Magnet schools in Dallas ISD (Wilson, Thornton: credit, house, neighborhood)

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

.

these kids stay at school until 11pm or later almost every night. They come up to school for most of the weekend, too, to paint or rehearse or for more dance practices..

Same for the Woodrow kids involved in musicals and drama. Plus the the two large show choirs are performing at different venues nearly every week. I would agree with you about some things at Booker T. being better but for drama and musical theater, Woodrow is better than Booker T. and has beaten them in many competitions. Our choir director defected from the Arts Magnet. We are known for provocative plays. Now that we have a Performing Arts Academy I'll bet we are more competitive with them in other areas. We have recent graduates on Broadway, in Hollywood and in Yale Drama School - also a Princeton Tigertone!

You should go to a Woodrow musical if you've never seen one:

School looks back on 50 years of musicals | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-elfocus_05met.ART.East.Edition1.42db5f1.html - broken link)

The 53rd annual production is "Grease" April 14-17

‘Grease’ picked as Woodrow’s spring musical | Advocate Magazine

[pepper131]

Jan70 - you do live w/in Dallas ISD, right?

[Lakewooder]

You can still apply to transfer in even if you don't:

http://www.dallasisd.org/parents/transferforms/teaoutofdistrict%20form.pdf (broken link)

Forgot to mention that Woodrow is getting a new Fine Arts/Science wing. Bids are going out this month. the $14 million, 40,000 square foot addition includes a two-story choral hall with practice rooms, two-story drama hall with black box theater and prop shop - outside steps also serving as small ampitheater, two dance practice rooms, and three large state-of-the-art science labs.

[Jan70]

[quote=pepper131;17350431]Jan70 - you do live w/in Dallas ISD, right?[/quote

In Dallas...but RISD.

[pepper131]

[/quote
In Dallas...but RISD.[/quote]

Uh Oh
Be aware that you would be applying as out of district.
Even though you live in Dallas, you are in RISD (not DISD) - remember the ISDs do not follow the city boundaries in many areas.

[TurtleCreek80]

[quote=Jan70;17351596]

Originally Posted by pepper131

Jan70 - you do live w/in Dallas ISD, right?[/quote

In Dallas...but RISD.

You will still be considered an out-of-district transfer. It is determined by ISD boundaries, not city limits.

[pepper131]

For magnet schools, they allow only 3% of any class as "out of district" and that is only if they have not filled the available slots with qualified "in district" applicants. Qualified "in districts" applicants are considered first; then "out of district" up to a max of 3%. You can do the math after you find out how many students are in a typical freshman class at the magnet school that you'd like to apply to.

There are people who move into DISD for Booker T....I just talked to a lady who plans on renting out her home in suburbs and move into a rental home somewhere w/in DISD this summer so her child has a chance of being accepted into Booker T for the incoming class of 2012.

Jan70 - hopefully your student is in 7th grade currently. Call the schools now to get information on how to apply as an out of district student. Some of the schools work it differently...even though the 3% rule is supposed to be upheld.

[Grainraiser]

This thread just proves a point I always make to folks new to the area. DISD has some fantastic schools but you have to seek them out. In most cases your home school will not meet the need.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Let's be clear, Jan70. Woodrow is a very good all-round public HS in Dallas ISD, but it is absolutely not on par with Booker T, Townview, & the other magnets. It's a very good HS- don't get me wrong- and a great choice if you have a "traditional" kid who wants the "normal" HS experiences of football games, cheerleaders, etc. But if you have a truly, truly gifted student, go for the magnets first and use transferring into Woodrow or WT White (DISD's top two high regular HS's) as a back-up plan.

Booker T is a Top 5 Nationally-ranked high school per Newsweek.

I don't think you understand how focused the arts magnet kids are. It's not like "oh, I can play the trombone; I can tap dance; I love musicals!"....these kids are super-focused on ONE singular passion, often from an early age. I volunteer at Booker T and these kids stay at school until 11pm or later almost every night. They come up to school for most of the weekend, too, to paint or rehearse or for more dance practices. These are kids who are hell-bent on pursuing a CAREER in the arts. It takes INTENSE focus and passion for your "concentration." Its not a school for someone who simply likes the arts: without passion, your kid will burn out and resent the arts.

I have several friends w/ kids at Booker T. and they have ALWAYS been very dedicated to the love they have in the arts. As you said, one SPECIFIC area of the arts. One is there in the theatre dept and that child has been in area plays since before she started kindergarten. She knew in the 6th grade she wanted to go to Booker T. even though they live in a suburb. She got in and is there now and LOOOOOOOVING it.

Originally Posted by pepper131

[/quote
In Dallas...but RISD.

Uh Oh
Be aware that you would be applying as out of district.
Even though you live in Dallas, you are in RISD (not DISD) - remember the ISDs do not follow the city boundaries in many areas.[/quote]

If they are wanting in for next year they better HURRY!!!! And brush up with private lessons to audition to get a shot of getting in being an out of district transfer. I know kids there and I know some that auditioned that are very godo and did not make the cut.

[Lakewooder]

DISD’s redesigned schools will accept applications beginning this month | Advocate Magazine

Where once DISD parents had limited choice when it came to their child’s high school — private or magnet (if we can afford it/get in) or public school in their attendance zone — they now have new options, DISD administrators say.

If you have a child entering the ninth grade next year, attend the 2011-2012 High School Redesign Showcase Saturday, Jan. 22 at W.H. Adamson High School (201 E. Ninth) to learn about the 18 DISD schools that have been redesigned to accommodate specific areas of interest and academic pathways.

Bryan Adams High School in East Dallas, for instance, will offer entertainment and sports marketing, law enforcement and graphic design specialties, Adamson in Oak Cliff will offer finance, public service and automotive technology, Hillcrest, normally serving the Preston Hollow area, will offer science technology and engineering. Woodrow Wilson High School in Lakewood offers science and engineering, theater arts and is also a candidate for IB World School http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2009...ns-ib-program/

That’s just a sampling of the various programs that will be offered at 18 schools around Dallas http://www.dallasisd.org/parents/schoolchoice.htm (broken link) . At the showcase, parents can learn in detail about what each of these schools will offer. Students will not need to meet specific academic requirements to attend any of the redesigned academies. Acceptance will be decided through a lottery system. Any student districtwide can apply to any of the schools.

Posted by: Christina Hughes Babb on January 13th, 2011 in Blog Post, DISD, Education, Woodrow





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