Moving to GR - An Update and Few Questions (Grand Rapids: house, layoffs)

[Murfman]

A little over a year ago, I posted that my wife and I wanted to move to the GR area. We currently live in Boston but my wife grew up in EGR and we want to raise our family there. Much of her extended family is still in the area.

Well, I'm happy to report it's finally happened. We decided we didn't want to be in EGR. It's a little "too close to home" for my wife, plus we wanted a newer, larger house and lot. We bought a house near Watermark CC and are moving in a month.

We've been working toward this for over 2 years now, so we're very happy. I'll be bringing my business (internet marketing) and actually am planning on hiring a few people when I get there.

A few questions...

1. We're in the FH Northern district which is strange since we're physically closer to Central. Can anyone provide info about Northern? I've seen their website but am looking for more info.

2. What's the local cable company / internet provider?

3. Does anyone have an iphone there? Quality of AT&T coverage?

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Murfman

A little over a year ago, I posted that my wife and I wanted to move to the GR area. We currently live in Boston but my wife grew up in EGR and we want to raise our family there. Much of her extended family is still in the area.

Well, I'm happy to report it's finally happened. We decided we didn't want to be in EGR. It's a little "too close to home" for my wife, plus we wanted a newer, larger house and lot. We bought a house near Watermark CC and are moving in a month.

We've been working toward this for over 2 years now, so we're very happy. I'll be bringing my business (internet marketing) and actually am planning on hiring a few people when I get there.

A few questions...

1. We're in the FH Northern district which is strange since we're physically closer to Central. Can anyone provide info about Northern? I've seen their website but am looking for more info.

2. What's the local cable company / internet provider?

3. Does anyone have an iphone there? Quality of AT&T coverage?

Northern's pretty good. Their test scores are actually a tad higher than Forest Hills Eastern (which was split off because the Northern district was growing so fast), and on par with Central I believe. It's a smaller school than Central, which I think is better for high schoolers.

Comcast is one of the local cable providers. Charter is also available in some areas.

I don't have an i-Phone, but we have AT&T coverage and it's excellent pretty much everywhere around the metro area.

[suydam]

I have an iPhone and coverage near Watermark should be fine. I've visited a few offices there on a regular basis and used my phone without issue.

It'll depend on your exact spot of course but you should be fine.

[mich2fla]

Are you sure? Check out this map...the 2 vertical lines just left of Hall Street is Spaulding Ave. You should be in the Central boundaries. Just call the FH Dictrict office and verify...this map came from their website.

http://www.fhps.k12.mi.us/largemap.pdf

[Murfman]

Yep, we're on the Northern side of Spaulding. Funny that the high school is at the very tip of the district rather than in the middle, but what can you do?

I know from my wife that high school football is very big for EGR, but can the same be said for the FH schools?

[mich2fla]

FH Northern has decent football teams over the year. FHC usually wins less than half of their games each year. Both of the schools support their teams well but not at the level like EGR. I never been to a FHE game.

Did you buy in the Abbeydale Estates just north of Burton street, off of Spaulding?? Then that's FHN schools. This area is nice and quiet, very close to the shops on 28th street. You will enjoy living there!

[michigan83]

I know from my wife that high school football is very big for EGR, but can the same be said for the FH schools?

None of the three compare to EGR at all, in terms of success. FHC and FHN both have a nice tradition, but haven't been very good recently. I think each school has a state title in the distant past. FHE has only been around for a few years, but has made the state playoffs a few times.

FHC is definitely the strongest of the three right now if you compared them head to head, but FHC also plays the toughest schedule of the three and hasn't made the playoffs in a decade. FHN has not been competitive at all in recent years. FHE made the playoffs for three straight years, but moved up to a much tougher conference last year and went 1-8, and I doubt they will see the playoffs again any time soon. So, in short... FHC is probably the best bet of the three today.

Here are some links to one of my absolute favorite websites. You can get an idea of how these schools have performed in the past:

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern Huskies All-Time Michigan High School Football Scores

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern Hawks All-Time Michigan High School Football Scores

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central Rangers All-Time Michigan High School Football Scores

[magellan]

If football is a big deal in your life, Rockford and EGR are nutty about it.

[mich2fla]

Originally Posted by magellan

If football is a big deal in your life, Rockford and EGR are nutty about it.

You can add Lowell and Caledonia to this list.

[suydam]

Originally Posted by mich2fla

You can add Lowell and Caledonia to this list.

Heck, much of the state is on this list when they're good.
Caledonia for example has been good lately... so they're all excited.

Even EGR is really only super-fired-up about football for the last 10 years or so.
Swimming and tennis have won far more championships than football, but recently football is on a real hot streak, that's for sure!