Hinsdale (social atmosphere)

[chet everett]

Well there are differnces in the various school districts, and if you are currently renting you can probably try to get a feel for what the trade-offs are in terms the houses availble at your price point in each of the districts that are near you. As I said I know you can can get signficantly more house in a part of Westmont that feeds into Hinsdale Central than you can inside Hinsdale itself or even Clrenadon Hills. There are certainly no shortage of well off home owners in Downers Grove or Elmhurst either.

That said I do think you need to be realistic and open minded -- if a home was built in 1970 but has been maintained well and had various updates over the years it way very well be a far better value than a newer home that was built with cheaper materials. If the schools that serve the home are well regarded and the neighbors share your values that is more important than how many calendar pages have fallen off the wall...

[Doglover5]

Justabystander or any other Hinsdaleans (is that a word? did I spell it correctly?) -- Was wondering if you could provide some detail describing why you've found the schools in Hinsdale to be so strong --and stronger in your perception than perhaps some of those in other desirable suburbs? Just so you know, I'm actually not doubting for a second that the schools in Hinsdale are tops and even superior, but as I conduct my home search -- which currently includes some towns that span a few different school districts -- some purportedly great, others maybe less so -- I would find it helpful to hear any examples or anecdotes that help illustrate why so many people seem to be so impressed with the District 181 schools and/or Hinsdale Central, and why, perhaps, if one chooses another suburb that is not Hinsdale but one with a reputation for "good" schools, the educational experience might not be as great. Thanks in advance!

[chet everett]

At the high school level the quality of instruction / expectation of success is far more uniformly high than other schools. Really even kids that are not taking a full AP / honors track of classes at Central will still be challenged with teachers that demand a level of commitment that at other schools just is not as rigorous...

At the elementary / middle school level there is a similar level of "not settling for the minimum" -- I personally have witnessed art teachers at D181 put in HUNDREDS of hours a month working to evaluate projects that k-5 kids are required to do , other districts treat art like "recess"...

The teachers at all levels are encouraged by the structure of the district to get as many kids as possible achieving at the highest level possible. So some that means things like being on the watch for kids that will benefit from SAT early talent evaluation. For others it means challenging kids to read as many novels as they can about what ever topics they find most personally compelling. It is not just about a single dimension and it certainly is not about collecting a pay check and leaving early...

It is harder in some areas to do these kinds of things as the range of parents who might say "oh I never understood algebra myself " or similar anti-education sentiments is more common.

[Doglover5]

Thanks, Chet. I welcome any other first-hand insights.

Out of curiosity, Chet (or anyone else)-- is it all about customizing the education experience (e.g., challenging certain kids to read as many novels as they can as you mentioned above) or are things just more rigorous across the board? Or is it that there is just a respect for learning for learning's sake and curiosity for curiosity's sake that really comes across in the classroom and the types of experiences offered on a regular basis for all kids that doesn't seem to exist elsewhere? What you mentioned above sounds very good, but I also hope it's more than just "Susie needed more challenge so we gave her extra math work to do at home" or "Fred is in kindergarten but really likes math so we're now introducing him to second-grade math and eventually we'll show him calculus if he's ready." I'm exaggerating, of course, but I guess I'm curious how the everyday teaching itself, classroom experience, and expectations are different or superior to to those in other districts as some have suggested on this board. Anyway, I'm not sure there's a short answer to that, but any insights from other Hinsdale folks are helpful.


Actually, maybe here's another way to put it: For folks who moved to Hinsdale from other west suburban school districts, what's been different? How has the educational experience in Hinsdale surpassed what you experienced elsewhere? Thanks.

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by Doglover5

Justabystander or any other Hinsdaleans (is that a word? did I spell it correctly?) -- Was wondering if you could provide some detail describing why you've found the schools in Hinsdale to be so strong --and stronger in your perception than perhaps some of those in other desirable suburbs? Just so you know, I'm actually not doubting for a second that the schools in Hinsdale are tops and even superior, but as I conduct my home search -- which currently includes some towns that span a few different school districts -- some purportedly great, others maybe less so -- I would find it helpful to hear any examples or anecdotes that help illustrate why so many people seem to be so impressed with the District 181 schools and/or Hinsdale Central, and why, perhaps, if one chooses another suburb that is not Hinsdale but one with a reputation for "good" schools, the educational experience might not be as great. Thanks in advance!

Doglover ( which makes you automatically one step up above the crowd ) here is some detail, having experienced elem, middle school, and now HS first hand. There are many reasons that Hinsdale 181 and 86 are so impressive. As far as 181, top teachers with top pedigree and top pay, plus outstanding infrastructure that is relatively new/updated, plus excellant core curriculum, plus caring, smart parents = an overall rank that outstrips any other suburban district consistently over the years. Look at the schools; facilities such as Monroe or Madison are beautiful and in the heart of the neighborhood they serve. The 2 middle schools are the same; with the same formula as the elem schools, they are consistently ranked highly year after year.

Hinsdale Central High is a school that is also ranked highly; 6th in the state, and 2nd amongst public high schools. There is no bullying per se there, as a "character counts" school written up in several articles, the atmosphere is one of respect, something rare today. The choices, extraculliculars and classes are outstanding; while there are alot of smart kids, there is no class rank to penalize the good but not great student, and college interest in the students is high. Alot of choices as far as clubs and sports, Central excels at both. I am amazed where the poster I responded to from Geneva, whose high school ranks 55th in Chicago can say that they are all the same; schools like Hinsdale Central demand and bring out the excelllance in the student, something that is transferred to college and then to life later on. It is true that a gem will shine no matter what school they go to; but a student at a school such as Central is pushed to find their boundaries where this may or may not be true of other schools.

[Doglover5]

Thank you! I appreciate this. And character does count in my book.

[3Series]

Originally Posted by Doglover5

Justabystander or any other Hinsdaleans (is that a word? did I spell it correctly?) -- !

Ha, yeah, Hinsdalean is a word. It's the local paper delivered every Thursday.

[schang70]

Originally Posted by bangaru

I am considering to buy a $400k home in Hinsdale. I am a middle class person & spend as such. I am afraid when my kid goes to school, he would be out of place because we wouldn't be doing the same things as most of the families in Hinsdale would do in terms of spending.

I want my Kid to get the best possible education & Hinsdale schools would fit the bill but wouldn't want him to feel like a social outcast. anyone has any experience about the school atmosphere in Hinsdale?

Am I over thinking this too much?

You are over thinking. We were in the same situation 4 years ago. We bought a foreclosed home in Hinsdale around the same price point. It wasn't the ideal location since it was close to IL-83, but the house was fairly new and large enough. We lived in Aurora, and I had the same reservations but my wife was adamant that we move into a town that has a great school district and also have convenient Metra locations to downtown Chicago (Hinsdale has three!). We have not regretted the decision since. We are first generation American as well, and we act and do the same things like everyone else. My daughter is in the first grade, and she plays with our neighbors, gets invited to her classmates birthday parties, etc. Never once have we felt out of place. Since then we have moved to a bigger house in a better location in Hinsdale.

My daughter didn't go to school yet when we lived in Aurora, so I can't compare Hinsdale to another school district. However, I can say that parents are expected to be heavily involved in their children's education. They give homework and projects where the parents would have to be involved. Also, these assignments stress critical thinking and verbal communication skills. Like I said, I can't compare and other school districts might be doing the same. All I know we love the neighborhood, my daughter is learning a lot in school, and would highly recommend Hinsdale.

[Sunday1]

Originally Posted by Justabystander

I live in Hinsdale, and have yet to meet anyone who is "jealous" of the north shore, since both are comparable. Why are you trying to talk this person out of Hinsdale? The top 40 or 50 school districts are not comparable, in my opinion; Hinsdale schools delivers consistently on a great education in a safe enviornment. Drive around Hinsdale, and it is actually in many areas understated, no yachts parked in driveways, modest size lots, etc. People move here for two things; location and schools. Geneva completely lacks location, and has OK schools, which might be fine for you, but maybe not for others; in my opinion, Geneva does not "scream" middle class, and is visibly not too different than Hinsdale as far as homes or feel. Throwing in Beverly Hills or the Hamptons in your post sounds outright snobbish, BTW.

You might want to change your CD screen name. "Justabystander" just doesn't fit.