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Old 11-22-2009, 08:16 AM
 
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We are considering buying a home in the Prestonwood neighborhood that feeds into Prestonwood Elementary. I have concerns about the school and am wondering if anyone has been able to secure a transfer from Prestonwood to either Brentfield or Bowie?

Is this a process that is difficult and is it possible that we would not be able to do this?

Any helpful hints or stories about transferring would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
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Old 11-22-2009, 10:48 AM
 
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I know lots of people who have transferred schools in RISD, but I am not sure it's an automatic thing. My guess is they would rather transfer a student, than to lose that student to private school, but the problem is Brentfield and Bowie always fill up with neighborhood kids. Bowie's overflow kids go to Spring Creek and I know they have some this year. Brentfield is always full, too, but I am not sure where their overflow kids go.

We used to have a poster here on CD who has kids in Prestonwood and she loved it and she was a little irritated that folks thought the school wasn't that good because of all the apartment kids that feed into it. Apparently some of the Prestonwood kids go to Parkhill Jr. and Pearce High and some go to Westwood Jr and Richardson High. I have no clue what the boundary is on that.

Also Bowie and Brentfield can fill up with Spring Enrollment. Folks who move in during the summer are the ones who get bumped to other schools. (Course it varies by year.)

I would call the district and ask, but my guess is they won't speculate.
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Old 11-22-2009, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Dallas, Texas
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I went to Bowie, Parkhill and Pearce, and unless they have redrawn the boundaries in the last 5 years or so, then Prestenwood, Brentfield and Bowie all feed into Parkhill and then to Pearce. Westwood used to be an option for any of the elementary schools but it is now a magnet (not sure if there are still regular elementary schools that feed into it anymore).

But yea, I am unaware of any major difference between the three elementary schools. Perhaps things have changed since I was in junior and high school (not too long ago), but I never noticed any real difference in education levels between the kids from each of the elementary schools.

Edit:
Links to RISD´s pages on all three elementary schools.
Prestonwood
Bowie
Brentfield
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Old 11-22-2009, 01:25 PM
 
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Yeah, Westwood still gets all of the kids from Spring Creek, Northwood Hills, and Spring Valley elementary schools, plus some of the kids from RISD Academy. Bowie kids have the option of picking between Westwood and Parkhill, but 90% pick Parkhill. RISD's magnet schools are mostly about managing populations and demographics - attracting white kids to majority minority schools.

RISD has these "choice" areas where the parents get to choose schools and then RISD has these "managed choice" areas where RISD gets to choose where kids will go - at least at the jr high and high school level. I think some of the Prestonwood students are in one of these "managed choice" areas which sends some to Westwood/Richardson and some to Parkhill/Pearce.
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Old 11-22-2009, 01:40 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fillmont View Post
I
But yea, I am unaware of any major difference between the three elementary schools. Perhaps things have changed since I was in junior and high school (not too long ago), but I never noticed any real difference in education levels between the kids from each of the elementary schools.
There are definitely major differences in the three schools, as far as demographics go etc. Prestonwood is now only 30% white where Brentfield is 84%. The apartment kids are a big issue to me, not because I am against diversity etc, but because I have heard stories of kids from the Prestonwood neighborhood houses being in classes that are over half ESL kids. That is a huge deal when you have a child coming out of a private preschool that will most likely be ahead of the curve already..being in a class where half the kids barely speak the language would be difficult both socially and academically for a more advanced child.

Brentfield is the "star" of RISD currently. Bowie is fast on it's footsteps, though.

I have heard it's virtually impossible to get a transfer to Brentfield because the principal is very against them, but wasn't sure if anyone on here had heard of anyone succesfully getting one to Bowie (or Brentfield) in the last few years.
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Old 11-22-2009, 02:49 PM
 
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I wouldn't take the chance of getting a transfer. I'd buy a house in Brentfield's zone (or Bowie's) and do it so you can enroll in the school during spring kindergarten round-up. Some of the grades will fill up in kindergarten round-up at Brentfield and Bowie.
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Old 11-22-2009, 03:32 PM
 
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Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas View Post
I wouldn't take the chance of getting a transfer. I'd buy a house in Brentfield's zone (or Bowie's) and do it so you can enroll in the school during spring kindergarten round-up. Some of the grades will fill up in kindergarten round-up at Brentfield and Bowie.

Do you know when the Roundups are? It says transfers are accepted starting 4/1 so are the Roundups before then?
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Old 11-22-2009, 03:46 PM
 
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I think it's sometime in March or early April. I looked on their websites and didn't see that they were on their calendars yet - Bowie or Brentfield.
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Old 11-22-2009, 07:46 PM
 
Location: Dallas, Texas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dfwagogo View Post
There are definitely major differences in the three schools, as far as demographics go etc. Prestonwood is now only 30% white where Brentfield is 84%. The apartment kids are a big issue to me, not because I am against diversity etc, but because I have heard stories of kids from the Prestonwood neighborhood houses being in classes that are over half ESL kids. That is a huge deal when you have a child coming out of a private preschool that will most likely be ahead of the curve already..being in a class where half the kids barely speak the language would be difficult both socially and academically for a more advanced child.

Brentfield is the "star" of RISD currently. Bowie is fast on it's footsteps, though.

I have heard it's virtually impossible to get a transfer to Brentfield because the principal is very against them, but wasn't sure if anyone on here had heard of anyone succesfully getting one to Bowie (or Brentfield) in the last few years.
It may also have to do with the amount of students each school has. According to the RISD site, Brentfield has almost 600 kids compared to Prestenwood´s 350. I could see how transfers to Brentfield would be looked down upon by RISD.
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Old 11-23-2009, 06:56 AM
 
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Originally Posted by Fillmont View Post
It may also have to do with the amount of students each school has. According to the RISD site, Brentfield has almost 600 kids compared to Prestenwood´s 350. I could see how transfers to Brentfield would be looked down upon by RISD.
Actually, I went on a tour of Brentfield about a month ago with the principal and he said it is his decision and he is against them. He also showed me the Kindergarten classes in which none of the classes were at capacity..one class even had only 17 kids. Where as Prestonwood's Kindergartens were both full at 22. So I think a lot of it is the principal's decision.

Not sure about Bowie as they don't give tours.
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