Thinking of moving my fam to Kenwood or Hyde Park and using pub schools. Crazy? (Chicago: renting, house)

[dewthedru]

My company is moving me to Chicago from Michigan and we've never lived in a big city. We've always loved Chicago and would really prefer to live somewhere that really feels like we're in the city.

We're looking at neighborhoods up north (Ravenswood, Portage Park, Lincoln Square, etc.) as well as Hyde Park or Kenwood.

I do not have the money to put my kids in private schools and wonder if the public schools are really that bad down there. A few pieces of info that might make it easier to answer...

- We'll only be in Chicago for 2-3 years until my company moves me.

-We have family and friends in Indiana and Michigan that will be visiting so Hyde Park/Kenwood would be very easy for them to get to via the highway or the Southshore train.

-I will have a home office so commuting is not an issue. My trips are mostly overnight so I can live anywhere in the city w/o traffic being a problem.

-My kids are in elementary school and we'll likely move before having to deal with finding them a decent high school.

-We've grow up in white-bread America and would love to show our kids that there's people of other races/colors/etc. However, we don't want to put them in danger in order to do so.

Thanks for any advice you can give us!

[prairiestate]

There's two issues with Chicago Public Schools. Gangs and educational quality. In the elementary schools, gangs aren't an issue. As for educational quality, I think you can get a decent education in most of the city elementary schools, with a couple of caveats. If you're in a neighborhood where parents pay attention to their kids, that will help. And being involved with your kids education will help too.

[snoylekim]

I spent quite a bit of time in HP/K a while back, and still have friends in the neighborhood with children in public schools ( Ray ) ...I've heard and witnessed nothing but good things about Ray School w/ respect to educational quality, diversity, and parental involvement. Hyde Park/Kenwood is a very educated community, and, not everyone can or will send their kids to Lab School ..so, given their age group, I think chances are really good your time there will be a positive educational experience for your kids ..

[dewthedru]

Thanks! That's exactly what I'm hoping to hear. I have a decent job but I'm the sole breadwinner in our house so we won't be able to buy the most amazing place but we can afford something that will be in the nicer part of Kenwood/Hyde Park...which is good because that will let me travel w/o feeling too worried about my wife and kids back home. Plus, it's close to all the museums we love to visit and by the lake as well. We can't wait to make the move!

I just want to make a wise decisions and not overlook any aspects of that area that would make me regret my decision a few months down the road.

[knitgirl]

If you're only going to be in Chicago for a few years, I would reconsider buying unless your company will help out when you're leaving and trying to sell.

[ajolotl]

Ray and Murray in Hyde Park are both good until about 5th grade. At that point almost everyone who has a choice starts to move their kids someplace else.

[dewthedru]

Thanks for the responses. As far as the wisdom of buying, I realiE conventional wisdom would suggest renting rather than buying. However; not only am I getting financial support to buy a place, I will have my closing and realtor costs covered when I leave, negating much of the negatives related to owning a place for such a short time.

[bulldawg1594]

hyde park and kenwood are good neighborhoods, but not all the schools are that good.

this is hyde park high school
Interactive Illinois Report Card- not diverse at all.

this is kenwood high
Interactive Illinois Report Card- it's actually a pretty good high school, but it is only a little diverse.

you would probably have one of these high schools if you lived in portage park, ravenswood, or lincoln square.
Interactive Illinois Report Card
Interactive Illinois Report Card

[bulldawg1594]

most of the elementary schools reflect the area high school.

[bulldawg1594]

actually, the elementary schools in lincoln square are pretty good, and murray and ray elementary schools in kenwood are pretty good and diverse, too.