CHICAGO QUICK NOTES

The area is Ravenswood Gardens. Ravenswood Manor, Lincoln Square, Albany Park and Ravenswood are surrounding neighborhoods. The area has one of the lowest crime rates in Chicago. It is a quiet more residential area. Do not short the names of the neighborhoods, youll get corrected every time or will be directed to a street or another neighborhood as opposed to the neighborhood you are looking for. SCHOOLS- Im trying to stay within the Waters School District, where Im hoping to get the boys to attend. The school is the best public school in the area and houses Pre-K to 8th grade. The address is 4540 North Campbell Ave. Chicago, IL 60625-3006. The school has a large Hispanic demographic, but has diversity. The school system is compiled of Elementary, which is Pre-K through 8 and High, which is 8th through 12th grade. 3 year olds are eligible for elementary school. Children can go to any public school in Chicago, but they have to be tested for it and put either on a waiting list or lottery for private schools. They have to be added to the list during the prior year at a minimum, for a chance to be accepted. Otherwise, they will go to the school in the district that you live in. The school hours are 9am to 2:30pm and the Pre-K is until 12pm. The earliest you can drop them off is 8am and after school runs until 6pm. Certain schools are on probation and can be closed, so if you chose another school check to see if it is on probation. I will not pay for them to specifically go to a Catholic private school, but if I can afford it I will move them to a better school. TRANSPORTATION- For transportation, you will walk mainly, but you can bike, take transit, or drive (the cost is axiomatic). The Metra is not the same as the L. The L lines are the Red or Brown lines to get to and from Ravenswood Gardens. They are not at the same loading station, but if you need to switch to one there is Belmont or Fullerton. (The Red line can get sketchy at night, so be alert.) You also have the busses. Western line has busses #11, #49, #49B, and #81. They all have different routes, but share many of the same stops. So, check the sign on the front of the bus to determine if you it is the bus you need to get on and check the sign at the stop to make sure the bus youre looking for comes to that stop. There are many apps that will tell you how far away the busses and trains are and the eta. You can either get a Chicago Card, Chicago Card Plus, cash or an unlimited monthly card ($89). You can use both on the bus and train, but you cant use a bus pass on the train or vice versa. The buses dont have change, so if you pay with cash, you must have exact. The Chicago Card, you put money on whenever you run low. The Chicago Card Plus is attached to your account and will pull money out of your account when you use it. If you buy a pass, you have to have it; there is no code or anything that you can use if you forget it. The rates are buses: $1 (reduced rate for military; normally $2.25) cash per ride; with farecard $.85 (*Reduced rate. If you make transfers, the first one is $.15 and its free after that; normal rate $2-bus, $2.25-L and $.25-first transfer). Full fare passes dont have a reduced rate. Its $5.75/1day, $14/3day, $23/7day (suburb rails are $28); $86/monthly. Kids can ride free until they are 7, then they get a reduced rate through their school. What you need will depend more on where you work in relation to where you live and where you have to go. You can find more at transitchicago.com. HOSPITALS-The closet hospital will be Kindred Hospital- North Campus (which is only for long term patients) and Swedish Covenant (which is highly not recommended).

PHARMACIES- Walgreens is the biggest pharmacy, though they have a few CVS locations.

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