SperlingViews - Paola, Kansas

nice small town. Has a Walmart and a Price chopper. Also several GOOD restaurants. The best Mexican food I have had in Kansas at the end of Baptiste. excellent deli in price chopper. China Spring on Baptiste is first rate too. Cottonwood Elementary is outstanding. Nice little town, above average. 1600 acre railroad yard and industrial park going in 20 minutes WSW of town soon. Supposed to add 1400 jobs when done.[read more...]

From this review, Paola sounds like a very nice area. And for the most part, it is. I couldn't of chosen a better place to grow up. You're close enough to the city to have a life, yet far enough away to have your own small town. The only thing I think should be mentioned here is the crime rate. Recently, (due to Paola's southern neighboring towns) drugs have become a really big problem. And not only the consumption of drugs, but also the selling and dealing of illegal substances. Meth houses are common, (especially on the west/south side) and drug busts are definitely not rare. The school has routine "drug dog" checks but that doesnt seem to stop students from going to school and distributing substances to other students. I've been a witness to this since I was in 7th grade. (Im now 19) Another thing is, the school system is definitely below par. I know it says that Paola spends more money per student then the national average, but it sure doesnt seem that way. The year I graduated, (2009) there wasnt enough money in the school budget to allow any music programs, trips, or uniforms. We had zero kleenexes and all bath tissue was rationed. The middle school's choir was taken out as well. Sad day in Paola, KS for sure.[read more...]