Possible relocating to Grand Island, NE - Good idea or bad idea?

[hnybny50]

USCgal, I am originally from Grand Island NE and now live near Myrtle Beach. I attended all of my school years in GI. I attended GI Northwest High and found it to be a wonderful school system. Of course you have to know that it was quite a few years ago. I have lived in the Lincoln area and began my family in that area. I found that the midwest is laid back and people are very kind and generous. My husband which had never been to Nebraska until he met me was amazed at the cleanliness, open spaces and how quiet public places were and clean. I believe that I had a great beginning in GI. I lived there when the tornadoes hit in 1980. As long as one takes the warnings seriously and one is prepared, you will be fine. I have family in Hastings also. Both places are great. Check out the schools and I would tend to gravitate toward the subdivisions. The negative influences that children are faced with is hitting our entire nation. I believe it gets to the midwest a bit later than the coasts though. If I had not remarried a gentleman from the south, I would have taken my family back to the midwest without hesitation. good luck to you in your new venture.

[silverojo]

Originally Posted by uscgal2002

I use GreatSchools.com and Schooldigger.com as references for helping to determine what are good schools and what are bad.

Allow me to simplify the process of using greatschools.com--check out this page:
http://nclr.greatschools.net/cgi-bin...ame&tab=ethnic

If you look at the White and Hispanic percentages, you can tell which schools are in "lower class" areas, because they will have a high percentage of Hispanics. Neighborhoods with concentrations of Hispanics are poorer neighborhoods, and therefore more prone to violence. (I'm not saying only the Hispanics are committing the crimes--the white people in those areas also tend to be more low-class and high-violence.)

ABSOLUTELY avoid Jefferson; I used to go there, and was exultant when I escaped. Howard's no prize, either. I also went to Dodge, which was horrible. I went to Newell, and it was nice. Of course Engleman would be good; it's in an "upper class" area.

When your child gets up to the 6th grade, I recommend one of two things: Live in the Northwest High school district, or fork over the $$ to send your kid to Central Catholic (my high school--I worked at jobs to pay my tuition, because I loved going to school there). AVOID GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGH. It was hell when I enrolled there, and I'm sure it hasn't improved. All the kids from the worst schools end up there. 'Nuff said?

Originally Posted by uscgal2002

However, on the websites mentioned above they do not give them the best scores and that concerns me.

Numbers are nonsense. If several slacker kids lower the test results for a school, that doesn't mean the hard-working kids aren't learning. Schooling is what you make of it. Any of the GI schools that doesn't have the racial tension and violence problems will be more than good enough for your daughter. Heck, even at Jefferson (low-rent Jefferson), they had classes for advanced students--I was in those classes.

I live in Arizona...now we can talk about bad school systems. My friend who grew up in Phoenix didn't have to take any algebra at all in high school (!), so she was nervous when she had to take it in college. WTH?!? In GI, we took beginning algebra in 8th grade! I can't comprehend anyone graduating high school without taking algebra!

Originally Posted by uscgal2002

On this website I have read comments about drugs being a problem in Nebraska which is a big concern for me.

Drugs are a problem everywhere. I've lived in ultra-high-rent Scottsdale, Arizona, and we had drug dealers living right across the street! In other words, if you don't see the drug problem in your town, you're not looking hard enough.

[itsMeFred]

When your child gets up to the 6th grade, I recommend one of two things: Live in the Northwest High school district, or fork over the $$ to send your kid to Central Catholic (my high school--I worked at jobs to pay my tuition, because I loved going to school there). AVOID GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGH. It was hell when I enrolled there, and I'm sure it hasn't improved. All the kids from the worst schools end up there. 'Nuff said?

Nebraska has open school districts.
You don't have to live in a district to attend there, free of charge. If you're low income (ie, qualify for free/reduced lunch), they even have to bus you.
The open school district policy is how we ended up with so many "rural" schools on the edge of towns/cities that "had" to be closed (which completely screwed up actual country schools, btw. :P ) Sorry, an irritation of mine.

Anyway, though, you don't have to live in a nice district in order to send you kid to school there.

[ComputerUser000]

Originally Posted by uscgal2002

We currently live in Columbia, South Carolina and my husband has been interviewing with a company in Grand Island, Nebraska. If he gets a good offer I would like to know something about the city. They sent us an information packet on Grand Island but they always make that stuff look good. We have a 7 year old daughter who will be in 2nd grade this year so the schools are my far biggest concern. I know SC is not know for good schools but the school she is in now is the best and is a GREAT school. I would hate to move her to a brand new place and into a just ok school or even worse, a bad school. Can someone tell me the good and the bad on Grand Island, and Hastings?

Hello fellow South Carolinian..lol! I'm not a native South Carolina resident, moved here 10 months ago for work in Abbeville.. and I've applied for some work in Nebraska.

[lehua_haynwahine]

Hi, i was wandering if you guys could give me some info on grandisland; i currently live in vegas and am graduating high school and attending college in grand island. could someone help me out as to what are some good colleges for cosmotology, and what are some FUN things to do for someone my age.

[tpabes]

Well Grand Island is no Vegas that is for sure, so you might find it limited in things to do. As far as I know there are two colleges for cosmotology in Grand Island: Joesphs College and Xenon.

[tino martinez]

Im hispanic, Ive been here all my life but I get the same backlash from society as the illegal immigrants. So i guess this is a very racist town especially for hispanic people, it doesnt matter if your illegal or not. Hell look at the aborigin people of australia, they are natives of that land and many of them have been murdered because of their dark skin.Some people just hate brown skin no matter what. Grand Island is like living in a damn concentration camp.As soon as Im able, Im leaving for good.