Any up and coming school districts I should know about? (Cincinnati: houses, neighborhoods)

[SoFresh99]

I live in Boston but grew up in Cincinnati, lived in Kenwood and graduated from Indian Hill. We are considering moving back since wages are similar but housing is muchmuchmuch cheaper.

I know all about the cool old parts and if housing stock were the only consideration we would have tons of options, but we have a son and he needs a school. Like everyone, I want the Mariemont experience at Madisonville prices.

I am not interested in Indian Hill or Madeira. Wyoming would be my speed (older houses, central "business" district) but I've always felt it was an oasis surrounded by ghetto- maybe that has changed? Maybe it's just the east-sidedness in me.

Are there districts I am overlooking b/c they were "bad" but now are good?

If schools were no issue I would live in Mt. Lookout or Clifton gaslight, if that helps. Marginal neighborhoods don't scare me, I have lived on some of the worst corners of the city, but trending upward is a must.

ETA: how's Fairfax fairing?

[SonnyDaze]

Sounds like Wyoming would be your best bet. As for the idea that it's an "oasis surrounded by ghetto" the reality is...

-To the west it borders some of the nicest areas of Springfield Township.
-To the north, Woodlawn, a modest, quiet, and stable predominantly African-American village.
-To the east, a rougher part of Lockland that many would still consider more bark than bite.
-To the south, Hartwell, an integrated, affordable family neighborhood in the city of Cincinnati.

[Jen35]

We are the opposite. My husband grow up in New England (went to BC) and now we live in Cincinnati. We choose to live in Wyoming, so if you have any questions about it, shoot them my way. We absolutely love it here.

Goyguy probably can help you a ton too. He grew up in Wyoming and now lives in Boston.

For schools, we considered: Mariemont, Wyoming (obviously ), Madiera and Sycamore schools.

We also love older houses, and live in a almost 100 year old house in the village.

Be aware, there's 1 person on this forum that hates Wyoming (lots of us are supporters of the town, but he has a very negative opinion of it, but does not live here currently, and from what I can deduce, never has)...just wanted to give you a heads up when the bashing begins.

[Sarah Perry]

I gave Cincyexpert reputation, but also want to say that s/he described the areas surrounding Wyoming just as I would, except more concisely and with more clarity.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by SoFresh99

Wyoming would be my speed (older houses, central "business" district) but I've always felt it was an oasis surrounded by ghetto- maybe that has changed? Maybe it's just the east-sidedness in me.

You got that right. All you need is a map to see that Wyoming is built on the banks of the most polluted industrial sewer in the US and is surrounded by one ghetto after another. I would disagree that Wyoming actually has a "business district" unless you consider two stores and a greasy spoon a "business district."

Great schools though.

[Jen35]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

You got that right. All you need is a map to see that Wyoming is built on the banks of the most polluted industrial sewer in the US and is surrounded by one ghetto after another. I would disagree that Wyoming actually has a "business district" unless you consider two stores and a greasy spoon a "business district."

Great schools though.

Warned you

Not really ghetto after ghetto as one implied. Next to Woodlawn is Glendale (wouldn't call that a ghetto). Next to Lockland is Reading (wouldn't call that a ghetto) followed by Blue Ash and Amberly. Hartwell has improved greatly from my understanding talking to people who grew up here (Goyguy can give more details, but also not a ghetto). Up the hill (springfield twp/Finneytown), there's now a Brueggers, Chipotle, Wings and Rings and Panera, among other things, plus nice middle class houses. Not a ghetto. Lockland side (worst of the areas that border Wyoming) - they did recently take down a row of houses in Lockland that bordered Wyoming. It was from before my time, but I understand that area used to look like a shanty town and had lots of issues. It's now a park. On the Wyoming side that borders Lockland, they are finalizing the purchase of the last 2 houses of that same stretch next to the train tracks to make it into a park to mirror the existing park.

Let me know if you have any questions. I would recommend coming down and checking it out....

Business district - there's more than 2 stores and 1 restaurant. There's all your basic needs (deli, dry cleaner, bakery, tailor, bike shop, bank, several restaurants, etc). You do need to get in a car for the grocery store and big box stores, but they are not far.

[kjbrill]

OP - If you grew up in Kenwood and graduated from Indian Hill, you should have some knowledge of Wyoming. But then again maybe not as most teenagers are oblivious to what surrounds them.

As far as Fairfax, I don't think it is much worse than 30 years ago, but that is not saying much.

Very few shool districts are improving, especially now with the economic crunch. Our best districts are feeling the pressure, and cutting services. Your question should be which school district is in position to sustain over the next few years? That would involve current position plus the ability/willngness of the voters to pass new levies as the state funding continues to diminish.

[SoFresh99]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

OP - If you grew up in Kenwood and graduated from Indian Hill, you should have some knowledge of Wyoming. But then again maybe not as most teenagers are oblivious to what surrounds them.

As far as Fairfax, I don't think it is much worse than 30 years ago, but that is not saying much.

Very few shool districts are improving, especially now with the economic crunch. Our best districts are feeling the pressure, and cutting services. Your question should be which school district is in position to sustain over the next few years? That would involve current position plus the ability/willngness of the voters to pass new levies as the state funding continues to diminish.

I as an abnormal teen, so I had friends all over. I knew lots of great cool smart kids from Wyoming and they were definitely different (in a good way) from the button-down masses at Indian Hill. I met them at parties and in Clifton and downtown. The thing that struck me about Wyoming was that you had no other option if you were over there, if you couldn't find your niche in Wyoming you were out of luck. But on the east side, you ended up meeting kids from Mariemont and Madeira and possibly Sycamore (swim clubs, YMCA, country clubs, school libraries, etc.) and had a big pool of social options. We could take APs at Madeira or Mariemont if they didn't have them at IH. Stuff like that.

Wyoming aside you are basically saying that there are no sleeper school districts that I am missing and that even good ones are in peril.

So what district has the legs? Sycamore is huge and has a huge tax base (although those hospitals probably pay nothing) so they shouldn't be too levy dependent. In my day Sycamore was second tier but maybe that has changed?

[progmac]

everyone i know who graduated from CPS is as smart or smarter, and went to as good or better colleges than the kids from private schools and the "better" school districts. and my sample is not only walnut kids. i am surprised you haven't seen this as well, being from the area. i think there are lots of opportunities within CPS for kids with a good home life. just my two cents.

regarding wyoming, everyone who lives there loves it.

[kjbrill]

Sycamore has been a top rated school district for about 12 years now. There is not much developable land left within its boundaries so explosive growth should not be an issue. I believe Sycamore is one of the highest teacher salary districts in the area which likely helps their success.