Tell me about these high schools... (San Antonio, Anton: neighborhoods, construction, school districts)

[giz2000]

I am moving with my family to the SA area this summer...I will be working in the SAISD but I don't want to live in the city, so I have been looking at high schools in the NEISD area. My son starts HS (9th grade) this fall and I am trying to make a housing decision based on the school districts. I have just started researching but these three schools caught my eye:

Madison
Johnson
MacArthur

My son is into music (percussion in the band), Student Council president in his middle school, and makes the honor roll more often than not and is also ESE (he has an IEP for ADHD, and receives accommodations). Academics and a strong band program are key for him. I'm not sure of the level of parental involvement in these schools, but a moderate/high one would be good. Diversity is good as well.

Remember, I have no idea what type of neighborhoods these schools are in, but from researching GreatSchools and Schooldigger, I've come up with a fairly broad picture.

Any help (or other suggestions for other areas/schools) would be great! School quality trumps commute time in my case. I understand my commute will most likely be crappy, but I don't have a problem with it if it means that my son can go to a good school. Thanks!

PS - I am also looking at Brandeis, O'Connor, Clark and Brennan in the NISD...thanks!

[ashbeeigh]

All great and all in the NEISD school district.

Johnson is probably tops since it is newest (but don't ever let that fool you...the traffic up that way is the worst).

If your son is in to the music side of things consider having him put together a tape for the North East School of the Arts (NESA). There are about 250 students in the school. Although the school district is going through some budget issues, they are going to try their hardest to keep it open for more than this next year and the musical education your son will get will beyond amazing.

The parental involvement, especially for NESA is off the charts since it is a magnet school. I do remember (however this was well over 10 years ago) that Mac and Madison each had great student councils.

They are all great schools. Add Reagan to your list too if you are interested in the NEISD area. If you want to stay away from massive traffic take off Reagan and Johnson, but if you like the newer areas of town then those are your best bet.

[coffeepotbend]

Take a look at Smithson Valley High School just north of San Antonio. It rates a 9 on Great Schools. You can get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and get an acre or so of land with your house. We're exceedingly happy up here. It only adds about 10 minutes onto our commute and we think the peace and quiet up here is worth it. The boundary is from the north side of San Antone (where Comal county starts), on the east and west side of 281, and goes north up 281. It's in the Comal ISD.

Bounderies:
http://www.comalisd.org/About_Us/Map..._SVHS_Zone.gif

Comal county map (interactive, you can pan and zoom, it also shows the school locations):

http://communitylink.com/maps/newbra...inmap_main.htm

[stoneoak]

second reagan...from what I understand they have a phenomenal music program. And -- sigh -- the traffic is not that bad. Can we stop including Stone Oak into the Hwy 281 north disaster...Johnson is another great school. Opened two years ago and is a beautiful campus.

[Rottnboys]

giz - I was going to start typing out my thoughts and remembered I had posted previously on Madison - and this was a good thread - if you haven't seen it in your search - it might help you a bit:
MacArthur or Madison High School?

Good luck - I think the schools you are considering are all good....and if your son becomes as involved in his new school, as he is currently involved, he'll likely do GREAT in any of those schools! Our son blossomed when we moved here - I hope your son does as well!

[Bo]

IMO, Churchill is better than or equal to the 3 you picked. It rates highly on School Performance Maps.

Johnson may eventually be better, but it has yet to graduate a class, so it is too new to be thoroughly rated. I'd rather send my kids to a school with a track record of success.

[smuboy86]

Dr. Middelton, the Superintendent of the district sent his son to MacArthur. I think that speaks volumes about the quality of the school.

[BamaSailor]

You also need to look into the magnet schools. NISD has Communications Arts, Science and Technology, Health Careers, Business Careers and just opened another related to construction. Communications Arts (and maybe others) has been on Newsweeks Top 100 High Schools in America for four years running.