St Louis Public Schools (Chesterfield, Mehlville: houses, neighborhoods, to buy)

[21mm397]

I've been following some of the news stories about the trouble in the city school districts, and a lot of people on the boards are recommending not to buy in St Louis School district. Are there other school disctricts that are still in the city limits, but in city neighborhoods?

[st. louie louie]

The regular public schools are the biggest mess. And I would not recommend them. The other public schools are magnet schools. Run be the same administration but you have to apply and be accepted. The schools focus on a specific area such as arts, math, science even gifted students. They are smaller and better run. I have two kids enrolled and things have been positive. The teachers care and students get along.
Another step is a charter school. I do not think they are free and then of course the private schools. Catholic, Lutheran, Christion etc... They will cost about $3000. per year. All this applies to pre K through 8th grade. I would not send my kids to a public high school. That means I need to have about $7000. a year available per student. To me, that's part of the cost of living in the city. Off set by gas, driving time and lower quality of living in the far suburbs.

[21mm397]

Thanks for the reply, Louie. What about areas like Afton or Webster, or Mehlville?

[st. louie louie]

Affton has both small wood frame houses and small & larger brick homes, Melville the same. Those homes are typically less expensive than the better nieghborhoods of south city. Webster is classier than the other two with a lot of two story wood framed homes, lots of trees, cute shops, etc... Webster will also be more expensive. Webster will probably offer the best public schools followed by Affton then Melville.

[mahalemama]

Hey st louie louie
We are relocating to STL from NC in May and looking for a good magnet school for our rising kindergartener. We are looking in the west county areas between Ladue and Chesterfield at the farthest west. Magnet schools are by far the most popular here and the acceptance is very cut throat due to the overcrowding public schools. How is it there??

[aragx6]

I could be wrong but from my understanding, Charter and magnets are generally a city phenomenon because those are the schools with the most problems. If you lived in Ladue, Chesterfield or any other area of West County, the regular public schools are quite good and make magnets and charters unnecessary.

[grmngrl8203]

Hey St. Louie, I'm looking for a school for my 4 year old to go to for just kindergarten or kindergarten up. I'd prefer a magnet or a private catholic school. Do you know the best ones? The area doesnt really matter.

[aaronstlcards]

Originally Posted by grmngrl8203

Hey St. Louie, I'm looking for a school for my 4 year old to go to for just kindergarten or kindergarten up. I'd prefer a magnet or a private catholic school. Do you know the best ones? The area doesnt really matter.

kennard is a very highly rated gifted magnet school in south st. louis

[STLviaMSP]

Funneling good families out of the city serves no one's interests. Go city public, get involved, invest yourself in fixing SLPS. Make the city awesome. If enough families that value education do this, results will follow, because lack of those families right now is the only reason SLPS are challenged. There is no excuse for the public schools to suck in good neighborhoods. Don't think this complacency doesn't taint the entire metro's viability as a climate for business investment. It absolutely does, and not stepping up certainly doesn't improve things.

[flynavyj]

Holy blast from the past, didn't you already start a thread over here. LOL.