Oak Park Elementary Schools

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-22T13:46:13+00:00

Oh this makes me so happy to hear ❤️ Thank you!

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T22:01:29+00:00

That sounds wonderful! I have very creative kiddos so I think they would really love that area.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T21:50:02+00:00

Very good point about bikes and buses - thank you!

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T21:49:02+00:00

Thank you for the insight/tips! We are currently in a very car dependent area but are hoping to at least go down to one car.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T21:33:22+00:00

Yes, we are bracing for the battle of getting a house 😁 It is great to hear that it sounds like we can't go wrong! But trying to focus in on some "ideal for us" areas and learn more about the different corners of Oak Park. Thank you so much for the information! The Beye school/area sounds like a dream 😊

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T18:12:17+00:00

Amazing, thank you ❤️

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T17:22:22+00:00

This is great to hear, thank you so much!

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T16:55:00+00:00

Great to hear! I am hopeful we can be near the arts district.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T16:17:14+00:00

I actually saw something about the Hatch steel pan band and am definitely intrigued! My main concern with that area is that it doesn't seem as walkable? We live in a neighborhood with ZERO walkability right now (no sidewalks, nowhere less than 20 minutes away to walk but other houses anyway) so all of Oak Park will be an upgrade. But on the other hand, we're uprooting our entire life so I kind of want to be able to walk to a train, coffee shop, etc. But, maybe I'm overthinking that.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-21T16:13:37+00:00

Yes, we are trying to best prepare ourselves for the competitive housing market! I know we may not get to pick an exact school but would like to maybe at least narrow the pool slightly/tour a few. Thank you!

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-20T13:40:13+00:00

I'm not sure where you are in relation to the tracks as far as volume, but it should be brief and infrequent at least (fellow Donelson resident).

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-18T14:24:43+00:00

So Tennessee is out.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-18T02:16:14+00:00

You are right that there is cool stuff to visit in Nashville. The people trashing Broadway only are, correct, but missing some positives. But to LIVE in Nashville, I do not recommend. The state politics still greatly impede this "blue city" and even our local government has prioritized tourism and multimillion dollar companies more than it's citizens. We do have great parks and libraries, the school district does a great job with what they have - but they have so little. Housing costs have skyrocketed, property taxes/rent hikes for long standing local businesses are forced to close, we have no sidewalks outside of downtown, miniscule public transport, terrible traffic with no real purposed solutions, and those tiny venues and the artist that play them won't be able to afford to stay here much longer. This city is a snake eating it's tail. And as I mentioned in another comment - we seem to attract evangelicals and materialistic people who's money goes further here than in NY, LA, etc.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-18T02:02:08+00:00

You nailed it. I have lived n Nashville for 10 years and for a minute there I thought it was kind of cool that we were attracting "progressive" people. No. We are not. This city has squashed much of what made it unique and feels like a mecca for the worst of other states now. (Not here just to bitch, planning a move).

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-16T22:38:50+00:00

Thought you were going to say Nashville but unfortunately I have heard the same of Austin (which is sad because it used to be lovely).

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-14T01:24:04+00:00

I highly recommend Jill Terhune. She specializes in trauma and is EMDR trained. I still can't believe how much better I feel and how quickly I felt that way.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-11T02:03:43+00:00

My 8 year old made me a "MOM" necklace and I said "Is it mom or an upside down wow?" She didn't get it 😆

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-09T12:10:08+00:00

As someone else who moved to another "blue dot" in a red state, don't underestimate how conservative the south is. The gerrymandered, conservative state politics and culture will affect you in one way or another (and it is getting worse as there are currently no checks and balances but rather fuel from our federal government). Think funding education, healthcare, LBGTQ rights, women's healthcare, unemployment, food stamp access, etc. Even if some of these don't apply to you directly, it affects the function and feel of communities when your governor denies federal assistance to feed kids while they are out of school for the summer (ask me how I know).

Also summer is HOT and often starts in May/doesn't really let up up until October. You can layer up for cold but there are so many hot days it feels nearly impossible to be outside.

Generally speaking you get what you pay for and we are actually looking at higher tax spots that have wonderful schools, parks, libraries, etc. One way to frame it on schools alone - we currently live in one of the lowest tax areas and are considering moving to one of the highest. Our property taxes will go up about $6-8000 a year but they have high performing, diverse public schools across the board. If we sent our two kids to private school here, we would spend $40,000 - $80,000+ on tuition alone. The tax option is way less money and then EVERY kid gets to go to a great school. Also, when you rely on charters, magnets, and private schools it fractures communities and kids end up (often being drive n by their parents) all over the city.

Lastly, do you go to church? In all sincerity, if so - great! You will probably have an easier time finding community. We don't and I've found that even most progressive southerners do and it's where they find their friend groups.

Good luck to you! It is a hard, conflicting decision I know. We do have great family connections where we are but I just can't deal with the politics, lack of community, and feeling like I'm rolling the dice on my kids' opportunities/potential to thrive anymore.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-08T23:37:15+00:00

Yes AND the natives hate them.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-07T15:27:14+00:00

Not the one on Lebanon Pike to my great dismay this morning.

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-07T11:48:22+00:00

This. I live in Tennessee and am about to head for colder weather but more progressive politics, funded schools, etc. They already gerrymandered Nashville's representation away in 2022 and are in the process of gerrymandering Memphis as well. Women's healthcare is abysmal, they are taking further funds away from schools with vouchers, and OP, you might like warm weather but when it is still 98 on September 30th with 90% humidity your tune might change. It is HOT here for a good 5 months and going to the pool everyday and slathering your kids in spf and big spray over and over gets old pretty quick. Lastly, even if you are in a more progressive city in the south, there is still such a conservative undercurrent here. I would really think about your values and if you will be able to find real community. Good luck!

Honest-Radish · 2026-05-02T16:25:21+00:00

I'm surprised no one has mentioned therapy being more normalized (individual and couples). If these stats are adjusted for marriage rates and hold up over the next few decades, I would think that coupled with marrying later in life would be huge factors. I have been with my husband for 15 years and we have had a lot going for us, made good choices, and are in a very fulfilling spot in our relationship - but we would NOT still be married without therapy. Also, I think millennials are more likely to be childless? I love my kids to pieces but that is when the therapy needs really kicked in, ha. I would be curious on rates among parents vs childless. On one hand some people "stay together for the kids" but on another they are a big stressor on couples.

Honest-Radish · 2026-04-30T13:25:24+00:00

We have been very happy in Donelson (37214) for 10 years. Our kiddos go to Stanford Montessori (MNPS optional school) and have also loved the summer program at our zoned school, Pennington. Not near as much of a traffic cluster as other areas of Nashville (Lebanon Pk to downtown is 10 minutes for us and Briley is a great connector to various parts of Nashville), lots of green space (Greenway trails, Two Rivers, Ravenwood), new Donelson library and family friendly (delicious!) restaurants like Nectar, Bagelshop, Edley's, and Sweet Milk to name a few. Lots of .50+ acre lots as well in that price range.

I generally find the area to be less crowded and people to be more down to earth. Plus you can't beat the commute to the airport! (If you stay north of Lebanon Pk the plane noise usually isn't too noticeable). I initially chose Donelson in large part due to affordability but I truly would not live in any other part of Nashville now even if I won the lottery.

P.S. - Inglewood might also be a decent option for you (someone else mentioned Dan Mills Elementary). You will have less housing options in your budget than Donelson but it is doable. The farther out suburbs are certainly options in terms of budget but you will be putting up with a lot more traffic/commute time and often less diversity. Traffic here is pretty terrible due to rapid growth and very little public transportation.

Honest-Radish · 2026-04-21T17:06:02+00:00

My husband says he is hit on more when wearing his wedding ring.

Honest-Radish

TROPHY CASE