Need help with relocating (St. Louis, St. Charles: environment, budget, job)

[ktb712]

My husband has been offered a job with the St. Louis Airport and there are residency restrictions. We have to live in the city of St. Louis. We have children and public schools are very important to us. Private school is not an option. I am getting really nervous because everything I am reading is negative about the city. My aunt lives in Manchester and said there were nice areas in the south part of the city. I can only go from my experience here in Memphis. (And I would NEVER put my kids in city schools here). I need help on understanding the city/county of St. Louis when it comes to the school systems. It sounds like its better to raise a family in the suburbs which would disqualify him for that job. I only know anything about Manchester, Kirkwood, St. Charles, and St. Peters and I think all of those are out.... PLEASE HELP

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I wouldn't go to public school in the city.

Other than that the city is usually just fine (depending on the area).

But as far as schools, private schools or suburban schools (usually) are better. There are some great charter and magnet schools if you can get into them.

[aragx6]

St. Louis City schools have major problems. If you won't consider private schools then I wouldn't take the job. There are some very good magnet schools in the city, but there are many applicants and it's done on a lottery basis- you'd absolutely need a private school backup. Any reason you won't consider private school? Many families in the city go this route.

And no, if there's a residency requirement, you couldn't live in any of the places you mentioned, they're all in the suburbs.

[TGS]

The situation isn't as dire as is sounds, but it isn't great either.

There are good public schools, most of them magnets and charters. The admissions to the magnet schools are driven by racial quotas. As long as your kids are the right race (the term they use is "non-black"), then you should be able to get your kids into a magnet school, though getting into the really popular ones will be up to your luck at the lottery. If your kids are black, then the waiting lists for the magnet schools is horrifically long, and their chances of winning the lottery are very, very slim, unless they test into the gifted schools. However, they can apply to attend a county school (like Kirkwood, Webster, etc.) under the desegregation agreement.

If you don't get into a good magnet school, there are a few regular elementary schools in the south end of town that are acceptable. Once your kids are at the middle school and high school level, then there really aren't any of the regular schools that are going to be acceptable to a standard middle class family.

There are a few charter schools in town. The St. Louis Charter School on Fyler is well regarded. Kids are accepted to that school on a lottery system also. Many people apply for both the magnet lottery and the SLCS lottery. There are a few new charter schools coming opening up soon, but it usually takes some time to work out the kinks. The Imagine Charter School of Environmental Science on the south side of town has a beautiful new building and it opened up this year. It has had some growing pains, but it may be better next year.

Most middle class families that can afford it send their kids to private schools. There are many inexpensive schools all over town. Are you against private schools due to the cost, or is it something else?

[aragx6]

Also it's important to note that all the loterries for the 2008-2009 school year have already happened, so there's no way you kids could get into them for the fall.

[TGS]

The magnet lotteries have already happened for next year, but for many of the magnet schools, there are immediate openings for students that are non-black. There are also usually openings in the gifted magnets (Kennard and McKinley) for black students. If you call up the SLPS recruitment office, they should be able to tell you which schools have openings right now. You can also apply late for the lottery to get on the lists for the more popular schools.

If your kids are non-black, it is highly likely that they will get into a magnet school, though it may not be the first choice on your list. You could go ahead and enroll them and apply for one of the more popular schools the next year. If your kids are black, then the lists are so long that it is better to consider private school.

The St. Louis Charter School has a rolling lottery, I think.

[ktb712]

Thanks for all your responses!!! My opposition to private schools are purely from a cost stand point. I don't think my children would get a better education just because I pay for it, so I really love our public school system here in Memphis. As long as it is in the county. I'm very fearful of budgeting for private school in a new enviroment. I have no idea how our finances will be once getting to St. Louis. Just FYI we are a white middle class family with exactly 2.5 children!!! (our last is due in June). I really love suburban living and my husband is a Mississippi country boy that just happenes to be extremely smart and got out to come all the way to Tennessee.....(LOL) Needless to say, he wants land and we both want great FREE education for our children. I have no idea what to do!!!! He just called and said they called him (2 weeks early), to invite him back up for the 2nd interview. I worry that his excitement over this postion is clouding his understanding that St. Louis city is exactly like Memphis city and we both agree that we would NEVER live in the city..... Thanks for the advice everyone!!!!

[CarNutCass]

This is one of many faux pas the City of St. Louis makes.......limiting their recruiting power by dictating where candidates are to live.

Good luck to you. I'm not sure how much of a step-up this job would be for your husband's career but I don't think I'd accept the job unless I could negotiate some sort of tuition assistance as part of my compensation package.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

There are some wonderful parts of the city to live in, but I understand your hesitation toward public school.

Hopefully his work would help you with tuition.

[anr_black]

That's a tough one.

My husband and I live in the city with our 2 kids, one of whom is in school. We live in South St. Louis in the Southampton neighborhood. As far as the area goes, I think you'd love it (minus the "land" part! We have backyards, but it's city lots, after all). Our son does go to private (parochial) school. I know there are some good magnet schools though. Specifically I've heard good things about Stix and Wilkinson, both of which are PreK-2. Kennard is the gifted academy (K-6 I believe) located in S. St. Louis. There is a test and teacher recommendations are required to get in. My son passed, but for various reasons, we did not gain entry in the lottery. If you enrolled at Stix and your kids had excellent grades and test scores, you could start the application for Kennard and hope for the best. Kennard feeds into a gifted middle school, then Metro High, which is a fantastic school. Metro High has consistently ranked at the top, if not the best, in Missouri High Schools. I've heard once your kids are in Kennard, as long as they maintain the grades, they're in the system til graduation. My suggestion would be post specifically about the magnet schools and see what response you get.

As for the cost of private school, if you are a member of the church (usually the Catholic or Lutheran parish sponsering the school) the tuition is usually cut in half. I know our school also gives scholarships if you meet financial/family size guidelines. Member rates are around 1500-2500 and non-member tuition is 3500-5000 for parochial schools. My only other thought would be if you moved near the egde of the city (like near Shrewsbury), you could pay the out of district tuition for a suburban public district, but I have no idea what that would cost. The schools are what make if financially straining to live in the city limits, no matter how wonderful it is here (sigh).

Good luck! Sorry for all the detail, but I've been down this road before, so hope the info helps.