Looking For Information About Sanger Elementary (Dallas, Bryan: credit, how much, transfer)

[txlisa]

Any help is appreciated. We are moving back to Texas in July. We are very interested in the Little Forest Hills neighborhood. Our son will be starting kindergarten this Fall. I am wondering about Sanger Elementary. I've seen a few comment saying the school is getting better. Is this true? I do worry about the language immersion program and how much time that takes away from other things they should be learning. Does anyone have a child attending Sanger? What is your opinion of the school?

[debtex]

I don't hear good things about Sanger, honestly. I have many friends in FH and none send their kids to the school. OTOH, Hexter gets glowing reviews from parents and that neighborhood is lovely. I'd look over there instead.

[jennifw]

I don't know much about Sanger, but hear GREAT things about Hexter.

A friend's son is in the language immersion program at Lakewood Elem. Not sure if they are all the same, but she wishes it were MORE Spanish. She doesn't think it is enough.

Good luck with your move.

[pepper131]

Sanger is our neighborhood school, but we transferred to another school where I knew more parents. But honestly, I didn't investigate it as much as I should have - touring the school and talking to the other parents, etc. See if you can google their PTA group and find someone to talk to. I've met a couple of moms - and they are nice and positive. The dual language program works great for many families where English and Spanish are spoken in the home...the thing is, from my understanding, it is a mandatory dual language program.

[TurtleCreek80]

Hexter is the better school on that side of the lake. But they both feed into Bryan Adams which is abomindable. For public schools in DISD, you really want to focus on elementary schools that feed into Woodrow Wilson HS or WT White HS.

Another thought- perhaps something in Hollywood Heights/ Santa Monica may appeal to you? That area is zoned to Lakewood Elem.

[Lakewooder]

Sanger is ranked 'recognized'. I think it was previously exemplary but things can change if a few people in one of the many subgroups slip up - so I wouldn't pay that much attention to it. Lipscomb slipped from exemplary for many years to recognized when they added fifth grade back from Mata 4-5 Center. I would go investigate to see for yourself.

Dallas Independent School District-Exemplary and Recognized Schools (http://www.dallasisd.org/exempschools.htm - broken link)

There are people in Forest Hills who go to Long and Woodrow by transfer but I think that's going to be more difficult as the IB program has just been fully accredited and there will be a large demand.

Hexter, Lakewood, Stonewall and Bonham in East Dallas are also Blue-Ribbon schools. Only Stonewall and Lakewood feed into Long and Woodrow, however.

[CasaLindaMom]

My daughter is in 1st grade at Sanger and we love it! My youngest will start Kinder this coming fall.

Over the past 3 years there has been a big push to try to get more neighborhood families involved at that school. An Early Childhood PTA has been formed and the last two kinder classes have had a surge of neighborhood families.

It drives me crazy to hear people say "I don't know much about it, but I don't hear good things." Its comments like that, that scare people away without a real basis. Honestly, I think the reason most families in Forest Hills or Casa Linda don't send their kids to Sanger is because they "heard it wasn't good" from someone who has never set foot in the building.
I personally did a ton of research on neighborhood schools including Lipscomb, Lakewood, Hexter and Sanger. I had an approved transfer into Hexter for my daughter 2 years ago when she was to start Kinder. We declined it and stayed with Sanger instead. It's a much smaller school with smaller class sizes. Truly dedicated teachers, parents, and a committed principle. We love the dual language program and in my opinion, that's a true value to get Spanish immersion for free! When most other elementary schools don't even have Spanish as an elective!

The PTA is very involved at the school and are doing great things. My daughter is in the TAG program at the school and is just excelling. She has neighborhood friends that she loves.

The ECPTA hosts a monthly playdate on the first Sunday of every month. 3PM at the Sanger playground. The next one is this coming Sunday, April 3rd. I encourage you to come to meet other parents and have your child meet some other neighborhood kids.
Call the school and arrange a tour. See for yourself what a gem this school is. Don't let comments from other parents who don't know what the school is about scare you off. It's wonderful!

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

But they both feed into Bryan Adams which is abomindable.

LOL!! I'm always telling people that Bryan Adams was not the greatest HS when my Dad went there in the mid 1960s, and it has only gotten worse...

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

LOL!! I'm always telling people that Bryan Adams was not the greatest HS when my Dad went there in the mid 1960s, and it has only gotten worse...

I took my SAT there the first time (way back when) and scored 200 points higher the next semester when I took it at St Mark's....I swear....it is all about the environment and the environment at BA was sketchyville city!!

Luckily, BL is over that way if parents want to go private for high school.

[Lakewooder]

At Woodrow we had/have a big rivalry with BA - which was always 2-3 times larger than our school - but we played in the same classification. One of our cheerleaders came up with a chant in the seventies "BA ain't no big thing - WHOSAIDTHEYWERE?" But I don't know if I would call it 'abominable' - it really does have some good students and activities. Now Skyline I would call a lot of names!