Transferring to St. Louis on a budget and with a family... HELP! (Decatur: apartment, daycare)

[Chrms74]

I know I will receive some jeers on this but check out Roxana. Yes the refineries sometimes pose an odor but no more than the Mill in Granite City. Also what about Rosewood Heights. Very nice area but your children will more than likely ride a school bus to Roxana or East Alton. Roxana has no bars very little crime but we have to drive a few blocks to shop for groceries in Woodriver. Good luck in your search.

[illinoisnative]

Roxana would be an excellent starter type community since the median housing prices tend to be in the mid $70's and you can't help but be close to the schools. Rosewood Heights is a bit higher in the high $130's. I'm talking median so that means half the homes sold for more and half sold for less. I grew up in Rosewood Heights and graduated from Roxana so I am partial to the area. Still can't get used to the sight of houses being where Rosewood School used to be. As kids, we knew we were getting close to home when we could smell the refineries but now I don't even notice it when I come back into the area. The emissions must be much better nowadays. Go Shells! (school team even named after a refinery)

[CellarBelle]

I second the Roxana/Rosewood Heights comments. We live in Edwardsville, but go to church in Wood River and have some wonderful friends that live in the area. Their kids go to school in the area, and love it. A friend of mine just moved to East Alton and their kid switched schools at the end of the year. He's in 8th grade and all the kids were great to him. They are happy as can be there. There are some great buys in the area. Same is true for Bethalto.

[jtjmom]

Today, we looked at several homes, and are leaning really hard towards Mitchell. Can anyone tell us anything about the schools? I know they go to Granite City. Are they relatively safe? I'm looking specifically at the extra-cirricular activities there. Is there a Scholar Bowl team? Do they have an honors program?

Please save the "My town has XXXX activity that would be great" unless it pertains to the Mitchell/Granite City area. I've toured the whole area, yes, I want to live on the IL side, no, I can't go to Edwardsville/Glen Carbon, and yes, I'm aware that Granite City schools are not perfect.

Sorry to seem so cynical (again), I'm sure other towns have fantastic programs. I just really need the information pertaining to the question at hand.

Man, this moving thing is a little stressful!

Thanks again so much for all your help!

--Danielle

[illinoisnative]

Granite City High School is in academic watch status which means that "These schools failed to make AYP for two additional years after being placed on Academic Early Warning (or four annual calculations of missing AYP) and are eligible for additional state sanctions." AYP is academic yearly progress. This is taken from the Illinois Interactive Report Card that I mentioned to you earlier. In 2006, Granite City High School tested at just 46, well below the district average of 68 and state average of 73. The website is there for you to check out and you can plug in any Illinois public school that you want.

They do have a scholar bowl team and a national honor society according to the school website. Not sure about the safety. I would suggest visiting the school to get a personal feel for your comfort level, talk to administrators, and then also talk to the police department to see if they have had to respond to the school for various incidents. Again, you must go by your own instincts and judge for your needs, because what is good for some isn't for others and vice versa. Good luck in your move and welcome to the Metro-East!

[nkroe]

Have you had a chance to look into Highland, IL?
It is a great community with a lot to offer. The real estate is priced terrifically too!! The schools are wonderful - especially the grade schools!!! There is very low crime and very safe. Take a drive out sometime and look around. We love it here!!

I would steer clear of the Granite City School District - and unfortunately that includes Mitchell. Collinsville & Belleville are on their way up there too. I grew up in Edwardsville and even though they have great schools they are seeing a lot of growth problems and the real estate is beyond ridiculous -that and the fact that it has turned into a "suburb" instead of a hometown. Its very sad for a purist!

I had a friend that taught in Roxanna. She loved the teachers she worked with and the school itself but the community was a wreck.

[waldo]

I've lived in the Edwardsville area for 5 months now and have some observations. Edwardsville is probably the best area of them all. The Alton, Granite City, Bethalto areas are very depressed and dying towns. Very blue collar and dirty. No offense, but to get good schools and special needs programs you need to spend more for a home since they are usually located in sought out areas. Demand increases home prices. If you go further out there will be less resources. It's just simple economics. Very high taxes in Edwardsville but the schools and programs are suburb and I've lived in a lot of places.

[jtjmom]

Everyone here has been so very helpful! As I looked back at all of the posts on this thread, I realized how much of a really not nice person I'm coming across as. I am sorry that I appear to be Super Moody Mom in all of my posts! I guess I only made a comment here after I was so disgusted with everything already that I didn't know what else to do. Thanks so much for listening to all of my rants.

Now, back to business... LOL

I really don't have a problem living in the "depressed and dying" towns. I live in Clinton, and not a lot of people, I'm sure, would have a whole lot nice to say about this town. That is, until you get to know it, and realize that regardless of the questionable actions of a few people who just happen to live here, it's really a neat little town. I saw a little bit of Clinton in both Roxana and Bethalto. I also see a little bit of Decatur in Granite City. Both are towns that get a bad rap, but until you've been on the inside, you really can't understand what they're all about.

I guess what I'm saying is that, much like all of my ranting and negative posts, you really can't judge a book (town) by its cover. You also can't always depend on someone else to tell you what is on the pages of the book. Sometimes, you just have to read it for yourself. A great book to one may not be much of a story to another. It's all a matter of taste!

Thanks so very much for all of your help, and for just listening! You are all great.

Have a wonderful weekend, and I'll keep you posted!

--Danielle

[jtjmom]

Whoever said Roxana smells sometimes has never been to Decatur on a bad day! LOL!

[Juice13610]

So what's going on? Did you find a place?