Not sure where to live/schools (Tampa, St. Petersburg: spring break, rental, chapel)

[Lindalou76]

My husband is retiring from the air force after serving 20 years. He is from Tampa and we are moving back in about 6 weeks. I get the job of figuring out where we want to live! lol I will be transferring with my job to the local USAA, I know it's in the north Tampa area. And that looks like a great place to live. My concern is the size of schools. We are in Colorado Springs and my daughter goes to a very small elem school, only about 250 students, and that's k-5! I'm so worried because the schools in the Tampa area seem HUGE and i'm scared to death she will get lost! She has asperger's (high functioning autism) and does very well with the "right" teacher, she's always been mainstreamed. She doesn't need any kind of therapy right now, just a teacher who understands her and can kinda watch out for her. She will start 3rd grade in the fall. I've heard 3rd grade can be vicious, so i am worried she may get bullied as well since she is a bit "different". Are there any places within a 30-60 min drive of north Tampa that may suit our needs better? I don't mind driving if that's what it takes to get her in a good school that's not so overcrowded they can't keep track of the kids and don't have the staff to make sure their needs are taken care of. I was looking at Wesley Chapel and some of the elem school look good by my God one of the middle schools has like 1700 students it said I've been looking all over...Riverview, Safety Harbor, new Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Odessa ect. I'm going to try to eventually work from my home (a def possibility with my employer in about 6 months - 1 year from now). My daughter being happy at school and being treated well is my TOP priority, and would be open to pretty much living anywhere in the Tampa area. Any advice is great appreciated After spending the last 2 years in chilly Colorado (we have yet to hit 80 degrees this year, and we had snow about a week ago) I can NOT wait to get to Florida!!!!!

[Lindalou76]

Also, how do i know she won't get bused to another school? I don't feel comfortable with her riding a bus, especially to a school out of our area. My husband was bused to school out of the area when he lived in Lutz as a child. Are there any counties who don't "choice" to make sure she will be accepted at our "neighborhood" school?

[Jersied]

You'll have to visit before you decide. Let your husband know that after 20 years the area is not the same when it was when he left, and it really does not look the same in person then what figures tell you in print.

Traffic can be a pain in Hillsborough and Polk counties, but veteran's highway (which costs tolls) gives some relief. As for Pinellas country, it may be more suited for retirees, although the VA hospital is more near Largo (as is the bridge to Mac Dill - base facilities), while north Pinellas country is less congested.

Pinellas is actually a peninsula on a peninsula if you think about it, so there seems to always be a breeze, even if the summer months, and tends to be more cool during peak times. Few high schools in Pinellas country, except private schools, so the chance of being bussed to another school is minimal (UNLESS you live near a scholastic border - again something to look into) but the county/peninsula is only so big. I'd stay north, however the VFW has their own building in St. Petersburg and the post number is like 39 or something - low numbered.

Unfortunately, your child will experience more "social pressure" than you'd expect while living in Colorado Springs, (home of the academy). That might be true anywhere, but given the hot weather, transients, catering to tourists, and overcrowding, and spring break location(s), it will be challenging at best.

Anyway, this is a link for Quantum Farm in North Tampa Bay Area and Dr. Dopking which you might be interested in. They should have more information for you to research regarding your concerns for your child and where to live.

http://www.quantumleapfarm.org/about-us/founder/

[Lindalou76]

Thanks for your response. Unfortunatly there's no chance of us visiting before we arrive, with belongings in tow. Luckily, my mother in law lives there so we can stay with her while we house-hunt but i plan on having our own place within days. We are going to rent, don't want to buy in this economy. Her school here is absolutly wonderful, wish i could pick it up and take it with us. But i do not LOVE Colorado, in fact i don't like it much at all, mainly because of the crazy weather and all our family is in South GA & Tampa. We will just have to wing it when we get there and hope we find a decent house in a decent neighborhood. Not looking forward to traffic at all, traffic in Colorado SPrings can be a pain, but i'm assuming Tampa is worse. Though i've driven through Denver a few times, so i've got some experience. And i've been in hour long traffic jams on the I25 trying to get from down town Colorado Springs to the academy on many occasions. My husband knows Tampa has changed drastically. Our only options to be close to family (what we've longed for for 20 years now) is Tampa or south GA where I am from. GA is my 1st choice but i can't transfer my job there and we would basically be moving there double unemployed....not too wise in this economy. At least i can transfer and he'll be getting retirement pay so financially we will be ok. Hoping someone is out there who's been in my situation and has young kids in school and can maybe offer some advice? Thanks so much

[crazynip]

Lutz is nothing like it was 20 years ago. And the reason your husband was bussed was because there was no schools in Lutz except the elementary school. It's massively changed.

[Lindalou76]

I've seen a few rental houses in Lutz that looked like exactly what we are looking for. And from my research so far Lutz schools look pretty good. I'm so excited that we moving back in 6 weeks....

[newyorker24]

You aren't going to find any public schools that small in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. That said, the elementary schools in that area are supposed to be pretty good. You might want to try them out and if things don't work well, switch to a private school after your husband is working. They can be expensive but might be worth it in your situation. The private schools run by churches tend to be the least expensive. I've seen some in that area around $5,000 a year. There are also some that charge $10,000+ in the area (not church based).

[Lindalou76]

Thanks for the advice, appreciated! I may look at some local private schools, however, with her being special needs not many will let her through the door. Since they are not state run they don't have to make any special accomodations for her. Granted, right now she doesn't need any, but she may in the future.

[NALEXAND]

Our stories sound so similar! My family lives in S.GA as well (Valdosta area) and I moved here due to my internal job tranfer in an effort to be closer to them and am SO HAPPY that I did! Family is so important. Anyways, if you are looking for a school of that size, I honestly think a small parochial school is going to be your best bet. Public and most private schools in this area are going to be much larger than what you are used to. You would have to move to a very rural area to find such low numbers in a public school. I also know what you mean about wanting a nice environment with your daughter, I am going thru a nightmare situation with my daughter's teacher so I feel your pain there. I hope it all works out for your family and that you find a perfect fit!. We live in Riverview and love it a lot but there are no small schools except parochial.

Originally Posted by Lindalou76

Thanks for your response. Unfortunatly there's no chance of us visiting before we arrive, with belongings in tow. Luckily, my mother in law lives there so we can stay with her while we house-hunt but i plan on having our own place within days. We are going to rent, don't want to buy in this economy. Her school here is absolutly wonderful, wish i could pick it up and take it with us. But i do not LOVE Colorado, in fact i don't like it much at all, mainly because of the crazy weather and all our family is in South GA & Tampa. We will just have to wing it when we get there and hope we find a decent house in a decent neighborhood. Not looking forward to traffic at all, traffic in Colorado SPrings can be a pain, but i'm assuming Tampa is worse. Though i've driven through Denver a few times, so i've got some experience. And i've been in hour long traffic jams on the I25 trying to get from down town Colorado Springs to the academy on many occasions. My husband knows Tampa has changed drastically. Our only options to be close to family (what we've longed for for 20 years now) is Tampa or south GA where I am from. GA is my 1st choice but i can't transfer my job there and we would basically be moving there double unemployed....not too wise in this economy. At least i can transfer and he'll be getting retirement pay so financially we will be ok. Hoping someone is out there who's been in my situation and has young kids in school and can maybe offer some advice? Thanks so much

[Lindalou76]

Thanks NALEXAND! My family is in the Valdosta area as well, i went to high school in Nashville, GA (about 45 min from Valdosta). I'm torn between moving back to Valdosta, GA or Tampa. My job will transfer to Tampa, so if i move to GA i will have to find a job. I have already had a call from a company there but it was the ole "we like your resume, call me when you get moved here". I would be taking a pay cut in GA as well, but of course it's quite a bit cheaper to live there than Tampa. Wish I knew what the right choice is....hoping as June/July gets here it will become a bit more clear for me. I have a few more week until I need to let my job know if i want to transfer. I really wish we could make a trip to check out both areas since it's been 20 years since we lived there....but i don't see the point in spending $1000-$1500 to make a trip when we would be moving just a few short weeks later. Thanks so much for your advice