Top private schools in Austin? (Georgetown, Highland Park: to rent, daycare, homes)

[Grape]

The most progressive/liberal (non-Waldorf) school in Austin is the Griffin School. Spike Gillespie teaches creative writing there. Google her and you'll see what I mean. The school is 8-12, but It might be worth it to call and ask for recommendations on private middle schools that offer what you are looking for.

[atlanta hope]

Originally Posted by sanmiguelena

From what I've gathered from this forum, it seems that the overall opinion of the AISD schools is poor, with the exception of a few individual schools.

I've heard they are quite good -- just intense with focusing on taking tests. They just came out a month or so ago with the ratings of which schools were exemplary.

http://www.austin.isd.tenet.edu/insi...EA_Ratings.pdf

Also, Round Rock school district is really good. Eanes tops them all though from what I've heard.

[WLH_Dad]

From what I read and hear from other parents, I think Dripping Springs, Lake Travis and Round Rock ISDs are as good as Eanes. I'm not familiar enough with the other public schools in the Austin area to know if any are better or worse than the others.

I can say that the parental involvement, teachers and expectations at Eanes Elementary are excellent. I believe they had enough parent volunteers to count for sixteen full time assistants at Eanes Elementary (500 students) last year.

Both of my brothers and my kids' went/go to public schools and have done just as well or better than their parents who all attended private school.

[texastea]

I've really liked Leander schools. My daughter and her best friend both graduated early, one from Leander HS the other from Westwood. Both went off to private colleges. 4 yrs later, my daughter is finishing her senior year at the same difficult private school where she started. Her friend left her private school, went to ACC and just started UT this year. The "best rated" schools don't necessarily produce the best students.

[mimimomx3]

Both of my brothers and my kids' went/go to public schools and have done just as well or better than their parents who all attended private school.

A lot of people value the individualized attention of a private school along with the curriculum that incorporates a religious and moral component as well. We especially like the one on one relationship that our high schooler has with her college counselor. This has been a huge help with writing college application essays, networking with college admissions directors and alums.

[WLH_Dad]

"A lot of people value the individualized attention of a private school along with the curriculum that incorporates a religious and moral component as well"

Our private school had no moral or religious component implied. These people you speak of would not be sending their kids to the private school I attended. Those might be very good reasons to send your kid to a private school. From my limited experience, I mostly saw parent(s) who wanted their kids to have the best chance possible to get accepted into an Ivy League college. Like us, they prefered to provide the religious and moral component at home.

And, I say "parent(s)" because it was most often only one parent.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by WLH_Dad

"A lot of people value the individualized attention of a private school along with the curriculum that incorporates a religious and moral component as well"

Our private school had no moral or religious component implied. These people you speak of would not be sending their kids to the private school I attended. Those might be very good reasons to send your kid to a private school. From my limited experience, I mostly saw parent(s) who wanted their kids to have the best chance possible to get accepted into an Ivy League college. Like us, they prefered to provide the religious and moral component at home.

And, I say "parent(s)" because it was most often only one parent.

Well, that doesn't sound like the Episcopal private school I attended, or the Episcopal ones my kids attend.

[writermom]

Check out Trinity Episcopal School -- Trinity Episcopal School. We've had our kids there for six years now, and have been very happy with the quality of education and the total experience. St. Andrew's is closer to our house, but it feels a little rigid -- the approach to education hasn't changed much in the 50+ years it's been in business. Trinity works hard to engage and challenge each child appropriately, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to curriculum. Our graduates go on to St. Stephen's and St. Andrew's, as well as other good boarding high schools like Hockaday in Dallas. We're smaller than the other schools, and definitely progressive -- we have daily chapel, but, as with our academic approach, the spiritual approach emphasizes engaging each student and strengthening their faith no matter what tradition they come from. We have Jewish and Muslim students who enjoy and add to chapel as much as our Episcopal and Catholic students. It's a hidden jewel, and in nine years has really created something unique and special!

[Raskolnikov]

Also wanted to bump this thread. A few posts back someone mentioned that AISD schools are bad with a few exceptions. Is this true? I thought that Austin High, Small Middle School, and several of the others (Zilker, St. Mathews) were considered exemplary schools.

[GreenPlastic]

There are many good elementary and middle schools in AISD. At this time, Austin and Anderson High Schools are the only ones I would send my kids to. Bowie is rapidly becoming better as southwestern Austin develops, but I still hear conflicting stories about safety. Things may change by the time your kids get to be high school age, as they have changed just in the last 5-10 years. Some specific paths (Casis, O'Henry and AHS) will get you a better education than many of the private schools in town.