Advice on Dallas suburbs and LISD Elementary Schools (Flower Mound, Allen: transplants, apartments)

[movingtodallas1]

Hello! My family of 4 is moving to Dallas this summer. We have 2 boys, ages 8 and 10. My husband and I are both from New York, but our family has lived overseas for the last decade (Greece, Italy and currently Cambodia).

We have not yet spoken to a realtor, since we will be renting (we will be in Dallas max 3 years, probably 2) and want to wait until it is closer to our move date. Our budget is around $3,600/month.

Things we are looking for:
1. Good elementary and middle schools- my children have never attended American public schools before and are used to smaller, private, internationally-minded schools*- I am nervous about this transition, so hope to find schools*that are not too large, good welcoming community, diverse, great school but not highly competitive in terms of academics and sports (don't want those "pressures")- I just want my boys to love going to school and find good friends!

2. close to DFW (within 30 min commute)

3. Mature trees! decent size lot- (a yard with trees) many rentals I see the view from all the windows is the brick of the house next door- we really don't want that! don't mind a "smaller" house if we have a nice size yard

4. close to bike trails, parks- nature! swimming, etc.

5. open mindedness, somewhat international community

Also, we are interested in considering Flower Mound - 2 questions:*

1. is air traffic a concern?
2. any experience with Old Settlers, Liberty or Wellington elementary?

Also, we are not ruling out private school if we found a really good fit. If there are any shout outs for smaller private schools known for nurturing, welcoming environments would love to hear about them!

TIA!!!

[WorldKlas]

Close to DFW airport??? Not sure what DFW you are referring to....

[ChristieP]

Flower Mound does get airplane noise as it is under one of the two normal approach paths to DFW Airport. The planes usually take off to the south, and land from the north. However, when the wind is strong out of the north, they have to take off into the wind, and you will have a lot more noise. The final approach areas are under industrial buildings and Grapevine Mills Mall, not homes. Unfortunately, if you need to be within 30 minutes of DFW, you’re going to have airplane noise.

There are not many choices for private school in that part of the metroplex because the public schools are so well-regarded, and many people who choose to live there do so for the public schools. Good public schools will be competitive in academics and sports, but more at the secondary level, not in elementary school.

[texstout]

Thought I would throw out a different option--

Neighborhoods closer to downtown Dallas will generally be more internationally minded. East Dallas (Lakewood, M Streets, even old East Dallas) attracts many transplants from the NE and out of country that are interested in walkability, old trees, proximity to arts/restaurants, etc. I know many people from abroad that live here and my new neighbors are renting from NYC in order to get their kids into an in-person school. That said, its a very desirable area of town and prices tend to be higher than the suburbs. Housing styles run the gamut (with many historical, but also new builds) and many homes (but not all) have bigger backyards than our suburban friends. We are also very close to White Rock Lake.

While on a map it looks farther from DFW - its not too bad of a commute. My husband is a consultant and flies (pre-Covid) weekly from DFW and it usually was 30-35 mins.

Sample houses in your price range:
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...6_M85194-95943
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-08647#photo25
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...6_M74126-04730

Mockingbird Elementary, Geneva Heights, and Lakewood elementary would all be excellent options. The middle school is more rowdy - but the IB program is excellent (school within a school) and may be attractive to you coming from abroad.

A co-worker moving from Europe enrolled her kids in LakeHill private school in Lakewood for its small, relatively diverse classes. There is also the Dallas International School - but I think you need to speak French.

[movingtodallas1]

Originally Posted by WorldKlas

Close to DFW airport??? Not sure what DFW you are referring to....

Hi! Dallas Fort-Worth Airport- is there more than one airport with same acronym?

[movingtodallas1]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Flower Mound does get airplane noise as it is under one of the two normal approach paths to DFW Airport. The planes usually take off to the south, and land from the north. However, when the wind is strong out of the north, they have to take off into the wind, and you will have a lot more noise. The final approach areas are under industrial buildings and Grapevine Mills Mall, not homes. Unfortunately, if you need to be within 30 minutes of DFW, you’re going to have airplane noise.

There are not many choices for private school in that part of the metroplex because the public schools are so well-regarded, and many people who choose to live there do so for the public schools. Good public schools will be competitive in academics and sports, but more at the secondary level, not in elementary school.

Thanks this is helpful!

Super helpful- I started to research this area at one point and got sidetracked. There are so many suburbs to consider it seems. This is very helpful- thank you!

[movingtodallas1]

Also, what do you mean the middle school is more rowdy? My reserved son would be attending middle school while we are there. Is there only one middle school that those elementary schools you mention feed into or should we choose the elementary based on the better middle school it may or may not feed into? I'll do my research too

[texstout]

I meant that the elementary schools that I suggested pull from upscale neighborhoods (albeit 'open minded' and comparatively diverse). Geneva Heights is the smallest and some families transfer into it for the very small class sizes. They all feed into the same middle school (JL Long) that also pulls from a few other elementary schools with lower incomes/high diversity. (I actually don't see that as a bad thing - but wanted to be honest). Because of that, on paper, test scores can appear lower. But many of kids are tracked into the IB program and Pre-AP classes and if you drive around the neighborhood you will see many upscale (1M+!) homes with JL Long signs in front of them. Its definitely a different type of school - with huge diversity of background and income levels - than you will see in the suburbs. I would send my kids there, but they go to a DISD gifted and talented magnet school (4th grade - 8th grade). IF you are into Catholic schools, there is also a great K-8th grade one in the neighborhood that is very popular.

Middle schools in Texas (in particular the suburbs schools) are big - but at least if you find an elementary school community that you like - then your kids will be in a better position than if starting brand new at the school. If you anticipate only a year or so at a middle school and your younger son to be at elementary the whole time -- then I would emphasis the elementary school as most important.

DFW is used both to describe Dallas-FT Worth Airport AND the greater Dallas-Ft Worth area. The area is so massive - that there are many popular areas in Dallas that claim to be Dallas - that I have never been to in my off and on 20 years living in Dallas. Just like anywhere - people get into a bubble. Some people's bubble is Allen and Collin Country, others bubble is Southlake...mine happens to be inner Dallas neighborhoods

[WorldKlas]

Originally Posted by movingtodallas1

Hi! Dallas Fort-Worth Airport- is there more than one airport with same acronym?

Locals often refer to DFW as the entire metropolitan area. And many people will say they are moving to DFW and their destination is Midlothian or Granbury! We don’t automatically assume its the airport.

[turf3]

The public schools in DISD that are "good" are really two schools in one: one group of students from high income parents who live in the high dollar neighborhoods on one side of the school - older renovated SFH and new McMansions; and the other group of students from parents living in the skanky apartments on the other side of the school. With all these new "IB" and similar programs, the two groups of students hardly even interact - especially once you get into middle and high school.