relocating back to peoria area after over 20 years (Washington, Bartonville: sales, renting)

[deliaford]

I need help please. I grew up in peoria area. I went to norwood grade school and Limestone high school. I am a teaching assistant and will be looking for work in the area next school year. We are hoping to move back there in June 2010 . I am also looking for any information on the schools there. I am looking for GOOD grade schools in the Limestone district. (want kids to attend lchs) . I have heard good and bad things about Bartonville and Bellevue areas.. However, I remeber them to be just fine towns/schools, but that was a long time ago.

I would prefer not to live in Peoria (outskirts may be fine??) and am very familiar with the south end area. I am looking at possibly buying a mobile home to start. I know bellevue has 2 parks.are the still nice? Also would like info on renting as well (prefer townhomes or houses).

Please pass along any info regarding grades schools good or bad, job possiblilities for a teachers aide (paraprofessional) and living costs. any links to anyhing would be greatly appreciated..have done much research both in person and online...but i WANT a human opinion from people actually living in the area.

thanks so much for all your help.

[linicx]

I went to Bartonville Grade School K-8 on Adams. They have 3xx students and a 16-1 pupil teacher ratio. I like Bartonville and there are some nice places to live. I find nothing on the internet about Bellevue. Most of the mobile home parks that are left are in Peoria, except on West Farmington. If it is the park I looked at, I wouldn't live there. I lived in Kingspark for quite awhile and liked it, but it is not in the Bartonville school district as it is below West Nebraska toward Pottstown. To be in Bartonville schools, I think you will need to live in Limestone Township. If you want a mobile you'll probably have to find land between Bartonville and Glasford and put in your utilities. It means drilling for water.

Your money might be better spent on a helfty down payment. .Unless the mobile home sales around Peoria are different than the rest of the US, they are hard to finance and harder to insure. The good news is Peoria has less tornadoes than its neighbors. The last one was 50 years ago, It came through Norwood to Farmginton Road. The straight line winds that followed rolled down Western to Washington. I watched it. .

I suspect the area you loved so much has changed a great deal. Even Bartonville does not look the same.

[linicx]

By the way you will be surprised at how much the Peoria Park District has grown and how much more it offers everyone. You can even teach a class and get paid for it!

Paraprofessional