Selection of high school in Peoria (Chicago, Champaign: apartment, rent, credit)

[livonian]

We are relocating to Peoria next months and want to select a location which is near to high school for our kids. In their current schools, they are within top 5 % in the class.

Based on internet research, we have identified 61614 zip code as a suitable area for living. That brings 3 schools to be considered.

1) Richwoods public school
2) Notre Dame private school
3) Dunlap public school.

Although public and private school comparison may not valid on some criteria including cost, we can stretch to consider this as an investment for a good future university.

Can you please comment on above high schools to help make a decision for selection?

[linicx]

Richwoods and catholic Notre Dame are both very good schools. I know nothing about Dunlap schools, My son went to Richwoods and did very well for himself. He owned three businesses in Peoria and had a beautiful wife when he died. Both schools would also serve Peoriia Heights students, too.

The advantage to Peoria is that with few exceptions all of the major events are held in Peoria or very near it. The Peoria Park District offers opportunities to learn and to teach others. A teaching cetiticate is not required but actual experience is. I have friends who teach dance there.

[linicx]

Richwoods and catholic Notre Dame are both good schools. I do not know anything about Dunlap schools. My son graduated from Richwoods and did very well for himself as he owned three businesses in Peoria and had a beautiful wife when he died at 28 years of age. Other schools are Bradley U campus in Peoria and Illinois Central College campus in East Peoria. Where you rent will determine the school district. Any place north of War Memorial Drive (US 150) should keep you in the Richwoods school area. If you could find a place in Rolling Acres, your child could walk to school most days. It is a nice family friendly area of 3 bdroom homes and a few apartment buildings that were built in the 1960s and later. My sister-in-law has lived there for many years. It's a quiet mostly trouble free area. Access to Rolling Acres is on Northmore, University, Glen and US 150. It is not a small subdivision.

[runninfiend]

Originally Posted by livonian

We are relocating to Peoria next months and want to select a location which is near to high school for our kids. In their current schools, they are within top 5 % in the class.

Based on internet research, we have identified 61614 zip code as a suitable area for living. That brings 3 schools to be considered.

1) Richwoods public school
2) Notre Dame private school
3) Dunlap public school.

Although public and private school comparison may not valid on some criteria including cost, we can stretch to consider this as an investment for a good future university.

Can you please comment on above high schools to help make a decision for selection?

Sure.

1. Where the wealthy used to send their kids if they didn't want them in catholic school. Used to be on the north fringe of Peoria, now it isn't. Still a good school with a solid reputation.

2. Where the wealthy send their kids if they want them in catholic school. An educationally high quality institution by all accounts. How could it not be when the boys wear ties, right?

3. Where the wealthy send their kids now if they don't want them in catholic school. Dunlap used to be a small farm school, now it's the address of much of moneyed Peoria. "Dunlap schools" is what the Cat folks and Md's look for in a house. New buildings, shiny clean. I'm sure it's quite nice.

Best of luck.

[BUalumni]

Originally Posted by livonian

We are relocating to Peoria next months and want to select a location which is near to high school for our kids. In their current schools, they are within top 5 % in the class.

Based on internet research, we have identified 61614 zip code as a suitable area for living. That brings 3 schools to be considered.

1) Richwoods public school
2) Notre Dame private school
3) Dunlap public school.

Although public and private school comparison may not valid on some criteria including cost, we can stretch to consider this as an investment for a good future university.

Can you please comment on above high schools to help make a decision for selection?

Yes, the 61614 zip code is a great place to live in Central Illinois. As for you consideration of a HS, I think that because I live in this immediate area that I can be of much help.

1) Richwoods is a great high school, and has many attributes that other high schools in the tri-county area do not have. It is without a doubt the best high school in Dist. 150, in my opinion. I'm not for absolute certainty where the boundaries for it lie. It would also border Peoria Central, and Peoria Heights. I believe the actual town of Peoria Heights is a different zip code though, so that might not be why it came up in your search. I believe that Richwoods covers most of the area north of War Memorial, since this would actually be Richwoods township. The farther north your property is in the city though, your chances drasticially improve that you are within Richwoods HS.

2) Dunlap HS is the district that we live in, and DHS is where I will eventually be sending my kids to school. We absolutly love it here, and wouldn't change a single thing!!! Most of the schools are state of the art facilities, and the older buildings, such as the HS, are constantly being renovated to meet the needs of the incoming class. The HS is also right across the street from our brand new, gourgeous library, which hugs the Rock Island trail. This is not to say that Richwoods is a bad school, because it isn't. But Dunlap frequently boasts being the best downstate HS, as well as a contender for the state. DHS is home to one of the few HS in the state that has a Freshman Academy, and is part of one of the most rapidly growing and changing districts as well. Even though it is too early to say, there have been rumblings of another HS to be built within the next decade. The tax payers here are fortunate enough to look at the past history of other fast growing sectors of the state, and see how they have dealt with their growing pains, and not make the same mistakes. The district 323 lines are "choppy" Anything generally outside of Rt. 6 is considered Dist 323. But there is an area that lies north of the Weaverridge area that may also.

[livonian]

Richwoods high school is known to have IB program which Dunlap HS does not have.
Not sure how much IB makes a difference to University?

[linicx]

I think the number of courses offered is not as important as what courses your child needs to pass SAT tests for entrance into college, and what your child plans to major in. Medicine, Architechure, science, computers for instannce will require a lot of math whereas Art and Drama do not. Better grades and better preperation equal better school. Some of the degrees and shcools to consider in Illinois is EE or ME at Bradley U in Peoria, John Marshall Law School in Chicago and Computer Science at University of Illinois Champaign. There is University of Illinois medical school in Peoria. These are all demanding courses. If your child is qualified he/she may be eligible to earn college credits from Bradley or ICC while finishing high school. If one has time, money and transportation Peoria offers a lot.

[BLOOMINGTONIAN]

Schools in Dunlap Central Unified School District 323. Schooldigger.com