schools in Wausau (Stevens Point, Weston, Rib Mountain: appointed, for sale, buying a house)

[Signora]

Hello All,

Well, it has been decided 100%... we are definitely moving to Wausau this summer. So now the fun begins... house hunting... etc.

I have read all the threads talking about how great the schools are in WI.... Well, as I begin our house-hunt, I was wondering something about the schools in the Wausau area. Everyone (including greatschools.net) raves about DC Everest, but Wausau East and Wausau West don't have very good ratings on greatschools.net. I was told that Wausau East is now in a brand-spanking-new building... which is nice, but I am more interested in the teaching going on....

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with these schools? Is there some reason why the scores aren't so great? Sometimes the scores are skewed for one reason or another in a perfectly good school.....

So, I guess I am just looking for someone who knows these schools and can give a personal opinion to add to the info I have been collecting.

Thank you!!

[Signora]

Doesn't anyone know anything about the schools in the Wausau area? I checked out the usual websites, but would really like some first-person input, if possible....

[Bryan D]

Everyone (including greatschools.net) raves about DC Everest, but Wausau East and Wausau West don't have very good ratings on greatschools.net.

Is there a specific reason you haven't taken this as good advice?

You're receiving the same information over and over with regard to the school districts in the Wausau area because DC Everest school district is it.

There are new schools in the area, and the existing schools seem to be constantly upgrading. Businesses are popping up left and right, main arteries have been reconstructed to "beautify" the area, brand new (and very large) hospital up the street, brand new clinics...et cetera. This area is growing extremely fast - people want to raise families in this area partly because of this school district.

Not to mention that you’re with in just a few miles of some great public forest land.

However, all this comes at a price. Taxes are disgusting.

Now honestly, I feel obligated to steer you towards the DC Everest school district for reasons not concerning educational superiority:

The east side (especially) of Wausau is becoming a bit slum-ish in my opinion. I'd stay away from living in Wausau at all costs if only for the fact that as time goes on Wausau will continue to decline as it further mutates into an urban environment. Wausau is a big city in it’s adolescence. Housing in Wausau is dirt cheap compared to surrounding communities. That should tell you something especially when the housing market is seeing all-time highs as far as prices go.

The satellite cities, towns, and villages (i.e., Weston/Schofield) are where you'll want to be in 5-15 years as this area matures.

FYI: I’m not from this area – I’m from Baltimore Maryland. So my opinion is truly unbiased in that I’m not giving my advice from the standpoint of hometown pride so-to-speak. But, I’ve lived in and around Wausau since 1997.

One last thing... forget everything you knew about Good Restaurants... I wish I were kidding...

[Signora]

Well, thank you for your response. The reason I wasn't totally convinced about the stats on greatschools.net is because I have seen their ratings for other schools in my area (which I am familiar with) and have totally disagreed.

I was told that the northeast part of Wausau was fairly nice and new and developing. Were you refering to the east downtown? Our problem is that we haven't had the chance to visit, yet and are going in blind... which is why I appreciate no-nonsense responses such as yours....

Weston really looks like exactly what we are looking for.... Does it have its own downtown area? Do you know if there are flooding issues with the rivers? Do you miss living back east? My impression was that things are a bit less stressful (we live right outside Providence, RI)....

Thank you again.

[ChairborneRanger]

As an alternative opinion, I'd say that the best high school is Wausau East, followed by D. C. Everest, with Wausau West next. Wausau East typically sends far more kids to college, has far more National Merit qualifiers and has a much more extensive curricula.

When I last checked---three years ago---I was quite disappointed that D. C. Everest didn't even offer French as a foreign language option----to me----that is not an indicator of a "state of the art" school.

[Signora]

I checked and DC Everest does have a French program now, as well as German and Spanish.... I also did a little further research into Wausau East, thanks to your posting, and discovered that they have an IB program. This is something that I would be interested in putting my kids into.

However, as they are still pretty young... I am still considering a move to the Weston area.... I was also told that there is open enrollment in the schools....

Thank you for your input!

[ChairborneRanger]

Originally Posted by Signora

I checked and DC Everest does have a French program now, as well as German and Spanish.... I also did a little further research into Wausau East, thanks to your posting, and discovered that they have an IB program. This is something that I would be interested in putting my kids into.

However, as they are still pretty young... I am still considering a move to the Weston area.... I was also told that there is open enrollment in the schools....

Thank you for your input!

Weston is a good area and, as I am sure you know, and, has been growing quite a bit. Years ago I/we had looked at buying a house in the Weston area and decided against it----both the schools and the zoning (&/or lack thereof) were issues for me/us at that time, as well as how absolutely flat and uninteresting the topography was. Eventually, we ended up down on Lake DuBay, on the water and about halfway between Wausau & Stevens Point---the best of both worlds---and have been quite happy.

If you are looking for other high quality areas around Wausau I'd suggest that you consider the Pine Island area (actually, IIRC, in Scholfield along the Wisconsin River---very difficult to find somehting for sale there, though), the Rib Mountain area and the North East side of the City of Wausau----up around the new high school, etc.

Good Luck on your quest!

[Dolly]

Where is Northcentral Technical College in regards to Rib Mountain? Actually, where is it located period in relation to the town and how big is Wausau?

[Lilygarden]

First of all, I don't think you can trust what a computer says about a school. I think you are smart to ask people that have experienced the school. Don't listen to people who have not experienced the school

Just because the area is a new growing area doesn't mean that the school is good

Drugs, Gangs, drugs. That is what Weston schools are known for. If a parent doesn't know that then their kids are keeping them in the dark

Yes, kids are in that stuff everywhere, but DC everest has more police on it's campus then any of the 3 schools. Those that rank West as the least of the three know nothing about west. Those students that attend west are considered to be more prepared for college than any of the others.

This is much more known. I think that you need to get here and visit the schools. I have actually moved four times. I have had a lot of experience finding good schools. I have just had to do this again in Alaska. what you read on the internet is not always accurate. You need to talk to teachers that your child will have. Talk to church leaders. They all will give you a better perspective.

I agree that Wausau is not the best area to buy a house in. But there are nice area's in wausau. Rib mountain is a great area. That is where I live. You will be happier if you come and look for yourself.

[southsiderider520]

Wausau is depressing of course there drugs. If there wasn't drugs here nobody woyuld live here besides the rich goody goods that live here now. Im from the south and i moved here all there is here is drugs.