Pre K toddler program & transition schools (Dallas, Paris: house, transfer to)

[jwbarrios1]

Good morning, my wife and I live/own in Lower Greenville/M streets (not zoned to Mockingbird elementary) Our son, is 2 ½ years old, and is at Alcuin school for the all-day program. He will be 3 in December, so we have a weird timing situation with most schools and being admitted. I have been lurking and seeing the different schools etc. I have a few questions in general

I noticed all the “top tier” schools are always talked about and are obviously the most expensive (St Mark, ESD, Greenhill, Hockaday, Ursuline etc) - what are some of the schools that are less expensive that carry the same experience weight (Great education, nice facilities, great teachers, good mix of backgrounds and cultures)

Personally, I am not tied to names, status or perceived elite schools

I’m thinking…. Parish? TCA? Who else?

The other thing I am thinking since we don’t live in a “top tier” school location is the thought of moving to HP (is HP school district still good?). However, this housing market is nuts and shows no sign of slowing down. So, I am trying to work out in my head ~30k plus a year for school vs putting that into a home.

I am a public school product out of New Orleans and I turned out okay

[apple44]

Not sure about private schools. I heard the Lamplighters is a great -- supposedly a feeder school to the top private schools like St. Marks, Greenhill, etc. But it's also expensive. Some religious schools are also good choices, like Zion Lutheran. My son has some soccer friends who go to that school and their parents love it.

As to public schools, try Solar schools. I heard very good things about them. The tricky part is that it's a lottery system and you may not be lucky.

Also try other local public schools. We are zoned for Lakewood, but Lakewood doesn't have pre-k programs, so we went to Geneva Heights which has pre-K for 3-year-olds and pre-k for 4-year-olds.

One thing of note: public schools are having a very difficult time retaining and hiring teachers, including the top ones. Dealy Montessori school is a top public school (you have to apply and not guaranteed admission), but I heard some teachers quit and students didn't have a teacaher. Same thing happend in Geneva Heights where my son went. One of the pre-k classes (not his class) lost its teacher, and the kids only had substitute teachers, so students in that class were mostly coloring and watching iPad. Not very educational....

[pisekar]

Originally Posted by jwbarrios1

Good morning, my wife and I live/own in Lower Greenville/M streets (not zoned to Mockingbird elementary) Our son, is 2 ½ years old, and is at Alcuin school for the all-day program. He will be 3 in December, so we have a weird timing situation with most schools and being admitted. I have been lurking and seeing the different schools etc. I have a few questions in general

I noticed all the “top tier” schools are always talked about and are obviously the most expensive (St Mark, ESD, Greenhill, Hockaday, Ursuline etc) - what are some of the schools that are less expensive that carry the same experience weight (Great education, nice facilities, great teachers, good mix of backgrounds and cultures)

Personally, I am not tied to names, status or perceived elite schools

I’m thinking…. Parish? TCA? Who else?

The other thing I am thinking since we don’t live in a “top tier” school location is the thought of moving to HP (is HP school district still good?). However, this housing market is nuts and shows no sign of slowing down. So, I am trying to work out in my head ~30k plus a year for school vs putting that into a home.

I am a public school product out of New Orleans and I turned out okay

How was your experience with Alcuin? I think almost all good private schools are expensive.

You can also apply for transfer to a better Dallas ISD elementary school (not sure how competitive)

[arkroyal2223]

Originally Posted by jwbarrios1

The other thing I am thinking since we don’t live in a “top tier” school location is the thought of moving to HP (is HP school district still good?). However, this housing market is nuts and shows no sign of slowing down. So, I am trying to work out in my head ~30k plus a year for school vs putting that into a home.

Yes HPISD is still good, in fact arguably one of the best if not best school district in the entire state. That being said, you are having to pay a premium in exchange to live in the Park Cities which the wide majority of families in the Metroplex are priced out of. Sure there are a few homes here and there that you might find for less than 1M but otherwise expect to dish out if you want to live in HP/UP

[TurtleCreek80]

I don’t understand what time frame you’re asking about - where to consider for PK3 for 2023-24? Or what to consider for PK4 and elementary school after Alcuin?

We have just completed the PK4 application process for next year. Two schools that stood out as great values are Good Shepherd and St Rita (well, any Catholic PK-8 but we only toured St Rita). Good Shepherd has a great financial incentive for families to sign “divisional contracts” for PK & K, then 1-4, then 5-8 to “lock in” the first year’s tuition rate for each division. If you go all the way through and sign all 3 contracts, you’ll save $60k compared to ESD/Hock/Parish/GH/SM. **Since you mentioned Parish, know that it is every bit as expensive as the others ($30-35k) once you get to the Midway campus in 3rd grade.

Schools closer to you that are known for being great values ($10-15k per year range) with great academics are Zion Lutheran, Our Redeemer Lutheran, St Thomas Aquinas & St Patrick. Schofield too if you are a conservative Evangelical. Lakehill & St John’s Episcopal are both in East Dallas - more expensive than the Lutheran & Catholic schools but still a lot less than GH/ESD/etc. St John’s has a stunning campus just east of the lake.

Also don’t discount DISD until you visit schools & explore your options. You live in a great location to apply for SOLAR Prep. And yes, HPISD is still excellent but neither it nor “the elite” private schools are necessary to get an excellent education in Dallas. Don’t get caught up in the rat race at Alcuin, especially if it stretches your budget or you plan to have more kids.

[bladeofgrass]

Montessori Children's House and School (MCHS) on Abrams and Walnut has a great primary program and costs a lot less.

[apple44]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I don’t understand what time frame you’re asking about - where to consider for PK3 for 2023-24? Or what to consider for PK4 and elementary school after Alcuin?

We have just completed the PK4 application process for next year. Two schools that stood out as great values are Good Shepherd and St Rita (well, any Catholic PK-8 but we only toured St Rita). Good Shepherd has a great financial incentive for families to sign “divisional contracts” for PK & K, then 1-4, then 5-8 to “lock in” the first year’s tuition rate for each division. If you go all the way through and sign all 3 contracts, you’ll save $60k compared to ESD/Hock/Parish/GH/SM. **Since you mentioned Parish, know that it is every bit as expensive as the others ($30-35k) once you get to the Midway campus in 3rd grade.

Schools closer to you that are known for being great values ($10-15k per year range) with great academics are Zion Lutheran, Our Redeemer Lutheran, St Thomas Aquinas & St Patrick. Schofield too if you are a conservative Evangelical. Lakehill & St John’s Episcopal are both in East Dallas - more expensive than the Lutheran & Catholic schools but still a lot less than GH/ESD/etc. St John’s has a stunning campus just east of the lake.

Also don’t discount DISD until you visit schools & explore your options. You live in a great location to apply for SOLAR Prep. And yes, HPISD is still excellent but neither it nor “the elite” private schools are necessary to get an excellent education in Dallas. Don’t get caught up in the rat race at Alcuin, especially if it stretches your budget or you plan to have more kids.

I often found your posts very helpful and wanted to rate your post positively, but then told I couldn't -- apparently this forum doesn't allow you just like one person?

[texstout]

If you are living in the M Streets, you are probably zoned to Geneva Heights. I've heard great things about it (I know people who have transferred from Lakewood Elem to it). They are about to undertake a massive school renovation/building effort. I wouldn't discount it.

[75214Dad]

All of the M Streets are zoned to Mockingbird. If you aren’t zoned for Mockingbird then you aren’t in the M Streets. That plus having to ask if HPISD is good makes you sound like a troll.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by 75214Dad

All of the M Streets are zoned to Mockingbird. If you aren’t zoned for Mockingbird then you aren’t in the M Streets. That plus having to ask if HPISD is good makes you sound like a troll.

No need to be an a$$. He said “lower Greenville / m streets” which prob means Geneva Heights zone and honestly with the drama around HPISD’s last two school board elections, I think it’s a fair question to ask about HPISD especially if one doesn’t live there. There are A LOT of unhappy people in that district - for a variety of both valid and ridiculous reasons….we happened to run across a fair number of them touring private schools last fall.