Any recent experiences at White/Walker? (Dallas, Richardson: catholic schools, living, shop)

[inthemstreets]

Hi - Like other posters, I encourage you to visit White and Walker, and to get to know some families whose kids attend there. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you learn.

Also, I want to point out that DISD is building in a lot of "school choice" options, so your kids do not necessarily have to attend schools based on attendance zone. There are magnet schools, which other posters have mentioned. Admission is quite competitive for some (TAG high school, Booker T), but others are much less competitive. There are also choice schools, such at the CityLab school that was mentioned, where admission is by lottery. In addition, you can apply for transfers to other schools if space is available.

Here are links to some of the DISD magnet and choice offerings at the high school and middle schools levels:

https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/32973
https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/32972

In early December, there will be several Discover Dallas ISD Choice Fairs. Representatives from many magnet, choice, and traditional schools will be at these:

Discover Dallas ISD Choice Fairs
https://www.dallasisd.org/magnets

December 2, 2017
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Southeast Location: Ellis Davis Field House - 9191 South Polk Street, Dallas, TX 75232
Southwest Location: Skyline High School - 7777 Forney Road, Dallas, TX 75227

December 9, 2017
Northeast Location: E. J. Conrad High School - 7502 Fair Oaks Ave., Dallas, TX 75231
Northwest Location: Loos Field House - 3815 Spring Valley Rd., Dallas, TX 75001

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by EDS_

but-

2. Referencing jennifw's comments above and I want to make it perfectly clear I believe her and I am happy her kiddo is embracing WW's IB offerings. That said between my son and daughter we experienced more than 20 years of private schooling around here. Both had friends come and go to and from publics and both had good friends who were lifer public school kids that they knew/were friends with from the neighborhood and club sports. Judging from all sort of inputs including comments from kids, both of my kids were well ahead of their public school peers in some subjects years ahead.

However, the issue I can't quantify well but have observed over and over is that second and their tier achievers from private schools - if they can minimize the beer and avoid the blunt - tend to do very well in college.

That's all well and good IF someone can afford the tuition. $60,000 a year is no small potatoes. If OP could manage to save even half that amount every year instead, he could pay for his daughter's college or add to his retirement or help start a down payment on a house.

But the OP said the tuition is becoming a burden. Didn't he mention having to borrow to afford it? Going into debt for private high school is not a smart financial move when some of the best public high schools in the country are nearby.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

That's all well and good IF someone can afford the tuition. $60,000 a year is no small potatoes. If OP could manage to save even half that amount every year instead, he could pay for his daughter's college or add to his retirement or help start a down payment on a house.

But the OP said the tuition is becoming a burden. Didn't he mention having to borrow to afford it? Going into debt for private high school is not a smart financial move when some of the best public high schools in the country are nearby.

Stipulated. If the money is a real problem the OP should re-group. That said using figures I just looked up the current tuition at my kids respective high schools is less than $40K. I certainly realize most people either can't or will not absorb those costs. But some people can and will.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Stipulated. If the money is a real problem the OP should re-group. That said using figures I just looked up the current tuition at my kids respective high schools is less than $40K. I certainly realize most people either can't or will not absorb those costs. But some people can and will.

No doubt there are plenty of families in the area who can afford $40,000 or $60,000 and not blink an eye. That is excellent for them. But OP cannot. No offense, but chiming in about how your private school kids and their friends were years ahead compared to the public school kids, and how even 2nd and 3rd tier private school kids do better does not help the OP. It does not help him at all. It might only make him feel guilty that he can't afford private school.

OP, please have an open mind about transitioning your daughters to public school. Don't make them feel like this is a "second best" choice or they will have that same impression.

Again, I say this as someone who was adamant about private school--you have to do what works best for you as a family. Putting yourselves into debt at the high school level is not a good solution for your family. Renting so you can attend XYZ school is not a good solution as a family. There should be balance, and honestly teaching your daughters that one has to live within one's means, and that sometimes makes for compromises or hard choices, is an excellent life lesson.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

No doubt there are plenty of families in the area who can afford $40,000 or $60,000 and not blink an eye. That is excellent for them. But OP cannot. No offense, but chiming in about how your private school kids and their friends were years ahead compared to the public school kids, and how even 2nd and 3rd tier private school kids do better does not help the OP. It does not help him at all. It might only make him feel guilty that he can't afford private school.

OP, please have an open mind about transitioning your daughters to public school. Don't make them feel like this is a "second best" choice or they will have that same impression.

Again, I say this as someone who was adamant about private school--you have to do what works best for you as a family. Putting yourselves into debt at the high school level is not a good solution for your family. Renting so you can attend XYZ school is not a good solution as a family. There should be balance, and honestly teaching your daughters that one has to live within one's means, and that sometimes makes for compromises or hard choices, is an excellent life lesson.

Please read item number 4 in the OP’s first post.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Please read item number 4 in the OP’s first post.

Please go back and read yourself. After that post, he has expressed a greater interest in exploring the options in DISD. Why not be encouraging? Or if DISD is the worst, can you come up with an alternative that doesn't cost $40,000 a year?

Also, respectfully, knowing kids who went through public school is not the same as being the parent of a kid in public school.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

Please go back and read yourself. After that post, he has expressed a greater interest in exploring the options in DISD. Why not be encouraging? Or if DISD is the worst, can you come up with an alternative that doesn't cost $40,000 a year?

Also, respectfully, knowing kids who went through public school is not the same as being the parent of a kid in public school.

Listen this is a public Internet forum and there are no grades assigned. The reasons for my post above are multiple.
1. The OP mentioned Catholic schools in post 1 as a viable option.
2. In post 14 he mentioned that his family would tour Catholic schools.
3. A poster mentioned that the OP’s kids might suffer an academic let down switching to publics.
4. Someone else mention that her kiddo didn’t see a let down switching to a public.
5. I responded to that in general disagreement.

I’m good with my points above but I’m sorry I offended you.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Listen this is a public Internet forum and there are no grades assigned. The reasons for my post above are multiple.
1. The OP mentioned Catholic schools in post 1 as a viable option.
2. In post 14 he mentioned that his family would tour Catholic schools.
3. A poster mentioned that the OP’s kids might suffer an academic let down switching to publics.
4. Someone else mention that her kiddo didn’t see a let down switching to a public.
5. I responded to that in general disagreement.

I’m good with my points above but I’m sorry I offended you.

I am not offended.

There is just a weird obsession on this board about what is "the best". Sometimes people need to deal with other options besides "the best".

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

I am not offended.

There is just a weird obsession on this board about what is "the best". Sometimes people need to deal with other options besides "the best".

That’s a fair point. I’ll admit to being somewhat hardcore regarding academics.

[NDalDad]

EDS_: Thank you for chiming in. Your experience over the years, from your time in the northern burbs to your time with kids in the privates to now, is unique and helpful. I've agreed with you more often than not over the years, and appreciate your opinion and guidance. You're right to chime in with your experience -- that's what I asked for after all, and I lack the older-kid and post-graduate perspective.

$40k is more manageable, and you're right, I did bring Catholics up as an option for us. It constrains savings more, but the good news is the rest of our life is quite frugal -- by necessity scraping the funds together every year to support 2 tuitions. We scraped by when they were in elementary, but with both in full boat 28-29k/yr options this year, we've hit our financial breaking point.

I figure if I'm going to rip the band aid off, we should be honest with ourselves and our goals and look at the whole financial and educational picture, since we've been ignoring parts of it for so long

inthemstreets: THANK YOU for sharing those links! We'll attend the choice fairs in December. I'm enthusiastic for the SEM magnet which I've been reading about this afternoon... I suppose I hadn't really considered it that seriously in the past, knowing a lot about Booker T but perhaps discounting the others given the drive.

calgirlinnc: THANK YOU for bringing up attitude. Perception is reality in so many cases, and if I view public (even great DISD magnet or great suburban) as second rate, and suggest that to my girls, that's of course what they'll experience. Very wise. You're right that this can and should be a great transition for the girls. And also, they'll perhaps enjoy living more in a house free of financial stress !

I'm coming around to the idea that as a life lesson, this transition could be the best thing ever for my family. Living within our means and being able to make hard choices with our heads held high is huge. I try to model and encourage resiliency, and a change like this, while jarring, could be incredibly grounding and ironically bring us closer together. So I tell myself

I have a tour set up at JJP, and I'm working on tours at White, LH, Richardson SH, and the choice fairs. I'm going to take a look at BL, BD and Ursiline on the catholic side for my oldest for highschool.

I also visited with a family friend with kids at Withers who is looking at Walker for that perspective.

I sure looked at the world differently 11 years ago when we were considering 1/2 day pre-K programs that were well under $10k