moving with kids to Alaska

Thanks for the help (most of) it was really helpful- I'll try calling the school district number as suggested! Anyone know any good property letting agents in Anchorage/Eagle River or anywhere else in the are you'd recommend?

I disagree with 9. There's no need to put your kid in a private school, and in fact, Anchorage isn't strong on private schools. The public schools are quite good, the ESL programs are mixed, but you should be able to negotiate with your principal and teachers to come up with a schedule that works well for your kid. Most schools do ESL pull-outs, so that your kid spends most of her/his time in a normal classroom. 8. is right about the neighborhoods, but most Anchorage schools are strong, as long as you stay out of the really poor neighborhoods. Honestly, sometimes the mixed-demographic schools are better because the kids do the homework, instead of the parents doing it for them! Pretty much any neighborhood you feel comfortable living in is going to have a decent school, although you should still check up on the individual teacher to make sure it's a good fit.

For the public kindergarten, your youngest has to be five. Otherwise, check private daycares and preschools. I went to Anchorage Cooperative, but that was almost thirty years ago!

Check with the ASD before you move about what medical records you need to enroll your child. You may have to have them re-vaccinated if you don't have the right paperwork, so it's better to prepare it before you move.

Since you're going to be there for the summer, you might also want to look into a day camp or summer sports team for your oldest. There are a lot of fun, not terribly expensive options and it's a good way to make some friends before school starts (and get a headstart on the language).