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Old 03-03-2009, 09:18 AM
 
3 posts, read 8,478 times
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We are moving to Dallas with our three children. Our younger children(7 &11) will transition fine. Our High Schooler is a Freshman and will have a tougher time. She is a freshman at a small high school of only 600 students. Looking at high schools in all the Dallas suburbs is scaring me. 2,000+ students! DD is a mature, serious girl. She doesn't fit in well with wild, partying kids.... Drugs, gothic/skater looking kids.....will freak her out.

My husband will be working in the Galleria area. We want a very active, family friendly neighborhood. From my online search we want a larger lot than what Plano offers, but if we have to sacrifice yard for schools we will. I really like the lot sizes of Colleyville, Southlake, and Flower Mound but I'm afraid the commute will be a bit much. Parker had nice lots but didn't have the social neighborhood feel..... I'm so stressed! We will be moving this summer. Any advice on where to live and best schools for a scared teenage girl who will be new as a sophomore.......would be greatly appreciated!
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Old 03-03-2009, 09:40 AM
 
Location: Plano, TX
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Why should the larger schools be scary? If anything, that should be a plus. More students, and more social groups to choose from to try to join and fit in with. If some group freaks her out, she doesn't have to associate with them and shouldn't feel any pressure to.
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Old 03-03-2009, 09:58 AM
 
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I should preface it with she goes to a christian school so most of the kids come from families with similar values. We had to move her to this school after sending her to a public middle school with lots of drugs and fighting. She started this middle school in 8th grade after moving from the town she grew up in and there weren't a ton of issues. I had done the research on Great Schools.net and went just by that. I don't want a repeat of what she experienced in 8th grade.

Due to the economy, we will need to do public schools. The size is of concern just from finding her way around, meeting new kids and just the anxiety of not knowing all your classmates..... Moving at this age is tough as it is and to go into such a large environment may make it worse. I agree with you that it might make it easier, but it's quite shocking the actual size of the high schools in Dallas. That is why I'd love some insight on which ones would work best for her.
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Old 03-03-2009, 10:21 AM
 
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I would look in North Dallas - the area that feeds into JJ Pierce High School in Richardson ISD. Nice area with mature trees and bigger lots than you would find in some of the "newer" areas. JJ Pierce is an excellent school, and the area is extremely family friendly and pretty conservative with lots of active youth groups in the churches.
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Old 03-03-2009, 02:53 PM
 
Location: The Big D
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I second the Richardson ISD. There are some great schools in that district. Pearce, Berkner and Lake Highlands. Look in the Lake Highlands area and you will find a very nice, mature neighborhood, VERY FAMILY oriented, VERY INVOLVED community, great schools, mature trees, larger lots, etc. It would also be VERY close for your husbands job so he can be involved in the kids school activities and their lives. This is a BIG plus with the transition and just being a part of them.

My oldest starts high school next year - YIKES. She has been in the very diverse magnet program since kindergarten and has enjoyed it greatly as have we. I will say that it has been a MUCH better experience than the "newer", "higher socio-economic" situation and MUCH less diverse school experience of my younger child. She will start Garland HS next year and I plan on sending my youngest there as well even though she won't be in the IB program like her big sister. She has figured out there is much less drama and a lot more acceptance of ALL kids in these surroundings. I would recommend the Garland ISD as well and do recommend Garland HS. There is a HUGE range of students from every walk of life and they all get along great with each other as they have been taught that way from day 1. THAT can make a HUGE difference. Most of the kids my oldest goes to school with are very involved with their families and their church. I could not pay for the level of education she is getting in the programs she is in - throw in the family involvement and it is awesome.
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Old 03-03-2009, 05:45 PM
 
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If you want a small school and a house with a large lot you should take a look at Sunnyvale. The high school is brand new and will have a small student body. The homes come with larger lots and it's a close knit community.
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Old 03-03-2009, 06:02 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turnbun View Post
I would look in North Dallas - the area that feeds into JJ Pierce High School in Richardson ISD. Nice area with mature trees and bigger lots than you would find in some of the "newer" areas. JJ Pierce is an excellent school, and the area is extremely family friendly and pretty conservative with lots of active youth groups in the churches.

Dittos to turnbun. My daughter will start at Pearce in the Fall. It's a great school, with lots of great pre-AP and AP selections, as well as a wide variety of activities. Grade school areas for your younger kids...you should consider--Brentfield, Bowie, Canyon Creek, even Prestonwood. Here's the link to the RISD website. You can see the make up of the schools' populations, and you can even insert addresses to determine into which school the home feeds. Some areas in the Richardson ISD even let you choose the school. www.risd.org

With your husband working at the Galleria, areas of town you might consider for easier commuting; Richardson and Dallas in the Richardson school district, Plano, Frisco, Preston Hollow (you might then want to choose private High School as it's in the Dallas District.) Lake Highlands is pretty, but in my opinion since it's on the east side of Highway 75, it makes the commute that much harder.

Okay, good luck with the move.
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Old 03-03-2009, 06:31 PM
 
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Thanks for all the help. I am looking at all the options. For some reason, and of course it's just from internet searches, I keep going back to Flower Mound. How is the commute to LBJ and the tollway from Flower Mound? My husband travels several times a month so proximity to the airport may be the reason. I can't wait to go and check it out. I think we will spend one day visiting Richardson and surrounding areas and then the next day Coppell, Carrollton, Flower Mound and Southlake(even though I know the commute would be awful!
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Old 03-03-2009, 06:32 PM
 
264 posts, read 1,179,853 times
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Lake Highlands is wonderful. We have lived here for two years and second everything Mom said. I feel like a broken record on the boards b/c I recommend it so much (hence, my recommendation of North Dallas and Pierce HS so as not to get the eye roll - here she goes again with Lake Highlands). If you want more info. on the area, feel free to send me a private message. The high school is very highly regarded, and the area is VERY close knit and family oriented. It's not quite as close to the Galleria as North Dallas, but it is still close (I can get there in 15 minutes from my house).
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Old 03-03-2009, 06:33 PM
 
264 posts, read 1,179,853 times
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Flower Mound would be a pretty brutal commute to the Galleria, but it is close to the airport.
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