Almere versus Amstelveen? (Amsterdam)

Hello,

We will be moving to Amsterdam from the US in a few months and are deciding between the cities of Almere and Amstelveen to rent a house. We do not know the area and were hoping for some advice about where to live. We have two kids, ages 9 and 7 and will be enrolling them in a Dutch public school. We are looking for a community with good schools, a library (with an English section), A home/townhouse/duplex for rent (3 beds) for Protected content or less. We prefer not to rent an apartment.In terms of city life-- shopping (grocery, etc) and access to easy public transportation are a must. We would like a community in which we can make friends quickly and get our kids involved in activities. Safety is key too. Which, in your opinion, is a better bet-- Almere or Amstelveen? Thank you in advance.