relo from Atlanta to Mpls...Apple Valley??? (Minneapolis, Eagan: houses, neighborhoods)

[Olsen Family]

We are possibly moving from Atlanta to Minneapolis. New job would be in the Eagan/Apple Valley area. I was born in Mpls and lived in Edina many years ago. I now have three children (girl age 15, boy age 13, boy age 5). We still spend every summer in northern minnesota but I rarely get back to the cities. From researching the web it appears School District 196 is very highly regarded. Information on the Middle Schools there does not look as impressive as the high schools. My son plays travel hockey here in Atlanta and would like to find a good program there. School, however, is our first priority and we will consider any area of the city as long as the commute is at least within reason. Can anyone give me some guidance on the school situation? Any information about living in the Apple Valley/Eagan area would be appreciated. Thoughts on Edina would help as well.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Olsen Family

We are possibly moving from Atlanta to Minneapolis. New job would be in the Eagan/Apple Valley area. I was born in Mpls and lived in Edina many years ago. I now have three children (girl age 15, boy age 13, boy age 5). We still spend every summer in northern minnesota but I rarely get back to the cities. From researching the web it appears School District 196 is very highly regarded. Information on the Middle Schools there does not look as impressive as the high schools. My son plays travel hockey here in Atlanta and would like to find a good program there. School, however, is our first priority and we will consider any area of the city as long as the commute is at least within reason. Can anyone give me some guidance on the school situation? Any information about living in the Apple Valley/Eagan area would be appreciated. Thoughts on Edina would help as well.

Our kids are in the Rosemount Middle School and we simply LOVE the school. It is an outstanding school. One thing to keep in mind with the current reporting system in MN is that a school can not get good marks because of some of the special ed students. The mainstream students can pass at 100% but if a few special ed students don't pass the tests, they get a nick on their school report card. Honestly, all of the schools are excellent. Your children are the same ages as mine (except we don't have a 5 year old). You won't be sorry with the 196 schools.

Edina is excellent as well but not any better then the 196 school and why have the commute when you don't need to?

What activities are your kids in and I can help steer you to which schools in 196 you should consider.

[Olsen Family]

My daughter, age 14 plays select soccer here. She plays violin in in school. She will be a freshman in the fall. My son age 13 is going into 8th grade in tha fall. He plays the trumpet. He loves all sports. Currently he plays lots of ice hockey and hopes to find a program up there that works for him. I'm sure that's not a problem in MN!! Atlanta is a bit more challenging when it comes to that sport. He loves baseball. Has never played organized football but would like to. Golf and tennis are sports they both would like to pursue as well but are really just getting going at this point. My 5 year old is obviously going into kindergarten...he is into everything....naturally.

What are your thoughts on the high schools in district 196?

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Olsen Family

My daughter, age 14 plays select soccer here. She plays violin in in school. She will be a freshman in the fall. My son age 13 is going into 8th grade in tha fall. He plays the trumpet. He loves all sports. Currently he plays lots of ice hockey and hopes to find a program up there that works for him. I'm sure that's not a problem in MN!! Atlanta is a bit more challenging when it comes to that sport. He loves baseball. Has never played organized football but would like to. Golf and tennis are sports they both would like to pursue as well but are really just getting going at this point. My 5 year old is obviously going into kindergarten...he is into everything....naturally.

What are your thoughts on the high schools in district 196?

They are all excellent and all have their own personality. They all have their own things that they are good in and whatnot too. Academically they are all pretty identical. Eastview tends to be a little more high brow then the other schools, Eagan is somewhat that way but not as bad. Apple Valley tends to be the sports school where as Rosemount is has better music/fine arts programs. That isn't to say that the rest of the schools don't have good programs/sports, these are just generalizations. Golf at Eastview and Apple Valley is REALLY bad though (our JV team beats their varsity--our DD13 golfs for the Rosemount varsity team so we are biased that way). Rosemount Girls finished the regular season 1st in state, Eagan girls also have a very good golf program. Youth golf is huge in this area--many camps, clinics, etc.

Hockey--all of the schools have good hockey programs. Eagan used to be the team to beat but Rosemount boys made it to region finals this year. Apple Valley has a strong program too.

The only negative with the 196 schools from your standpoint, no orchestra. If your DD is adamant on continuing orchestra, Sibley High School in Mendota Heights is the place to go. If she just wants to play and is ok not playing in high school but would be ok with playing in a community orchestra there is a South of the River Orchestra and if she really wants to play, there is the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony by audition only.

Our twins are just finishing up 7th grade at Rosemount middle. They just love it there.

I was a teacher and have been involved in many districts around the state either as a parent, teacher or student and the 196 schools are by far the best district over all that I have ever been a part of.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Our kids are in the Rosemount Middle School and we simply LOVE the school. It is an outstanding school. One thing to keep in mind with the current reporting system in MN is that a school can not get good marks because of some of the special ed students. The mainstream students can pass at 100% but if a few special ed students don't pass the tests, they get a nick on their school report card. Honestly, all of the schools are excellent. Your children are the same ages as mine (except we don't have a 5 year old). You won't be sorry with the 196 schools.

Edina is excellent as well but not any better then the 196 school and why have the commute when you don't need to?

What activities are your kids in and I can help steer you to which schools in 196 you should consider.

Edina has the best high school hockey team in the Cities. They rival hockey-centric towns in the Iron Range. Like you say, if you kid plays football go to Eden Prairie. If you kid does hockey, and is serious about it, Edina is worth it. Most people would also consider Edina to be slightly better academically. Edina is still the same gold standard today that it was when you were here.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Minnehahapolitan

Edina has the best high school hockey team in the Cities. They rival hockey-centric towns in the Iron Range. Like you say, if you kid plays football go to Eden Prairie. If you kid does hockey, and is serious about it, Edina is worth it. Most people would also consider Edina to be slightly better academically. Edina is still the same gold standard today that it was when you were here.

That was true 20 years ago but no longer is the case. Last year was the first year in 10 years that Edina made it to the state tournament. There really isn't a dominant high school hockey team in the metro area and there hasn't been for quite a while. St. Thomas Academy or Totino Grace would probably be the closest thing to being dominant but that isn't even quite true, not like Edina was in the 70's and 80's.

[Olsen Family]

Thanks so much for the helpful information. We have reolcated many times and it is always a challenge. This one would be especially so, now that our daughter is about to enter high school.

Violin would not be a determining factor in selecting the right school for her. We also do not need a hockey powerhouse...just a school that offers our son that option. Academics are a first. We want our kids to have a smooth transition and find friends quickly who share similar interests. We would hope to find a neighborhood with good schools and lots of kids, parks and places to bike, jog and walk the dog. Just what everyone is looking for I guess. There do seem to be plently of options in the Apple Valley/ Eagan area.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Olsen Family

Thanks so much for the helpful information. We have reolcated many times and it is always a challenge. This one would be especially so, now that our daughter is about to enter high school.

Violin would not be a determining factor in selecting the right school for her. We also do not need a hockey powerhouse...just a school that offers our son that option. Academics are a first. We want our kids to have a smooth transition and find friends quickly who share similar interests. We would hope to find a neighborhood with good schools and lots of kids, parks and places to bike, jog and walk the dog. Just what everyone is looking for I guess. There do seem to be plently of options in the Apple Valley/ Eagan area.

The nice thing about Rosemount High School is that they have 2 feeder middle schools so there are a lot of kids that don't know everyone. We moved here when our oldest was staring 9th grade and our twins were staring 6th grade and they made everything so easy for us and them. They even had a pizza party for all the new kids so they could meet each other.

I was talking with the girls golf coach last night and he would be THRILLED if your kids came out for golf. There are a lot of kids that start as freshman so she wouldn't be the only one for that either.

[WannaBeinBoston]

Originally Posted by Olsen Family

Thanks so much for the helpful information. We have reolcated many times and it is always a challenge. This one would be especially so, now that our daughter is about to enter high school.

Violin would not be a determining factor in selecting the right school for her. We also do not need a hockey powerhouse...just a school that offers our son that option. Academics are a first. We want our kids to have a smooth transition and find friends quickly who share similar interests. We would hope to find a neighborhood with good schools and lots of kids, parks and places to bike, jog and walk the dog. Just what everyone is looking for I guess. There do seem to be plently of options in the Apple Valley/ Eagan area.

Evermoor in Rosemount and Cobblestone Lake in Apple Valley are good subdivisions to consider for walkable neighborhoods and both are very family friendly

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by WannaBeinBoston

Evermoor in Rosemount and Cobblestone Lake in Apple Valley are good subdivisions to consider for walkable neighborhoods and both are very family friendly

Both towns in general, there are parks everywhere, walking/bike paths/sidewalks everywhere. I perfer Evermoor to Cobblestone only because the houses aren't on top of each other as much in Evermoor as they are in Cobblestone . They are both nice areas though and there are some DEALS to be had in Cobblestone now too.