Private schools within 40 minute of the airport? (Dallas, Irving: townhouse, neighborhoods)

[missiona]

Ok, so instead of maybe trying to find a public school that will fit both my daughters and commute, what about a private school for the younger, more sensitive one? She's quirky and opinionated, and can be outrageous. She's apt to dress in jeans and a sloppy tee shirt, which lots of girls laugh at her about.

She's very bright, but honestly is so checked out about HATING school and doesn't see the point in doing homework. She passes all of her tests, and state standards of learning exams, and isn't a discipline problem. Maybe a smaller, private school? If so, are there any in the airport area?

I don't mean overly achieving academic private school, (her grades wouldn't allow her in) but not one for behavior problems either. Just one where the teachers know who she is, and if she needs a little extra help in math, she can get it.

[pepper131]

I just breezed through your other thread. So I may have missed some info, but I see you in Richardson or the Lake Highlands area of Dallas. The commute may be top out right at 40 minutes.

But the big decision will be your daughter for the school. There's a school called Bending Oaks that may be the type of fit you are looking for.
Bending Oaks High School | Dallas Private Schools
This school is in the area I mentioned above.

[bookworm2768]

This may be totally off the point but is this child gifted? children in very high IQ ranges sometimes display the behaviours you are talking about? If so there are two private schools for the gifted in town. The Anderson school is for the straightforward gifted kid with no 'issues'. This may be a slightly more pushy environment but if the child is gifted it may be suitable.
The Anderson Private School for the Gifted, Talented and Creative
and the Winston school is for the gifted child with disabilities (add, aspergers, ocd, anxiety disorders, etc) http://www.winston-school.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1


The Winston school is slightly south of the airport and we know of one family that moved their child from a very good private school to the Winston school and are very pleased with it. Both schools have sky high tuitions but if you can afford it, and if it meets what you need, then they may be just the thing for your 'quirky' kid.

The first step of course would be to sort out if the child is gifted. If she is not then neither of these options would work
I'm sure there are other posters who will be able to tell you about private schools.

[loves2read]

have you heard about Treetops school in Euless....
I am having trouble getting the school's web site but it is very small--
probably fewer than 300 students over all--goes to all 12 grades--
it started as private school originally but in 1999 because a charter school which means part of support money comes from the state and the districts students would normally attend...and its students are required to take and pass TAKS tests with some degree of success to keep its charter active
it is on S Pipeline in Euless--off 157 which means it is very close to DFW

posts about it on greatschools.net are positive
this is link here on citydata about it--has test scores--not sure timeliness of them since they are 2006
//www.city-data.com/school/tree...tional-tx.html
this is from another web site about the school's background/philosophy
http://www.charterstexas.org/ct_schools/details.php?id=74 (broken link)
sounds like it might be different enough that your daughter would like it's quirkiness

FINALLY got this cached version to come up-hope it works for you
visiting days in June--campus closed in July
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:...&ct=clnk&gl=us
that page mentions a lottery--so the school might not be taking any new students for next year
if you might be interested you can get the phone number and call

[missiona]

Yes, she tests at the collegiate level and is identified as gifted but her grades are in the toilet and not at all reflective of her knowledge. I think of her as a non-traditional learner, and far more analytical than her peers, or many adults for that matter. However, she is also young enough to not quite get that sometimes you gotta do stuff you think is stupid if you want to eat or make a paycheck. Thank you all, I will check the schools. I can afford more house if not doing the private school thing. Otherwise,need less house but still want good public school for my other daughter, a junior. She's so social she adapts any where, and can't wait to move. We live in a townhouse, so for both of them, having 4 walls to ourselves and a yard is a huge plus.

[bookworm2768]

It sounds to me like you have got a very gifted and very frustrated kid on your hands. I don't know how deep into gifted issues you are but I am not talking about children who are achievers - I am talking about kids whose IQ ranges are high above the norm. It can come with a lot of emotional baggage including refusal to conform, emotional immaturity and refusal to perform well. There are many books out there on thier needs and on how best to help these kids.

I would recommend very highly that you contact the GT program at CFBISD which caters to children with IQ ranges well above the norm without requiring academic excellence as a prerequisite. It is one of the only Public school districts in the state that groups these kids together in elementary school and teaches them differently than even the regular gifted programs on each campus.

Of course, there are many GT programs in the metroplex as well as many magnet schools. My opinion is that a gifted child who may be slipping through the cracks will only feel more pressured and have a rough time in an enviroment where academic achievement is the only goal.

[missiona]

Sorry, what is CFBISD? I think you hit the nail on the head with my youngest.

[5stones]

she sounds just like my middle one!! lol

CFBISD = Carrolton Farmers Branch ISD they have a very well reguarded TAG program there

[catluvr]

I am not sure what grade you are looking for, but in Irving, just north of 183 off Story, there is a small school called wesleyan academe. It is located in Plymouth Park methodist church. It is small and the teachers will definately know her. The cost is about 4500. a year I think. Dress is school uniform, of course. It is really close to the airport if you keep going on 183 west you will see the airport exit. I believe it is about 10-15 minutes away.

There is also Cistercian in Irving (Private Cathlioc and very expensive) that I know of.

[theloneranger]

Cistercian is only for boys in grades 5-12, and isn't that expensive in the grand scheme of things for Dallas private schools. They accept 40 boys in 5th grade and then they only fill gaps when kids have left from there on--35 or so of the boys will have gone to school together for 8 years. It would be the very LAST place I would recommend for a non-traditional learner. The Cistercian Fathers are some of the greatest men I've ever met, but they are the definition of traditional and are completly no-nonsense when it comes to discipline. It's a very structured, rigorous environment and it's one of the best schools in the state, but it would not be a place I would send someone who doesn't learn well in a normal, though highly rigorous, classroom setting.

Carrollton-Farmers Branch has a good GT program for K-8, but I don't think very much of their high schools--though at that point your child will be more well-adjusted hopefully and can look at the good private schools. They aren't bad by any means, but they aren't exceptional in the slightest (though Ranchview, the smaller 3A high school, is beginning an IB program, so this may change). The Las Colinas area is in the district and is near the airport and is a very nice, hopping place to live, while completely fine for families. They have two programs--ACE for the gifted and LEAP for the profoundly gifted. ACE is offered on each campus, and I want to say it requires a 120 IQ or equivalent. LEAP, which IIRC requires a 140 IQ, is a very excellent program from what I've heard, but it's not located near the airport (but within 30 min), it's near downtown Carrollton at McCoy Elementary and Perry Middle School. That might be your best bet.

Dallas ISD has nice neighborhoods well within 40 min of the airport, and the magnet schools are honestly the very best in the nation. For 4-8, Travis TAG is a very well respected program, and has the highest TAKS scores in the state (they don't teach to the test very much at all, the kids just get it so there's no need) and at the 9-12 level, the Talented and Gifted Magnet (TAG), Science and Engineering Magnet (S-E-M), and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts ("Booker T" or "Arts") are some of the most respected high schools in the nation for their performance on AP tests and college admissions. Booker T has produced Emmy winners and Grammy winners and has a brand-new campus which is amazing.

Private school wise, I can't really think of a very well-respected school that's a non-traditional environment other than those which are specifically for LD. If your kid is profoundly gifted, they will likely be bored to tears at Shelton or Winston. Most of the private schools are very good academically, but are strict on discipline and have very traditional curricula so I wouldn't recommend it.

You may want to look at North Hills Prep in northern Irving. It's pretty close to DFW. They are a small school and offer the rigorous IB program, which may be good for your child. It's a charter school so it's free, but it's completely luck to get in--the application isn't based on talent, it's a lottery.

Good luck with your search!