Relocating to Chicago

The only person I know who lives in Hyde Park (wonderful area) sends their child to a private school. You are going to have to do a lot of research before moving--so you are off to a good start! The Chicago Public School system can be very tricky to understand--there are differences between just regular neighborhood schools and magnet/charter schools(which have lotteries and/or waiting lists). Some schools are excellent and others are not. We moved out of the city because I found this process to be exhausting and just wanted a school that my daughter to could walk to, but you need to have A LOT of money to afford a home in a nice neighborhood--and we could not. Most of my friends live in the city, but right now their toddler children attend private schools.

There are lots of great schools throughout the city (I mostly know of ones in Lincoln Park and Lakeview--North Side of the city), just be prepared for applications and waiting lists!

Good luck!

Chicago is complicated when it comes to the school system. If you look in Hyde Park, try to make sure you look at the schools in the surrounding areas. I live in the hyde park area and my daughter attends a magnet school up north Chicago, Lasalle Language Academy which is not that far from hyde park. That is one of the top schools in Chicago, but you have to be put on a lottery and you have to have them in by the end of each December. If you are looking at a magnet school in hyde park. Look at Murray. That is a wonderful schoo. Ray elementary is not bad. The others that are in the area, look at the report card for that school. If my daughter did not attend the school she is in now, I would have sent her to the University of Chicago which is in Hyde Park. Ancona, Cambridge. If you are looking at a private school outside of hyde park, try Francis Xaxier Warde, Francis Parker or the Latin School. The last two are very pricy. If you are looking at any other area let me know and I will tall you about where you are looking at. If you are considering a suburb, look into Evanston or Skokie, They have a outstanding school system, but the cost of living is extremely high, but I think it is worth it. Good luck let me know how it goes.

the chicago public school website is

www.cps.edu

I too would second the recommendation for Beverly. My husband and I looked extensively at Hyde Park but were unable to afford anything there. We bought a house in Beverly for the same price we would have gotten a condo for in Hyde Park. Beverly has a lot of old and historic houses. It is farther away from the city, but there is an effort to push for more boutiques and neghborhood shops and there is a metra train that goes downtown in 25 minutes or so. Good schools in the area include Sutherland, Clissold, and Kellogg. Sutherland is especially ranked really high.

I have researched precisely this issue, and I should mention that my aunt and uncle are retired Chicago Public School teachers who both have PhDs in education, so they give me their reviews when I ask for them. Other really good schools on the near north and north sides are Bell, Ogden, LaSalle Language Academy, Alcott, and Lincoln. I should mention that I grew up on the north side in Bucktown, and I went to Lincoln elementary and then on to the International Baccalaureate Program at Lincoln Park High School. On the northwest side of the city, good schools include Ebinger, Oriole, and Edison Park. I am not sure about Hyde Park.

One website you might check out is the Chicago Public Schools school locater website at http://schoollocator.cps.k12.il.us/ It lets you enter a potential address and then finds the local school. Once you get to that school you can click on the link and see data about test scores, enrollment, absenteeism, etc.

Good luck!
C.

Hi L.,

Chicago Magazine www.chicagomag.com is full of excellent information. You can pull on on-line copy of their October 2006 schools reportcard (which is very informative), and there is also a current article in December on best places to live. It should be a great source of information for you.

Good luck!
S.

I lived in Hyde Park for many years, and I loved it, but housing is so expensive, and parking a nightmare, so it is kind of difficult with kids. If you move into the Ray school district, or Murray, which I think is a magnet school, you might be OK, but CPS is a huge district with lots of variance in quality, even within schools. There are lots of interesting charter schools that have been starting over the last few years, some good, some bad also. We moved to Oak Park before our kids reached school age, and have been very happy here, even though I was one of those people who swore I would never leave the city. One huge difference is class size, I think the average in some city schools is at least 30-35, it's more like 20-25 in Oak Park. Also way more resources for things like art, music, etc. Not fair or right, but that's what it is. If there are things about Hyde Park that appeal to you, I think you would also be comfortable in Oak Park or Evanston. Lots of nutty folks out here. If you have more specific questions, please post again!

Hi, L.!

In addition to being a mom to two girls I'm also a local realtor specializing in relocations in Chicago and the SW suburbs.

You've got a lot of good responses so far from the other moms posting here, so you are going in the right direction. I do a lot of footwork for my clients and will arrange tours of schools, parks and neighborhoods. What are you looking for in a school, besides a good curriculum? Sports? Art? Music? I'll be more than happy to help -- just give me a call!

(As an aside, my sister's children attend a new Chicago Charter school in the Bridgeport area - close to downtown - called Namaste. It teaches the benefits of exercise and healthy eating and promotes the importance of family time.
Here's the link: www.namastecharterschool.org.)

Good luck!

B. Janiszewski
Prudential Real Estate
www.BuyWithBianca.com
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I am sure there will be a lot of suggestions coming from those in the various school systems. These 2 websites give you specific data.
http://iirc.niu.edu/
http://www.greatschools.net/

Many parents on the northside of the city use info from this site - may not be of interest if you're moving south of the city, but thought I'd include it.
http://www.npnparents.org/salist.asp

Good luck and welcome!

Especially since you will be new to Chicago, I would not count on getting what you want for schools in Hyde Park. As others have said, the education choices are very complicated for this area of the city. Plus, people from all over town attend these schools in Hyde Park. It is very competitive. I would not move there unless you knew that your daughter would be accepted to a magnet school or charter school, and I don't think this can be known beforehand. Otherwise, since Hyde Park is such an educated community, I would check out any parochial schools in the area, if a religious education is something you would consider. Basically, this is a very time-consuming process for the people who already live in Chicago. You are at a disadvantage since you currently live somewhere else. Good luck.
Amy

Check out the Beverly neighborhood, it's a little farther south in the city than Hyde Park, but it has some of the best schools in the city and it's a fabulous, beautiful, tight-knit community. It's also way more affordable than the North Side. Good luck!

last month's issue of Chicago Magazine had an excellent article/entire section devoted to Chicago elementary schools both public and private in every neighborhood and suburb. You should be able to order a back issue directly from the magazine. I don't think it's on the newstands anymore....

L.,

Have you considered Chicago suburbs instead of the city? In most areas the houses are cheaper than in the city, the neighborhoods are safer and the schools are much better.

We moved from Chicago to the suburbs around four years ago to keep our children away from gangs and a very defficient school system.

Make sure that you make a lot of research before making a decision.

Good luck!

Hi L., As far as school districts are concerned, Hyde park has some of the best. Check Chicago public schools web site to check scores. I believe HP would be 60615 zip code. There are even very good private and charter schools in the area. The only problem with HP is the parking situation. If you don't own a space you could circle your block a thousand times and not find a space. Good luck to you and welcome home.