If money were no object and you were just looking to raise your kids in a nice community...... (Dallas: for sale, big house)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

If money were no object? I'd live on West Lawther in Lakewood, on White Rock Lake.

with all the choices, I really don't think I would put White Rock Lake in the catagory: price being no object that is.. again, this is just an opinion and we all have different ones.

Nita

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

My private school choice would depend on what kind of kids I had:

academic overachieving children - St. Marks, Cistercian, Hockaday
academic above average kids - Episcopal School of Dallas
academic above average hippie kids - Greenhill
Learning disabled and/or ADHD, underacheiving - Shelton
ADD, plus creative/independent thinker types - Winston
Bi-polar - Oak Hill
Catholic - St. Rita and then Ursuline/Jesuit

I personally think that ESD is a rather academically lackluster school when compared to its peer institutions. It's better than a lot of the newer schools but it doesn't have as strong of an academic program as the older and more established private schools. It's very overpriced for it's experience as well, and I know of multiple recent ESD alumni who have said that the school did not prepare them well for college.

Other than that, you got it right on. You also might want to add St. Monica onto the Catholic list, though from my experience the kids it produces aren't as academically strong as those from St. Rita. For the Catholic kids, there is a definite breakdown with the stronger students usually choosing Jesuit or Ursuline and not-as-strong students choosing Bishop Lynch or John Paul II. However, other factors like extracurricular offerings, geography, and family connections also impact the choices--there are families at Ursuline that have attended the school for 5 or 6 generations. There definitely are strong students at BL and JPII, but on the whole the stronger students tend to choose Jesuit and Ursuline.

However, the Honors/AP program at the private schools and the suburban public schools are all about the same and are all excellent. The difference lies in the "regular" classes. Cistercian, for example, does not have these classes--it's all at an honors level. The top level students at most of the private schools are about equal; the differences lie in whether they have regular classes and how many kids are in them (my alma mater, for instance, is the second-largest private school in Dallas, without any girls, and has a lot of regular-level classes; St. Mark's, whose graduating classes are only about 40% as big, does not have as many regular classes but has about as many honors level classes).

There will also be a difference between what is considered "regular" at private schools and what would be considered "regular" at, say, a DISD school. The standards and curricula are going to be quite different.

[FarNorthDallas]

I agree with what you, loneranger, said about ESD being a bit lackluster academically. They are certainly focusing on sports these days. The only reason I say above average - and I debated whether their student body was average or above average - is because it seems they are quick to "invite" kids to pursue Shelton (which my son attended).

The major Dallas money these days is at ESD for regular ed kids, wouldn't you say?

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

I agree with what you, loneranger, said about ESD being a bit lackluster academically. They are certainly focusing on sports these days. The only reason I say above average - and I debated whether their student body was average or above average - is because it seems they are quick to "invite" kids to pursue Shelton (which my son attended).

The major Dallas money these days is at ESD for regular ed kids, wouldn't you say?

If they don't live in HP and aren't Catholic, yes. These days you either need to be intelligent or have family connections to get into St. Mark's/Hockaday if you are a WASP. I want to say Tom Leppert's kids went/go to ESD, Troy Aikman sent his stepkids there I believe, and Jerry Jones donated a lot of money for their stadium. However, the other schools have just as much money, just slightly more intelligent kids. The Catholic families have always gone to Jesuit, Ursuline, and Cistercian and will continue to do so.

ESD isn't really going to be sucessful at passing the older and more established schools in academics, so they have to beat them at something. Recruiting for sports is the route they've chosen, it appears.

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by hsw

Would choose whichever suburb seems to have highest-achieving, well-educated parents who focus on their kids' education in their free time...and whose kids seem to often gain entry to top 5 colleges after all that alleged focus

Would argue HP and Preston Hollow have much of this crowd

HP's strengths are it's an independent, more protected suburb as it is its own town and not City of Dallas; downsides: HP High seems rather lackluster in academic achievement (low % Natl Merit Finalists, low % of kids attending top 5 colleges), so may need to pay for private schools; dislike the puny ~0.5 acre lots and McMansion feel of HP (massive houses on silly little lots)

Preston Hollow has more elegant, private setting b/c of many 2+ acre lots but has issues (crime, city services, etc) of being part of City of Dallas; need to spend $30K/yr/kid to send kids to whatever is best private school in area (in HP can avoid this cost until HS)

HP has much less of a McMansion feel than Preston Hollow. PH has been invaded with McManses the last few years. It's really changed the feel of the neighborhood. HP has a few but most of the houses have been there for years. There are small lots but the houses make up for it. PH has a lot of huge lots which cost millions but then there are regular sized lots with McMansions in PH too, and a few regular ranch houses left.

Also, there isn't any private school in Dallas yet that costs $30k. Greenhill, St. Mark's, Hockaday, and ESD are all in the $22-23k range right now. ESD is the most expensive and it's far from the best school. Jesuit and Ursuline cost only $13k, and they aren't only half as good as the Protestant schools.

Finally, I don't understand that last point at all. Why would you have to pay for HS in HP? HPHS is considered to be one of the best high schools in the state. It would be foolish to live in HPISD and pay HPISD property taxes yet send your kids to private schools.

[turnbun]

If I were moving from another city to Dallas, I would live in Lakewood and send my kids to private school if money were no object. Lakewood is beautiful, diverse (socially, politically, racially), historical, open and friendly, down to earth. The homes are gorgeous and many are on much larger lots than you get in HP/UP. Highland Park and UP are nice, but there is almost no diversity and the attitude of many of the residents is a huge turn-off to me. I would NEVER live there. I just wouldn't fit in.

I'm very happy in my little corner of Dallas, which is Lake Highlands. We plan to stay here because the public schools are good and the neighborhood is friendly and down to earth -- my kindof peeps. The homes in LH range from around $225,000 to $800,000+, maybe? When we decide it's time to "upgrade" our house, we'll just move one neighborhood over to get some more square footage and an extra bedroom or two.

[TT Dave]

If money was no object, I would definitely buy or build a luxurious mansion in either Preston Hollow or Highland Park. The upscale burbs would be tempting, but PH and HP would be closer to downtown/uptown but yet still a reasonable drive to the high end shopping/dining in the far north areas, in case I get tired of the high end shopping/dining in the PH and HP area (If I'm that rich I would want a lot of stuff ). I also like those older neighborhoods with those beautiful trees that have been there for many years. As a result, these two areas would be ideal for me. If in PH, I'd send the kids to private schools. If in HP, I'd send them to their exceptional public schools.

[TXCountryBoy]

Why don't you just pay someone to do your research. If you don't like where they put you, move. You seem to have to much money and what is a few million here and there.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

I agree with what you, loneranger, said about ESD being a bit lackluster academically. They are certainly focusing on sports these days. The only reason I say above average - and I debated whether their student body was average or above average - is because it seems they are quick to "invite" kids to pursue Shelton (which my son attended).

The major Dallas money these days is at ESD for regular ed kids, wouldn't you say?

I think you are onto something.

Nita

[eastdallasson]

Originally Posted by nmnita

with all the choices, I really don't think I would put White Rock Lake in the catagory: price being no object that is.. again, this is just an opinion and we all have different ones.

Nita

please explain this