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The principal at Four Points is amazing! I have had two kids go through there (one is in 8th) they come out prepared and ready to succeed at the next level, and the same goes for Vandegrift HS where the success rate of their students in college is very high!
Hello! My husband and I are planning a move to Northwest Austin, and we're trying to decide on a neighborhood based on schools. I've pretty much narrowed it down to the middle schools Grisham, Four Points, or Canyon Vista. If you know about these particular schools, could you please share your opinion?
I'm most drawn to Grisham for its small size and IB program. I also like Four Points for its smaller size, but living near that school would make my husband's commute a bit worse. I feel like I should want Canyon Vista because of its ratings, but I'm a bit worried about the large student body.
If you could choose any of these schools for your child, which would be your pick and why?
As a bonus question, what do you think of Purple Sage ES? (Our kids are going into 1st and 6th grade, so we have to think of middle and elementary.) Again, this school appeals to me because of its small size, but its not as highly rated as many other schools in the area. I'd love to hear from you if you have any recent info or experiences to share about it.
Thanks so much!
My picks ...
1. Four Points: Flagship middle school (if there is such a thing) in LISD.
2. Stiles: Second best middle school in LISD which gives Four Points a run for the top spot. With the recent zoning changes it wouldn't be surprising if it takes over the #1 spot within the ISD.
3. Canyon Vista: This is probably the only middle school I'd pick in RRISD. But it is way too academically focused with a single goal of preparing their students to get through Westwood High School.
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. Grisham: I would skip this one. We took a tour and something just doesn't seem right.
RRISD has a couple great schools but the rest are running on the glory of those top schools. So you'll have to watch out. Leander ISD (LISD) on the other hand has all good schools (and a couple great ones too). They're relatively a newer ISD so will need to put in the effort since there is no past glory to bank on.
regarding trains in Northwoods - I am (as 10scoachrick mentions) on the far side of Staked Plains, and I never notice the trains. They updated the Lakeline crossing in the past year to be a no horn zone, which helped immensely. I did used to hear the horns but they weren't obtrusive where my house is.
We do love being super close to the station, we often walk there when we take it downtown. Haven't tried it for a festival yet, but we will!
I'm in the closest section to the trains. While they did turn it into a no horn zone, starting in June or July they put up signs saying that the trains would sound the horn--seems to be construction or maintenance. They don't do it every time, but it's more frequent than when they first upgraded the intersection.
1. Four Points: Flagship middle school (if there is such a thing) in LISD.
2. Stiles: Second best middle school in LISD which gives Four Points a run for the top spot. With the recent zoning changes it wouldn't be surprising if it takes over the #1 spot within the ISD.
3. Canyon Vista: This is probably the only middle school I'd pick in RRISD. But it is way too academically focused with a single goal of preparing their students to get through Westwood High School.
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. Grisham: I would skip this one. We took a tour and something just doesn't seem right.
RRISD has a couple great schools but the rest are running on the glory of those top schools. So you'll have to watch out. Leander ISD (LISD) on the other hand has all good schools (and a couple great ones too). They're relatively a newer ISD so will need to put in the effort since there is no past glory to bank on.
Good luck!
Odd post.
- Four Points is a very fine MS (as is the MS in Steiner).
- 1/3 of the kids who attend Westwood HS come from Grisham. So obviously it's also a very fine school & the upper 75% of students attending GMS is VERY similar to Canyon Vista (in demographics & academic courses taken & testing). It's an IB school and the upper 75% of the kids attending are prepared for the rigors of WWHS (pre-AP, AP, IB etc.). But it also has a layer of socioeconomic and racial diversity (at the bottom 25%) that all the other schools mentioned doesn't have because of the nearby apartments. The racial makeup is probably 3-4% Black and 10% Hispanic. (to go along with the 50% white & 37% Asian). CV is pretty much 98% Asian/White. My kid attended GMS and just finished up at WWHS. But since he was pretty active in Tennis, he (& I) know many kids who attended all the schools mentioned.
- I have no idea what doesn't seem right at GMS is supposed to mean?.....unless that it's a smaller, older school or maybe the poster has an issue with the more diverse demographic?
- Is Stiles better than the Steiner MS (or the MSs that feed into CPHS?)
- Leander isn't a "newer" ISD. (but there are areas that are still building out, if that is what you mean...whereas RRISD is more built out - especially in the preferred western part)
- RRISD has 1-2 dozen GREAT schools (several more than LISD), & like LISD they also have a dozen good schools and half a dozen merely "OK" schools. But both are fine ISDs academically.
There are SAT & STARR test results for all to see (for all the ESs, MSs, & HSs), so I'm not sure what the relying on past glory comment is supposed to mean.
Have you been in Austin long? Your info sounds like it was fed to you from a Realtor who specializes in the 1431/Parmer area.
Hardly. I've detailed everything clearly. But I'll try again.
- Four Points is a very fine MS (as is the MS in Steiner).
More than "very fine". I say that because it is of the same caliber of Canyon Vista in academics and wayyy better in sports and other non-academic activities.
- 1/3 of the kids who attend Westwood HS come from Grisham. So obviously it's also a very fine school & the upper 75% of students attending GMS is VERY similar to Canyon Vista (in demographics & academic courses taken & testing). It's an IB school and the upper 75% of the kids attending are prepared for the rigors of WWHS (pre-AP, AP, IB etc.). But it also has a layer of socioeconomic and racial diversity (at the bottom 25%) that all the other schools mentioned doesn't have because of the nearby apartments. The racial makeup is probably 3-4% Black and 10% Hispanic. (to go along with the 50% white & 37% Asian). CV is pretty much 98% Asian/White. My kid attended GMS and just finished up at WWHS. But since he was pretty active in Tennis, he (& I) know many kids who attended all the schools mentioned.
Just because they move-on by default to Westwood, it doesn't make them "very fine". Grisham kids are basically scape-goats. They're ill-prepared in comparison to CVMS to handle the rigor of Westwood. But that is by (socio-economic) design. Someone needs to be in the bottom 25% of the class .. right.
- I have no idea what doesn't seem right at GMS is supposed to mean?.....unless that it's a smaller, older school or maybe the poster has an issue with the more diverse demographic?
Since you bring up the demographics, perhaps it is YOU who have a problem there? But I'll grant you that I wasn't clear so here is what I meant. When we took a tour of many schools, Grisham was the only one where it took them a while to schedule one. Why? Because they wanted only one of their teacher/counselor to give the tour. All other school tours were given by their 8th grade students. So perhaps they're hiding something? And then there is the infrastructure ... much smaller, much older and relatively less school pride compared to CVMS (let alone Four Points). And finally, as a Westwood feeder I was surprised to know that not only is this school open to take transfers (CVMS does not) but that there still were spots available in June. That just raised so many red flags.
- Is Stiles better than the Steiner MS (or the MSs that feed into CPHS?)
We didn't tour Steiner MS so I cannot comment on it. I am sure it's a good school too and hope it's not to Four Points what Grisham is to CVMS.
- Leander isn't a "newer" ISD. (but there are areas that are still building out, if that is what you mean...whereas RRISD is more built out - especially in the preferred western part)
Yep, that is what I meant. Interesting choice of word there ... "preferred".
- RRISD has 1-2 dozen GREAT schools (several more than LISD), & like LISD they also have a dozen good schools and half a dozen merely "OK" schools. But both are fine ISDs academically.
THIS. This is exactly what I am talking about. RRISD has "GREAT" schools but LISD has "GOOD" ones?? I call super BS on it. RRISD has one great MS (CVMS) and one really good HS (Westwood). Same goes for LISD with Four Points (great) and Vandegrift (really good). But when it comes to a percentage of really good schools I think LISD has a higher percentage of them (probably because they've got fewer schools too) because of them being a "newer" ISD. It cannot ride on it's past glory like RRISD (when it was the only dominant ISD in North Austin and outskirts).
There are SAT & STARR test results for all to see (for all the ESs, MSs, & HSs), so I'm not sure what the relying on past glory comment is supposed to mean.
See my previous comment. Also, I've spent hours scouring over the SAT and STAAR (not STARR) tests results from TEA website. So (take it or leave it but you can bet that) I know what I am saying.
Have you been in Austin long? Your info sounds like it was fed to you from a Realtor who specializes in the 1431/Parmer area.
If anything your info. seems stale. Perhaps you've been in Austin too long and haven't kept up with the changes? Still living on the past (glorious) info. I see
Having said all that I know that school only makes for a part of the whole equation that contributes to student's success. (IMHV) A student's ambition and hard work coupled with the right amount of parental involvement is more important. If those are taken care of then almost any school in the Austin metro area is good enough to guide that student to success.
Having said all that I know that school only makes for a part of the whole equation that contributes to student's success. (IMHV) A student's ambition and hard work coupled with the right amount of parental involvement is more important. If those are taken care of then almost any school in the Austin metro area is good enough to guide that student to success.
My kids go to Canyon Ridge MS (i.e. "the one in Steiner"). I would say that it is at least as good as Four Points, if not better. Parents have repeatedly been offered to transfer to Four Points from Canyon Ridge to even out the numbers (Canyon Ridge has a lot more students), and I don't know one family that has taken advantage of that.
They are the only two middle schools that feed into Vandegrift.
Having said all that I know that school only makes for a part of the whole equation that contributes to student's success. (IMHV) A student's ambition and hard work coupled with the right amount of parental involvement is more important. If those are taken care of then almost any school in the Austin metro area is good enough to guide that student to success.
So you intimately know about ALL of the other middle schools in RRISD to make the claim that there's only ONE that's great? lol. yeah, right, I call BS on that and there's data to support my assertion. FYI there are middling schools in LISD too.
My kids go to Canyon Ridge MS (i.e. "the one in Steiner"). I would say that it is at least as good as Four Points, if not better. Parents have repeatedly been offered to transfer to Four Points from Canyon Ridge to even out the numbers (Canyon Ridge has a lot more students), and I don't know one family that has taken advantage of that.
They are the only two middle schools that feed into Vandegrift.
I would second this. I have one child at FPMS and one at VHS, so I've seen kids from both middle schools and how they perform at VHS. Both CRMS and FPMS are solid middle schools. You can't go wrong at either one.
I would second this. I have one child at FPMS and one at VHS, so I've seen kids from both middle schools and how they perform at VHS. Both CRMS and FPMS are solid middle schools. You can't go wrong at either one.
Very glad to know! It's always more helpful when someone contributes out of personal experience. Thanks!
So you intimately know about ALL of the other middle schools in RRISD to make the claim that there's only ONE that's great? lol. yeah, right, I call BS on that and there's data to support my assertion. FYI there are middling schools in LISD too.
Nope. Never claimed anything as such either. It's supposedly what you understood incorrectly. It isn't too hard to figure out a great school (or a really bad one) though. They simply standout whether in scores or otherwise. Rest of them are always a bit harder to figure out.
Anyway, my whole point was to help out someone who's from out of town and looking to buy a house within a good school zone. Many buyers have been duped in to thinking that
<Insert M.S. name> + Westwood = Canyon Vista + Westwood
and / or
if it's RRISD then you're in the best ISD (sans Eanes) in the Austin metro.
Just wanted say that it simply isn't true. So don't pay a premium for something that isn't.
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