moving back to Colorado - where to live with little kids?

[Jerry Bckr]

Check out Ken Caryl Ranch. It's in south Jefferson County. There are pictures in one of my albums.

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

We live in SE Aurora but I would recommend anywhere in Centennial (make sure you're in the Cherry Creek School District) with your budget.

I have the 'misfortune' of living somewhere in Centennial that isn't in the Cherry Creek School District. Littleton Public Schools are quality, although not as flashy as Cherry Creek. Check the school ratings sites others have posted, western Centennial schools all rate as above average - excellent with very high schools. The neighborhoods are older and a bit closer in than eastern Centennial.

[mczabe]

For many reasons, we've been loving Highlands Ranch. Just about the only draw back is the scorn one seems to be subject to here on CD. The schools are great, the rec centers are fabulous. The community association just took over ownership of the backcountry - many 1000s of acres of open range, with all sorts of soft trails and wildlife, horseback riding, nature education, etc. It's just 20 minutes to Red Rocks/Morrison and 10 minutes to Chatfield (sp?) which is a really neat area for outdoor recreation. And there are a million kids here in HR - many community events for kids and families at no or little cost. Your housing budget will go a long way here too. It's close to the Tech Center and downtown Denver is only a 20 minute drive away...and the light rail is close.

Anyway, like I said, HR gets a bad rap around here - but it is a lovely, safe, family-oriented community with many things to do and enjoy both indoors and out. Check it out for yourself before crossing it off the list.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by chilicheesefries

I have the 'misfortune' of living somewhere in Centennial that isn't in the Cherry Creek School District. Littleton Public Schools are quality, although not as flashy as Cherry Creek. Check the school ratings sites others have posted, western Centennial schools all rate as above average - excellent with very high schools. The neighborhoods are older and a bit closer in than eastern Centennial.

There's no reason to be hostile. I have never heard of Littleton Public Schools and therefore don't contribute anything on these threads that I don't know personally about. Cherry Creek Schools are not flashy. They are well-performing schools in an area where parents have direct involvement. Rich areas usually have good schools, so it doesn't surprise me that the schools in your area do well. I am pleased that I can find a wonderful school district in a middle class area (Cherry Creek SD) and that's why I cannot say enough good things about it. Usually, middle class districts don't perform as well as those that are in high-class areas. Having lived in a good number of cities and states from one coast to another I can only say that it's fortunate that Denver gives middle class families access to on of the best districts in the state. That's not the case for most of the country.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by mczabe

For many reasons, we've been loving Highlands Ranch. Just about the only draw back is the scorn one seems to be subject to here on CD. The schools are great, the rec centers are fabulous. The community association just took over ownership of the backcountry - many 1000s of acres of open range, with all sorts of soft trails and wildlife, horseback riding, nature education, etc. It's just 20 minutes to Red Rocks/Morrison and 10 minutes to Chatfield (sp?) which is a really neat area for outdoor recreation. And there are a million kids here in HR - many community events for kids and families at no or little cost. Your housing budget will go a long way here too. It's close to the Tech Center and downtown Denver is only a 20 minute drive away...and the light rail is close.

Anyway, like I said, HR gets a bad rap around here - but it is a lovely, safe, family-oriented community with many things to do and enjoy both indoors and out. Check it out for yourself before crossing it off the list.

I've been to HR a few times (looked for houses there when we were moving) and have quite a few people I know who live there. It's a great area. The only hostility comes from those who despise all things suburbia. HR has a great reputation and if someone were going to cross it off the list because a few "anti-suburbanites" like to throw punches on city-data.com, you probably don't want want them as neighbors anyway.

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

There's no reason to be hostile. I have never heard of Littleton Public Schools and therefore don't contribute anything on these threads that I don't know personally about. Cherry Creek Schools are not flashy. They are well-performing schools in an area where parents have direct involvement. Rich areas usually have good schools, so it doesn't surprise me that the schools in your area do well. I am pleased that I can find a wonderful school district in a middle class area (Cherry Creek SD) and that's why I cannot say enough good things about it. Usually, middle class districts don't perform as well as those that are in high-class areas. Having lived in a good number of cities and states from one coast to another I can only say that it's fortunate that Denver gives middle class families access to on of the best districts in the state. That's not the case for most of the country.

Not meaning to be hostile. At first glance it seemed more of a comment saying 'make sure you live in CCSD since the parts of Centennial that aren't in it aren't good for families ' rather than just a plug for CCSD and pointing out not all of Centennial isn't in CCSD, so I wanted to show Littleton schools perform quite well. Knowing now that you weren't commenting on the other districts, I apologize. It wasn't my intent to be hostile, just reading an unintended way into an ambiguous statement.

In looking at Centennial, remember that it has nice mature neighborhoods in the west to commerce in the middle to newer development on the east. Quite a lot to offer in terms of family neighborhoods depending on your needs.