Small High School in Houston (Dallas, Spring: middle-class, homes, neighborhoods)

[pepper131]

We're moving from Dallas to Houston in June (after the school year). I've been researching high schools to find a similar match to what my 14 yr old son would be applying to in Dallas - the Science and Engineering Magnet at Townview.

All I have come up with is Carnegie Vanguard - which looks like a GREAT school, but I'm looking for more options in case he doesn't get in.

In looking at the other magnet programs in HISD, most of the programs are in larger high schools that get terrible ratings from greatschools.net. It's very difficult to figure out if the programs are acceptable.

Two other schools I have been looking at are:
Challege
East Early

If you know anything about the magnet programs, please help. The magnet coordinator at HISD talks very highly of the programs (in the larger high schools) - but she's supposed to, right?

[EasilyAmused]

Lamar in HISD and Westchester International Academy in SBISD would be your closest comparisions. Westchester also has some great neighborhoods to live in all around it.

[houstoner]

Lamar has 3,000+ students. I was going to suggest Bellaire, but same problem.

Try DeBakey High for Health Professions. It has 710 students and is strong in math and science.

[EasilyAmused]

Well I was looking more at the programs vs size. Lamar is big but it gets great ratings. Westchester is very small and earning a pretty good rep as a magnet school.

[pepper131]

Thanks! I will look up these schools.

I had looked at Lamar and Bellaire, but being completely unfamiliar with the areas, I'm under the impression that Bellaire is a neighborhood school in a very wealthy area...similar to Highland Park in Dallas - we would never "fit" into this situation being bohemian verging on communist ideals (according to my son) ;-). But I will definately look into them since they get great ratings.

For some reason, I'm having a hard time figuring out if Lamar and Bellaire are neighborhood schools or if they are magnet schools in which we will need to apply to.

SBISD is Spring Branch, right? Someone had mentioned Memorial HS to me, but again another large school. Westchester sounds more our size, but since our residency is currently (husband has a rental) in HISD - I'm assuming that we could not apply.

I'm looking for smallish schools since my son has been in a small homeschool group for the past 5 yrs. The schools with 3000+ students seem very overwhelming.

[EasilyAmused]

Lamar is neighborhood and magnet. Within HISD you can apply to schools outside your neighborhood if you plea your case.
Yes,Westchester is in Spring Branch ISD and I believe (not totally sure) you must live within that district to attend it. But there's affordable living north of I-10 if you can get your child in. I wouldn't suggest Memorial for two reasons, its in a "wealthier" neighborhood than Bellaire (rents are huge) and two I don't think it has magnet programs.
Best thing to do is visit or make phone calls. But sometimes testing the waters in a large high schools is better than just being turned loose in college for the first time.

[houstoner]

Originally Posted by pepper131

Thanks! I will look up these schools.

I had looked at Lamar and Bellaire, but being completely unfamiliar with the areas, I'm under the impression that Bellaire is a neighborhood school in a very wealthy area...similar to Highland Park in Dallas - we would never "fit" into this situation being bohemian verging on communist ideals (according to my son) ;-). But I will definately look into them since they get great ratings.

For some reason, I'm having a hard time figuring out if Lamar and Bellaire are neighborhood schools or if they are magnet schools in which we will need to apply to.

Similar to Highland Park? Um, not exactly. Both are extremely racially and socioeconomically diverse. Bellaire is even 1% Purple American apparently! If you don't live within their attendance boundaries you will need to apply to their magnet programs. Lamar is a business magnet. Bellaire is a magnet for foreign languages (Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, Japanese, Hebrew, Italian, and Latin). Both are part of HISD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellair...llaire,_Texas)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamar_H...hool_(Houston)

[pepper131]

So Lamar and Bellaire have the mentioned magnet programs (neither of which interest him) AND they are great neighborhood schools as well - seems like the best of both worlds. Good to know they are not like Highland Park.

I have made quite a few phone calls (have pages of notes) - the only helpful person I found was at Carnegie who understood what I was looking for and could fully answer my questions. It helped that she had lived in Dallas and is familiar with Science and Engineering Magnet as well as our bohemian East Dallas neighborhood.

After I get a good handle on the high school situation, I will switch gears to find an elementary for my 4 yr old who will be entering K in fall 2008. Currently he attends an excellent preK program at our science museum - Museum of Nature and Science.

Thanks for your help - I'm getting a clearer picture.

[houstoner]

Yeah, Carnegie Vanguard is the only high school for the gifted in HISD. There are plenty of magnet programs, but many of them in name only. In other words, they suck. The ones we mentioned in the thread and a handful of others are among the most sought-after public high schools in HISD. Most of the Vanguard elementary & middle school students end up going to one of them, along with the upper middle-class and wealthy students from the area, all rubbing elbows with the great unwashed from all over Houston. There aren't any good high schools strictly dedicated to science and engineering that I'm aware of. I could be wrong. Other than those, your options are the suburban school districts.

A user named VicMan might have more info. A recent graduate, he's our resident school expert. A survivor from the trenches, if you will.

[pepper131]

Originally Posted by houstoner

There are plenty of magnet programs, but many of them in name only. In other words, they suck.

This is pretty much what I thought since I got a confusing, non-specific description from the magnet coordinator at HISD.

We'll give Carnegie a shot and figure out what to do after we hear accept/no accept.

Thanks for your honest opinions.