Ogden Dunes - fill me in on this area (Hammond: houses, public schools)

[Chicagoexpat]

What's the scoop on this area? How far is it from Chicago? I heard it was safer than Miller and the kids go to Portage schools which are pretty good. Is this true?

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by Chicagoexpat

What's the scoop on this area? How far is it from Chicago? I heard it was safer than Miller and the kids go to Portage schools which are pretty good. Is this true?

Go to www.greatschools.net for info on Portage schools vs. other areas.

[domergurl]

or go to the state's dept. of ed site for raw data.

[cd771]

I've never visited Ogden Dunes but when I was househunting I did see alot of nice houses there online. We considered looking there but husband wanted some land. If you want to live in a Dunes area it looks pretty nice. I take the train from the Dune Acres stop which is one stop East of Ogden Dunes and it isn't too bad of a commute.

[dcforbreakfast]

I used to live in Ogden Dunes. What's fantastic is that it's all residential and it's very secluded. You have the beach to yourself and it's extremely safe. All of the homes are unique and there are a lot of family oriented events. Ogden Dunes can be anywhere from a 35 minute drive to Chicago (no traffic, taking the skyway) to over an hour or more. It depends which way you go. The South Shore Train has a stop right in the front of Ogden Dunes and it's about an hour fifteen ride (due to all of the stops). Very convenient if you're going to work in Downtown Chicago.

I can't really tell you much about Portage Schools. I know the high school has changed quite a bit since I went there and a friend of mine just quit as a teacher because the school has so many issues. You will definitely want to do your research first. From what I know from people who still use Portage Schools, I would not send my children there. Again, I'll stress you should research before you just listen to me. Ogden Dunes is wonderful though.

[lasttimewemove]

Portage Elementary and Secondary rate well, the HS is horrible. Surprising with the growth in the area. You could elect to send HS kids to Andrean, a private Catholic school nearby.

[cd771]

I don't get the whole obsession with schools. I wouldn't worry too much about the schools unless there is lots of violence. I graduated from Hammond schools which had and still have a terrible rap but still went on to graduate with a 3.8 from Northwestern. If your kids apply themselves, they can do anything. My friend's son graduated from one of the worst public schools in Chicago and just got accepted to Pepperdine. He is an accomplished jazz musician and has one of the few perfect scores on the SAT. I almost think a smart kid has an advantage at a worse school because they excel and lead which helps tremendously in college and work. Really highschool means nothing in the real world. I've worked for Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch (ya I guess that's nothing to brag about) and currently for GE Capital. No one cares about what highschool I went to.

I forgot to mention. I never showed up for homeroom in highschool and in one of my classes someone used to sneak out every single day and go get us white castles. I also used to smoke in the bathroom during English every single day. Yet I survived.

[lasttimewemove]

Portage HS is tough because you get the feeling the teachers and admin have given up. I really don't know what the problem is there, why they can't get it together. I hope it is due for positive change. There is some violence, but worse than that is the overall attitude of faculty and students. Complacency is hard to root out. Lots of drugs, bad attitudes, and nobody cares all that much so it hasn't changed. I agree with the PP, it is what you make of it. But the faculty has to at least care, or even someone who wants to learn will not get the support they need. Finding a good teacher there is a needle in a haystack. Depends on how old your kids are, if they have 4-7 years before they get to HS, who knows the growth that can happen in that time. Like I shared in a PP, the elementary level is decent by all accounts, and yes they care. Ogden Dunes is as close to a midwest Norman Rockwell town as you can get. It is a fantastic place to grow up. You are raised with a healthy respect for nature since it surrounds you, and it draws an eclectic mix of people. Everyone that lives there has chosen to do so because in some part because the Lake is appealing to them. So there is an instant feel of like-minded community. Lots of artist, families, free thinkers, business owners, blue collar. Good mix of political views. You can leave your Hobie on the beach, which is private. You can have bon fires at night. It is common to see all your neighbors down on the beach to toast the setting sun. Really, its awesome.

[artemis]

Originally Posted by lasttimewemove

Portage Elementary and Secondary rate well, the HS is horrible. Surprising with the growth in the area. You could elect to send HS kids to Andrean, a private Catholic school nearby.

Andrean is in Merrillville. That would be quite a drive every day.

[lasttimewemove]

Originally Posted by artemis

Andrean is in Merrillville. That would be quite a drive every day.

Not so bad, on any given year there are at least 20-30 kids making the commute daily from OD to Andrean. So there are carpools.