Moving to Tyler area (Center, Whitehouse: real estate, rental, school districts)

[nwlamom]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and I have navigated through quite a few posts regarding Tyler Texas, but my query is more specific to S/SE Tyler and areas outlying from there.
My husband has accepted a position in Troup, and on looking at the map, it appears Whitehouse is almost exactly halfway between Troup and Tyler (a very reasonable 15 minutes in either direction.)
I'd like to get some information on the Whitehouse area. I've read on other posts that it is largely residential, that most shopping/entertainment needs are easily met by taking the short drive into Tyler proper. Can anyone clarify what Whitehouse is like for residential/safety/quality of life, and most importantly - schools? I have three children (one in elementary, one in middle school, and one in high school) and they are all in Magnet schools here. I've read that the Whitehouse ISD is a good quality school system, can anyone vouch for that??
Other areas that were mentioned to me by a real estate agent are Flint and Bullard ... they're a bit farther from Troup, but any info on them would also be helpful.

Thanks very much in advance!

[TexasBornAndRaised]

I was born in Tyler, and attended WHISD in grades 9 - 12, graduated Whitehouse High in 1991. Been living in Whitehouse exclusively since 1998.

Whitehouse has changed dramatically since I first started attending school here in 1987. Back then, Whitehouse was a small country town with a population of maybe 2500. Today population estimates are about 6500 and growing rapidly. Mostly upperclass suburbanites. Whitehouse is no longer a small country town with it's own personality. It's now just a suburb of Tyler. In fact, the distance between the Tyler city limits and Whitehouse city limits on Hwy 110 is only 5 miles. I bet in another 10 years you won't even be able to tell when you've left Tyler and entered Whitehouse.

Housing is expensive. You'll be lucky to find anything decent for less than $100,000. Rent is high, too. 3 bdrm / 2 bath is $800 and up. Basically anything in south Tyler, Whitehouse, Flint, Bullard, is expensive.

WHISD is an excellent school system.....if you don't mind overcrowded classrooms and a majority of young and inexperienced teachers. If your child has learning problems like ADD or ADHD you child will basically be left behind and fall through the cracks. WHISD doesn't want to take the extra time to help kids with special needs. Both my kidss are ADHD, so I speak from first-hand experience. WHISD expects ALL of their students to keep up with the current curriculum, no matter what problems they may have. And, IMO, their curriculum is way too hard for the younger children.

For example, my daughter just finished 2nd grade. This past year she had FIVE book reports. When I was in 2nd grade, I didn't even know what a book report was. In 3rd grade the kids start switching classes. I didn't start switching classes until the 6th grade. Also, starting in 3rd grade the children have to participate in the Accelerated Reader Points program. Basically, the kids have to read X amount of books each six weeks to earn points. And every six weeks, the amount of points required to earn gets higher and higher. And the kids actually get a letter grade based on how many AR points they earn each six weeks. So, in the end, the kids end up hating to read. And all this reading is on top of 1 to 2 hours of homework EVERY night! I've talked to parents with kids in JR high and High School that say their kids have 3 and 4 hours of homework EVERY night!

For more info on WHISD, TISD, and BISD go to GreatSchools.net

Cain Elementary = K and 1st grade

Brown Elementary = 2nd grade

Higgens Intermediate = Headstart, Pre-K, 3rd grade, 4th grade

Holloway Middle = 5th and 6th

Whitehouse Jr High = 7th and 8th

Whitehouse High = 9th - 12th

As far as shopping, we have a Brookshires Grocery, two hardware stores, a movie rental store, several fast food joints, banks, Dollar General, Fred's (bigger than Dollar General, smaller than Wal-Mart), auto repair shops, pawn shops, small independent resteraunts, gas stations, etc. About the only thing we don't have is a large clothing store, but there is a Wal-Mart Super Center right up the road, just inside the Tyler city limits.

The Flint area is basically south Tyler and is mostly Tyler ISD. Tyler ISD is not quite as zealous as WHISD. TISD will at least attempt to work with your child.

If I had my choice I'd live in Bullard. Very nice area, good schools, nice people. And it's far enough away from Tyler to still have it's own personality. Unfortunately Bullard is as expensive, or even more expensive, than Whitehouse.

If you don't mind my asking, what company is your husband going to work for? The only real "industries" in Troup that I know of that would pay enough to allow someone to relocate there from another area is Motor Trike and NDS Plastics.

Chris Thornton
Whitehouse, TX

[nwlamom]

We are coming from (as per my name ) NW LA (Shreveport/Bossier area) and really, culturally it doesn't sound THAT different except seems perhaps a little smaller/friendlier (not so big and spread out and overwhelming!!) - what I'm hoping for is SAFER! Less crime, more community involvement; and believe, me, politics there cannot be nearly as backwards or corrupt as they are here.
I've been very fortunate as far as schools go for my kids - they've all been in the Magnet School program - my son since 2nd grade and both my girls since Kindergarten. I'm one of those lucky moms whose kids can handle mainstreaming - no learning disabilities, no ADD/ADHD, they've all been in Accelerated Reader since day 1 at their schools, standardized testing is no problem ... that kind of thing ... I'm hoping to get them into schools with good enrichment programs (piano, choir, drama) but you do the best you can with what you've got, I suppose.
My girls have been checking out the school districts online (WHISD and TISD) and they seem to be getting excited about the programs, but as I told them, these schools are only going to put their BEST FACES, all their plusses, on their websites ... you have to dig to get to the inconvenient or unfortunate truths that may not be so complimentary.
I have to say, I appreciate all the guidance I'm getting here. At least I now know where to start.