What's it like to live in Winnetka? (Chicago, Waukegan: low income, apartments)

[US-Traveller]

Originally Posted by geoc

How is Winnetka distinct from the towns around it?

How convenient is it to live there? Can you walk to grocery stores and do other errands by foot? Is there a vegetable market conveniently located there? Seems like most chain stores are a bit of a distance.

Looks like homes are more pricey and I am wondering what you get for the extra cost to live there...Is it more beautiful than, say, Glenview or Northbrook? What are the traffic patterns like, especially going west and south? How would you describe the personality of the town?

Thanks for your feedback!

Winnetka is not particularly distinct when compared to the other North Shore communities directly on Lake Michigan, however there are some neat features. We have three Metra stops as well as three shopping districts. We have easy access to New Trier's main campus, as well as the freshman campus via the campus shuttle. We also have more parks and lake access than the villages that directly border us.

Winnetka is reasonably convenient. You definitely need a car. We do have a grocer in town, but if you want to go to Whole Foods or a Super Market you'd have to travel to Glenview, Evanston, or Wilmette for a full range of shops. We have a lot of boutiques that you can find unique items in.

I don't know if I would say it is more beautiful than Glenview or Northbrook or any of the other communities because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The cost of housing is generally on par with the rest of New Trier Twp. There was a time when it was substantially higher at the height of the market, but I don't really see a difference in price now.

There is certainly more traffic in Winnetka than Glencoe or Kenilworth, but it is still a quiet area. The commute to Downtown via car at peak times can be rough, but the Metra is very convenient, as is Sheridan Road/Lake Shore Drive.

The personality of the town is family oriented, with fairly strong elements of tradition. The town is generally conservative.

(Wow. Just realized how old this thread was. I guess this information might be useful.)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

I don't know if I would say it is more beautiful than Glenview or Northbrook or any of the other communities because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I will flat out say that Winnetka, by and large, is more beautiful than Glenview and Northbrook. It just oozes charm with gorgeous historic housing on tree-lined streets, walkable business districts with cute shops and restaurants, and that hard to explain "North Shoriness". The lake certainly makes a difference. It seems to permeate into the culture of the North Shore somehow. To me Winnetka feels quite a bit like the wealthier suburbs in the Northeast in this respect.

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by Bestmomever

Winnetka Public Schools need to start out brand new.. From the Superintendents to the Principals... to the teachers... especially Crow Island... All of them were hired through friends, and let me tell you, they are NOT effective.... I'm tired of nepotism... It's absolutely uncalled for... especially when my child is suffering from ineffective teaching.... The response time sucks... Even when you wave up your hand and the childs problems in front of the teachers eyes, there is no response............ WE NEED A NEW WAY TO HANDLE THE SITUATIONS! Unfortunately.... the are all paid WAY TOO MUCH and most unfortunately, THEY ARE ALL TENURED.... so sadly, our hands are tied. WINNETKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUCK and will continue to suck until we can figure out a way to get rid of the scum.

One of my friends felt the same way about Greeley and decided that the only way to change things was to get involved with the school board. Until concerned people (wherever they live) become part of solving the problem, nothing will be done.

[xavier xerxes]

Originally Posted by US-Traveller

The Lake Forest School System is not the best and does not have a lot of the programs or funding that the other North Shore and North Suburban schools do, but its not bad for your child to attend Lake Forest Schools. I would say about half of Lake Forest kids are enrolled in their public school system. I know a lot of Lake Forest families opt-out for Lake Forest Country Day, Willows, Lake Forest Academy, North Shore Country Day, Loyola, Baker Demostration, and Roycemore School.

I think there are just people who cant help but
pay for education and private school no matter what.

Ridiculous, but these people have more money
than they know what to do with.
Im sure the property taxes are sky high
and they are paying for private school.
So its not that they are living in Lake Forest for the
schools, thats hilarious.

My mom has a house in knollwood,
unincorporated lake bluff.
Taxes are much lower. The kids get to go
to Lake Bluff grammar schools
and then to go to Lake Forest Highschool.

Thats getting bang for your buck.
While lord fauntleroy on the east side by the lake
pays through the nose for property taxes
and wouldnt dare send his kid to school
with such riff raff.

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by xavier xerxes

I think there are just people who cant help but
pay for education and private school no matter what.

Having sent my kids to one of those pricey, classical private schools (we had just moved here), I agree with your statement. There were parents who chose the private school because of the prestige of the name and the security (sheltering from "riff-raff"?) they thought the school provided. However, when I compared academics, some of the better suburban public high schools offered superior programs (esp. the AP math/science STEM courses) and far more extracurriculars/athletics...

[xavier xerxes]

Originally Posted by GoCUBS1

Having sent my kids to one of those pricey, classical private schools (we had just moved here), I agree with your statement. There were parents who chose the private school because of the prestige of the name and the security (sheltering from "riff-raff"?) they thought the school provided. However, when I compared academics, some of the better suburban public high schools offered superior programs (esp. the AP math/science STEM courses) and far more extracurriculars/athletics...

And I understand in some circumstance private schools,
but yeah im biased toward public schools, since Im
a product of public schooling from kindergarten to college.

Where do you live?

Yeah its funny, I thought the main reason
for living in the suburbs was the superior schools.
For some that just isnt good enough for some people.
And what you get for all that money is
a sheltered brat and snobbery.

One time my mother witnesses some northshore
kids at scooters at rockland and waukegan
and they were making disparaging comments
about blue collar workers,
needless to say they got alot of unfriendly stares and looks.
It makes kids completely out of touch with reality.

[BrianHunter]

According to this ranking Lake Forest High School ranks 8th in IL and 5th if you only count the suburbs. Man, if that sucks, schools in Barrington, Naperville, Glenview and Highland Park must be real bad........

Top 100 high schools in Illinois :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education

[chet everett]

The SunTimes list is a very one dimensional regurgitation of the data from the weak State of Illinois assessment, which based largely on ACT scores. Rankings that incorporate more useful data, such as success on AP tests, are incorporated into the list compiled by US News...

[BrianHunter]

Originally Posted by chet everett

The SunTimes list is a very one dimensional regurgitation of the data from the weak State of Illinois assessment, which based largely on ACT scores. Rankings that incorporate more useful data, such as success on AP tests, are incorporated into the list compiled by US News...

Ah so its a faulty listing....

Great Schools has LFHS a 10/10 and US News has LFHS a Silver which is the same metal New Trier received.

I am not trying to say Lake Forest is the best but to say it sucks or is not a good school is just silly.

[chet everett]

No, not faulty. I never claimed LFHS is bad.

It is true however that GreatSchools is a _J_O_K_E_ -- any time you let EVERYONE'S "input" effect a rating it is too easy to manipulate...

The broad categories of US News are useful and valid. Based on performance / result there is not a whole lot of to separate schools in the silver category from one another. I rather like this approach becuase I believe it is more useful than claiming there is only one "best" school. You must realize though that US News data is based on actual performance, not some qualative examination of the school, just solid statisical analysis.

There are significant differences in the kinds of classes offered at LFHS and NTHS, the relative ease of transition to certain kinds of colleges, the overall structure of the faculty, evaluation of students and faculty and many more details that escape people who have not had direct experience wih both schools.

In fact, though I do not live in the New Trier district, I have had direct experience with several of their faculty members. I believe in many ways they, as a group, are more serious than any other public high school in Illinois. Becuase of factors beyond the seriousness / quality of the faculty (mostly the preparedness / motivation of the students...) the performance of other affluent schools is essential the same... I believe that if detailed longitudinal studies of the success of the students were also factored in the habits that are fostered at some schools would expose the value of the some of the methods that are done better at various high schools in the region. I also know that this sort of longitudinal data would be even more susceptible to specific famial situations, thus few researchers bother using to evaluate schools. It is more often a sociological investigation than one of educational methodology...