O'Henry Middle School (Austin, Lost Creek, West: fit in, insurance, neighborhood)

[sidewiththeseeds]

Does anyone have experience with O'Henry Middle School? My husband has accepted a job in Austin and I am scrambling to learn more about area schools. I have a son who will be in 2nd grade next year but I think he will assimilate fairly easily at that age. It's my daughter that worries me. She will start 5th grade next year so will have only one year before starting the dreaded middle school years. We have been in the same small town for all of her school years and I'm afraid all of us are sheltered and naive at this point. She is well liked and very involved but she is a bit of a free spirit - stands out in a quirky way. Hopefully a perfect fit in Austin but middle school can be such a tough time for making friends.

We love the Tarrytown area but are also considering Lost Creek for the schools. Any insight would be really appreciated.

[Biscuits]

Casis/O'Henry/Austin High is, IMHO, as good as it is going to get in the AISD and compares favorably with all of the suburban school districts.

O'Henry and AHS are going to have more students from less advantaged backgrounds compared to going the Eanes route, but they too will have a large number of students from "wealthy" families.

I can't say which would be less intimidating as a new kid. Either one would probably be horrific in that regard. I do think that having one year at Casis should help ease the transition.

If it makes you feel better, Laura Bush was comfortable sending her twins to AHS and current Governor Perry had a son and a daughter that went to O'Henry and AHS.

[sidewiththeseeds]

Thanks for the reply. Can anyone speak to gang presence at O'Henry? I think that's what prompted my question in the first place. I was reading the PTA website and there was an article there that listed 'warning signs that your child is in a gang.' Again, we're pretty sheltered here. Are we talking gang presence that is felt in the schools? We would like more economic and cultural diversity than we have in our current one-horse town but we don't want major safety issues or behavior that distracts from the education piece.

I also read a review that said that a child can get a great education at Cassis and O'Henry if he is wealthier and politically connected but not so much if he's not. We're "comfortable" enough but hardly wealthy and will be squeaking into Tarrytown. Is it really hit or miss when it comes to teachers?

Also, re:the horrific experience of being the new kid -- do O'Henry and Hill Country Middle both have fairly stable populations or are there enough people coming in that new kids have some company? I hoped that since Austin is growing there may be more rapid acceptance of new kids.

Thanks for any comments!

[machoman]

I'd try to get the kids into school here by the last few weeks this spring at the latest. that gives them a chance to make a few friends that they can cultivate over the summer to both ease the summer doldrums and a head start on the fall.

all that gang stuff in pta/newsletters is pretty generic fyi education for parents everywhere.......except "one horse towns" i guess!

[Biscuits]

Originally Posted by sidewiththeseeds

Thanks for the reply. Can anyone speak to gang presence at O'Henry?

I also read a review that said that a child can get a great education at Cassis and O'Henry if he is wealthier and politically connected but not so much if he's not. We're "comfortable" enough but hardly wealthy and will be squeaking into Tarrytown. Is it really hit or miss when it comes to teachers?

If there is a gang presence at O. Henry, it is very under-publicized. Moreover, the only graffiti I ever see in the neighborhood is the tiresome ASH senior class nonsense on random stop signs (e.g. "08 seniors rule"). I would also think if there were a gang problem, the parents of West Austin would either have it quickly addressed or send their kids to private schools, which the vast majority do not.

Regarding the comments about Casis, I don't think there is going to be any difference of education regardless of family income. That suggests teachers are keeping score of each child's assumed financial background and teaching accordingly...very hard to believe. Most people in the know will tell you Casis is a very top-notch elementary school. The only concern - for some - begins at O. Henry when you get roughly a 50% minority presence bused into lily white West Austin.

Again, and political views aside, if these schools are good enough for the Bush and Perry families, then I think that is saying quite a bit.

[sidewiththeseeds]

Thanks, again, for the replies. This place is really great.

Yup -- "One Horse, USA" does not mention gangs in PTA literature. Only book fairs and spaghetti dinners. I'm hoping that city living is like riding a bicycle...

It sounds like O'Henry could be a fine fit for us.

I think the income/education comments relate to matching kids with teachers when classes are organized. I know where I live it is far from random -- the best teachers tend to go to the more involved and vigilant parents. Most of the teachers are good, though, so it's not a major issue. It sounds like that's the case at Cassis.

All input is really appreciated. Moving around was easy when it was strictly my own life affected!

[HappyTexan]

Once you have kids the school district and individual schools rule your decisions.
12 years out of your entire life is not too much. My son is approaching senior year in HS and for the first time I can say that I don't need to worry too much anymore about the individual schools when I decide to move

[Biscuits]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

Once you have kids the school district and individual schools rule your decisions.
12 years out of your entire life is not too much. My son is approaching senior year in HS and for the first time I can say that I don't need to worry too much anymore about the individual schools when I decide to move

When you look at property for appreciation, the schools never seem to escape the equation.

[aaauger]

You need to research O'Henry's history. We're in the same district. There was a drive by shooting in 1994 that injured a student. Look up O'Henry Middle School Austin in Wikipedia to see the reference.

Contact AISD (or local media outlets) about incident history at O'Henry. Ask AISD about security precautions. Visit the school.

[Biscuits]

Originally Posted by aaauger

You need to research O'Henry's history. We're in the same district. There was a drive by shooting in 1994 that injured a student. Look up O'Henry Middle School Austin in Wikipedia to see the reference.

Contact AISD (or local media outlets) about incident history at O'Henry. Ask AISD about security precautions. Visit the school.

There was a mass murder from the UT tower in 1966. Much more recently, a young female was murdered and dismembered with a hacksaw by a UT student in usually serene West Campus. Somehow I don't think any of that would stop the average AISD parent from encouraging their children to attend if they were fortunate enough to be admitted.

Whatever "injury" occurred at O. Henry in 1995 is a complete lottery argument (as in, sure it could happen again, just like I could win the lottery).

By all means, contact the administration, contact the ADP, Google-news any archived documents, and do what ever else due diligence you can think of. It very well could be possible that the parents of West Austin (and governors Perry and Bush) are either naive to the violence that allegedly exists there or they are secretly hoping to cash in on their Gerber's Life Insurance policy that they foolishly purchased in a moment of weakness.