Elementary schools in Naperville (Chicago, Arlington Heights: 2015, homes, to live in)

[kkchat]

I will be moving to Chicago soon. I will be working in Chicago downtown and planning to stay in Naperville area. My son is in 3rd grade and recently diagnosed with ADHD. I am looking for a good school which provides better support for ADD/ADHD kids. I will be using public transportation (that might be better idea than using car) for commute to Chicago, so nearer to train station might be good or where you have bus service to/from station.

I looked at Brookdale, Owen, RanchView elementary and all them are wonderful but not sure if daily commuting will be a problem.

Some people suggested me to look at Wheaton and Arlington Heights too however looks like Naperville is better for kids though it seems daily commute to will take at least 1 hour each way.

Thanks for your help.

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by kkchat

I will be moving to Chicago soon. I will be working in Chicago downtown and planning to stay in Naperville area. My son is in 3rd grade and recently diagnosed with ADHD. I am looking for a good school which provides better support for ADD/ADHD kids. I will be using public transportation (that might be better idea than using car) for commute to Chicago, so nearer to train station might be good or where you have bus service to/from station.

I looked at Brookdale, Owen, RanchView elementary and all them are wonderful but not sure if daily commuting will be a problem.

Some people suggested me to look at Wheaton and Arlington Heights too however looks like Naperville is better for kids though it seems daily commute to will take at least 1 hour each way.

Thanks for your help.

In what ways is Naperville "better for kids" than Wheaton or Arlington Heights?

Wheaton's top elementary schools are on par with Naperville's schools -- Arlington Heights' schools aren't far behind -- and I would argue that Wheaton offers a number of amenities that make it more appealing for families with children, including a scale that is much more conducive to making friends/establishing a network when you're new.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by kkchat

I looked at Brookdale, Owen, RanchView elementary and all them are wonderful but not sure if daily commuting will be a problem..

Be prepared wherever you live for a contingency plan if your train is delayed or there's a problem with traffic if you're driving. This happens on the BNSF line several times a year; on rare occasions, it's taken me over two hours to get home via limo. You'll need to have someone else get your child from school some days.

Looking at the Arlington Heights commute, it looks like about a 55 minute train ride, Wheaton's about 45 minutes. But it depends on where you work in relationship to the endpoints of the train ride; that can add substantially to your commute. So there's little difference between the three towns with regard to commute length (though I believe Naperville has the most express trains at rush hour). Here's the Metra site; click on a line to see the schedule:

Schedule & Fare Finder

I've lived in or near the Brookdale area since about 1993, and have currently a five to ten minute drive to the Route 59 station, an average 45 minute ride to downtown Chicago on an express, and a five minute walk from the train station in the city. That's about an hour total, but I have it easy compared to others I know. I don't know of anyone who has a shorter commute downtown from the western suburbs - and if you drive, it's a whole different set of hassles. I commuted from Naperville to Arlington Heights for five years, and it was a horrible experience in my opinion. On the train, you can listen to music, read, do work, etc. I don't mind the commute at all.

[4122]

If you take the express train it will only take 35 minutes from the Naperville metra. They only have the express trains at certain times, so the commute will depend on when you have to work.

204 is known to have a better special ed program than 203, so I would look at homes in the Brookdale and Owen.

Arlington Heights schools are also know to have great special education programs. The commute from AH to the city on an express train is about the same as taking an express train from Naperville to the city. If you don't take the express train it would be about an hour.

I'm not sure how good the special ed programs in Wheaton are, but it never takes an hour or more to get to the city on the metra.

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by Vasily

Be prepared wherever you live for a contingency plan if your train is delayed or there's a problem with traffic if you're driving. This happens on the BNSF line several times a year; on rare occasions, it's taken me over two hours to get home via limo. You'll need to have someone else get your child from school some days.

Looking at the Arlington Heights commute, it looks like about a 55 minute train ride, Wheaton's about 45 minutes. But it depends on where you work in relationship to the endpoints of the train ride; that can add substantially to your commute. So there's little difference between the three towns with regard to commute length (though I believe Naperville has the most express trains at rush hour). Here's the Metra site; click on a line to see the schedule:

Schedule & Fare Finder

I've lived in or near the Brookdale area since about 1993, and have currently a five to ten minute drive to the Route 59 station, an average 45 minute ride to downtown Chicago on an express, and a five minute walk from the train station in the city. That's about an hour total, but I have it easy compared to others I know. I don't know of anyone who has a shorter commute downtown from the western suburbs - and if you drive, it's a whole different set of hassles. I commuted from Naperville to Arlington Heights for five years, and it was a horrible experience in my opinion. On the train, you can listen to music, read, do work, etc. I don't mind the commute at all.

My morning train from Wheaton is 42 minutes on the timetable, but recently has been clocking in closer to 38 minutes. My outbound train takes 34 minutes. I walk to a work location in the South Loop, .75 miles from the station, and my door-to-door is under an hour. The commute is comfortable and provides an opportunity to gear-up before work or unwind after. It's a welcome relief when life is hectic, and one my favorite parts of the day.

Metra UP-W Full Timetable

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by 4122

If you take the express train it will only take 35 minutes from the Naperville metra. They only have the express trains at certain times, so the commute will depend on when you have to work.

That's from the downtown station; if the OP ends up choosing to live in the Brookdale area, the extra drive downtown vs catching the Rt 59 express would I suspect be a wash, time-wise.

[kkchat]

That's good point that I will need someone to pickup my son. I am assuming my job will be 9 to 5 or 8:30 to 4:30 but I will require someone to pickup my son as after school will be till 6 only. Are there two stations? One Rt 59. and another Naperville downtown? I don't have any plan to drive now and I am planning to use public transportation only.

Is Owen or Ranchview too far from downtown? In case I chose one of the school instead Brookdale then do I have to come to downtown for public transportation unlike Brookdale where I have Rt. 59 option?

[kkchat]

Thanks for the Wheaton information and timetable link.

[Vasily]

Ranchview is on the west side of town, and south of a line running through downtown; when I was married my stepdaughter went there (that was back in the late 1980s). The closest train station to that part of town is the Lisle station.

Owen is south of 75th, and the downtown station is your best bet.

As I said, for Brookdale, the Route 59 station is the best bet.

There are Pace buses that run to and from the train stations, but if you live near Owen or Ranchview plan on adding another 20-30 minutes (at least) to your commute due to driving to/from the station or riding Pace. Just my opinion. You can find the Pace routes here:

Pace Suburban Bus Service

[kkchat]

Originally Posted by 4122

If you take the express train it will only take 35 minutes from the Naperville metra. They only have the express trains at certain times, so the commute will depend on when you have to work.

204 is known to have a better special ed program than 203, so I would look at homes in the Brookdale and Owen.

Arlington Heights schools are also know to have great special education programs. The commute from AH to the city on an express train is about the same as taking an express train from Naperville to the city. If you don't take the express train it would be about an hour.

I'm not sure how good the special ed programs in Wheaton are, but it never takes an hour or more to get to the city on the metra.

I think my work will be either 9 to 5 or 8:30 to 4:30. Is "Naperville metra" near Naperville downtown? I see one train station in google map near Dupage Children Museum. Are you talking about it? Brookdale or Owen seems to be 3 miles from there.