Colonial Hills Ele., Jackson, and Lee High School (Bowie: homes, transferring to) - San Antonio - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

marissah · 06-03-2007, 03:35 PM

Can anyone tell me if these schools are good in the NISD? We are considering a move to Colonial Hills neighborhood and it says those are the schools it's zoned for (at least for now) and I'm curious to know if they are good or not. Any input would be greatly apprecaited!! Thanks so much!

sapphire · 06-03-2007, 03:41 PM

Actually, they are in the NEISD. My oldest son went to Jackson Middle School and one year at Lee High School. He didn't like Jackson, and I can't recall why, but he enjoyed his year at Lee. I do know that after-school care is free at Colonial Hills, or at least it used to be. Sorry I can't offer more info.

jessicard · 12-20-2007, 11:36 AM

A friend of mine went to Colonial Hills, then up to Jackson. Colonial Hills is a very enriching school and she liked it there a lot. Jackson she didn't like quite as much because she was picked on often. We both go to Lee and neither like it. If you speak Spanish, go for it. About three quarters of the school is Hispanic and speaks exclusively in Spanish to eachother quite often. Otherwise I don't really rate it all that well. If you're caucasian I also don't suggest it, becuase you get picked on for being white there because it is considered dishonorable not to be mexican. Also Lee is one of the poorest (money wise) schools in NEISD and isn't given much attention.

EJ4512 · 12-20-2007, 03:42 PM

Ok, dont post much unless its something I actually know something about. The last post is a bit overstretched. Yes LEE is in NEISD and is majority hispanic, but there are other NEISD schools that are majority hispanic as well. When did that become a bad thing? It also covers a lot of the castle hills area, so it is a mixed school. The statement that you must speak spanish is the most ridiculous and ignorant statement I have ever heard. As somone who is hispanic, grew up almost entirely in SAISD until transferring to Lee I was never spoke spanish too in either district. I suggest you go to the NEISD site and look up the campus report cards. Yes, Lee does get money, if you have seen the campus lately, it looks like an entirely different campus. I suggest doing your own research and deciding whats best for your child. One thing about Lee that many people forget is that it has TWO magnet programs on its campus. North East School of the Arts (NESA) which is great if your interested in the arts in any way, and Intenational School of the Americas (ISA) which is actually rated as a "Recognized" school by the state. All share and mix with the Lee campus/students. My two cents.

Bo · 12-20-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EJ4512

One thing about Lee that many people forget is that it has TWO magnet programs on its campus. North East School of the Arts (NESA) which is great if your interested in the arts in any way, and Intenational School of the Americas (ISA) which is actually rated as a "Recognized" school by the state. All share and mix with the Lee campus/students.

The NEISD magnet schools are fine in and of themselves. But in the big picture, they function like like pontoons, designed to bring in gifted students who test well to raise the average test scores for the school. The fact that Lee is the only school in NEISD that has two such programs is a sign that the school needs more lift than the others to keep its test scores and TEA rating from falling too low.

Lee may be better than schools not in the NEISD, but the presence of those magnet schools makes me wary of the general population of Lee.

EJ4512 · 12-20-2007, 04:40 PM

Once again not true, as I mentined earlier Lee might not be for everyone, but lets make informed posts please. ISA is considrered its "OWN" school. So you are incorrect. ISA has its own principal, its own teachers, its own graduation, etc. The students at the recognized ISA have NO effect on test scores for Lee high school. They are graded to the states standards on their own and thus, differently from LEE. They do however share facilities with Lee and are allowed to particiapte in Lee activites, such as band, athletics, etc. As far as NESA, I dont know the enrollment for NESA, they are considered Lee students and their scores do count with LEE. What effect that makes I dont know, im sure is very minimal though. There are numerous magnet programs throughout the district, and so in regard to the last post, Lee would then only have one program with counts toward test scores. Along with MacArthur, and Madison which also have one. Roosevelt would be the only school with two magnet programs counted in test scores. As I mentiond earlier, depends on what is best for you !!!!!!!!

pobre · 12-20-2007, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowie

The NEISD magnet schools are fine in and of themselves. But in the big picture, they function like like pontoons, designed to bring in gifted students who test well to raise the average test scores for the school. The fact that Lee is the only school in NEISD that has two such programs is a sign that the school needs more lift than the others to keep its test scores and TEA rating from falling too low.

Lee may be better than schools not in the NEISD, but the presence of those magnet schools makes me wary of the general population of Lee.

The majority of Lee's population belongs to the magnet programs. The actual Lee HS non-magnet population is small.

googie2525 · 12-20-2007, 06:58 PM

I graduated from Lee way back (1989). It was pretty junky back then, so I can only imagine what it's like now. Now it WAS far better than where I went to summer school the previous year, Roosevelt, yikes, man I was scared for my life at that joint.

yosoyway · 12-21-2007, 08:42 AM

Colonial Hills is a Title I campus. This means a vast majority of the students come from humble homes. A friend is a teacher there and she says it is a good school.

They have a great bilingual program. Her son and daughter go to school there and they speak english and spanish very well. Much better than my daughters. And their program is not only for spanish speaking children but for anyone.

Don't know much about the middle school.

Lee I believe has a low enrollment if it was not for the magnet schools. I believe NEISD wanted to cancel extra curricular programs because of the low enrollment.