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Old 06-25-2010, 09:49 PM
 
16 posts, read 92,612 times
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Hi! I'm new on here, but have found lots of helpful info. We are a mid-30s couple with a 9 year old and a 2 year old. We are considering moving to Florida in the next year or so. We looked at Naples, but the stuff on here is kind of offputting Where is a good place to raise kids, with good schools, near the coast (preferably west coast of Fla but open to all)? I've read Florida is 48th out of 50 states in education..... is that the quality of the education or the spending on education? Education is definitely at the top of my list of priorities, along with safety/crime. Thanks for any advice you can offer.......
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Old 06-26-2010, 05:35 AM
 
Location: Full time in the RV
3,418 posts, read 7,791,588 times
Reputation: 3332
Do you need jobs? What fields? Housing budget?

I live in Naples. What is offputting to you?

That 48/50 is some overall quality ranking. You won't find many fans of the Florida school system on this board.
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Old 06-26-2010, 06:04 AM
 
Location: Satellite Beach
35 posts, read 100,188 times
Reputation: 62
Living on the beach is wonderful for my kids. They like to play on the beach daily whether it's frisbee, soccer, football, or surfing. They go out in the morning 8-10 before the sun's too strong, and when they get hot they just take a dip in the water. There are so many children here, and parents always tell me they live here for the schools and the quality of life. I can't imagine a better, carefree lifestyle for my kids. Living by the beach is fantastic as well!

My kids attend "A" rated schools (elementary, middle & high) across the street, and the school district rated #2 in Florida. They love living in this safe, friendly, beach side city, with great values and a strong sense of community. The water quality and air quality rated very well and the crime is super low. This is the kind of place that is rapidly dissapearing in our modern day society, and I love that I am able to raise my kids here. This is true quality of life, luxury in it's purest form.

We live in Satellite Beach, on a barrier island. North of us is Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. South of us is Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic Beach & Melbourne Beach. The cities all connect, but each has a distinct personality and the people are so friendly. The lifestyle is ridiculously affordable, and truly unbeatable.
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Old 06-26-2010, 08:45 AM
 
Location: Niceville, FL
13,258 posts, read 22,849,024 times
Reputation: 16416
The good school systems, to no real surprise, tend to be where the significant white collar jobs/tech clusters are. The top of the list is pretty consistently Gainesville (U of Florida), Tallahassee (FSU, FAMU, state government jobs), the Space Coast area, Ft. Walton Beach (Air Force R&D), and the Seminole County suburbs of Orlando.
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Old 06-26-2010, 09:08 AM
 
Location: Palm Island and North Port
7,511 posts, read 22,928,205 times
Reputation: 2879
Sarasota county has one of the best school systems in the state of Florida. It also has Pine View School for the Gifted, which was ranked the top school in Florida and one of the top schools in the Nation. It is a public school and the requirements are that you live in Sarasota county, have an IQ of 130 or more, pass the achievement tests required and have teacher recommendations. I have two children that attend PV and we are more than pleased with the school. It services grades 2nd-12th. Here's some more info on that subject:
Welcome to Pine View School
Pine View School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Public Elites - Newsweek.com
Pine View wraps up perfect Olympics | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader
America's Best High Schools: Gold Medal List - US News and World Report

There are many other fantastic school in Sarasota county. Here's a website where you can see how the schools are rated:
School Accountability Report...
or www.GreatSchools.com

Alright, if I were checking out schools other than Pine View these are the schools that I would look into, in order.

Southside services most of the downtown area south of Main St. North of Main would be mostly Booker school district. The Palmer Ranch area is mostly Ashton school district. There are other schools in the area but these are ones that I have either had personal experience with or I have friends that have kids in the schools.

Sarasota ranks as one of the top districts in the state by a number of measures, including test scores, graduation rates and teacher compensation.

It offers distinctive programs tailored to different student needs, including Florida's only school for the gifted, the state's largest special needs school and one of a handful of career-focused high schools.

For Elementary
Southside Elementary
Venice Elementary
Ashton Elementary
Cranberry Elementary (North Port)
Taylor Ranch (southern Sarasota county)
Lakeview Elementary
Gulf Gate Elementary
Laurel Nokomis Elementary (mid Sarasota county)
Tatum Ridge Elementary
Garden Elementary
Phillipi Shores
Fruitville Elementary
Englewood Elementary (southern Sarasota county)

For Middle
Sarasota Middle

High School
Riverview
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Old 06-26-2010, 04:20 PM
 
16 posts, read 92,612 times
Reputation: 15
Thanks for all the answers RMD yes we will need jobs. Hubby can do allsorts, is currently a mechanic/oil change tech. I work in the financial industry (laid off last year) and did look and see that there are a number of Merrill Lynch/Morgan Stanley locations near Naples. Housing budget would be below $200,000. Preferably within 30 minutes of the beach, nice safe place for the kids to place/go for walks. The best elementary schools I'm seeing are Sea Gate and Laurel Oak, any additional info on those would be great. Anything else we should be considering?
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Old 06-26-2010, 04:21 PM
 
16 posts, read 92,612 times
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Supermom, that sounds like Heaven!!!
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Old 06-26-2010, 04:48 PM
 
Location: Satellite Beach
35 posts, read 100,188 times
Reputation: 62
Pine View Elementary is located in Osprey, FL not Sarasota. I love Sarasota, but before moving there (or anywhere) read a bit on the other threads to understand more about the area. Sarasota is quite a bit like Naples, but with more of an arts scene. If you're looking to live inland you should be able to get some great deals as with most of Florida, but the waterfront is very, expensive. I suggest you narrow it down to a few neighborhoods and visit them in person, tour the schools, drive through the neighborhoods, and chat with the locals you meet at the restaurant, gas station, coffee shop, hotel, book store, etc... That's truly the best way to assess if your new city will be a perfect fit for you, your family and your lifestyle. I'm wishing you the best of luck on your quest to find a new home!

ps. Feel free to message me with questions, or if I can be of help to you at all. I have lived in quite a few cities on both FL coasts with my 4 kids. My past experiences are only valuable when shared with others
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Old 06-26-2010, 04:54 PM
 
Location: Satellite Beach
35 posts, read 100,188 times
Reputation: 62
Quote:
Originally Posted by inferno3596 View Post
Supermom, that sounds like Heaven!!!
It really is. The people are so friendly & it's so affordable too. You can actually get a 3 bedroom home here 2-4 blocks off the water for under 200k. We really love it and my kids don't ever want to move! (although I do hope they move out after they are about 20ish or so).

You can always visit and (then stay if you like it)! Personally, my guests never want to leave.
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Old 06-26-2010, 05:43 PM
 
Location: Full time in the RV
3,418 posts, read 7,791,588 times
Reputation: 3332
Quote:
Originally Posted by inferno3596 View Post
Thanks for all the answers RMD yes we will need jobs. Hubby can do allsorts, is currently a mechanic/oil change tech. I work in the financial industry (laid off last year) and did look and see that there are a number of Merrill Lynch/Morgan Stanley locations near Naples. Housing budget would be below $200,000. Preferably within 30 minutes of the beach, nice safe place for the kids to place/go for walks. The best elementary schools I'm seeing are Sea Gate and Laurel Oak, any additional info on those would be great. Anything else we should be considering?
You can find what you are looking for in Naples.

A couple of points to consider:

-If you and/or hubby have a job then that is the biggest battle. My kid (25) searched for months for a job-any job (retail, waitress, etc.) and finally got one a few weeks ago. The job market is awful here, especially off season.

-Naples is first and foremost, a wealthy retirement community, run by wealthy retirees. The economy and political machine reflect this. That said, there are plenty of families here who do just fine.

-You can find housing in your price range within 30 minutes of the beach. The closer the beach, the more expensive the housing. Nearly all of Naples is safe.

-I can't comment on those specific schools, sorry.

-The winter commute can be hell, so factor that into your job/housing situation.

-Find a job, select the school zone, then housing-in that order.
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