Would you recommend moving to Grapevine? (Dallas, San Antonio: low crime, home, neighborhood)

[worldtraveler23]

Originally Posted by loves2read

[b][i]so any parent who wants/needs more than HELLO/GOOD-BYE should ask for a meeting before or after school--most teachers are available for those fairly readily....

I think simply asking a brief question such as when is the library's book due or is Johnny supposed to get his homework yesterday as stated in the schedule (but didn't get it) is necessary to set up a formal meeting. We just moved from another state where a school environment was more relaxing and teachers adhered to the schedule sent to parents. My mom was an elementary school teacher for over 30 yrs, and she always welcomed casual conversation with parents. So being told that you cannot talk to the teacher is new to us. Again, I understand that different schools have different rules, and I do respect those rules. If I don't like those rules and can't change them, I have a choice to move my kids to a different school.

To OP; I agree with loves2read that renting is a great way to learn about the community, people, and schools. Local people in Grapevine seem to be friendly, but the city itself is a little too congested to our liking. However, the town has all kinds of activities for kids. There are always events downtown and a huge mall where you can take kids out to walk around.

[getmeoutofhere]

When dropping off and picking up kids, it's more often than not barely organized chaos. Teachers are assigned specific duties or kids to watch, and they are responsible for those kids. Trying to engage a teacher in conversation under those circumstances is not the best move...if you distract them for an instant and one of the kids they are responsible for gets hit by some jackass parent in their giant SUV blathering away on their cell phone, the teacher and district are responsible.

Hence the request that you not distract the teacher under such circumstances.

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by moviequeen

How come no one has mentioned Colleyville here?

OP didn't mention their budget, so I assume Colleyville wasn't in it. There also aren't that many rental homes there.

[loves2read]

there are more rentals in Colleyville with the slump in house sales--but the rents are up there since people expect to have their mortgages covered...
and some of them have a high mortgage

@worldtraveler--I understand what you mean about simple questions but in my experience -- as a teacher and a parent -- there are many interactions that start out as a "simple question" that invariably turn into something more protracted--
sometimes parents use that excuse and frankly blindside a teacher about a problem they are unhappy about because they have the teacher at a disadvantage--out in the open where they feel the teacher can't escape--
I have had it done to me, and others I know have experienced the same thing...it is basically a bullying technique...
it may seem more "unfriendly" but it is more professional to have Q&A sessions in the classroom

[Squirl]

I soooo don't want to hijack this post, but I think every school owes it to staff and parents to provide teachers with a standard, friendly, professional and efficient statement/training aid to manage the parent who innocently approaches a teacher during a time when the teacher is not able to respond. Even a little business card with appointment schedules, email addy, and/or other contact information to give to a parent......Maybe they do this already, just my 2 cents.....

[loves2read]

my experience is that teachers are ahead of the curve with that request--
I ALWAYS sent home info sheets the first day of school with my email address, my room number, my planning period, and info about when it was best to call--
and every teacher I knew did the same--
the elementary teachers often have a meet/greet night a day or so before school starts and I would assume if the info did not go home then it did first day of school...

[lagreeneyes03]

Grapevine has more character than anywhere else in the mid-cities. Coppell is snooty and full of mcmansions and big box stores. Colleyville is very snooty, if you aren't in the 300K houses and above you don't fit in. HEB is nice but built out, there are nice homes there, a couple of parks, but nothing but concrete otherwise. Grapevine has the historic downtown area, the lake, botanical gardens, good shopping in boutiques and big box stores, festivals, unique restaurants as well as the regular stuff. Yes it does have some apartment complexes and trailer parks but seems like the people living in them are quiet, law abiding folks for the most part. Grapevine is a little bit more culturally diverse than Colleyville, Coppell, Flower Mound but that I mean in a good way. It's a wonderful place, I actually own a couple of properties there, one I rent out and one I live in..both walking distance to the historic zone, parks, etc. It's almost like another world and looks like a storybook land at Christmas time.

[loves2read]

You obviously don't know many people living in Colleyville--I don't live there but know quite a few and they are as friendly as anywhere else...you make the same condemnation of Coppell and you don't live there either--
"botanical gardens" in Grapevine--I did not know they had any--thought that was just part of the park nearby...

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by loves2read

"botanical gardens" in Grapevine--I did not know they had any--thought that was just part of the park nearby...

They are GORGEOUS! They are in the park off Ball Street. MANY weddings are held there. Best part is they are FREE!!

[loves2read]

the photos on the web site looked very pretty--
how large is it though?
when the term "botanical gardens" was posted--it made me think of the gardens in San Antonio by the zoo--BIG park...