Osseo School District - current info, or alternative suggestions? (Brooklyn Park: renting, houses)

[Autum1031]

I own a home in Maple Grove, in the Osseo School District. My sister has been renting the home from me for the past several years while my family has been in CT (for my job), but it looks plausible that we'll be moving back this summer. I'm looking for some advice on the schools in Maple Grove currently, and also some suggested options for nearby schools in which we may try to open enroll.

The problem: my neighborhood is cut in two between Fernbrook and Elm Creek elementary school, and my house is assigned to Elm Creek. My son will be 9 and going into the 4th grade when we move back. I've spoken with my MG neighbors who have kids, and they all dislike Elm Creek and are dissatisfied with the school. I've been checking reviews and ratings and they are also poor for this school.

I always assumed that I could open enroll my son into Fernbrook (literally, the dividing line is 4 houses away from mine!) but it seems that is not the case. After investigating the Osseo School District site, they have closed many of the better Maple Grove schools for open enrollment due to current overcrowding (Rice Lake, Basswood) or potential future overcrowding due to new development (Fernbrook, Rush Creek).

I have already filled out the application for the Weaver Lake STEM Magnet school, but I'm not eager to have all my eggs in one basket. I know that Wayzata is closed for open enrollment...I definitely don't want to do Brooklyn Park or Anoka/Hennepin. I'm open to charter schools or public.

Job-wise, if we relocate back, I would be working from home. Husband would most likely be working somewhere in the northwest or north metro, as he is a machinist.

Suggestions, or current info on the Osseo School District is welcome!

[bfrabel]

It sounds like we must be neighbors. I also live pretty much right on the dividing line of those 2 elementary schools.

Both of my kids went to Elm Creek. They seemed to like it good enough, but maybe we aren't that picky. Both of my kids now go to Osseo Middle School and will be going to Osseo High School after that.

All 3 of these schools, as well as where we live are probably considered to be on "the wrong side of the tracks". I do like being close to the Elm Creek Park, and I feel safe here and have nothing bad to say about any of our neighbors, but many of the houses around here are probably considered to be a slightly lower class than what you would find in the rest of the city.

Like I said, we haven't had any issues with the schools, but I wouldn't blame you for wanting to search for better. Have you checked into Parnasas? I don't know much about it, other than it is a charter school that is somehow part of the public school system, but is completely separate from the rest of the district, and they make all of the kids wear uniforms.

Good luck, and welcome back to the neighborhood if or when you get here.

[ocsid]

Well, first of all, most of Brooklyn Park is in the Osseo District. Osseo, Park Center and Maple Grove High Schools are all in the Osseo School District. Part of Brooklyn Park is in the Anoka/Hennepin district, and feeds into Champlin Park HS. (and the property values are higher on the Anoka/Hennepin side of the line.)

I'd be most concerned as to which middle school and high school your house feed into. Maple Grove HS is the best of the three. Then Osseo, and then PC.

[MsBall]

Originally Posted by ocsid

Well, first of all, most of Brooklyn Park is in the Osseo District. Osseo, Park Center and Maple Grove High Schools are all in the Osseo School District. Part of Brooklyn Park is in the Anoka/Hennepin district, and feeds into Champlin Park HS. (and the property values are higher on the Anoka/Hennepin side of the line.)

I'd be most concerned as to which middle school and high school your house feed into. Maple Grove HS is the best of the three. Then Osseo, and then PC.

The OP clearly states in the first sentence that their home is in Maple Grove

[Autum1031]

Thank you all for the comments - bfrabel, we probably are neighbors! I find it so profoundly frustrating that so many of the schools in the Osseo school district are "hard closed" for transfers or open enrollments...even a few that are currently "under" enrolled, just because they think there may be a lot of kids in the future.

We are in Maple Grove, but my neighborhood feeds into Osseo Jr. and then Osseo HS.

We ended up applying for the magnet STEM school option, and several other schools in neighboring districts. One of the magnet schools came through, and we'll find out about the others in a few weeks. I like the magnet school option, but then we're doing this all over again in a few years when my child is in middle school. If we get into a different school district then we're set as long as we need it.

[ocsid]

Originally Posted by MsBall

The OP clearly states in the first sentence that their home is in Maple Grove

They also said they didn't "want to do Brooklyn Park." BP is not a separate school district. Most of the city is in the Osseo district, which is where the OP lives. The implication was that BP was some other place they could open enroll. It is not.

That said, I'd consider Orono, but it's a bit farther.