Elementary Schools in Lincoln? (Hickman, Clinton: lease, crimes, buying a house)

[Fyrn]

I was hoping I could get opinions of the elementary schools in Lincoln. I would love to hear about the teachers, out of school activities, experiences, good and or bad.

We are in the process of buying a house and both my husband and I came from different towns. My daughter is only 3 but I want to have some idea about the schools to help in our search of a house.

Any input would be really helpful!

Thanks!

[justmiinNE]

I didn't grow up in Lincoln, and didn't have any ties to different areas and schools, like you will find with a lot of people in Lincoln. My wife and I decided after 8yrs we both had never heard bad things about the Norris School district. We started to look in that area to build a new house, and are very happy we did. Hickman is 8-10 min from all major shopping areas in south Lincoln so its not like its far out of town. I had a co-worker move out here before I did and heard her stories of the difference in schools. Her daughter was having trouble in math in Lincoln, and she said the school was just letting it go, they moved out to here and after her first couple of days at school the teacher called and said they noticed she was having troubles with math and they would like to place her in a special class. Her mom was worried that her daughter would freak, but they told her they would handle it. she said her daughter came home from school excited, telling her mom she was picked for a class. She said in no time her daughter turned herself around and finally begain to understand math. I have 2 kids in school now a 1st grader and kindergarten and both are doing great, my 1st grader is doing accelerated reading test this year, his teacher said they dont usually start that untill 2nd or 3rd but this year they had a few kids that they decided could start earlier. He tells me that at different times during the day they break out and go to skills lab where he is then placed with other like kids, and are taught at the appropiate levels. My daughter is the competitive one and is trying to do every thing her brother did and more, she always wants to beat him. He needs more coaxing, but it seems to come natural for him, I think they are doing a great job at keeping him interested and not bored, like I did when I was young. My wife has Dyslexia and had a hard time in school and she is very comfortable that the school will find and work with children that need help, our 3yr old has had problem with her ears, and the school has sent people to observe her and determine if she needs to be in their pre-school, which helps kids with special needs prepare for school better, we are still 3yrs away from her starting school and they are already trying to help. I also know of a family that had a daughter born with a rare, birth disorder "Angelmans", their daughter was going to start pre-school, and the family told the principal about a seminar in Texas they were going to, the school then said they would like to send a teacher along to find out everything they could about the disorder. They then paid for the teacher and father to go learn all they could, since she would be in their school system for a long time. She cant speak, but they have a computer that she takes with her, that will speak for her when she helps deliver items to the other classrooms. Sorry this ended up long, just tried to give my 2 cents on school choices. Also, it just seems that Lincoln Public Schools are more retro-active than pro-active. Norris already has plans for a new early elementary school and High school when the population reaches a certain level, so the will have enough room when it will be needed, Lincoln just brings in portable building and then scrambles to try and ship kids around to other schools to reduce overcrowding, while they are also closing some older smaller schools, that are producing kids with better test scores than the larger overcrowded schools.

[aerahrtlu]

Well what area of Lincoln are you looking to live in? There are almost 40 elementary schools in Lincoln, 38 if I remember correctly, each with something to offer. So it'll be really hard to tell you the "best" one in Lincoln.
In Northeast Lincoln, Pershing and Brownell are both really good. I went to Pershing and LOVED it. My husband when to Morley in east Lincoln and he says it was a good school.
The Lincoln Schools website is LPS.org
It will have alot of information that you're looking for.
If you tell me what area of town you're looking to move to, I'll be able to narrow down which schools are the best in that area.

[Fyrn]

That would be great!!! We are looking at some older houses on 33 & R st.. I have been looking up schools. I was told that Clinton is a good school.. it looks like the house I really like would be in the Hartley district. From what I have researched they are lower than average on the test scores. But what does that really mean? I hear how more schools are just teaching FOR the test... so any info would be helpful. Also how does the whole transferring thing work in Lincoln? Where I grew up it wasn't a big deal.. but how is it with overcrowding & such?

[Fyrn]

Wow! Norris does sound great... we still would like to stay in Lincoln since my husband doesn't like to commute. But thank you for the stories Justmiin!!

[aerahrtlu]

33rd and R? NOOOO.. Stay away. That's a pretty rough area of Lincoln. Not the worst, but I certainly wouldn't walk that area at night. It's gotten better, but it has a long way to go.
I hate to put it this way, but it if the houses are pretty cheap, usually that means it's in a pretty sketchy part of town. Not always, but usually.
Roughly anything north of O and south of Holdredge from 33rd to 17th isn't a great area. Also from South of O to North of Van Dorn from 27th street to 9th street isn't that great either. Now, there are some GREAT neighborhoods in that area (there's a few upscale neighborhoods mixed in there), but for the most part that's a rough outline.

Here's a great website.. http://ims.lincoln.ne.gov/CrimeViewCommunity/wizard.asp

Just click "I agree", then click ALL (on the what tab) then in cross street say 33rd and R (or any other area that you want to search). And it'll show you the crimes in the neighborhood. I use it all the time.

Usually there's not too much of an issue with transfers. My sister had no problem transferring her daughter to a different school and when I was in middle school my parents didn't have a problem with it as well. Some schools might be harder to get into. You'll have to contact those schools and ask them what their transferring policy is.

By the way, Norris school district is only about 10 - 15 minutes away from Lincoln city limits. It's not a horrible commute in the slightest.

[mattpoulsen]

aerahrtlu is correct. That area of town is not the best. Its not the worst but its just east of the worst and is what i would call a questionable area for Lincoln. That said, depending on where you're coming from it could be a walk in the park because Lincoln's problems in general are diminutive in comparison to other cities.

I would also add that I just drove near that area today (and haven't been through in a few years) and noticed the area seemed revitalized somewhat and, at least cosmetically, appeared to be experiencing somewhat of a rebirth.

I would just be sure to visit yourself before signing a lease (or buying).

[Fyrn]

Thanks for the crimeview site! It is really interesting.
I do like the house in that area.. and as mattpoulsen said I have also noticed alot of people fixing up the older houses.

Right now we are working with neighborworks and of course they have labeled the area low-mod, so they will help us get into a house there. They are willing to help pay down payments, closing costs & remodeling. So that would be nice.

In the area there are houses that are being built from different foundations or organizations that are trying to bring in homeowners, suchas one of the high school houses and neighborworks just put a house of theirs on the market also. So maybe if they can get more homeowners the place will calm down in the future??

I feel more at ease to know I can transfer our daughter if I feel that the school is spending more time trying to control kids than teaching them. Phew! I wasn't exactly sure how easy or feasible it would be...

Thanks everyone for all the info! I really appreciate it!

[BUNNLY]

Congratulations! Lincoln is a wonderful city! I am moving to Kansas soon and don't know how I am going to make it outside of Lincoln. Didn't grow up here, but it is home and I love it. I have children enrolled in LPS and I would be surprised if any school has a bad reputation as far as elementary schools. Blessings to you and enjoy Lincoln -- I will miss it so much!