Best area in Spokane to raise a family (Tacoma, Everett: relocation, real estate)

[needtoescape]

Originally Posted by googie

Just like anywhere, you have to look at what type of person you are before you move to an area. Spokane is great if you're a conservative churchgoer. If, however you are liberal and not into organized religion like us, it is very, very tough to find like-minded people. My husband and I really wanted to come out West (we LOVE New England, but we always want to see new places) but we should have done more homework to find a region where we would fit in better. We are starting to make connections now, but it takes a lot of hard work and if I don't want to offend my neighbors, I have to keep my Democrats in '08 bumper sticker hidden.
It is absolutely beautiful out here, though. We love going to Coeur D'Alene to swim and Green Bluff is a great place to pick raspberries, cherries, peaches, etc. Being within driving distance to Glacier National Park is also a big bonus!

A few years ago at the 4th of July event in Riverfront Park I met the local Spokane Democrats womens group. They meet regularly and invited me to their next meeting. Since I only live in Spokane part time and still vote in California, I have yet to attend. My point is that there is a very active group of women of different ages in Spokane that would probably love to meet you! I am a progressive Democrat that only sometimes attends church and Spokane has welcomed us. (I bought a "Jesus was a Democrat" button in the park that day! LOL)

[Deena160]

Hi, Gettingmarried! You and I share something in common...we both have autistic children. My original post was about trying to find the right school district. I guess I was hoping to get someone to say, "You need to move right here!" but unfortunately it's not that easy. My 12 year old is Autistic Spectrum, PDD-NOS. He's pretty high functioning but has always been in an enclosed classroom. Only the last two years in middle school has he been mainstreamed in PE and extra-curricular like art and music. My 16 year is pretty smart but ADD with autistic tendencies makes school life difficult for her. My youngest has cerebral palsy, but that's a whole different kettle of fish! So, if you'd like to share anything you find out, I would appreciate it heaps and tons.
The only thing that I've really learned from other parents with physically disabled children is that District 81 is supposed to be really good--it's also very large covering most of the Western half of the Spokane region. The following is an email I received from the ARC of Spokane. Again, it didn't really answer my question as to which districts to focus or forget about, but the contact info might help you! Good Luck!!! :~) D

From: Terry Villalovoz (tvillalovoz@arc-spokane.org)
We have 11 school districts in Spokane County so I would recommend that you call Special Services in 4 or 5 of the districts and tell them the services that you need and if they can provide them. If you talk to a school district that you like, you MUST live in that district. None of our school dirstricts will let a special ed. student choice into their district.
Spokane Public Schools ( district 81 ) 509-354-6336
West Valley: 927-1138
East Valley: 927-9511
Mead: 465-7600
Spokane Public Schools is the biggest district and if you can get your child in the right school they do a good job. The bad thing is that they have certain programs at certain schools and don't always give parents much choice. Call and talk to East and West Valley and see what they can offer you. Mead is probably the best district in Spokane, but it is also the most expensive to live in. It is up north and the meddian house price is over $200,000. It's a great school district and we get very few ( negotive) phone calls from families.
If you decide to move here let me know and I will sign you up to receive our monthly newsletter. If you have any other questions please e-mail me or you can call me at:
509-328-6326.
Again, sorry it took me so long to get back to you.
Terry Villalovoz
Spokane Parent to Parent

[DP525]

Originally Posted by googie

Spokane is great if you're a conservative churchgoer. If, however you are liberal and not into organized religion like us, it is very, very tough to find like-minded people.

I noticed there is an LDS temple in Spokane. I currently live in Utah and am not LDS. The LDS culture here makes it uncomfortable to live here if you are not a member. I know this post will probably offend the LDS folks, but I have to ask anyway. Considering the temple and the proximity to Idaho, does Spokane have a large LDS population? Are there any issues there between LDS and non-LDS? Sorry if I offended anyone, but I would not want to move from Utah to another Utah.

[mkeller]

Originally Posted by DP525

I noticed there is an LDS temple in Spokane. I currently live in Utah and am not LDS. The LDS culture here makes it uncomfortable to live here if you are not a member. I know this post will probably offend the LDS folks, but I have to ask anyway. Considering the temple and the proximity to Idaho, does Spokane have a large LDS population? Are there any issues there between LDS and non-LDS? Sorry if I offended anyone, but I would not want to move from Utah to another Utah.

In responce to your post regarding Mormons. Don't be scared of Spokane & it's Mormon population. Spokane is about as diverse as it gets regarding religions. The Mormon people that I have contact with are a darn site better citizens than any other religion. I am married to a Mormon and I don't attend any church having been raised as a Catholic and Presbyterian here in Spokane. Years ago this was a Catholic town, but not now. No political pressures from any church as far as I have seen in 67 years of living here.

[gettingmarried]

Thank you so much to all of the responses to my post! I feel so much more encouraged!
Deena your post made me laugh. You are sooo right! I want someone to make it easy and just tell me about the best options! lol I have called the Northwest Autism Center and left a message. I will let you know what I find out. I am forced to find out, as much info regarding the school situation as possible. Because I will probably have to present the information to a judge here in Co.. I need to gain permission to leave the state of CO. with my children. My ex-husband still hasn't decided if he is willing to cooperate with us or not. His visitation time with the children won't change any because my children fly free ( I work for an airline), but he still likes to have control over us and may fight us just to be difficult Deena, I am so sorry you have the same issues we have : ( When I get settled in Spokane I would love to start a support group. My support group here in Denver has been my lifeline.
We really do have a few things in common! My daughter is 12 and was diagnosed w/ADHD. However she is extremely gifted and does very well in school now that we have her ADHD under control. I found out (through much reaseach / tears ) that my daughter had food allergies. She can't have gluten, caisen, egg and peanut. She also has some pretty bad enviornmental allergies, the worst being latex. Anyway, once I changed her diet; her ulcerative colitis improved, her asthma improved, and her ADHD is gone for the most part.
She has turned into a very confident little social butterfly!! She still has very mild tendencies but this diet she follows has changed her life dramatically.
My son also has PDD-NOS. He is very mild at this point also. I would love to tell you more but I'm going to run out of room!

[Deena160]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a small Temple on 27 in the Spokane Valley. I've been told there's a pretty large Mormon population there, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you're used to in Utah or even if you went just over the border into Idaho.
Someone asked me why I didn't want to move to Utah. I told them there were too many Mormons! I am very active in my church and I love it, but I think Utah is plagued with many problems inherent to any community that is too much of one thing (did that make sense? can't think of the proper wording...). It's kind of a warped, backward peer-pressure thing that's hard to describe.
I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience. Outside of the "Mormon Belt" I think you'll find LDS people a little different. They're more tolerant of others and stronger in their own faith. I guess a good way of putting it is that they're Mormon because they want to be and not just because everyone else is. :~) D

[Deena160]

Disclaimer: Okay, I should add about my previous post that I was speaking in generalities and not absolutes. I know there are plenty of good "Utah Mormons" who go out of their way to make non-members feel loved and welcomed, but as we've found out from this thread, it's the bad stuff that often makes the most impact. Also, when I say, "large population" I'm talking compared to the Seattle area and not to Utah.
Now back to Gettingmarried...I wrote an email to all of the various therapists and special ed teachers my kids have had over the years(about 5-6). I just asked them for any Spokane info that they had and maybe a parent or two they could put me in contact with. I just feel like I'm hitting a wall when I ask for information like there's some unwritten law that you don't say anything good or bad about another area/school district. I'll get back to you with any results. :~) D

[WendyK]

Originally Posted by Deena160

Disclaimer: Okay, I should add about my previous post that I was speaking in generalities and not absolutes. I know there are plenty of good "Utah Mormons" who go out of their way to make non-members feel loved and welcomed, but as we've found out from this thread, it's the bad stuff that often makes the most impact. Also, when I say, "large population" I'm talking compared to the Seattle area and not to Utah.
Now back to Gettingmarried...I wrote an email to all of the various therapists and special ed teachers my kids have had over the years(about 5-6). I just asked them for any Spokane info that they had and maybe a parent or two they could put me in contact with. I just feel like I'm hitting a wall when I ask for information like there's some unwritten law that you don't say anything good or bad about another area/school district. I'll get back to you with any results. :~) D

Deena - I'd like to know what you find out, too, if you do hear any specifics on which schools have the best programs for autistic children. I get asked these kind of questions a lot and it would be good to have some additional information. Thanks!

[DP525]

Originally Posted by Deena160

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a small Temple on 27 in the Spokane Valley. I've been told there's a pretty large Mormon population there, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you're used to in Utah or even if you went just over the border into Idaho.
Someone asked me why I didn't want to move to Utah. I told them there were too many Mormons! I am very active in my church and I love it, but I think Utah is plagued with many problems inherent to any community that is too much of one thing (did that make sense? can't think of the proper wording...). It's kind of a warped, backward peer-pressure thing that's hard to describe.
I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience. Outside of the "Mormon Belt" I think you'll find LDS people a little different. They're more tolerant of others and stronger in their own faith. I guess a good way of putting it is that they're Mormon because they want to be and not just because everyone else is. :~) D

Yeah, bingo on that reply. I understand your peer-pressure thing completely. I see it every day here behind the Zion Curtain. The culture here is pretty strong. I grew up in Wyoming with quite a few good Mormon folks around. Had some very good Mormon friends in school too. Never had issues with any of it until moving to Utah. And I have heard southern Idaho can be even worse. Glad to hear Spokane probably doesn't continue the trend.


Edit: And I apologize for hijacking this thread. I'll be quiet now. ;-)

[mkeller]

Why pick on the Mormon issue? What about all the red-neck's who drive 4-wheel pickup, with a gun on the rack and a dog in the back....or is it the wife in the back? You learn to associate with whom you want and one should not worry about whether the other person is Catholic, Mormon or a non-believer. People are people and every Mormon person I personally know of are just like everyone else....trying to make it financially in the dog world. Realistically you should worry about schools, crime rate, and perverts as opposed to Mormon's.