Des Moines Schools

**MNCyGuy** · 03-05-2013, 08:53 AM

I was somewhat tempted to highjack Angie's thread, but figured it was probably better to start my own.

My wife and I are starting to look at buying our first house. When we originally moved down and started renting our apartment in Norwalk I think we assumed that since it was a nice halfway point between our jobs we'd eventually get a house there as well. Now we're thinking that we'd rather try and get a house closer to my job in Beaverdale, since she does not see herself staying at her position in Indianola long-term.

That being said, I have some (possibly unfounded) apprehension about what this means for school when my son hits that age in a few years. We are both from smallish towns in Minnesota, where you just went to the local public schools because they were pretty much ok and there weren't other options, so bigger city districts in general and Des Moines schools specifically are both pretty foreign to us. If we intend to be involved parents that take education seriously would our kids be fine, or do we definitely need to be planning on moving somewhere outside the Des Moines district. Would open-enrolling be a realistic option at some point? How much of a pain is that process? Any legitimate insight appreciated.

**brianhos** · 03-05-2013, 08:55 AM

I wouldn't put my kids in the DSM school district. If I worked in Beaverdale, I would live in Urbandale, Johnston, or Ankeny and send my kids there. If you lived in Beaverdale, your kids would go to Hoover right?

**Angie** · 03-05-2013, 08:57 AM

You are welcome to hijack anytime. :)

I haven't researched open enrolling a ton, but I know there wasn't a huge ordeal to it in the past. The biggest thing is that you had to find your own transportation to school, since you couldn't bus.

**CyAggie** · 03-05-2013, 08:58 AM

If your kids have special needs, or are gifted and talented, tehy have the best programs on each end of the spectum and offer many good options.

**MNCyGuy** · 03-05-2013, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by brianhos

I wouldn't put my kids in the DSM school district. If I worked in Beaverdale, I would like in Urbandale, Johnston, or Ankeny and send my kids there. If you lived in Beaverdale, your kids would go to Hoover right?

That seemed to be where a lot of houses we were looking at fell. Looked like if we got a little south they would end up in Roosevelt, which didn't sound as bad?

**CyAggie** · 03-05-2013, 08:59 AM

As far as gifted and talented, more enroll in from WDM to DM then the opposite.

**Angie** · 03-05-2013, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by CyAggie

As far as gifted and talented, more enroll in from WDM to DM then the opposite.

I've heard GREAT things about DM's ends of the spectrum, like you said. They have really well-developed programs for both special ed and TAG/AP stuff, while most smaller schools just don't have the resources/needs for those two ends.

**mtowncyclone13** · 03-05-2013, 09:02 AM

I think your children would enjoy living in Beaverdale far more than suburban areas. DSM has decent schools and Beaverdale is a nice neighborhood so the schools there are fine. It's not like your kids would go to East or Lincoln.

**brianhos** · 03-05-2013, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by MNCyGuy

That seemed to be where a lot of houses we were looking at fell. Looked like if we got a little south they would end up in Roosevelt, which didn't sound as bad?

Not sure Roosevelt is any better than Hoover.

**MattforState** · 03-05-2013, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by brianhos

I wouldn't put my kids in the DSM school district. If I worked in Beaverdale, I would like in Urbandale, Johnston, or Ankeny and send my kids there. If you lived in Beaverdale, your kids would go to Hoover right?

I think it would depend on where you live in Beaverdale. I think part of Beaverdale goes to Roosevelt. I wouldn't have any problems sending kids there. It has diversity, but still a really good school. I might have a little more hesitation sending my kids to Hoover. I think it's really gone down hill in the last 10 years. I've heard quite a few Hoover grads from 10+ years ago say "It's not the same as when I went there." Which is probably because of people open enrolling.

With that, my order of willing to let my (future) kids enroll would be:

1. Roosevelt
(a little gap)
2. Hoover
(a big gap)
3. North
4. East
5. Lincoln

**HGPuck** · 03-05-2013, 09:09 AM

I would have no problem sending my kids to Roosevelt, Hoover, or potentially Central Campus when that day comes. And I would choose them over some of the suburban schools, but its all about how you want to raise your kids. My first choice would be a 3A size school provided I lived in that city.

**mtowncyclone13** · 03-05-2013, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by MattforState

I've heard quite a few Hoover grads from 10+ years ago say "It's not the same as when I went there." Which is probably because of people open enrolling.

Everyone says that about everything, though. "It's changed since I went/lived/studied there".

**MrPeske** · 03-05-2013, 09:17 AM

I'd look at the elementary & middle schools first as you may move again... I'm a Greenwood/Callanan/Roosevelt alum. Seems like many of my friends kids go to Merrill instead of Callanan. The trio of schools I went to were all very mixed raced. I think that was great but some dont. I've heard that Callanan is not desirable b/c many of the parents are not involved so there are lots of kids behind education wise. Search out what elementary schools are an option. My niece went to Hubbell, I am not sure if Perkins still operates or not... but check that out... maybe there is some sort of parent meeting coming up that you can attend & learn more 1st hand... Roosevelt is a great school, it has its detractors but has a storied history with lots of overachievers ( & many under achievers too... as do all schools). Many of the brightest urban students end up at Central Campus which I have heard has pulled away many good TRHS aka Roosevelt downtown...

Good luck, Beaverdale is great. Look south of Hickman, have a few friends that live off 44th St

Go State!

**JWIL4CY** · 03-05-2013, 09:18 AM

I wouldn't send my kids to a DSM school. My wife and I went to Urbandale and it has also gotten to the point where we won't send our kids there. It's landlocked and becoming another Hoover as people build further west. Waukee is probably ideal.

**ISUcy08** · 03-05-2013, 09:23 AM

My wife and I were looking at some houses in the DSM district a couple months ago. We also had some apprehension about that, so I called someone at the Dept of Ed. He said its VERY hard to open enroll out of the district if not impossible. He said it was very smart to call and ask if we were having thoughts about that. If you buy a house in the DSM district don't just assume you will be able to open enroll. He said people buy houses and then realize this afterwards and have all kinds of troubles.