May be moving to Eugene, OR

[CameronsMama]

So, I might be moving to Eugene later this year for school, and I'm hoping there are some MDC mamas that can help me out :)

Any advice on good family friendly neighborhoods, good preschools and/or childcare centers? (Right now he just goes to preschool, but I may need more time, so we may have to look into all day care at least a couple days a week) What about schools (elementary)? I'm more interested in charter or private schools, but I'd love to hear about awesome public schools, if such a thing exists. Right now my son (4) goes to a preschool that is part of a ps- 6th grade private school. It's a very gentle, warm enviroment, lots of outside play, crafts, super small classes, focus on the whole child not just academics...etc. Wondering if there's anything like that down in Eugene?

Anything else I should know about the area? I'm in the PDX area now, so no need to warn me about the PNW rain, but if there's anything I should consider about the Eugene area before deciding if and when and exactly where to move, please enlighten me :)

Thanks!

[denaluna]

Hi! Welcome to Eugene (soon). I've been in Eugene for 2.5 years and my husband and I really love it. I'm currently pregnant with our first child, so unfortunately I think I am not a lot of help to you in terms of your questions about preschools, etc.

But my understanding is that the public school system, depending on what school you're zoned for, is pretty good, despite the horrific budget shortfalls of late. We plan on sending our kid to public school when the time comes. We live in South Eugene, and are slated for Edgewood Elementary, Spencer Butte Middle School, and South Eugene High School.

I don't know if you'll be in school at the University of Oregon, but if so, they have a childcare center for students that is reputed to be pretty great: http://moss.uoregon.edu/. I know they can fill up pretty early, so you may want to check in with them sooner rather than later.

[Italiamom]

Where you should NOT live in Eugene is within walking distance of The Sweetlife Patisserie.  That is asking for disaster!  Force yourself to live a great enough distance that you have to drive!

Non-jokingly, though, I personally would steer clear of the areas directly around the UO campus.  There are some great families there, don't get me wrong, and plenty of walkability, but it gets LOUD.  DH grew up in south Eugene, and if we moved back there I think that'd probably be where we would try to end up.  When we lived in Eugene, we lived in West Eugene (Whitaker) and liked that too, although the crime and poverty in that part of the city are a bit more apparent.

[CameronsMama]

Thank you for your replies!

delaluna- yes if we end up down there, I will be at UO, thanks for the link!

Italiamom- oh. my. goodness. I couldn't help myself, I looked online at the menu for Sweetlife Patisserie. Why did you tell me? Now, if I move to Eugene, I will gain 50 pounds while I'm there, lol.

What is traffic and/or public transit like there? Will I have to live somewhat close to the UO campus? Or is it pretty easy to get around? Also, do you lovely ladies (or anyone else who might read this) know anything about Springfield? My uncle lives there, and he really likes it. It would be nice to live near family, but he doesn't have kids, so he doesn't know if it's a good place for a family or not.

Thanks for the help :)

[Italiamom]

I, personally, would not live in Springfield.  Just me.  Eugene is such a vibrant, crunchy, awesome city, and Springfield...  PM me I guess.  I don't want to speak ill of a place that another mama potentially is happy with.

The first two years we lived in Eugene, my husband went to UO.  One year we lived near campus (loud, awful), and the next year we lived in West Eugene.  Eugene's public transit system is wonderful, in my opinion.  Regular buses, fairly clean, etc.  And he took the bus every day from West Eugene and never had issues.  I also took the bus daily, and was happy with it.  If you're a UO student, your pass is included in tuition.  I'm pretty sure he used the time in the morning to do last minute reading, but it was a pretty short bus trip, maybe 30 minutes max.  Eugene's public transit is LTD (Lane Transit District), if you're wanting a better idea of what a bus would be like from a location to UO campus.

Traffic can get hairy on major arteries around rush hour, but otherwise, it's not too bad.  Major arteries I can think of are Coburg Rd., Amazon Parkway, HWY 126, Delta HWY, Beltline, Downtown gets pretty clogged.  But compared to other places I've lived, I'd take Eugene's traffic any day :)

[lonamurphy]

I moved to Eugene from Florida five years ago. It was very important for me to find a good school district. Edgewood, Roosevelt and South Eugene are highly rated. I sent my kids to South as they offer great foreign languages incl. German. Among many things including rentals and real estate, I teach Danish at UO. :) We have a lot of little neighborhoods and many good ones near UO. 

I would be happy to send you a relocation guide if you are interested. Lona

[PortlandAPI]

Just to let you know, there is an API group in Eugene if you do move there and want to meet up with other like-minded moms!  Here is their Facebook Page

[CameronsMama]

Originally Posted by Italiamom 

I, personally, would not live in Springfield.  Just me.  Eugene is such a vibrant, crunchy, awesome city, and Springfield...  PM me I guess.  I don't want to speak ill of a place that another mama potentially is happy with.

The first two years we lived in Eugene, my husband went to UO.  One year we lived near campus (loud, awful), and the next year we lived in West Eugene.  Eugene's public transit system is wonderful, in my opinion.  Regular buses, fairly clean, etc.  And he took the bus every day from West Eugene and never had issues.  I also took the bus daily, and was happy with it.  If you're a UO student, your pass is included in tuition.  I'm pretty sure he used the time in the morning to do last minute reading, but it was a pretty short bus trip, maybe 30 minutes max.  Eugene's public transit is LTD (Lane Transit District), if you're wanting a better idea of what a bus would be like from a location to UO campus.

Traffic can get hairy on major arteries around rush hour, but otherwise, it's not too bad.  Major arteries I can think of are Coburg Rd., Amazon Parkway, HWY 126, Delta HWY, Beltline, Downtown gets pretty clogged.  But compared to other places I've lived, I'd take Eugene's traffic any day :)

Thanks for the info, and link. I totally understand about not bashing somewhere, I'll definitely pm you for more insight!

Originally Posted by lonamurphy 

I moved to Eugene from Florida five years ago. It was very important for me to find a good school district. Edgewood, Roosevelt and South Eugene are highly rated. I sent my kids to South as they offer great foreign languages incl. German. Among many things including rentals and real estate, I teach Danish at UO. :) We have a lot of little neighborhoods and many good ones near UO. 

I would be happy to send you a relocation guide if you are interested. Lona

Hmm, a relocation guide? That sounds helpful. I'll pm you, too :)


 

Originally Posted by PortlandAPI 

Just to let you know, there is an API group in Eugene if you do move there and want to meet up with other like-minded moms!  Here is their Facebook Page

Ooh!! That is definitely great to know, thanks!
 

[mistymorning]

We are possibly moving there as well, but not until this summer.  We are coming from Alaska, and we'll have a 2nd grader and Kindergartner.  Does anyone have anything else to say about the schools?  I would love to get them into the Waldorf charter school there (my 1st grader goes to one here and we love it-really my only regret about leaving here is the school).  Not sure what our chances are though...

Oh, and the Sweet Life Patisserie...yum!

[moonSnail]

As far as areas go, I live the Whiteaker area and love it.  Poverty and crime (mainly theft)  is a bit higher, I agree... but it's eclectic and interesting.  It's got lots of great people, Wandering Goat Coffee, Bounce Gym for the little ones, the river, and awesome parks... and yes, it's walking distance to Sweet Life!   I love my neighborhood.  There are other nice areas to live as well, of course.  Other spots I like are anywhere around Monroe Park, and the Jefferson Westside area towards the fairgrounds.  Families also seem to love the Friendly St. area. I have to say, I'm not a fan of Springfield, though.  I don't like the area off of Coburg Rd. or far out River Rd. but I'm sure many have found wonderful places to be in those areas as well.  It's just a matter of opinion.  I like close in, kinda funky areas. 

I think transit is okay.  I think the buses don't run frequent enough, but you can usually get to where you are going.   I am at the U of O and the Emx bus runs out there every ten minutes from downtown so that helps a little with the frequency problem.  It's just getting to the station that can be tricky, depending where you live.  If you are a bike commuter, though, it's a snap. 

I don't know a lot about schools yet.  My son is 3 and I've just begun the arduous task of sorting that one out!  I'm starting to get a feel, but not quite enough to offer an opinion on great ones.  We do have quite a few charter schools, and I'm starting to look into those.

All in all, I think Eugene is a great place to live.  We lived in Portland last year and ended up coming back because we missed it!  Hope everything works out for you and your family!!

[artemis80]

Originally Posted by CameronsMama 

Any advice on good family friendly neighborhoods, good preschools and/or childcare centers? (Right now he just goes to preschool, but I may need more time, so we may have to look into all day care at least a couple days a week) What about schools (elementary)? I'm more interested in charter or private schools, but I'd love to hear about awesome public schools, if such a thing exists. Right now my son (4) goes to a preschool that is part of a ps- 6th grade private school. It's a very gentle, warm enviroment, lots of outside play, crafts, super small classes, focus on the whole child not just academics...etc. Wondering if there's anything like that down in Eugene?

If you are going to be affiliated with the UO, the Co-op Family Center has worked really well for us. It feels more like a family, and less like a school/overly structured setting. They serve vegetarian meals and follow the Reggio Emilia approach. Here's their website: http://sites.google.com/site/spencerviewcoop/home

We are just starting to look into the public schools (although I grew up here, so I already have a sense). There is a public charter Montessori school. Edison and Camas Ridge are other public schools I've heard good things about. They are both near the University.

If you are going to be at the UO, you will want to be near there or near a major busline if you don't have a car, I would think. Public transit is okay but not great. The university area south of about 19th Ave is a great neighborhood. North of there and it's undergrad party city. The Friendly neighborhood is also a nice, somewhat crunchy family neighborhood. You can PM me if you want more info about anything.

[CameronsMama]

Thanks for all the wonderful responses! The more I learn about Eugene, the more I like what I hear :)

 

Originally Posted by moonSnail 

As far as areas go, I live the Whiteaker area and love it.  Poverty and crime (mainly theft)  is a bit higher, I agree... but it's eclectic and interesting.  It's got lots of great people, Wandering Goat Coffee, Bounce Gym for the little ones, the river, and awesome parks... and yes, it's walking distance to Sweet Life!   I love my neighborhood.  There are other nice areas to live as well, of course.  Other spots I like are anywhere around Monroe Park, and the Jefferson Westside area towards the fairgrounds.  Families also seem to love the Friendly St. area. I have to say, I'm not a fan of Springfield, though.  I don't like the area off of Coburg Rd. or far out River Rd. but I'm sure many have found wonderful places to be in those areas as well.  It's just a matter of opinion.  I like close in, kinda funky areas. 

I think transit is okay.  I think the buses don't run frequent enough, but you can usually get to where you are going.   I am at the U of O and the Emx bus runs out there every ten minutes from downtown so that helps a little with the frequency problem.  It's just getting to the station that can be tricky, depending where you live.  If you are a bike commuter, though, it's a snap. 

I don't know a lot about schools yet.  My son is 3 and I've just begun the arduous task of sorting that one out!  I'm starting to get a feel, but not quite enough to offer an opinion on great ones.  We do have quite a few charter schools, and I'm starting to look into those.

All in all, I think Eugene is a great place to live.  We lived in Portland last year and ended up coming back because we missed it!  Hope everything works out for you and your family!!

Thanks for the recommendations! I like the sound of walking distance to Sweet Life...but my waist disagrees, lol. I suppose, though, if you walk there and back, it's not really that bad, right? right? If you stumble across any fabulous schools, I'd love to hear about them, since I will almost definitely end up in Eugene eventually. Even if I go elsewhere for the MA program, I'll probably end up there for the PhD, since they are the only school in OR that offers it, and I'm way too poor to pay out of state tuition!

Originally Posted by artemis80 

If you are going to be affiliated with the UO, the Co-op Family Center has worked really well for us. It feels more like a family, and less like a school/overly structured setting. They serve vegetarian meals and follow the Reggio Emilia approach. Here's their website: http://sites.google.com/site/spencerviewcoop/home

We are just starting to look into the public schools (although I grew up here, so I already have a sense). There is a public charter Montessori school. Edison and Camas Ridge are other public schools I've heard good things about. They are both near the University.

If you are going to be at the UO, you will want to be near there or near a major busline if you don't have a car, I would think. Public transit is okay but not great. The university area south of about 19th Ave is a great neighborhood. North of there and it's undergrad party city. The Friendly neighborhood is also a nice, somewhat crunchy family neighborhood. You can PM me if you want more info about anything.

Thank you! That place really looks like somewhere DS would be happy, his teacher now uses a style influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach- I'll definitely look into it more!

[luvmybabygirls]

You guys are making me want to move to Eugene, but of course I am just one that imagines moving! I like fresh starts and things here are feeling Stale, maybe if there was work there for my hubby I could convince him!! I love the state of Oregon in general! Have fun on you journeys Mama's !

[carouselrider]

Not to be a downer - but one thing you should know re: schools - Eugene specifically, and Oregon in general is in a major budget crisis.  4J schools (the main eugene school district) has to cut $22M or 20% of it's budget.  The decisions are draconian:

http://www.4j.lane.edu/sustainablebudget/outcome  Google 4J Budget Crisis and there's plenty of reading material.

It is indicative of a state general fund crisis.  The state has to cut 20-25% of it's general fund - healthcare, education, infrastructure will suffer greatly.  It's quite scary.  Lane County has been hit hard by unemployment and is not rebounding.

I have lived here 7 years and have three children in school, and we are looking to leave the state.  The things that made it wonderful in terms of school choice and excellence are no longer tenable. It is really, really sad.

I know it will eventually recover, but I truly feel that children my kid's age (elementary) will be the ones who will pay the biggest price with inflated class sizes, dwindling choice, and diminished resources.  Oregon is already way down this list in the amount of time kids are in school as it is.  Oregon education ranks very poorly in many areas compared to other states.

I wish I had researched oregon schools more before moving here.  I was so surprised at how underfunded Oregon is in general - even before the recession.  I have LOVED living in Eugene socially, though.  Besides the schools, it's a wonderful place for families.  I just think you need to understand the trade offs. 

[CameronsMama]

Originally Posted by carouselrider 

Not to be a downer - but one thing you should know re: schools - Eugene specifically, and Oregon in general is in a major budget crisis.  4J schools (the main eugene school district) has to cut $22M or 20% of it's budget.  The decisions are draconian:

http://www.4j.lane.edu/sustainablebudget/outcome  Google 4J Budget Crisis and there's plenty of reading material.

It is indicative of a state general fund crisis.  The state has to cut 20-25% of it's general fund - healthcare, education, infrastructure will suffer greatly.  It's quite scary.  Lane County has been hit hard by unemployment and is not rebounding.

I have lived here 7 years and have three children in school, and we are looking to leave the state.  The things that made it wonderful in terms of school choice and excellence are no longer tenable. It is really, really sad.

I know it will eventually recover, but I truly feel that children my kid's age (elementary) will be the ones who will pay the biggest price with inflated class sizes, dwindling choice, and diminished resources.  Oregon is already way down this list in the amount of time kids are in school as it is.  Oregon education ranks very poorly in many areas compared to other states.

I wish I had researched oregon schools more before moving here.  I was so surprised at how underfunded Oregon is in general - even before the recession.  I have LOVED living in Eugene socially, though.  Besides the schools, it's a wonderful place for families.  I just think you need to understand the trade offs. 

I live in the PDX metro area now, so I am familiar with Oregon's shortfalls regarding schools :( It is pretty bad (though, to be honest, still way better than where I grew up, lol). My son goes to private school now, and although I did say I would love to hear about any awesome public schools, I am more interested in private (or charter, if there are any) schools in Eugene, rather than public. Having worked as a teacher, though, I also know that a budget crisis does not automatically mean terrible schools. There are still a few gems in even the poorest districts, you can't look at numbers alone. I'm sorry your experience with the Eugene schools has not been good, can I ask if there are specific schools you have had negative interactions with? (Feel free to pm me if you don't want to post it here) Or is the district in general headed downhill? We moved to Oregon when DS was about 6 months old, and I, too, didn't do enough research on the school situation before we got here. I was also surprised to discover how underfunded the schools are here. Since it looks like we will be staying in the state (if we don't head to Eugene, we'll be staying up here), we have just accepted the fact that DS will likely stay in private school, and that his education is something we will have to budget and save for.

Thank you for your input, I'd love to hear more about your specific experiences, if you don't mind sharing. Especially if you know anything about private/charter schools (or lack thereof...? So far, nobody has chimed in with any info about those, starting to wonder if they are not widespread down there?) Everything I learn will help me decide what's best for my family.

 

[carouselrider]

The only non-religious private school that I'm aware of it Oak Hill Academy - it's very expensive.  There are Catholic Alternatives (O'Hara & Marist) and then there are some Christian alternatives (Eugene Christian School, I think?)

The reason I was so excited about 4J schools was the choice - there is one Montessori charter that is now in it's fifth year - Ridgeline.  I don't know much about it to be honest, but it's an option.  The Village School is also a Charter school. Again - don't know much about it.  Additionally, there are non-charter but alternate format schools - Charlemagne (French Immersion), Buena Vista (Spanish Immersion), a Japanese Immersion and some Arts/Technical formats.  There used to be more, but they've closed several in the last 4 years.  The Alternative schools tend to be at risk for school closure because Eugene is on a path of reinforcing neighborhood schools and adjusting to declining enrollment, so I would be wary of alternative schools, I think.  You can find the school descriptions for both Charter and Alternative (as well as neighborhood) on the 4J website.  

We are in a neighborhood school.  It's been ok, but it will be really different next year.  It's hard to imagine how the teachers will deal with the class sizes.  My complaint with our school is that there is not enough differentiated learning options available, poor teachers are allowed to continue, and it's easy even now for kids to get lost in the shuffle.  I know what I just wrote could be applied to any public school.  We are lucky to be in a school that has successfully fundraised to cover gaps in music and PE, but there is some inequity among schools because of that fundraising discrepancy. Also - we lotteried into this school because of choice, and every year they talk about closing a school close by, they tell us we could lose our spot if they do so.  At best, they wouldn't be able to admit my youngest, so I'd have kids at different schools.  I mention that just to say - take care in the school you choose.  Probably best to live in the neighborhood (of course that is ideal really from almost any perspective).  Since we started in school, choice in middle and high school has also been severely restricted, so we will be forced to move in order for my daughters to track with their friends through middle school and high school.  That is actually one of the big reasons we are moving out of state - if we have to move anyway, do we really want to stay here?  (It's also work related - there just aren't enough jobs in Eugene).

I'll PM you the name of our school.

Good luck with your move!  I don't want to make it sound like I'm totally down on Eugene, I'm not - just haven't been too impressed with the education.

[mistymorning]

I just wanted to chime in and thank you for responding about the school district.  We are seriously considering a move there (in our top three) and this information gives us a lot to think about.  I had heard about the massive budget shortfalls, but did not realize exactly what that meant.  We will be applying to the waldorf charter school, but we have to apply as out of district obviously, so I know we have little chance.  Not sure what we'll do if we don't get in!  My husband is leaning towards Cottage Grove,  do any of you ladies here anything about their schools?

Also, there is a Waldorf private school www.eugenewaldorf.org.  If we could afford it, that is what we'd be doing.

Thanks,

Mistee

[mtnsunshinemama]

Eugene is a wonderful community with lots of options. I don't have time for a long post but just wanted to chime in quickly to say that both the Eugene Waldorf and Oak Hill schools have great scholarship programs. And Cottage Grove is a much different place than Eugene. I'd advise spending some time visiting before deciding anything permanent! All the best in whatever you do!

[CameronsMama]

Thanks again for all the input! I'm learning a lot!! Keep the info coming, if anyone knows more, you can never be too informed, right? :)

The school situation does give me a lot to think about. Carouselrider- you gave me good point to think about, which is that if I count on any options through the public district, I have no guarantee that option will be available when we get there, or in a couple years... I will have to remember to factor uncertainty into the equation, depending on what school we consider.

I was looking at the district's website, and there were fewer charter options than I had expected, a friend who lived there several years ago insisted there used to be more, have they close  a lot recently? Or just over time...? (Don't know if anyone knows the answer, just thought I'd throw the question out in case someone does...just curious)

Thanks again, everyone!

[Realtor]

Have you been able to move to Oregon yet or at least visit?  All of the advice you received before was pretty good.  Coming here and buying right away isn't probably the best idea. Many from California talk about travel in minutes, not miles but Cottage Grove can begin to feel further away than necessary even though it is only 25 minutes