyone knows I don't work for money, I have been to Jamaica to administer free meds, and I worked in Pilsen for most of my career. I am not the type of person to boast about money. I thought I could share my criteria without being insulted for it. I would like to raise my son in an environment that is racially and culturally diverse but one that is not economically diverse. My husband and I want to put my son back in public school. I believe I did not write anything bad on the Cabrini Green thread. Whatever I wrote I meant. If I could just get some more advise and the personal insults could stop, it would mean so much to me.

[reppin_the_847]

If you're going to be commuting to Aurora, then certainly a move to the western suburbs may make your commute (to Aurora) a whole lot easier. However, the commute to Chicago will probably get worse given the fact that 290 East going into Chicago from the western suburbs is an absolute nightmare, and crawls like a snail. Given the fact that you're going to be commuting out to Aurora, and your husband will most likely continue commuting to the downtown Chicago area, I'd have to say if you're going to move to the western burbs, stick to the Oak Brook / Hinsdale area, and if your'e going to move to another northern burb, probably move to an area of Glenview or Northbrook that would put you close to both 294 south and 94 East (Edens). When 94 is jammed up, your husband can probably drive east to Sheridan Rd, and take Lake Shore Drive down (the route he probably takes from Evanston). From Glenview / Northbrook, you'd take 294 south to 88 west to get to Aurora, and hopefully you'll be going in the opposite direction of traffic. It's still a long hike though from that area (Glenview / Northbrook) down to Aurora, I'd say about 44 or 45 miles. Oak Brook to Aurora is about 24 miles, Hinsdale to Aurora is about 25 miles. Glenview to Chicago (Northwestern Memorial) is about 19 miles, Oak Brook to Chicago is about 21 miles, Hinsdale to Chicago is about 23 miles. Good luck!

Originally Posted by homewifeev

I have no problem with diversity. If you would view my profile you would know that I grew up in Shaker Heights, OH. A town where wealthy Blacks and Whites raised families side by side. Shared schools, parks, grocery stores, etc. I know spelling my thread title wrong, I was in a rush here. I don't know how to change the title of my thread. I am a General Surgeon, just so everyone knows I don't work for money, I have been to Jamaica to administer free meds, and I worked in Pilsen for most of my career. I am not the type of person to boast about money. I thought I could share my criteria without being insulted for it. I would like to raise my son in an environment that is racially and culturally diverse but one that is not economically diverse. My husband and I want to put my son back in public school. I believe I did not write anything bad on the Cabrini Green thread. Whatever I wrote I meant. If I could just get some more advise and the personal insults could stop, it would mean so much to me.

[homewifeev]

repin-the-847 I forgot to mention that my husband is going to be shifting his practice to Advocate South Suburban. Most of his patients are from the south side. He will still be working at Northwestern Memorial but only twice a week. He works odd hours he leaves around 12:00PM and comes home at 6:00PM or 9:00PM. Is traffic going to be bad then? We really want to get into Hinsdale Central or Lyons, so a move to the west is necessary. How is the commute to Hazel Crest from Oak Brook, Hinsdale, and Clarendon Hills?

I think I may have changed my mind because it obvious I am one of the last people who thinks this way. I have two questions. Does anyone think I should disregard the income levels of the local schools and just look at numbers and give it another chance? Would it be better for my son if I did not think this way?

Does anyone know about Westview Hills Middle School? Does anyone know about Maercker School District?

[nanannie]

I did what the others have done and read some of your other posts.You are inquiring all over the map,Houston,North Shore,Western burbs,North Carolina,such statements" They think they are someone in Naperville ,but theyre NOTHING", "Tear down Cabrini Green,its just poor people,give it back to the Gold Coast" AND "I am not housewifee,you can call me Jan her friend",I think the other posters are right. I cant take someone like this seriously.ANd if you are indeed a "Doctor"-- thats frightening.

[ahava]

Originally Posted by homewifeev

I think I may have changed my mind because it obvious I am one of the last people who thinks this way. I have two questions. Does anyone think I should disregard the income levels of the local schools and just look at numbers and give it another chance? Would it be better for my son if I did not think this way?

Does anyone know about Westview Hills Middle School? Does anyone know about Maercker School District?

You have to go with what's important to you, or you won't be happy. I don't think there's anything wrong with knowing where you stand on the socioeconomic ladder and wanting to being around people in a similar position. Besides, the best schools in the state in terms of test scores are generally in the most affluent communities. Whether you're looking at income or not, you're going to end up with mostly the same schools.

Westview Hills is not nearly as good as the middle schools in Oak Brook, Clarendon Hills/Hinsdale, Western Springs, or even Elmhurst.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by homewifeev

If I could just get some more advise and the personal insults could stop, it would mean so much to me.

In light of several of your statements, I thought the responses were pretty measured, especially given your choice of profession. I wouldn't call them insults -- criticism yes but not insults. If you don't understand why you were criticized, there's no point in delving into it any further. As the great Elzie Crisler Segar once said, "I am what I am and that's all that I am." What he meant was that you can never change what a person is fundamentally about. So simple, true, and obvious but often forgotten. I only pray that your political and social doctrines never interfere with your work performance.

Speaking for myself, I gave you the best advice I could. I can throw a rock into Riverside from where I live now and I lived in Oak Park for 5 years. I know the area very well, and I can say with reasonable certainty that you wouldn't like it here, and the people who live here probably wouldn't like you. The mentality is different than the north shore. So my advice was that Riverside-Brookfield and Oak Park-River Forest would be poor fits. And since those schools didn't make your "poll," I hope you took it. I wish you luck.

[homewifeev]

As I have told MDZ. If you have read the posts about Houston you would know that my friend J moved to Houston (Sugar Land). I have accepted jobs in Raleigh-Durham and in Chicagoland. Physicians do this to make sure no one takes a job that they might want. Physicians are allowed to back out of the opportunities at anytime. We usually take jobs and then compare our options which is what I am trying to do.

Thank You ahava for understanding.

[homewifeev]

I noticed Westview Hills had a pretty good mix of people. I think maybe actually I am hurting my son by isolating him. It is very hard for me to come to this conclusion, but I must be one of the few that thinks this way. Westview Hills has good test scores that I am sure will get better. Westview Hills has the most economic and cultural diversity. I guess we can give it another chance. I am also looking at John Butler too. It seems to be a nice school.