Best area of OKC (Oklahoma City, Norman: neighborhoods, to buy, elementary schools)

[peggydavis]

I liked the way they did the schools in Harrah. Everyone goes to the same school, and the teachers are all teaching within the same 2 grades in each school. I haven't seen any other districts doing that, but I thought it worked very well.

[Six Foot Three]

Originally Posted by Nameless

First off, that post by me was 15 months ago...so I'm not even sure how this thread is still alive in the first place.

I'm glad this thread was revived as i just learned alot about which areas are good and which are bad as i'm thinking of moving to OKC. I'm so burn't out after 13 years of albuquerque and i really like the fact there are large lakes and reserviors in and around OKC. I was really surprised by all the waterways in Oklahoma when i recieved the Vacation Guide from the Dept of Tourism.

Decisions decisions......

[peggydavis]

Lake Hefner is a very popular lake for sailing. Draper has dirt bike and horse trails. Lake Overholser is a great place to hang out for a day.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

I liked the way they did the schools in Harrah. Everyone goes to the same school, and the teachers are all teaching within the same 2 grades in each school. I haven't seen any other districts doing that, but I thought it worked very well.

Peggy, are you referring to "looping?" My daughter's elementary school did that, where you had the same teacher for two years. I really liked it because the teacher didn't have to get the know a whole new class, and pretty much picked up where she left off in June.

[peggydavis]

No, but looping would be a good idea as long as the teacher was good. In Harrah, they have 3 elementary schools. Instead of having students in each neighborhood attend the local school, all the students in the district attend one school for K-1st, another for 2nd-3rd, and another for 4th-5th grades. I liked that because the schools can concentrate on their age group, and all the kids are together from kindergarten through high school.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

No, but looping would be a good idea as long as the teacher was good. In Harrah, they have 3 elementary schools. Instead of having students in each neighborhood attend the local school, all the students in the district attend one school for K-1st, another for 2nd-3rd, and another for 4th-5th grades. I liked that because the schools can concentrate on their age group, and all the kids are together from kindergarten through high school.

Yes, that's different than what I thought. In "looping" though, the parent can opt out his child if they weren't satisfied with the teacher they would be looping with.

[peggydavis]

Different kids are compatible with different teachers too, so it is good that they are flexible.

My DIL's mother was a teacher in Russia. There, the children and the teacher stay together from elementary through high school.

[swirlfamily405]

I agree that Edmond is more "upscale" type living. I think people automatically "flock" to Edmond, and so the problems that are in other parts of the city will soon be in edmond also. The schools are good. Norman schools are good. Yukon schools are good and Mid-Del Schools are good. The east side of MWC is really booming, as someone else said. The North side of OKC and on into the Memorial/Hefner Parkway area is good. You will have pockets of bad everywhere, but there are less in that area, imho. Deer Creek is an amazing area, which is basically north of OKC and west of Edmond. The schools are wonderful, and you have beautiful neighborhoods mixed in with farmland and country-type living.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by swirlfamily405

I agree that Edmond is more "upscale" type living. I think people automatically "flock" to Edmond, and so the problems that are in other parts of the city will soon be in edmond also. The schools are good. Norman schools are good. Yukon schools are good and Mid-Del Schools are good. The east side of MWC is really booming, as someone else said. The North side of OKC and on into the Memorial/Hefner Parkway area is good. You will have pockets of bad everywhere, but there are less in that area, imho. Deer Creek is an amazing area, which is basically north of OKC and west of Edmond. The schools are wonderful, and you have beautiful neighborhoods mixed in with farmland and country-type living.

Edmond sounds like a really nice place. All I've ever read is good about it. AND welcome to the forum.

[Merlander]

If I had to pick either Edmond or Norman, I'd go with Edmond. But that's a personal thing - I know a lot of people who love Norman.

IMO, the most under-rated part of the city are some of the close-in areas of NW Okc. The re-development going on downtown is staggering, and at some point people, within and outside the city, are going to realize this. Areas like Heritage Hills and Mesta Pk are discovered, and that trend will continue, until it will no longer be possible to find well-built 40's and 50's homes for sale within a 15 min drive of downtown for under 150K, then 200K, etc. I can remember touring homes in Heritage Hills 7-8 years ago, huge homes that were practically mansions, for under 200K. No more.

The one problem with these areas are schools. But, they are improving. Wilson Elementary, for instance, has improved drastically because of parental & community involvement. Besides, if you can buy a home for under $100K close-in [which you can], you can save enough on a mortgage to send your child to a pvt school, if the local one isn't up to your standards. Something to point out about this large area though, is how much the quality of neighborhoods can vary, street to street.

NW Okla City is teeming with great places to eat, things to do, an eclectic assortment of non-chain stores, and interesting people. I would even consider going out as far as Bethany, and some of the areas west of Lake Hefner Pkwy and south of the NW Expressway.

I do like the outlying areas too, and for someone who wants a bit more space and/or quiet, it's probably a better choice. I personally wouldn't choose to live too far out, but that's just my preference.