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Old 06-28-2012, 11:19 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
18,982 posts, read 32,668,735 times
Reputation: 13635

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A lot of kids get driven to school/carpool. I've seen lots of kids walking alone or in groups and bicycling there. I don't really know how many walk their kids to school as WCI pulls in kids from at least 4 elementary schools so many cannot walk there as it's too far. WC does not have school buses either so kids take the city bus (the County Connection), they have special school routes and that's how I remember a lot of people getting to school went I went.

Say you live by PH BART, which has lots of apartment/townhouse options within walking distance (more so than WC BART), you could make him leave at the same time with you to make sure he gets up and out. The area immediately around PH BART is a lot more residential compared to WC BART too. If he takes the bus he would catch it at the PH BART station, so you could see him get on it then hop on the train. The bus goes straight down Oak Rd/Civic Dr from PH BART and would drop him off by WCI within like 10 minutes of leaving the station. Or make sure he hops on that bike and gets riding towards WCI as you're walking to BART. Just a thought.
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Old 06-29-2012, 06:36 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
2,206 posts, read 3,362,566 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ebybound View Post
Hi,

I'm a single mom looking to move to Walnut Creek. I have a job opportunity in Oakland, but am leaning towards the other side of the tunnel because of the schools (Walnut Creek is my #1, but looking in Lafayette and Pleasant Hill as well). My son is 12 and will be in 6th grade next year.

My biggest worry is that right now, I work about a 9.5 hour work day. I leave at 8AM and I get home at 5:30PM, M-F. I drop my son off at school on the way to work and he walks home from school. His school here gets out at 2:45PM, while the schools there get out at 2:20PM, so currently he is alone from around 3PM to 5:30PM.
Is your son starting 6th grade? If so, he will be in middle school. Walnut Creek has one middle school Walnut Creek Intermediate | General Information, the hours are 8:30-2:50. Most middle schools don't have aftercare available, but do have activities schedule after school (Walnut Creek's ms has a homework club http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/1064208...r_in_Excel.pdf, and afterschool sports are available.
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Old 06-29-2012, 08:51 AM
 
3,473 posts, read 5,266,964 times
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You know, next year is (I believe) the year when the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel will open, and that will actually make driving MUCH better at all times of the day. So maybe you can stick it out for one year of bad traffic or BART inconvenience, and then possibly drive with not too much trouble.
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Old 06-29-2012, 09:48 AM
 
Location: Sacramento, CA
11 posts, read 36,234 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twins4lynn View Post
Is your son starting 6th grade? If so, he will be in middle school. Walnut Creek has one middle school Walnut Creek Intermediate | General Information, the hours are 8:30-2:50. Most middle schools don't have aftercare available, but do have activities schedule after school (Walnut Creek's ms has a homework club http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/1064208...r_in_Excel.pdf, and afterschool sports are available.
Ahhh you're right! He will be in 6th grade and middle school. Most of the schools here, 6th grade is still a part of elementary school, and I overlooked that when I was researching. That could have been a disaster

Thanks for the info!
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Old 06-29-2012, 10:13 AM
 
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Hi - I live in WC near B'Way Plaza and drive to Alameda as a commute. It takes 30 min in the morning and 40-60 in the evening.

I have raised a child in CC County since 1990, in the Lafayette and Moraga schools, and even though these areas, Walnut Creek included, are safe and warm and fuzzy on paper, I would take all precautions and make sure your son is 100% supervised when you're not with him. His ultimate safety and your peace of mind while working will thank you.

Care.Com is an excellent resource for part-time sitters. Also you can check into after-school activities through Civic Arts in WC and Spare Time Spotlight, a local activities paper. St. Mary's College has all kinds of students looking for part-time work. Parents Press is also an excellent place to check.

As for BART, I don't know how you are re: noise, crowds, dirty train cars, delays, depressing underground stations, and discourteous people, but for myself, who have done both driving and BART on and off since the 90's, driving and having my child 'watched' has been the best combo.

Good luck - you sound like a wonderful parent!
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Old 06-29-2012, 10:20 AM
 
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excellent point!
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Old 06-29-2012, 10:45 AM
 
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would living in lamorinda take 15 -20 minutes off the commute ?
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Old 06-29-2012, 11:12 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
18,982 posts, read 32,668,735 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tstieber View Post
You know, next year is (I believe) the year when the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel will open, and that will actually make driving MUCH better at all times of the day. So maybe you can stick it out for one year of bad traffic or BART inconvenience, and then possibly drive with not too much trouble.
I don't really see how that's going to help anyone going in the commute direction, which the OP will be doing. The commute direction will still have two tunnels as they do now.
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Old 06-29-2012, 11:15 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
18,982 posts, read 32,668,735 times
Reputation: 13635
Quote:
Originally Posted by twins4lynn View Post
Is your son starting 6th grade? If so, he will be in middle school. Walnut Creek has one middle school Walnut Creek Intermediate | General Information, the hours are 8:30-2:50. Most middle schools don't have aftercare available, but do have activities schedule after school (Walnut Creek's ms has a homework club http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/1064208...r_in_Excel.pdf, and afterschool sports are available.
Actually it has two, Foothill Middle School is the other one over by Northgate High. But they're not in the same school district and WCI is the better choice for someone looking to commute by BART or not be too far from the freeway.
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Old 06-29-2012, 02:34 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,217 posts, read 107,956,787 times
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I would take BART. You don't want to have to deal with the traffic going through the tunnel into Oakland during commute hours. You'll have to change to another Bart line, but it'll still be more hassle-free than dealing with the Caldecott tunnel. Sometimes cars get stalled, it gets down to one lane one way, it can be very unpredictable. Your commute, whether by Bart or car will add time to your day, but at least on BART, you won't be stressing out with traffic. Seriously. This is a no-brainer to long-time residents of the area.

you were smart to pick Lafayette/Walnut Creek for the schools. Orinda is good, too.
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