Made it to Sheridan! Talk to me about schools and banks.. (transporting, rent)

[dylanb76]

So first off, we are finally settled down here in Sheridan (cue rockets and fireworks)!!! Paying more rent than we had hoped but who cares, this place is amazing and we are thrilled to be here.

When we got our rental, everybody made a big to-do about how we are in the Sagebrush Elementary area and how great the school is and how much it is preferred over Coffeen. So I call the school district this morning only to find out that the new redistricting has landed us in the Coffeen area. A week ago I wouldn't have been upset b/c I figured they were all good schools, but now I've had an earful about the problems people have with Coffeen (along the lines of it being lower income and there being more social problems there), and we already took my son (entering first grade) by Sagebrush and it is beautiful and he is all excited, so now I'm feeling a little down in the dumps.

Is this ridiculous? Is Coffeen a perfectly great school and people are just spouting inaccuracies? Should I try to get a waiver and is that even something they do without major reason? My son is pretty adjustable socially, so I think he will probably do pretty good, but he is coming from a small montessori school where he got lots of individual attention and lots of guidance in conflict resolution and whatnot. I worry for him being thrown in with a large population of kids who are more rough and tumble. But maybe that's a stereotype I shouldn't pay attention to. So any advice on that is welcome.

Next, and as I write this I realize I haven't searched the forum on this yet so I will, but I'm researching banks today. I prefer something local or a credit union. I pretty much have trouble with any bank at some point, so whichever bank has the least fees and hidden secret code rules is the one for me. We just need straightforward place for checking and savings with a debit card, checks, and online banking.

Thanks in advance !!

[ElkHunter]

Welcome to Sheridan, glad you made it.

I had 2 of my children go through Sagebrush and I've had 3 Grandchildren go through Coffeen. Both are terrific schools but there are some very minor differences. But, you know how people are, a very minor difference becomes a major brag. hahaha

Sagebrush seems to have a very good group of teachers that go that extra step. Very friendly, very outgoing. I remember that when my son was in 5th grade, the class made science projects of making balloons. They made big paper balloons with little baskets on them, much like a balloon that you or I would ride in. Typical class project that any school does. Here's the difference between Sagebrush and other schools. Sagebrush made a big tadoo over it. They sent flyers home to the parents, called the news teams, and set everything up in the large play area out on the lawn. There were litterally 150+ parents, grandparents, etc... there to watch the kids launch their balloons. Each kid had put their name and address and phone number on a piece of paper and stapled it inside the basked. 3 teachers set up tables and had their bunson burner there to fill each balloon. The kid held his balloon while the teacher filled it and then the kid released their balloon. The key is, they got parents involved and participating in the functions. Coffeen school had the exact same science class, made the balloons and went out and launched them. They didn't have parents involved nor the press, but they did have a couple other lower classes out there to watch.

In the State of Wyoming, there are two things that make our schools great. 1, they are well funded. 2, they teach the exact same thing. So the science class in one school is going to have the same book, the same assignments, the same projects as another school. The Teachers themselves make a difference in what they add too that. Coffeen is a great school.

As far as I know, you can put your child in any school you want. Unless it has changed. The problem is, the bus service is set up for that district. If you choose to put your child in a different school, you are responsible for transporting that child to and from school.

Banks. I have always believed in community and absolutely refuse to deal with corporate banks. So when I got back to Sheridan in 1992, I went to First Federal and set up an account. I have had terrific dealings with them for many years. They even put in a ATM drivethru, right close to where you live. It's on Mydland Rd, just about 200 ft North of 5th street. Kind of handy to use that instead of going through any of the drivethru's down town. They have two banks in town, one is downtown right across the street from the Elks, and the new one is on Coffeen. The one on Coffeen is kind of a strange place to get in and out of, but the folks there are terrific.

A little story. Several years back I had a friend that was going to come up here from San Diego, and do a little fishing. He had never been around this part of the country. As it turned out, I got called to do a contract on the East Coast and wasn't going to be here, but Larry decided to come up anyhow. We talked on the phone every night and I would tell him where to go fishing, how to get there, bait to use, etc.... About a week or ten days went by and he wanted to know where he could cash a personal check. I told him First Federal. So the next night when I talked to him he said, "I like this place. I went into the bank you suggested and as I walked up to the counter the girl says, You must be Mr xxxxx, how can we help you? I told them I wanted to cash a personal check for $500. They said that was not a problem, took the check, counted out the money and I left. They didn't even ask for 2 forms of ID or anything." He said that he was completely amazed at how friendly and welcoming they were to a person they had never met, didn't have an account and wanted to write a personal check from out of state. Little did he know that I called the bank when they opened and let them know that Larry was going to be coming in to cash a personal check and that I would guarentee that check with my account. hahahaha That and the friendly people around here have had Larry coming up here to go fishing, every year since then.

[Rescue3]

Hey Elkhunter - are you still recommending First Fed? I probably need a local account.

Thanks, R3

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Rescue3

Hey Elkhunter - are you still recommending First Fed? I probably need a local account.

Thanks, R3

Very much so. Terrific service, friendly folks, they call me by name when I walk in there.

[BennyPhoenix]

My bank calls me by name when I walk in, but I wonder what they call me when I walk out.

[jody_wy]

sheared a house with my bank President in college, but also keep a small acount at WF as they have banks all over hell and I never seem to leave

[ElkHunter]

Jody, you have a really good point and that is if you travel a lot, you might want one of those corporate thingy's. hahahaha I want to keep local stuff going and I will frequent a local bank to my dieing day. However, I have an international account that I use if "I have to" type thing. I want to honor and frequent my local folks. I want to keep my money in the community and I think these folks do. I might not agree with the other folks that frequent the bank, but they have done me right.

[jody_wy]

At the local bank , the bank President finally gave me a loan officer , told him a good banker will say once in awhile, but I had enough college stories ... well you know