Hi Everyone! We are relocating from the UK and need advice on neighbourhoods and schools in chicago. Anyone?

Because you have children in multiple age groups and you want to stay close to Chicago and you are looking for a great school in a safe neighborhood, I would look at Oak Park/River Forest. On public transportation it is only 30 minutes from the business dirtict of Chicago, by car it is only 15 minutes as there is a major highway that will get you there. This does not include rush hour traffic as that exist no matter where you live. I live there and it is a great community. Very diverse in ethnic and financial background. Craigslist is a great website to find housing. Narrow your search to Chicago west suburbs. The grammar schools and the high school is amazing. I was considering Evanston, but I found Oak Park was more family oriented and children focused. Be careful when moving to any suburban school, as you can not live on the "outskirts" and still attend. You must live within the district. Most suburban schools have maps that show in detail what they consider their strict borders. Some schools have been known to even make a visit to the given address to make sure that the family lives within the district. I am not making this up. To be legitimate, you must show proof of residency like a rental agreement, an electric bill, the mortgage papers or a water bill. The suburban schools usually have a list that helps as a guide for items you must present before registering your child for school. I am not trying to discourage, because it is actually pretty easy. Oak Park/River Forest High School has foreign exchange students and a club that helps them adjust to America. There is a place for everyone at the high school, and the classes are very challenging. The list of sports, clubs, and extra curricular activities is quite impressive. There is a massive amount of support from the parents and the community. Good luck.

Definately look into private schools, my children ,all three were in public schools and the teachers are over worked, and understaffed besides underpaid. My 14 and 12 year olds are going to Grace Lutheran School, they have "shared classes for grades "to teach in but the change in my childrens grades are unreal !!! When they were in the public school near by , they had no extra help and fell behind in class,having to go to summer school every year. Look into private they are worth it,I'm a single mom ,it takes alot of money but well worth it !!! Good Luck !!

I attended the University of Chicago many years ago. At that time the surrounding neighborhood was called Hyde Park/Woodlawn. It was great back then but I don't really know what it's like now. An upscale suburb called Oak Park, west of Chicago is nice. When I visit Chicago now I tend to gravitate to the "near North Side" north of the Chcago River and bordered on the east by Lake Michigan. There are a lot of things to do there for families such as the Lincoln Park Zoo and the surrounding park itself and the Navy Pier among others. I don't know about the quality of the public schools in that area, but there are a lot of private schools there. Good Luck.

Hi there- relocating to a new area is really difficult, but there is a great website with very comprehensive guides to education, dining/entertainment, and family (as well as other topics) in the North Shore Area. Check out:
www.makeitbetter.net/

Good luck with your move!