Ravenna vs. bellevue for family

[Hemlock140]

Individual schools in Seattle are good, but here's a sample of what's going on at the District level:

Local News | Seattle Schools kicks off search for next leader | Seattle Times Newspaper

Editorials | Time to tackle Seattle Public Schools' headquarters building debt | Seattle Times Newspaper

The Seattle School District: "A Hotbed of Scandal and Political Intrigue" | Slog

Local News | Sources: Charges to be filed in Seattle schools scandal | Seattle Times Newspaper
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[eskercurve]

Mmmm.. I wouldn't live in Ravenna. Too many beatings and shootings and dead people showing up in parks due to drug OD's. Some people say "well that's what you get for living in a dense but nice part of the city." Not worth it in my book.

I'd choose the more neighborhood-y area of Ballard, close to Golden Gardens, and Wallingford first. Heck even some areas of Fremont are better. Green Lake is good, away from the lake that is.

[west seattle gal]

Originally Posted by sgomezlcsw

As we try to narrow down our neighborhood search, we're hoping to get some feedback from families with children. My job would be located in the central district and I want to keep commute down to 20-30 mins. Good schools are a top priority to us. I visited Issaquah and it didn't feel right for us (too mass produced, too far removed from urban life). So we are torn between the Ravenna/Bryant/Wedgwood/View Ridge neighborhood and Belleuve (I know, very different, but here's our thought).

Of course, we love the charm and walkability of the NE Seattle neighborhoods. The schools are well ranked, but I always become discouraged after reading the posts on this website. We would be trying to get into the Bryant elementary/Eckstein M.S and Roosevelt H.S. boundaries. Bellevue feels like the safe choice based on schools alone. We would be looking at neighborhoods close to I-90 to make commuting easier, such as Woodridge/Eastgate/Somerset, but I'm afraid we're going to miss that neighborhood walkability factor. We'll be renting for the first year of two and we can probably go up to $2000/month for a 2-3 bedroom. Any feedback from families with school-age children in the Ravenna neighborhood would be greatly appreciated? Do you find it to be quiet at night? Also, are there any Belleuve neighborhoods that might be a better fit for what we're looking for? Much appreciated.

My child is in 1st grade w/ SPS in the NE quadrant, and we have had a great experience! Without hesitation, I would recommend the Ravenna area. The teachers and instructors of any given SPS school are fine, what makes the difference is parental involvement. The Ravenna area has a good crowd, with highly educated and motivated parents. This is why the NE schools are considered some of the best in the city. The walkability factor in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Seattle -- how could you go wrong?

[west seattle gal]

Originally Posted by eskercurve

Mmmm.. I wouldn't live in Ravenna. Too many beatings and shootings and dead people showing up in parks due to drug OD's. Some people say "well that's what you get for living in a dense but nice part of the city." Not worth it in my book.

I'd choose the more neighborhood-y area of Ballard, close to Golden Gardens, and Wallingford first. Heck even some areas of Fremont are better. Green Lake is good, away from the lake that is.

This is ridiculous! These kinds of posts really mislead people. The Ravenna area is one of the most sought after in the city, hence the high prices. The neighborhoods are charming, very family friendly, and I personally know people who really enjoy living there. With the snow this weekend, we actually went sledding in a park in the heart of Ravenna, and families were pouring out into the park. I would love to live in that neighborhood. It's close to Green Lake, Wallingford, University, and surrounded by cute independent shops. This poster is so wrong.

[eskercurve]

Originally Posted by west seattle gal

This is ridiculous! These kinds of posts really mislead people. The Ravenna area is one of the most sought after in the city, hence the high prices. The neighborhoods are charming, very family friendly, and I personally know people who really enjoy living there. With the snow this weekend, we actually went sledding in a park in the heart of Ravenna, and families were pouring out into the park. I would love to live in that neighborhood. It's close to Green Lake, Wallingford, University, and surrounded by cute independent shops. This poster is so wrong.

And have you read the news lately? By my count, a person has wound up dead from drug OD's, a couple in their 50s were beaten with baseball bats while being mugged, and a number of property thefts were occurring. All in the last month.

And this isn't the first time this has happened...

But I guess rose-colored glasses on people who don't actually live there and choose to rank areas based on property value can have these opinions. I choose reality, thank you.

[kabohami]

We have lived in Ravenna for a few years, and our child went to View Ridge Elementary and is now at Eckstein. We have been quite happy with the schools, and absolutely love our neighborhood. We can walk to so many things: grocery stores, numerous and varied restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops, even a great frozen custard place. Our neighbors are lovely and friendly, and there are lots of kids in the neighborhood that play in each others yards, and even walk back and forth to school together in a group. My husband has a great bicycle commute to UW, and I commute by bicycle and bus as well. I love the historic homes and great gardens, and walking around our neighborhood is very enjoyable. If I can answer any specific questions, please let me know.

As far as crime, there is definitely some, but not any more than I think you would expect in any urban neighborhood. Until recently, I walked my dog at least three times a day and was out and about in the neighborhood often, in daytime and after dark, and I really haven't ever been concerned (other than in the area around 15th and 65th). In over two years, there have been few crimes that I know of (and I read the news everyday and am also on a mailing list for our police precinct): one was a drug deal that ended up with the buyer having his wallet stolen late one night and the police responded within minutes. There have been some break-ins, which is unfortunate, but not really unexpected in a city. I do feel very sorry for the people who were beaten in the park, but from what I read, they were there at 3:30 am and the person who attacked them was someone they knew who had been involved in a dispute with them earlier - it was terrible to have this happen to them but it wasn't a random crime during regular park hours, which would make me much more concerned about safety.

I think Ravenna is wonderful, and I would recommend it to anyone. I would just be aware of the issues on 15th and 65th, and try to keep a little distance from that. Otherwise, it's a great place!

[kaday]

Originally Posted by kabohami

We have lived in Ravenna for a few years, and our child went to View Ridge Elementary and is now at Eckstein. We have been quite happy with the schools, and absolutely love our neighborhood. We can walk to so many things: grocery stores, numerous and varied restaurants, bookstores, coffee shops, even a great frozen custard place. Our neighbors are lovely and friendly, and there are lots of kids in the neighborhood that play in each others yards, and even walk back and forth to school together in a group. My husband has a great bicycle commute to UW, and I commute by bicycle and bus as well. I love the historic homes and great gardens, and walking around our neighborhood is very enjoyable. If I can answer any specific questions, please let me know.

As far as crime, there is definitely some, but not any more than I think you would expect in any urban neighborhood. Until recently, I walked my dog at least three times a day and was out and about in the neighborhood often, in daytime and after dark, and I really haven't ever been concerned (other than in the area around 15th and 65th). In over two years, there have been few crimes that I know of (and I read the news everyday and am also on a mailing list for our police precinct): one was a drug deal that ended up with the buyer having his wallet stolen late one night and the police responded within minutes. There have been some break-ins, which is unfortunate, but not really unexpected in a city. I do feel very sorry for the people who were beaten in the park, but from what I read, they were there at 3:30 am and the person who attacked them was someone they knew who had been involved in a dispute with them earlier - it was terrible to have this happen to them but it wasn't a random crime during regular park hours, which would make me much more concerned about safety.

I think Ravenna is wonderful, and I would recommend it to anyone. I would just be aware of the issues on 15th and 65th, and try to keep a little distance from that. Otherwise, it's a great place!

Thanks very helpful. We are very interested in Eckstein for our middle schooler. I am somewhat worried about overcrowding as it has been mentioned several times. We were considering Wallingford (have elementary child as well but I did recently read an article about how the elementary school zones are being changed because of overcrowding. I am worried the schools will be mixed around for Eckstien there because of over crowding. Is this a valid concern in your opinion?

[noexcuseforignorance]

Easy decision. The eastside is horrible for traffic everywhere. You can live in Seattle and not have to drive that much. I'd go Ravenna and get the bus or bike to the CD.

[KRISTINEACROOKS]

Originally Posted by benleis

*LOL* Don't expect large amounts of diversity in NE Seattle close in neighborhoods. They're pretty white-bread compared to the rest of the city. We're just looking into pre-schools for our younger son. My wife was just telling me most of them accept applications by Feb. A lot of them are structured for non-working parents i.e. shorter hours, not 5 days a week or using a coop structure. Space is also tight. Were you looking for full time daycare? You might be better off using something temporary through the end of the spring and going for a camp instead over the summer until kindergarten starts.
Ben

I have not found that to be true. We live on 56th, 98105, pretty close to Bryant but our school is Sand Point. There is tons of diversity both culturally and socio eco. On the street where we live has all kinds of ppl and walks of life, race everything.