Small town on Mississippi with good special education?? (Minneapolis, St. Paul: homes, public schools)

[oconnorcm3]

Hi,
We're planning for retirement somewhere to Minnesota, along the Mississippi. I grew up in Winona but have not lived there for more than 27 years. We would like a small town (under 50,000) with good recreational activities (water - sailing, boating, rowing crew, kayak; hiking in the hills; cross country skiing; horse back riding; snow mobile trails). We wil have our 18-year old severely-handicapped son living with us so will need very good special education in the public schools as well as good adult special needs services. We are considering:
Winona
Red Wing
Lake City
Rochester (but no water, sigh)

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Mari

[golfgal]

Not the Mississippi but the Stillwater is on the St. Croix and the schools are very good. They have good special ed programs as well. It is also close to William O'Brien State Park for hiking, cross country skiing. Stillwater is a very 'active' town. You will see many people out walking, running, rollerskiing, roller blading, etc. all year round.

[TimtheGuy]

Check out Hastings.

FYI-it doesn't/hasn't snowed around the metro much for the last 5-10 years and snomobiling has been very limited.

[mptc]

La Crosse, Wi Is a nice small city but Rochester is nice to(i like Rochester better)

by the way Rochester is about 30 min from the mississippi but there is silver lake and the zumbro River

[oconnorcm3]

We're trying to avoid Wisconsin since, once we receive a Medicare waiver for our son, we'd be stuck. Wisconsin doesn't allow you to move from county to county. Once your young adult receives the waiver you're stuck in that county. Minnesota allows you to move from county to county within the state, not losing your waiver.

I love La Crosse. Rochester water doesn't seem quite so inviting for rowing crew. Is the Zumbro river deep enough near Rochester? The services for special needs should be excellent since the Mayo Clinic is there and would very likely receive more grant money.

Mari

[golfgal]

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have very active boat clubs for crew. There isn't much rowing done on the St. Croix but there are many active members of the St. Paul boat club that live in Stillwater (my sister and BIL are two of them-my sister having rowed at St. Thomas and my BIL for Madison).

[mptc]

The Zumbro River is about 2-4 feet deep during normal river level through the city of Rochester. As you may or may not know in 1978 there was a flood on the Zumbro river that washed out a large portion of the city. so now the river is channeled through the city the river is accessible from many from ramps and stairs along the river channeling and the shore before and after the channeling

[oconnorcm3]

My husband rowed crew at The Naval Academy and, during a posting in The Netherlands, rowed crew two or three times per week. He couldn't live without it. That and excellent special education are my two main desires in a retirement location.

[golfgal]

I would pick Stillwater if I were you. It is a great town, very active town, easy in and out to St. Paul or Minneapolis but remote enough to not have all the hustle and bustle of the cities. I know there are several group homes in town for handicapped adults and the programming in the schools is good. I have a cousin that went through the public schools in Stillwater in the 70's and even back then they had good programs for handicapped kids/adults.

Let me know when you move and I can give you some contact names for the local crew clubs.

[mptc]

Well this time i will have to disagree with golfgal, I think Rochester would be a better fit for you. Rochester has one of the best health care systems in the United States, the city has very good schools some of which are funded by the mayo clinic, they have a variety of water activities and the Rochester Rowing Club of Minnesota. The city has many trails throughout and around the city. The only downside to the city is crossing Broadway on foot or Driving Down Broadway because of the stop lights.