u/Automatic-Length6620

Hi everyone,
First, thank you to everyone who gave us helpful advice on my earlier questions about schools for our kids. I really appreciate it!
My family and I have now moved to SC area and are looking for a rental for about six months. Most places we’ve contacted either require longer leases or are quite expensive for short-term stays. Lexington is preferred, but we’re open to other areas.
If you know of a private rental or someone open to a six-month lease, please message me.
Also, for those familiar with the local housing market, is there generally a better time of year to buy a home in the Columbia area?

I’d love to hear from local homeowners.
Thank you!

Hey all,

I'm trying to decide between American Leadership Academy (ALA) and Meadow Glen (both elementary and middle) for my kids entering 5th and 7th grade.

If you have kids at ALA, what is the reality of the experience there? Does the academic rigor live up to the hype?

I've been told that charter schools often outpace public tracks academically, but Meadow Glen looks incredibly strong on paper. If you have experienced both environments in the area, how do they actually compare when it comes to balancing strong academic metrics with a good, supportive environment for character building?

Hi everyone,
We were previously considering Spokane, but our family is now leaning toward taking a job offer in South Carolina instead because of the warmer climate. However, I recently remembered that we were advised to be cautious about in areas with higher mosquito exposure and certain infection risks following the removal of my sons spleen, and I’m also concerned about the extreme summer heat and humidity in South Carolina.
I would appreciate hearing from families or individuals with firsthand experience living in areas with similar climate.
Some questions I have:
How does the hot, humid climate affect people with sickle cell disease? To me, as an SC, I prefer heat to cold but may be different for warriors born in a cold climate.
Does the summer weather increase the risk of pain crises or other complications?
Are mosquitoes or mosquito-borne illnesses a significant concern, especially for children with no spleen?
What precautions do families take during the summer to stay safe and hydrated? (For children that find drinking water hard).
Are there any environmental factors, activities, or lifestyle considerations in South Carolina that we should be aware of?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with firsthand experience living there with sickle cell disease or caring for someone who does.
The boy has been doing well in Vancouver, Canada over the last 12 years with no issue with VOC.
Thanks in advance for any insights.

Hi all,
My family is moving to the Columbia area next month (from British Columbia, Canada). We are a family of four (kids: 10 and 12). Currently looking into registering into a charter school/a good public school. I understand lottery has closed now, but wondering if anyone has a recommendation for any school (ideally around Lexington) that may be currently accepting applications.
Our sons like robotics, so a school with strong STEM program will be great. Music and participation in band, with opportunity for leadership in Grade 7 will also be good.

Hi all,
My family is moving to the Columbia area next month (from British Columbia, Canada). We are a family of four (kids: 10 and 12). Currently looking into registering into a charter school/a good public school. I understand lottery has closed now, but wondering if anyone has a recommendation for any school (ideally around Lexington) that may be currently accepting applications.
Our sons like robotics, so a school with strong STEM program will be great. Music and participation in band, with opportunity for leadership in Grade 7 will also be good.

Hi all,
My family is considering relocating to Spokane, WA. I have a twelve year old son with SS (I am SC). I will say he hardly had crisis and I think only one episode of hand pain once or twice. He is lucky as his SS is very mild.

Well, we live in Vancouver, Canada too, where daylight temperatures in winter hardly go below -5 centigrade (when other Canadian cold regions are struggling to get a ice -30 degrees.

We are relocating to the US this year and while trying to find jobs in warm regions, the option we have now is Spokane (my wife got a job there).

I’d like to hear from people (especially people that has a child with SS) that had moved from a mild climate to a much more colder climate. What’s your experience like.

Also, does anyone have a recommendation for US regions where costs may be low (e.g admission, treatment, hospitalization).

Thanks everyone.

Just got a job in Spokane but would like to live close to the Cascade as Spokane’s wind-chilled weather isn’t great for my son who may struggle under weather below 20F. I noticed Amtrak passes through Everett so would like to put my family in Everett while I travel on Sundays and returns to Everett on Wednesday.

Anyone with useful information on the reliability of the train systems on this route?

Hi all,
I’m moving to Spokane for a new job, but I’m a bit concerned about the winter weather. I currently live in Vancouver, Canada, so I understand Spokane is significantly colder.
My main concern is my son’s health. He has a medical condition that can be triggered by cold temperatures, especially below about 23°F. Because of that, I’m trying to understand what Spokane winters actually feel like, not just the official temperature numbers.
I’ve considered having my family live in Everett, where the Cascades may help moderate the weather, while I commute to Spokane twice a week for my job. I don’t mind two hours on the road, but I guess winter road conditions may be more difficult than what we’re used to around Vancouver.
I’d really appreciate input from people who actually live in or around Spokane:
What is the coldest month in practice?
How bad does the wind chill usually get?
When temperatures drop below 23°F, does that usually last for a few hours, a few days, or weeks at a time?
Are there nearby areas within a reasonable commute that feel noticeably milder or are better shielded from wind chill?
Is it true that Spokane can feel like -4°F at times because of wind chill, or is that rare?
I’ve already checked weather data and used tools like ChatGPT to look at historical values, but I’d really value real-world experience from people who live there. We can manage occasional cold snaps, but persistent cold lasting for weeks would be a serious concern for our family.
Thank you.

My family is relocating from
Vancouver, BC to Spokane to start a job. We chose Vancouver because of the friendly weather as myself and my son can’t live in temperates below -5C (in winter months - DAYTIME temperatures!). This is for medical reasons. Occasional dip to -10 is okay if this isn’t persistent.

We know Seattle and other towns/cities close to the cascade are our top choices, but all are far from Spokane.

I am considering the TriCities area (or any area within 2 hours of commute) but would like to hear from people living in the are what winter temperate FEELs like during winter months. I have done a lot of research online as a geography graduate and getting that with windchill temperatures can be 10 degree Celsius lower than what it is actually.

And by the way, I read that Spokane experiences severe windchill, hence the need to move away from it.

Will also appreciate any recommendations for any other cities or areas that people on ground can recommend. We have sons going to Grades 5 and 7 and love schools with vibrant programs- like STEM, music. We also like towns/cities that have universities as we loved living on SFU, Burnaby campus then.

Thanks!