[DavidGeorge]

Originally Posted by rezfreak

I went to Omaha north, and as a geeky little white girl, i was definitely picked on both due to my race, but also my sex. I hated every second there. I transferred out and went to Bellevue West for the second half of my school years and LOVED it there. Teachers were absolutely great, i even still talk to a couple of them and I graduated nearly 10 years ago. They really care about your child in Bellevue.

Oddly enough, my kids had the exact opposite experience. Our daughter never had one single bad experience, with teachers or fellow students, at North. Graduated early. And with all the college-level courses offered at North, graduated from high school with 1-1/2 years' worth of college credit at UNO complete. A first-class, fantastic school.

I also have a brother-in-law who teaches at Papillion-LaVista High School. Other than what sounds to me like a lot of drug problems, that sounds like a really good high school as well.



Yet again, where people want to be depends on what they want.

[Calvinist]

I'm sorry...anyone that actually voted OPS needs to take a hard look at what they call "quality". And yes...I say that as a parent of OPS kids. OPS just doesn't compare to the others. They just are not in the same category.

[SunshineSanity]

Originally Posted by divingbelle12368

you're not going to get social or racial diversity in the same neighborhood as a hearthstone home. the closest you may come is bellevue. i think they have a few of those pre fab cookie cutter type celebrity homes. bellevue is stigmatized as ghetto by west omahans. however, i think it's just because it's not 99% white like the west omaha schools.

We know that living in a suburban home won't give our kids diversity, that's why we're thinking we want their schools to give that to them.

And yes, Bellevue has a few neighborhoods of Celebrity Homes. That's one of the home builders we will be looking at when it's time.

[SunshineSanity]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

I'm sorry...anyone that actually voted OPS needs to take a hard look at what they call "quality". And yes...I say that as a parent of OPS kids. OPS just doesn't compare to the others. They just are not in the same category.

Odd, from my research, I've concluded that OPS is a very good school system. Even Warren Buffet sent his kids to OPS schools.

Every kids has a different experience in school. My husband and I both went to Lincoln Public Schools and had two very different experiences there. I hated it and felt I fell through the cracks and he excelled and says he loved school.
It depends on the kid.

[SunshineSanity]

I guess I ask this because I've rarely even *been* to Omaha.
I know Lincoln Schools like the back of my hand because I've lived here my whole life. I know what preschools, elementary schools, middle schools and high schools are best and in what order I would put them. I know what neighborhoods I like and where I'm comfortable.
The unknown in Omaha terrifies me. It's a whole new ballgame up there.

[Calvinist]

Originally Posted by aerahrtlu

Odd, from my research, I've concluded that OPS is a very good school system. Even Warren Buffet sent his kids to OPS schools.

Every kids has a different experience in school. My husband and I both went to Lincoln Public Schools and had two very different experiences there. I hated it and felt I fell through the cracks and he excelled and says he loved school.
It depends on the kid.

I never said OPS wasn't good. I'm sorry....my "quality" statement probably sounded like that. My point was that if we judge it on quality alone, I think there are other districts that are better.

There are better ones in the area, though. As for Warren's kids? His kids are grown adults...right? We're talking probably 30 years?

But honestly...I am friends with a couple that are missionaries in Peru. They are amazed that people will home-school or private school their kids when there are schools as good as OPS available to them.

[SunshineSanity]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

I never said OPS wasn't good. I'm sorry....my "quality" statement probably sounded like that. My point was that if we judge it on quality alone, I think there are other districts that are better.

There are better ones in the area, though. As for Warren's kids? His kids are grown adults...right? We're talking probably 30 years?

But honestly...I am friends with a couple that are missionaries in Peru. They are amazed that people will home-school or private school their kids when there are schools as good as OPS available to them.

I apologize, I misunderstood you then.
I'll never understand homeschooling, but that's just me. I understand the religious side of private school or if you live in a really crappy school district (think Chicago Public Schools) though.

It's so overwhelming because all Lincoln schools are basically the same (with just *alittle* difference between them) and all these Omaha schools offer so many different choices. Ugh.

[DavidGeorge]

Originally Posted by aerahrtlu

We know that living in a suburban home won't give our kids diversity, that's why we're thinking we want their schools to give that to them.

And yes, Bellevue has a few neighborhoods of Celebrity Homes. That's one of the home builders we will be looking at when it's time.

Not a comment about schools here, but about Celebrity Homes.

One word: DON'T.

[McBain II]

Originally Posted by aerahrtlu

Odd, from my research, I've concluded that OPS is a very good school system. Even Warren Buffet sent his kids to OPS schools.

Every kids has a different experience in school. My husband and I both went to Lincoln Public Schools and had two very different experiences there. I hated it and felt I fell through the cracks and he excelled and says he loved school.
It depends on the kid.

OPS schools are just as good if not better than any of the other districts. The problem with OPS is that they get stuck with alot of the inner city kids who frankly don't care and it drags OPS down on paper. For anyone who actually values their education, like DavidGeorge's kids, OPS can do wonderful things.

[DavidGeorge]

Originally Posted by Bosco55David

OPS schools are just as good if not better than any of the other districts. The problem with OPS is that they get stuck with alot of the inner city kids who frankly don't care and it drags OPS down on paper. For anyone who actually values their education, like DavidGeorge's kids, OPS can do wonderful things.

You hit the nail on the head. Folks from Millard & Westside LOVE to talk about the drop-out rates at Omaha North & Omaha Central. Sure... And their point is?

The bottom line is that you cannot make kids learn. You cannot make kids want to be in school. The fact that some of these urban high schools have a higher drop out rate than the suburban schools is due to the fact that Mama is a crackhead & Daddy is in prison somewhere. It's not due to the quality of education offered.


A kid growing up in an economically stable two-parent home, that supports the kid, will have FAR more to do with his/her success in life than what school said child attends.