Young family moving from FL to Portland (Cedar Mill, Cedar Hills: low income, neighborhoods)

[lrdurante]

What's it like to live in Portland OR with young children? Our kids are 2 and 4 and we moved to FL from the Bay Area about 20 months ago...and cannot adjust to the south. We're looking back west and honing in on Portland. Want to move in the spring and be there before my oldest starts Kindergarten next year, and we want a great public school. Any advice about culture, housing/neigborhoods, public schools would be most welcome.
Also, any medical social workers out there? What is it like for social workers and also the mental health community? (I do private practice psychotherapy as well).
A lot of questions, appreciate any info on any part. Thanks!

[meltinjohn]

irdurante, I do not live in Portland but I am just like you are. I have been down in FL for 4 yrs and have not adjusted to the weather conditions and also went to Portland to visit. I had quite a visit and I really liked it, MOVE OUT OF FLORIDA TO THERE!

[oldtintype]

Portland has lots of great neighborhoods for kids. If you're looking to live IN the city of Portland and not a suburb, I just wanted to pass on that you have the option to lottery into any school in the district but the lottery process begins shortly after January. Just something to think about.

If you're looking for a suburb others will have advice for you. I live in Portland with a six year old and we have a great time.

[meltinjohn]

Yea Portland I heard had a shortage of schools these days, but from what I see, it seems like you can live in many parts and not have to worry as hard for your kids in school. Surely not like you have to in many places down south anyhow.

[oldtintype]

Portland doesn't have a shortage of schools it's just that the schools vary in quality.

[meltinjohn]

Eh, I dunno. Better to have quality than quantity.
Seems education on the whole out there is good and it seems the state trys in that dept.

[nowannamove]

I used to live in Portland, was born in the bay area and now live in Florida. Here is my two cents.

Portland is a great city to raise a family. It is a thousand times better than Florida. However, if you liked the hustle and bustle of the city, you will find Portland to low key and 'boring'. Personally, I think Portland is a great city.

As far as neighborhoods, I think the west site is best for families. For tax reasons I would live in Washington county where the taxes are much lower than Multnomah County. Cedar Hills and Cedar Mill are both in washinton county, and they are within minutes of downtown. They are great family neighborhoods. Cedar Mill is a bit more upscale than Cedar Hills - both are nice.

One of our kids went to Ridgewood elementary and we did not like. We found the school to be very clickish and snobby. Our other went to William Walker, and we loved it there. It is supposed to be a low income school, but we chose to send him there instead of Ridgewood and it was a good decision. The families were very nice and had good values at William Walker. William Walker kids are known to be kind.

I don't know about the middle school or high school, as my oldest went to the Magnet Arts Academy and we moved before our youngest was out of elementary.

There are some great charter schools in Portland, have you looked into them. You can find options for all types of kids - prep school, montessori, funky unschooling, arts, and more.

[meltinjohn]

I come from the Northeast (Mass), moved to FL and lived there for 4 yrs, and in response to the hustle bustle city comment, I am only looking for a bigger town with more things regardless of how the pace might be. Its not a podonk area like some places are. Myself I like bigger cities but not NY like or L.A with way more bull**** and drama so Portland 100% works.