Three best high schools? (Dallas, Fort Worth: transfer, public schools, college)

[joym525]

I may be moving to Fort Worth this month. I have a freshman and senior. What three public schools would you suggest?

[loves2read]

what are their interests
if you have one who is in band--then LD Bell in HEB ISD is the best in this area--winner of National Show Band competition twice...also has great choral music group
but FTW has a charter school for musical students--rated exemplary in 2010--that is highest ranking...

if you have someone who is good football player--Southlake Carroll, Euless Trinity
if you have someone interested in Drama--then I think Birdville has done pretty well in UIL competition

what can you afford--
what do you expect your children to do after high school--do you want them in school that is geared to provide top-shelf college prep?
Do they need more tech/jobs program

Are they used to a large school--5A high schools here have 1500+ students I think
it is easy to get lost in school that size in more ways than one...

Paschal in FTW ISD always has the most National Merit Scholars of any school in Tarrant county--but if you don't actually live in Paschal zone then you are at the mercy of the inter-district transfer--and that is getting more and more difficult every year--think they will consider lottery next year--
up until now parents could camp out and it was on first come basis--unless you had sibling preference...

tea ratings--
Exemplary/Recognized/Acceptable/Unacceptable---top/bottom rankings
Application Dispatcher

[SCFriend]

Originally Posted by joym525

I may be moving to Fort Worth this month. I have a freshman and senior. What three public schools would you suggest?

Byron Nelson High School- This school has been only been open a year. It is state of the art and gorgeous. It is in Trophy Club, Texas. It is smaller because of the newness of the school and the way they are easing kids into the school population. It only has a freshman, sophomore, and junior class right now, but they do allow incoming seniors and there are a number of graduating seniors at Byron this year. They are adding a freshman class every year until the school is filled to capacity. So, your freshman would be with lots of new students in a brand new school and your senior would be around a select group of kids which will make getting to know friends easy. Northwest ISD is an award winning growing district that has much to offer in terms of technology and special programs. Check it out! All the best! Trophy club is about 20 to 25 minutes from Ft. Worth proper. It is minutes from some areas of Ft. Worth. The lines in Texas are drawn very strange indeed. Good luck!

[5stones]

along with those mentioned...

Keller HS.
JUst became the 2nd HS in Tarrant County to recieve Exemplary rating by the State. (Carroll HS is the other)
Drama top notch, won state UIL 5 act play. 2 recipants of Betty Buckley award. Choir, Band, and Academic UIL teams all very active and some placing at the state level.

So outside of FT Worth ISD (Paschel is the best..if you can get in)

for others it would be(in my OPINION):
1)Carroll HS
2)Keller HS
3)Grapevine HS,Colleyville Heritage HS, LD Bell
4)Central HS, Eulass Trinity, Byron Nelson (very new not much stats not graduating class yet)
5)Northwest HS, Timbercreek HS (too new to tell though)
6)Birdville HS, Fossil Ridge HS

Then there is Westlake Academey...but hardly anyone can afford to live in Westlake (1mil+) and getting in by waiting list after Kindergarten is almost impossible now. (but it would rank up at the top with Carroll HS)


Check out great schools, check out the TEA rankings, visit the ISD's websites and read through the news...they will list the UIL awards, National Merit scholarships, College scholarships awarded etc...
Go visit the schools to see the environment and talk wioth counselors etc...

Everyone has thier Opinions on what is best etc... only you can decided what is best for YOUR child. See where your kids will flourish.
The MAJORITY of the schools within 30-40 minutes of Ft Worth are GOOD solid schools and any child who wants to learn will do great.

[Squirl]

Just FWIW, there are also charter schools, by now enrollment periods are over but maybe last minute space or keep in mind?...you can check.....be prepared for heavy diversity (my grandkid is one of the est. 25% Anglos & we're hoping she'll be Spanish fluent very soon )....but these are rated exemplary:

Harmony Science Academy (Ft worth)
Summit International Prep (Arlington)

[5stones]

^
good thinking I knew there were a few charters in the area but didn't know the names.

[5stones]

wanted to add a link from the Dallas forum that has the National merit scholar numbers listed...
A good list! Scroll throgh the thread as some others were added later on.

2010 National Merit Semi-Finalists

[midnightbirdgirl]

"Fort Worth" encompasses a large area. Where exactly are you looking to move?

[joym525]

West side...I am looking at Saginaw.

[Cymbyz]

Saginaw is actually a tad north of Fort Worth proper. If you actually moved to the west side of Fort Worth proper, I'd recommend Arlington Heights HS (my alma mater) for your kids, though it's been years since I knew intimately of it.