Job relocation has sent me to Shawnee/KC - small town places?

[KCMetro]

Originally Posted by antonics

How is the Kansas ISD? Can they handle autism-related problems. I have an 8-year old son who has Asperger syndrome (mild form of autism) and needs a special school. I am choosing to relocate in either Shawnee, Kansas; Houston, TX and Round Rock, TX. Nightlife in Shawnee ok? Am an american but born and raised in the Philippines. Any info on the above questions is greatly appreciated. Best regards

It is great! My mother works in the De Soto School District in Western Shawnee as a para-educator. She works all kinds of kids- some of them are autistic as well. It is very good in Shawnee as far as many people are concerned.

[jello152]

bonner springs is a nice area and has really good schools

[melkreeves]

Antonics-
The Shawnee Mission School District (which covers the majority of Johnson County, KS) has a large and EXCEPTIONAL special education program, which includes programs for autism. Shawnee sounds like a reasonable place for what you need. The nightlife in KC isn't far and according to my nephew (who is also Filipino) there is a large Filipino community in parts of KC and he's experienced no negative comments or treatment.
Hope that helps

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by KCMetro

Just so you know, Johnson County, which is the county shawnee is located in, is the third richest county in the world. I'm not a yuppy or anything, but just a little fyi....

You have to be kidding me. Is the brainwashing out there that bad? 3rd richest in the world? "world" what is that?

Ever heard of google? Try it before you post...

Highest-income counties in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

JoCo ranks in the 40's i most stats which is good, but it's not 3rd. I think Mission Hills ranks in the top 20 as far as cities goes, but it's a very small city which makes it easier to do.

[smellykat]

Median household income for 2004 - $68,000

Ranks 39

My source: US Census Bureau

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by smellykat

Median household income for 2004 - $68,000

Ranks 39

My source: US Census Bureau

39 is not 3 and the usa is not the world.

My point is that nearly every major city has an all white suburban county that is only 30 years old that doesn't have any sort of urban areas or other more diverse demographics to throw the stats out of whack. KC is about the 30th largest metro and there are 35-45 (depending on the stat and source) other counties in the nation that are "richer" than Johnson County.

Jackson County probably doesn't rank high at all, but it still has a ton of very high end neighborhoods all over it from the west side of KCMO to areas in the Jackson County suburbs.

Clay and Platte are the same way.

What I find funny is that while Johnson County is always pretending to be much more than it is (It's nothing more than a suburb), Wyandotte County is one of the most poverty ridden counties in the state and nation. Kansans have ingored WyCo when it could and should be our St Paul or Fort Worth or Covington (across from Cincy). Sprint should be in office towers in downtown KCK with a nice skyline and lofts like KCMO instead of in a campus behind a walmart in Overland Park.

If you combined WyCo with JoCo, you would have a more balanced demographic breakdown of the KS side and it would probably be about the same as the MO side counties. JoCo didn't have anybody living in it when the MO counties and WyCo were well on their way to being developed out.

I have lived in Denver, St Louis and Chicago, I have never seen a place as overated and more full of itself than Johnson County, KS. It's nothing but a suburb of KCMO and most of what is there came from KCMO, the rest exists because of KCMO. Nobody would live in Kansas if KCMO was not next to it.

Just remember that if you do move to the KS side because people out there will tell you otherwise. They act as if KCMO is a suburb of JoCo.

Having said all that and to get this back on topic, I would highly recommend the originally poster to look into Bonner Springs. Yes, It's WyCo, not JoCo, but that is an area that will not build out as fast as western JoCO and it will not be near as expensive. Plus it's much more "small town" or rural were places like far western Lenexa, Shawnee and even Desoto are more "suburban" in nature. You will be in a rural area, but it will be a bunch of beige houses crammed into tiny lots of what was a wheat field a couple of years earlier.

[smellykat]

KCMO - OMG! Please, please chill out! Your anger and your hatred just spew out of the computer! You are scaring me! Please read my posting in the spirit it was intended - just facts - nothing more. I am a librarian, and I enjoy doing research. I am not trying to challenge you, antagonize you or fight with you in anyway, shape or form. I enjoy reading posts on city-data, and hope others do too. Your anger is so unhealthy. Take care, and have a beer (better yet, do you have any Xanax?)

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by kcmo

39 is not 3 and the usa is not the world.

My point is that nearly every major city has an all white suburban county that is only 30 years old that doesn't have any sort of urban areas or other more diverse demographics to throw the stats out of whack. KC is about the 30th largest metro and there are 35-45 (depending on the stat and source) other counties in the nation that are "richer" than Johnson County.

Jackson County probably doesn't rank high at all, but it still has a ton of very high end neighborhoods all over it from the west side of KCMO to areas in the Jackson County suburbs.

Clay and Platte are the same way.

What I find funny is that while Johnson County is always pretending to be much more than it is (It's nothing more than a suburb), Wyandotte County is one of the most poverty ridden counties in the state and nation. Kansans have ingored WyCo when it could and should be our St Paul or Fort Worth or Covington (across from Cincy). Sprint should be in office towers in downtown KCK with a nice skyline and lofts like KCMO instead of in a campus behind a walmart in Overland Park.

If you combined WyCo with JoCo, you would have a more balanced demographic breakdown of the KS side and it would probably be about the same as the MO side counties. JoCo didn't have anybody living in it when the MO counties and WyCo were well on their way to being developed out.

I have lived in Denver, St Louis and Chicago, I have never seen a place as overated and more full of itself than Johnson County, KS. It's nothing but a suburb of KCMO and most of what is there came from KCMO, the rest exists because of KCMO. Nobody would live in Kansas if KCMO was not next to it.

Just remember that if you do move to the KS side because people out there will tell you otherwise. They act as if KCMO is a suburb of JoCo.

Having said all that and to get this back on topic, I would highly recommend the originally poster to look into Bonner Springs. Yes, It's WyCo, not JoCo, but that is an area that will not build out as fast as western JoCO and it will not be near as expensive. Plus it's much more "small town" or rural were places like far western Lenexa, Shawnee and even Desoto are more "suburban" in nature. You will be in a rural area, but it will be a bunch of beige houses crammed into tiny lots of what was a wheat field a couple of years earlier.

WYCO has really done a nice job in recent years in adding attractions, tax base etc. <tips hat>

JOCO is mostly suburbs, I've lived here 8 years and never heard any different.

In 8 years I have never once looked down my nose at someone from KCMO etc. but have gotten heat for being a JOCO snob. I think this is a locals thing and I've even heard some people bear a grudge in their family due to hard feelings generated during the border wars!

People need to lighten up on this topic.

[smellykat]

I'm a JOCO native. I've also lived in California, the southwest and Missouri. I currently split my time between Kansas City and St. Louis. JO bashing seems to be more of a cyberspace activity (Kansas City boards) than a real life experience. I am unaware of any hatred and anger directed at Johnson Countians by Missourians except on the Kansas City board and as was the case recently, the Kansas board. Johnson County is a very wealthy county, and some wealthy people can be snobbish. I have encountered snobbery from fellow Johnson Countians because I am not wealthy and live in a small, "starter" home. There are snobs living in wealthy communities throughout the country. This is not an extraordinary experience common to metro Kansas City. I have found the same snobbery and attitude exists on the Missouri side within the enclaves of the upperclass neighborhoods and private schools families. It's human nature, nothing more, nothing less.