Interested in Lakewood...but what about middle school? (Dallas, Bonham: houses, neighborhood)

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by DFWgal

I've heard people talking about Mata going Montessori PK-8 soon (next year)? Maybe that would add another alternative for people around this area.

It's looking likely for next year according to the Advocate. Montessori program at Eduardo Mata Elementary could relieve overcrowding at Woodrow schools

Half the spots would be reserved for Mount Auburn-Mata neighborhood students, and the other half for Lakewood and Stonewall students, as those two schools are over capacity. Lee and Lipscomb students would only be eligible for spots which aren't taken by students from the other three attendance zones, and it doesn't mention anything about Oran Roberts or whether students from outside the Woodrow zone would be eligible for any of the spots. There are projected to be 320 spots for PK-3, meaning 40 per grade for Mount Auburn and 40 per grade for Lakewood and Stonewall, I would assume. It also doesn't mention whether Mata will continue to receive mainstream 4th and 5th graders from Mount Auburn or not.


I could see North Dallas parents who can't get into Dealey pitching a fit if DISD doesn't offer a similar program west of 75 (though apparently DISD is considering putting a pre-IB program at Preston Hollow Elementary to attract middle class parents after their "neighborhood classes" scheme was rejected as patently unconstitutional).

[DFWgal]

I think Mt. Auburn will become PK-5 too. And their students would not go automatically to Mata anyway because, as I understand, they have to opt-in to a lottery for those spots.

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by DFWgal

I think Mt. Auburn will become PK-5 too. And their students would not go automatically to Mata anyway because, as I understand, they have to opt-in to a lottery for those spots.

Yes, it would be a lottery for the 40 spots per grade, with Lee and Lipscomb kids in a lottery for the remainder if less than 40 Mt. Auburn kids apply.

I was talking about the mainstream kids who don't choose Montessori. It would seem that shifting 4-5 to Mt. Auburn would make it significantly overcrowded, at least until the montessori reaches the 4th and 5th grades, and perhaps after.

[Considering Coming Back]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

Yes, it would be a lottery for the 40 spots per grade, with Lee and Lipscomb kids in a lottery for the remainder if less than 40 Mt. Auburn kids apply.

I was talking about the mainstream kids who don't choose Montessori. It would seem that shifting 4-5 to Mt. Auburn would make it significantly overcrowded, at least until the montessori reaches the 4th and 5th grades, and perhaps after.

I'm not privy to any more information than what is in the Advocate article, but it would seem there would be 72 spots per grade-- at least 30 of which would need to be claimed by Mt Auburn students to settle any capacity issues. Mata has a capacity of 656 (divided by 9 grades).

(There are 831 students in the Mt Auburn/Mata PreK-5 neighborhood. Mt Auburn has a capacity of 656.)

Lakewood and Stonewall are overcapacity by a combined 505 seats, so even filling half of Mata with their students will leave them almost 300 students over capacity. At some point the discussion of redrawing lines will get serious...

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by Considering Coming Back

I'm not privy to any more information than what is in the Advocate article, but it would seem there would be 72 spots per grade-- at least 30 of which would need to be claimed by Mt Auburn students to settle any capacity issues. Mata has a capacity of 656 (divided by 9 grades).

(There are 831 students in the Mt Auburn/Mata PreK-5 neighborhood. Mt Auburn has a capacity of 656.)

Lakewood and Stonewall are overcapacity by a combined 505 seats, so even filling half of Mata with their students will leave them almost 300 students over capacity. At some point the discussion of redrawing lines will get serious...

I meant 40 per grade per half (Mt. Auburn/Mata and Lakewood/Stonewall), so 80 in total. (320/4 grades), from what the article said. So Mata might eventually be over capacity. I don't know what they're planning on doing for middle school--as far as I know, Harry Stone uses a Montessori program in middle school and Dealey doesn't. If it's non-Montessori, there might be substantial demand to go to Mata instead of Long. Many kids might prefer to go to Long for 6th grade rather than Mata because of the broader opportunities in extracurriculars as well as the pre-IB program, so even with an initial admission of 80 kids per grade, Mata will probably not be over capacity.

831 minus an eventual 240 at PK-5 would be 591 kids, who all could be covered at Mount Auburn (unless different student/teacher ratios for 4th and 5th graders changes the capacity). However, I don't know what DISD is actually planning on doing, and I can't find any info on the district website.

But yes, the capacity issues won't be any different even with a more full Mata unless they rezone. Overall, the 6 current Woodrow elementary campuses have 3182 kids (as of October 1) and a total capacity of 3304, so some redrawing of the lines plus the Montessori at Mata would help it. They could also consider something like reopening Bonham and/or Fannin, sending mainstream 4th and 5th graders from Lakewood and/or Stonewall to Mata or another campus, or opening a primary-level campus like they did at Rosemont in Kessler Park.

Of course, many of the parents have chosen the neighborhoods they live in because of the particular elementary school and would pitch a fit if they're rezoned.

[LakeDad]

Reopening Bonham would work. Stonewall and Lakewood Elem. could be split into three zones with their combined 500 over capacity going to Robert E Lee. The entire current Lee zone would be rezoned to Bonham (I believe all the old Bonham students were rezoned into Lee after Bonham closed.) For the angry parents being rezoned out of Stonewall and Lakewood, the demographics of the newly zoned Lee would very similar to where they were before. Lee is about 10 blocks from both Lakewood Elem. and Stonewall. It wouldn't be a popular change, rezoning never is, but everyone would still be zoned extremely close to their previous school.

I don't think you'll find many Lakewood or Stonewall parents choosing to switch to the new Mata Montessori.

[DFWgal]

Why not? Do you think the quality of teaching there is not up to par or, as other posters have suggested before, "too much diversity"?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by DFWgal

Why not? Do you think the quality of teaching there is not up to par or, as other posters have suggested before, "too much diversity"?

I suspect many families would not be on board with Mata, but for a different reason altogether than the ones you suggested--> the friends we have in Lakewood Elem specifically chose Lakewood because it's a true neighborhood elementary school. Not using "neighborhood" as a euphemism for white/wealthy, but meaning IN their neighborhood....a school their young children can walk (or be walked) or ride their bikes to each day. Where YMCA soccer games & practices are played. A school where classmates live on the same blocks, not across town.

I think many would go kicking and screaming into an overflow schooll, even if it were Montessori/ magnet in nature. Maybe those who live in HH/SM or the C Streets would be more open to it due to proximity.

I would guess Stonewall parents would have a similar reaction.

[LakeDad]

Why not?
Well, why would they switch? Because DISD puts a Montessori label on Mata? Until the new Mata is shown to be a better school and a better fit for their child, Lakewood and Stonewall parents won't go. I'm guessing some Mt. Auburn parents will, but the same logic holds for the Lipscomb families. What's the benefit except for the Montessori philosophy and being less crowded? Parents don't go to Dealy for the Montessori. They go because it is a better school than the one they are zoned to attend.

Eventually, I think that the Mata Montessori and Mt. Auburn are both K-5 with similar demographics and that the crowding at Mt. Auburn is relieved. Making Mata a magnet could help, but unless it was a really good school, I don't think you get Stonewall and Lakewood kids leaving their neighborhood school.

[jennifw]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

I meant 40 per grade per half (Mt. Auburn/Mata and
Of course, many of the parents have chosen the neighborhoods they live in because of the particular elementary school and would pitch a fit if they're rezoned.

Originally Posted by LakeDad

Why not?
Making Mata a magnet could help, but unless it was a really good school, I don't think you get Stonewall and Lakewood kids leaving their neighborhood school.

I think it will just take time, with lots of kicking and screaming while it is happening. People choose Lakewood in large part because of the schools. Until Mata is proven as a good alternative, people will throw a fit. Once the new Mata strategy is "proven" I think there will be long lines to get in. It will just take some time.

TC80 hit on another topic. Right now, there is limited or no bussing within Lakewood. Kids walk, ride their bikes or get dropped off. How will that change adding Mata to the mix? It isn't walkable from Lakewood proper.