Best Elementary Schools in Naperville? (Aurora, Lincoln: rental, houses, neighborhoods)

[chicagodesi]

Hello All,

The house hunt continues with our focus zeroed in on Naperville. We have a 4 year old and 15 month old, so for the next couple of years, elementary and middle schools will be very important for us. What we want to know is what are considered the top elementary schools in Naperville 203/204? We often hear of schools such as Meadow Glens, Ranch View, Fry, etc. but we'd really like your opinion, especially parents of kids who currently attend Naperville elementary schools or have in the past. Your advice and feedback are very important and helpful for us choosing where to buy in Naperville, so thanks much in advance!

[whakru]

I think that you need to decide which high school you want to end up in first. Then you can focus on the schools that feed into it.


I live in Naperville and we are in 203. I know friends that have kids in Steeple Run, Ranchview, Meadow Glens, Maplebrook, Kingsley and Elmwood. Frankly they are all pretty similar in terms of the education. In fact, the teachers and admins tend to move around the schools somewhat. You'll find that the administration at the schools is often someone that came from another 203 grade school.


I don't often hear people ranking the elementary schools as much as I do the middle and high schools. We have loved our elementary school and the education that my children have received so far. That's why I think that focus should really be on where you want to live, commute to work, budget within the high school boundries that you really want.


Here is the link to the Illinois Interactive Report Card website. You can compare schools here:


http://www.illinoisreportcard.com/

[chicagodesi]

Thanks for the response, my job has an office in Naperville, so anywhere in Naperville is OK. I think Naperville North and Central and nequa are pretty highly ranked. What middle schools would you recommend?

[Kmanshouse]

All the schools are excellent. It's like asking which gourmet steak to eat.

Just pick where you live based on the neighborhood feel you like, and the house itself. Concern yourself not with cherry picking the schools. You can't go wrong.

I say this as someone whose kids went through middle and high schools in Naperville that would probably be on the lower end of some people's perceived lists. Student services and education are outstanding at all of them. All have great teachers, tons of AP courses, etc.

I will say this - if you want Neuqua, you will have the most robust clubs, teams, etc. because it's a much larger HS than the others. That said, only 5 kids start on the basketball team, if you get my drift. It's much harder to make varsity, get minutes on the court, or make first chair, or the show choir, etc, etc, when your school is 25-35% bigger than the others and full of very high achievers. The place is like a college.

District 203 is older and tends to have more mid-sized homes but there are plenty of "richer" people there. Less "poorer" folks. Both high schools are terrific but I think Central is considered better than North. Central is right next to downtown Naperville in a very neat area.

District 204 is a bit bigger, newer, and has tons of subdivisions with huge houses like Tall Grass, White Eagle, etc. But it also pulls from some underprivileged areas, so you get the full gamut. I think it's great because it's so diverse, yet the schools are excellent (Neuqua, Waubonsie and Metea).

Neuqua is new since 1997 or so.

Metea is even newer, went up about 6-8 years ago in a very nice facility way on the edge of Naperville. Despite that, it's probably my least favorite of all the high schools. I say that from experience seeing the attitudes, how they behave at sporting events, etc.

Waubonsie is called "the Original Valley" and has been around since the 70s. It's also knows as the Heart and Soul of District 204. Not a new shiny school, but not so old that it's run down.

If I were moving to Naperville brand new and I wanted to target high schools I would lean toward Naperville Central, then Waubonsie Valley, then Neuqua or Naperville North, then Metea last.

But I'm biased

[Joel67]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

If I were moving to Naperville brand new and I wanted to target high schools I would lean toward Naperville Central, then Waubonsie Valley, then Neuqua or Naperville North, then Metea last.

I agree with just about everything you wrote, though I am not so sure about the HS rankings you gave.

Find Illinois High Schools | US News Best High Schools

Per US News, Nequa, Central, North, and Matea are all within a few places of one another, and Waubonsie is a bit further down the list. I'm not sure that this is the most scientific source but it does line up with what I've anecdotally heard.

Regardless, I do agree that the OP would be best served by finding the house/neighborhood that best appeals to them and going from there.

[whakru]

I would have to agree that Waubonsie does not get ranked ahead of Nequa or North. Not that it is a bad school or anything.....but the others definitely have an edge.

[chicagodesi]

Thanks for the responses, we are definitely leaning towards Nequa, North and Central, but high school is still almost 10 years away, so we don't know what our situation will be in 10 years so our focus at the moment is elementary and middle schools. Are there any in particular that stand out?

[whakru]

Originally Posted by chicagodesi

Thanks for the responses, we are definitely leaning towards Nequa, North and Central, but high school is still almost 10 years away, so we don't know what our situation will be in 10 years so our focus at the moment is elementary and middle schools. Are there any in particular that stand out?

If I was forced to rank the middle schools in 203 it would be:


Madison/Kennedy
Lincoln/Jefferson
Washington


Here is a comparison of the top four:

Compare Snapshot


Note that Kennedy has the honors program students so that may contribute to the high numbers. Also, Kennedy does split between North and Central though....so if you have a preference then you need to be sure you are in the right boundary.


But honestly.......they are all GREAT schools! And, a lot of it has to do with parental involvement. With all of D203, when you reach middle school there is an app for your phone that shows the students grades, attendance, assignments, etc. I review with my daughter on a regular basis and we stay on top of things. She is required to look at it and make sure that she addresses any issues like missing assignments or low test scores (some classes allow for retakes on low scores).


As far as the grade schools, again they are all great schools. The only one that I have ever been discouraged from was Mill Street. There are a lot of rental communities in that area so there are a lot of transitional students and that school was one of the ones that was overcrowded. But you can go on the Illinois Report Card site and compare grade schools there too.


Hope that this helps. Good luck with your search!

[Kmanshouse]

Originally Posted by whakru

I would have to agree that Waubonsie does not get ranked ahead of Nequa or North. Not that it is a bad school or anything.....but the others definitely have an edge.

Not arguing with the rankings, but I will say they are not based on the quality of the schools, but rather on test scores which are a product of the "clientele" in the neighborhoods the school serves. The "edge" has nothing to do with the school.

The mistake people make is looking at these things and thinking it's a reflection on how well the school is run or the quality of the education.

My list was based on what school I'd most like to see my kids attend, stripping out test scores and focusing on experiences and observations.

Neuqua is great if you are a standout student or athlete, and have the financial chops to keep up with your kids' friends proclivities. If not, it's easier to get lost in the crowd or feel insecure.

I have not seen that in any of the other high schools in the area.

Waubonsie is ranked lower only due to the fact that it pulls a portion of its students from some poorer areas of Aurora, to go along with the other wealthier places. Many people prefer its diversity. Others do not. Test scores notwithstanding.

Full disclosure, my kids all went/go to Owen/Still/Waubonsie - most of us parents at Waubonsie are very glad our kids don't go to Neuqua. Just giving you an insider viewpoint that goes beyond the lists.

That said, I would have preferred Naperville Central. But none of the others.

[chicagodesi]

Great advice from everyone! The trend seems to be that almost any elementary school in Naperville will be almost equally as good, and as far as high school goes, it seems to be Central, Nequa and North as the front runners.