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Old 11-17-2010, 08:27 PM
 
4 posts, read 16,632 times
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My family is moving to the Madison area and we are moving either to McFarland or Cottage Grove so we are close to 94.
I have children from ages kindergarten to junior high. I am wondering about the school systems in both areas. How does McFarland rate vs Monona Grove school districts (elementary to high school)? Any safety/crime issues in either district or community? How are youth sports (summer and within school district)?
Any insight about anything in either community would be very helpful to me.
THANK YOU!
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Old 11-17-2010, 08:33 PM
 
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Another quick question, I noticed train tracks going through neighborhoods in McFarland...are these working train tracks? Also, does either community have a local library?
THANKS AGAIN!!!!
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Old 11-18-2010, 08:06 AM
 
Location: Downtown Middleton
95 posts, read 291,007 times
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Hi Kelly,
A good starting point for schools is www.greatschools.org. Contacting members of the PTO/PTA is also a really good idea. They usually have a designate parent who can tell you about each specific school and what it's good/bad qualities are.
Most communities in the Madison area have train tracks. I live in Middleton about a block away from the train tracks and while they are active I would say we have on average 1-2 trains a day, really no big deal. My 9 year old thinks it's cool. : )
Cottage Grove and McFarland are very different. Cottage Grove is part of a combined school district with the City of Monona. They have had some problems with racial issues over the last few years. Very sad. Monona Grove schools ban racist gang symbols
Cottage Grove is more of a bedroom community which has really sprung up in the last decade, whereas I see McFarland as more of a small town. This is just my opinion. (I grew up in Madison).
I have friends from McFarland who really like the atmosphere and like the school system.
I guess it depends on how important that small town feel is to you.
I don't think crime is really an issue in either town, however it is always a good idea to contact the police dept when you start finding properties you like. The police dept will be honest with you about issues that any neighborhood has.
Both communities have a library and are connected to thw South Central Wisconsin Library System which means you will have access to all of the libraries (and their materials) in the Madison area.
Library
Cottage Grove Online - Welcome!
Hope this helps. Welcome to the Madison area!
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Old 11-18-2010, 10:48 AM
 
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I wasn't aware of those issues at Monona Grove. I have a cousin who is of Asian ancestry and she hasn't had any of those problems, nor have I heard of any from her, so maybe the problem is within a small group of students. Although, it is still disturbing.

I think Cottage Grove is more suburban and lacking commerce, just homes and subdivisions with scattered corn fields. Right at the intersection of 90 and 94....with easier access to Milwaukee.

McFarland is more of a small town with a commericial and industrial base and has easier access to Chicago...

I think crime is low in both communities, so base your decision on how close you want to be to certain stores, places of work and how you view the suburbs. Neither is known for having better or worse schools than the other, sans the racial issues that were just posted.
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Old 11-19-2010, 07:21 AM
 
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Thank you Amy and Chelito for your great info and insight! Any other info from others is welcome!
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Old 12-29-2010, 01:20 PM
 
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Just bumping this up in case anyone has any further insights into these communities!
Thanks again!
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Old 01-12-2011, 10:54 AM
 
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McFarland is a town unto itself. Cottage Grove is nothing more than an offspring of Madison. They don't even have a high school! Nor is there a "downtown". Cottage Grove Road is nothing but strip malls, and Hwy N has....um...a bar, the new restaurant...that's pretty much it.
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Old 01-28-2011, 04:30 PM
 
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Hi Kelly! We are considering a move to the Madison area as well (from Denver) and found this conversation thread helpful. If you have rec'd any other insight recently that you care to share (or maybe you have made the jump?) I'd love to hear it. My husband went to school at Madison and wants to live on the west side but I haven't ruled out something with a small-town feel, like where I grew up in Ohio.
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Old 02-28-2012, 01:39 PM
 
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Kelly, I'd be curious to know where you ended up and what you think. We are looking at McFarland, among other places.
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