OT-Tell me about the area please

Hi!  My DH & are are both from eastern ND, and considering moving to the Minneapolis area.  Can somebody please tell me what the suburbs are on the west side of Minneapolis, or other small towns?  Also, is there a school dist that you would recommend?  I know a lot about Denver after living here for 8 yrs, but I know when I moved here it was all so confusing.  Any other info you have would be great!

Thanks~
*Angel

Hello -- west side of Minneapolis is  Minnetonka, Plymouth, Golden Valley, New Hope, Edina; northwest is Maple Grove, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal; and southwest is Bloomington and Eden Prairie.  Hope this helps.  And all Minnesota schools rock!!!!  We pay a lot of taxes to keep them that way!!!  We are the brain state!!!!

Welcome (soon anyway)!  When you research specific school districts, do a search on excess levy referendums.  Districts who have passed such referendums have very strong operating budgets and can offer more to students than those districts where the referendums have failed (sometimes repeatedly).  This reference probably seems esoteric, but I am pretty sure you will be glad you took the time to check it out.  Another thing to consider is whether there are any stastics available on the percentage of foreclosures in a school district.  The higher the percentage, the less certain the school district's revenue stream and the greater likelihood that the district is potentially facing serious budget cuts.  I live in the Big Lake School District, which is about 40 miles NW of Minneapolis.  School population was growing at about 10% per year until a year ago when the foreclosure wave hit.  Student population is now expected to have litttle or no growth  for awhile and with a failed excess levy referendum, the district cut almost 10% ofi ts teaching staff for this school year.  Sadly, Big Lake is not alone in suffering these problems.  Whe properly funded, Minnesota schools are awesome.   However, there is considerable disparity in funding levels from district to district and thus disparity in the quality of education offered to students.  I hope this helps.

RP

Here's an interesting tidbit -

http://www2.ci.plymouth.mn.us/servlet/page?_pageid=117&_dad= cop&_schema=PORTAL30&_type=site&_fsiteid=59&_fid=311716&_fna vbarid=9869&_fnavbarsiteid=59&_fedit=0&_fmode=2&_fdisplaymod e=1&_fcalledfrom=1&_fdisplayurl=

West side... Wayzata (small rich town... home of Jaffrey Piper, Pillsburys, etc, etc)....   Plymouth is fantastic -- rated the best city in the COUNTY this year to live in..... school district? I would recommend Wayzata.... you can live in Plymouth and go to Wayzata schools.... lots of money pumped into those schools.... great educators... have top ratings in most cases and nationally recognized. Competes well with the Edina school district.

If you want to go more small town-ish... a little more 'hick-ish" SOMETIMES (not always)...you can go even more west.... Delano, Long Lake, etc.

Driving routes..... 494, 394, 169, 94 will be your main arteries.

Maple Grove isn't bad... getting a little more crowded there... but still good.

Those are just my thoughts.

Thank you all for your help.  I've been wanting to move back up there since my DD was born 5 yrs ago, but DH really loves CO and I didn't think he would ever be willing to move.  So I'm trying not to get too excited.  Anyway, he has to get a job there first (or get transfered w/i his company, which is possible), and then we have to sell our house (in this crappy market).  So it's a ways off, but I thought I would be prepared.

Thanks again...still welcome any more input!

*Angel

RP makes some good points as to the importance of funding in the districts.  Most of the school districts in the Twin Cities are excellent, but there are a few that are not as good.  (District 286 comes to mind) If you end up in Minneapolis, the best high school (constantly rated high) is Southwest, which of course is in the more affluent part of Minneapolis.  You don't mention the age of your kid(s) so I guess I'm just referring to high school. 

I was born in Fargo, and lived in Minot before I moved to Minneapolis at age 12. I highly suggest Minneapolis compared to ND!!!