Got a few questions about Stone Oak... (San Antonio, Alamo: daycares, houses)

[twinboysmomma]

My hubby has been talking about taking a transfer position in SA and we are really undecided about it. When he talked to the company, one of the guys there that has kids the same age as ours, highly reccommended the Stone Oak area.

But after doing some reading on this board, it sounds like Stone Oak has some major issues? If anyone lives in Stone Oak and could answer these questions, that would be appreciated.

For background, we are from California and have 4-year-old twin boys.

1. I heard some talk about capping schools. Does this mean if we move in my kids will likely not be able to go to the school that everyone else in the neighborhood is going to? Or is the capping thing a pretty isolated problem, and one we probably won't have to deal with?

2. Parks. Someone told me there are hardly any parks (with playgrounds) in Stone Oak. Nature parks are great, but my kids are young so they really like playground parks. Is it true there are hardly any in Stone Oak? My kids practically live at the park, we go almost everyday, and in our area there are 4 parks within a 1 mile radius of our home.

3. Preschools. I'm a stay-at-home mom and my kids go to a preschool that is just twice a week, for 2.5 hours a time. Preschools like that are numerous here. When I tried to read up on preschools like this in Stone Oak, all I found were full-time or mostly full-time preschools/daycares. Are there any preschools that aren't daycares?

Thanks so much.

[NurseDana]

Good Evening!
I wanted to respond to your post, although I am limited and this is only my opinion. We built in Alamo Ranch and will move in 6 weeks. There is a park/playground, jr. olympic pool, waterslides exclusive to the Pulte neighborhood. There are also plans to build an elementary and middle school in the Pulte nieghborhood. Having said this, I do not live there yet! I do not have small children, just love them! There are a few who already reside there and will be of more help to you. We also love Stone Oak! That was a big contender for us and where we thought we would live. We just fell in love at Alamo Ranch and the development in the area is exciting to us! (We know there will be growing pains!) Anyway, welcome to Texas and San Antonio! We love it!

[dendox]

I live in Stone Oak area and can help answer some of your questions. As our boy is only 8 months old - I am not sure I can really answer your caped school question - however I think I can.

As for the school capping - I think your kids may be prevented from attending the same school as the rest in the neighborhood, but this is probably going to be pretty isolated. The reason I say this - they are building more schools in the area. The parts of Stone Oak that will be serviced by the schools can't get too much bigger. There are other parts of Stone Oak (area) - like where I live - that are in the Comal School District which have lots of room to grow (house wise), but it doesn't appear there are any schools slated for this area (at least none that I know of). So, I guess what I am trying to say is this, yes some school are capped (meaning no new kids right now), but that will probably be alleviated in the near future when the other new schools open.

Parks. There aren't currently a lot of parks, per se. But, there are a lot of playgrounds. I know on my drive home (when I actually go through stone oak) I pass a couple and there are some at the schools. I know my neighborhood has its own and there are two others that are open to the public (so to speak). Also, I think there may be some parks slated for development in the latest bond proposal (not sure if they are stone area or not, but I think it is).

Preschool - There aren't a lot of places that are preschools that do what you are asking. We currently need a "sitter" only three days a week. The cool thing for us, we got on the state of Texas website and looked for certified/licensed sitters in our neighborhood (there were about 10 within 2 or 3 miles) and we found one who we love who will do it on a part time basis. She is literally about 10 houses away from ours and is awesome and cheap (relative to the rest of the options). You can research sitters at http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Ca...rchDayCare.asp

I am sure with as many people here who live in the Stone Oak area you will get lots more help. I love living out here and would only change the traffic on 281.

[winst0n]

hi... i'll try to answer some of your questions..
1. i don't have kids, so i know not much about the school capping conditions... but i've heard about it, but i believe its for the h.s. which is reagan h.s. it has a very good reputation that's why a lot of parents want their kids be in that hs. im not sure about capping for elem and middle, but i know there have been new elem schools that have opened last year, and hearing new ones coming this year or next.
2.parks? i not into parks either, there is not one "big" park that is very close that i know of. there is the stone oak park where phase 1 opened last year, but i haven't visited, but i heard its not very impressive in terms of amenities, a year have passed so i don't know if they have improved... and there is supposed to be phase 2... there is the new YMCA in blanco... there's eisenhower park near camp bullis in the military - this one is huge, but not that near cuz camp bullis is blocking a direct way from stone oak. if its just playground that you are looking for, more likely you will end up with a subdivision that has its own playground cuz i think most subd have their own playground/clubhouse, just like mine..
3. again no kids here, so no info from me...

these are all that i can share...

[TXRose]

As far as the school capping --

Reagan HS and Bush MS are the only schools that are capped. They are capped to new students until Lady Bird Johnson HS & a new MS open in a couple of years, at which time the boundary lines will be redrawn to ease the burden on the schools. At that time, students already living within the boundary will be able to attend the schools when they are of HS age. Anyone living in the boundary by that 4/30/06 is okay...new residents after that date would be subject to the capped rules. Here is the info from Reagan's website:

To manage the Bush and Reagan student population growth, the district will be limiting the enrollment of students who are new residents in the Bush and Reagan attendance areas, effective at midnight on April 30, 2006. No current residents of the Bush or Reagan attendance areas will be affected by the enrollment cap. Only new residents moving into the Bush and Reagan will be affected by this cap.

The is also a presentation on the capping issue on this NEISD website:

http://www.neisd.net/boundaries.htm (broken link)

[TXRose]

FAQs on the capping issue:

NEISD Capping FAQ (http://www.neisd.net/boundaries/FAQ_capping%20Reagan_Bush%20REVISED.pdf - broken link)

[twinboysmomma]

Thanks for all the information! I really appreciate it.

Dendox: Thanks for the sitter link. That would be a good idea but its not really what I am looking for. I don't work and I don't need childcare, but I just wanted to find a preschool soley for the social benefits as well as learning to listen to a teacher, etc. But I don't want them in an all-day program or even half day program.

Here on the West Coast we have lots of preschools that are only 5 hours a week (2.5 hrs, 2 days a week)--so that kids of stay-at-home moms can be exposed socially/intellectually to preschool, but still be at home most of the time with a parent. That is the kind of program I am hoping to find in SA, but I am only finding preschools that are daycares.

[little_thirsty]

Hi Twinboysmamma.
I have a one year old and also stay at home. I have her in a Church program once a week. It is from 9-2:00 so it is a longer day. I think the type of program you are looking for are more commonly in churches here. There are lots of them around here. Hope that helps! I know what you mean about wanting them to interact with other children some!!! There are also a LOT of playgroups here. The library near here does storytime on Tuesdays and I met a lot of stay at home parents there. Hope this helps!

[SoCal transplant]

We moved into Stone Oak last year, from SoCal. I'll try to answer some questions, as we have two boys (10 and 7 year old).


1. The Elementary schools are not capped, and most, if not all, are ranked as recognized or exemplary (Stone Oak, Hardy Oak, Wilderness Oak & Canyon Ridge). The overcrowding problem is with Bush MS and Reagan HS, both currently capped. Lopez MS is opening up for the 2008-08 school year. A new HS near Cibolo Canyon. Both will eleviate overcrowding at Bush and Reagan (both schools are ranked exemplary).

2. Parks. No parks like there were in Cali, the large neighborhood parks. Here, you'll find community playgrounds/sports centers, the kind that you have in gated communities in L.A. "Stone Oak Park" is nothing more than walking trails. There are also what I refere to 'regional parks' (McAllister and Brackenridge) - think of Griffith Park, only smaller


3. Preschools. Sorry, my boys are 10 and 7.


Traffic in Stone Oak really is that bad! Sure, I often drove to work in L.A. and it would take me about 2 hours each way (although I mostly commuted by Metrolink, then Red Line), but here, it can take as long as 30 minutes just to get to the 1604, from Stone Oak Parkway. Aside from that, we do love our neighborhood, and the boys truly enjoy their school.

Hope this helps.

[muffinmom]

I don't know of any parks with playgrounds in Stone Oak. You see more cement and rooftops, not a lot of trees, which is sad. The Acorn is a wonderful preschool, about 18 miles from Stone Oak, it is located in Alamo Heights. Many of us drive from Stone Oak to send our kids there, they offer numerous classes that are either 8:45 to 11:30 or 12:30 to 3:00 MWF, or TR, or up to 5 days a week, but all half days, it is great!