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Considering a move to Dallas area with middle and elementary age kids. Job is in Plano. Plano West seems like best option based on test scores, academic reputation and location. But sports are important too. Boys are concerned about making teams (football, basketball, lacrosse). I am concerned they would make teams but then have a tough time competing academically against so many kids who are not student athletes. Also concerned about the size of Plano schools. Would a reverse commute from Highland Park make sense? Are there other smaller school districts (9-12 high schools) with strong academics and sports programs within reasonable commuting distance? TIA
Both Plano West and Highland Park are insanely competitive when it comes to sports and making the teams at either school is never guaranteed. Academics are also very competitive at both schools - last I heard, at Highland Park, you had to have higher than a 4.25 to be in the top 10% (not sure what the current stats are for PW).
You may want to consider Frisco. The district has a good reputation, but the high school model is different (they have many smaller schools - I think around 10 - as opposed to Plano's 3 massive high schools). The schools have solid academics, but are not known to be as ultra-competitive as PW and HP, either academically or athletically. It's possible that the smaller school size combined with less intense (but still good) academics might provide the best match for your family. Plus, it's a reasonable commute to Plano, especially if you live in the southwestern portion of the suburb.
Both Plano West and Highland Park are insanely competitive when it comes to sports and making the teams at either school is never guaranteed. Academics are also very competitive at both schools - last I heard, at Highland Park, you had to have higher than a 4.25 to be in the top 10% (not sure what the current stats are for PW).
You may want to consider Frisco. The district has a good reputation, but the high school model is different (they have many smaller schools - I think around 10 - as opposed to Plano's 3 massive high schools). The schools have solid academics, but are not known to be as ultra-competitive as PW and HP, either academically or athletically. It's possible that the smaller school size combined with less intense (but still good) academics might provide the best match for your family. Plus, it's a reasonable commute to Plano, especially if you live in the southwestern portion of the suburb.
LOL. HP isn't close to insanely competitive. The big boys of DFW (Top 6A schools)are insanely competitive. Plano West is 6A and HP is 5A. Not even comparable. Plano West is mediocre to below average as far as 6A sports go other than a couple sports. As far as the sports OP is talking about Plano West is terrible in football, mediocre in basketball. HP doesn't come close to measuring up to the good 6A schools in the sports OP mentions.
Having said that both would be good choices for kids that want to at least be provided a good competitive environment for learning and sports, but make no mistake HPs state winning 5A football team couldn't beat an average 6A team and that's OK.
The reality for OP is if they want the strongest sports schools they have to go 6A which means large schools.
OP - it is important for you to know that Kyam is a notorious Southlake homer with delusions of grandeur regarding the relative standing of Southlake Carroll compared to (as he would say, and in fact has said) "lesser" schools such as PW and HP. Unless you fancy the commute from Southlake to Plano, I would take everything he says with a massive grain of salt.
PW has nearly 3,000 kids, roughly 150 of whom are on the football team. Considering there are only 22 starters in football, odds are against most kids for becoming one. Academically, PW is notoriously competitive. They regularly churn out some of the best numbers in the area for NMSF and you need virtually perfect grades to make it into the top 10%. Highland Park is smaller than PW by a good margin, but there is something in the water there that magically grows great athletes and I've known kids who were very good at sports who didn't make the teams. Academically, they are known to be one of the best schools in the state. If you are looking for your kids to make the teams comfortably and keep up academically, both schools are quite challenging in this regard.
PS - Kyam, OP didn't ask for "the strongest" sports schools, but if he/she had asked for that, it's quite hard to imagine that PW and HP would somehow not be in that conversation...
LOL. HP isn't close to insanely competitive. The big boys of DFW (Top 6A schools)are insanely competitive. Plano West is 6A and HP is 5A. Not even comparable. Plano West is mediocre to below average as far as 6A sports go other than a couple sports. As far as the sports OP is talking about Plano West is terrible in football, mediocre in basketball. HP doesn't come close to measuring up to the good 6A schools in the sports OP mentions.
Having said that both would be good choices for kids that want to at least be provided a good competitive environment for learning and sports, but make no mistake HPs state winning 5A football team couldn't beat an average 6A team and that's OK.
The reality for OP is if they want the strongest sports schools they have to go 6A which means large schools.
Plano West won the 6A state boys basketball title in 2015.
Considering a move to Dallas area with middle and elementary age kids. Job is in Plano. Plano West seems like best option based on test scores, academic reputation and location. But sports are important too. Boys are concerned about making teams (football, basketball, lacrosse). I am concerned they would make teams but then have a tough time competing academically against so many kids who are not student athletes. Also concerned about the size of Plano schools. Would a reverse commute from Highland Park make sense? Are there other smaller school districts (9-12 high schools) with strong academics and sports programs within reasonable commuting distance? TIA
I would recommend using search option as there are dozens of older threads about this dilemma. If you are looking for good balance of academics and non academics, Plano West and Highland Park High would serve you best. If focus is on finding a place where its easy to get on teams and easy to rank high then look elsewhere.
I would recommend using search option as there are dozens of older threads about this dilemma. If you are looking for good balance of academics and non academics, Plano West and Highland Park High would serve you best. If focus is on finding a place where its easy to get on teams and easy to rank high then look elsewhere.
What is wrong with Allen? That would be insanely competitive with sports and great academically. Plano West would provide a much higher competitive sports environment than HP would overall save for a few sports.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EDS_
Plano West won the 6A state boys basketball title in 2015.
Must have been a down year for them this last year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waterdragon8212
OP - it is important for you to know that Kyam is a notorious Southlake homer with delusions of grandeur regarding the relative standing of Southlake Carroll compared to (as he would say, and in fact has said) "lesser" schools such as PW and HP. Unless you fancy the commute from Southlake to Plano, I would take everything he says with a massive grain of salt.
PW has nearly 3,000 kids, roughly 150 of whom are on the football team. Considering there are only 22 starters in football, odds are against most kids for becoming one. Academically, PW is notoriously competitive. They regularly churn out some of the best numbers in the area for NMSF and you need virtually perfect grades to make it into the top 10%. Highland Park is smaller than PW by a good margin, but there is something in the water there that magically grows great athletes and I've known kids who were very good at sports who didn't make the teams. Academically, they are known to be one of the best schools in the state. If you are looking for your kids to make the teams comfortably and keep up academically, both schools are quite challenging in this regard.
PS - Kyam, OP didn't ask for "the strongest" sports schools, but if he/she had asked for that, it's quite hard to imagine that PW and HP would somehow not be in that conversation...
Didn't even mention Southlake nor would I consider it if I was OP. I was thinking Allen since it provides excellent academics and the highest of competitive sports environments. Having gone back and read OPs original statement I may have misinterpreted them wanting strong sports programs. It seems they may want strong academics and just want their kid to be able to make the team. If that is the case then HP fits the mark the best as 5A environments are easier than 6A environments when it comes to sports. Frisco would be another good alternative as it is lower than HP in both academics and sports yet provides a smaller size school than the Allens and Planos.
Since school size is also a concern HP would be smaller thus providing them more of what they desire. Assuming they find the area of HP/UP up to their satisfaction this should be a no brainer
I think it will be incredibly difficult for the average athlete to waltz into most schools in this are and make a varsity team. Especially so in HP where the football team just won back to back state championships and the school fields not one, but two, varsity lacrosse teams, both of which have won multiple state titles. The added complication in HP is that most of the boys have played together since 5th grade and started learning the high school football system in middle school. But we don't have any clue as to OP's kids' athletic abilities.
I think schools like JJ Pearce (Richardson ISD), Lovejoy HS (Lovejoy ISD), Hebron HS (Lewisville ISD but feeds from the neighborhoods just to the west of West Plano), or Frisco's Centennial, Liberty, or Frisco HS's might fit the bill better. All are within an easy commute to Plano, have great academics but are a notch less competitive than a Plano West/ HP and all offer at least basketball and football. Lacrosse will be hit or miss but is gaining in popularity each year.
Considering a move to Dallas area with middle and elementary age kids. Job is in Plano. Plano West seems like best option based on test scores, academic reputation and location. But sports are important too. Boys are concerned about making teams (football, basketball, lacrosse). I am concerned they would make teams but then have a tough time competing academically against so many kids who are not student athletes. Also concerned about the size of Plano schools. Would a reverse commute from Highland Park make sense? Are there other smaller school districts (9-12 high schools) with strong academics and sports programs within reasonable commuting distance? TIA
I'd be wary of the mega-schools in the northern burbs if you're concerned with making the team, unless you're fairly certain that your kids are pretty darn good athletes. Trade off will be teams at smaller schools will be less competitive on a state-wide basis. I personally think there's value to participating on teams even if team isn't routinely winning championships, but it's all about what you want and will be hard to be assured of both. It's possible that you move to Plano or HP and your kids make the team(s), but you won't know that when you're buying a house. And if the school/team situation doesn't work like you wanted, you have to know that you'll still be happy there. The HP/UP to Plano commute would be workable, if not ideal, particularly compared to just living in Plano. But I wouldn't call that commute any sort of dealbreaker if everything else about living in Park Cities makes sense for your family.
I don't know. I didn't even mention Allen. However, since you brought it up, academics aren't half as good as West Plano or HP and getting on sports teams is twice as difficult so it would defeat OP's purpose to go there.
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