Alamo Ranch folks, is Taft really that bad? (San Antonio, Howe: houses, neighborhoods)

[japan-virginia]

Originally Posted by sapphire

Are you also aware of the mobile home park basically across the road from Alamo Ranch? Seems like something that would bother you.

Yeah, I guess I would have to look at it while spreading my "Grey Poupon" mustard on a sandwhich in the back of my limo. jeez

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by japan-virginia

Yeah, I guess I would have to look at it while spreading my "Grey Poupon" mustard on a sandwhich in the back of my limo. jeez

I was trying to be helpful.

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Read a newspaper sometime...

NEISD expects $28 million less, tallies budget cuts - San Antonio Express-News



Better watch your bubble, as things ain't quite as rosy in NEISD as you think they are!

Cheers! M2

Times are tough everywhere. Hopefully we won't end up like NISD.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Times are tough everywhere. Hopefully we won't end up like NISD.

You jest, but NISD has weathered the economic downturn a lot better than NEISD has!

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by japan-virginia

Thanks for the comments.

I am not sure why many are averse to utilizing some of the statistics cited on the various websites. If a school has better test scores and draws from less impoverished neighborhoods, what is wrong with wanting to put your children there?

In my experience, better test scores just means kids have learned how to take a test. Texas schools in general, but some more than others in an effort to bolster their ratings, spend most of their time teaching to the test. Not what I want for my kid. In public schools you can only avoid it so much, but some do better than others in encouraging kids to learn for learning sake, where the kids may not ace the test, but they learn how to learn and develop a love of learning, which IS what I want for my kid.

Drawing from less impoverished neighborhoods often means many more resources for a school, but not necessarily a better education or better environment.

If those two things are important to you, than you'll need to focus on those areas of town that meet that, which it sounds like Alamo Ranch does not.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by Chaka

In my experience, better test scores just means kids have learned how to take a test. Texas schools in general, but some more than others in an effort to bolster their ratings, spend most of their time teaching to the test.

This is a really good point. That seems to be a large portion of the school year, preparing for standardized tests.

I remember when I was a kid, we just took the darn things, and those would be the couple of days that we didn't have homework. There was no huge preparation for the tests. The only test I can remember people really studying for was the SAT.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Times are tough everywhere. Hopefully we won't end up like NISD.

What are we here, five years old?


Honestly, San Antonio should just merge all the school districts into one. Cut out the fat at the top and there'd be more money to pay for more teachers.

[TXsurburbanmom]

Actually there is low income housing in Alamo Heights. I mean can you imagine the pressure on those kids!

I was all for one district until I got to experience a HUGE district in Raleigh. It was a mess. It was by county and included multiple towns/cities. They were still busing for diversity (a BIG problem for someone from San Antonio!) and it was causing havoc not to mention the budget for buses alone. It was just too big to be able to focus on the needs of every area. After experiencing that, I think the multiple district system in SA makes more sense. I hated my son's school up there--and it was one of the better ones. It was such a relief to get him back in Stone Oak Elementary. I don't know about the other schools here but I LOVE ours and we are not leaving again!

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

True that! Let the snobs be snobs together.

Not necessarily, even AH district draws from some lower income areas (not low income as in southside, but lower than what we think of for AH)

[xsa210tx]

If you get a kick out of thinking you're sending your kid to the best school in the world, good for you. However, it doesn't guarantee that your kid will become something in life.

There are kids who go to less than stellar schools who do VERY well in life because of THEIR motivation and zest for life. It's all about the individual. Likewise, there are parents who send their pampered and spoiled kids to the best schools and they don't really do much in life either than living off of Mom and Dad's money and partying it up their college years.

In short, a good public school doesn't guarantee anything in life. It's all about the individual, ultimately.