High School Info: Lakewood, Green Mountain, Bear Creek and Eaglecrest (Denver: transfer, magnet school)

[virgocanner]

Hello,

My family and I are relocating to Colorado and I am trying to get some input on several high schools. Could you provide any information on the following high schools:

1. Lakewood HS
2. Green Mountain
3. Bear Creek
4. Eaglecrest
   

Some things that are important are:

1. Not being harassed/outcast for being the new (minority) kid
   
2. Positive supportive school administration
3. Academics
4. Extra curricular activities
   

We will be living in an area where our son can attend one of these schools. I have read reviews and information on Great Schools, but any additional information about these schools would be greatly appreciated!


Many Thanks!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Take school #4 off of your list. It is way out east whereas the others are in Lakewood. I think there is already a thread here about schools in Lakewood.

I don't think that there's any way that your son is going to avoid being picked on for being the new kid. Hopefully being a minority he has learned how to handle diversity by now. Obviously one factor you need to know is how well a school handles bullying of any kind.

Good luck with the move.

[davebarnes]

D'Evelyn

[davidv]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

D'Evelyn

Dave, quit pushing D'Evelyn to people moving to the area. D'Evelyn is a magnet school in which the only way in is through a lottery prior to the student starting 9th grade. Parents have to attend one of three mandatory meetings before their student's name is put into the lottery, and the lottery is held at the end of January.

OP, I am kind of confused by your concern about your kid being the new minority kid. Kids transfer schools all the time. There will be many "new" kids in every grade every year, and some will even be minorities. I don't know where you are moving from, but in Colorado, race is largely a non-issue, especially for the younger generation.

Anyway, the first three schools on your list are in Jefferson County School District. It is a good district, but on Tuesday, it will probably thrown into a financial chaos as the voters reject a mill levy increase and a bond issue (that is what I am predicting anyway). The cuts that will follow will affect the classroom.

Eaglecrest is in Cherry Creek School District. This is a better district overall, and the mill levy / bond increase has a better chance of passing. It is on the other side of the metro area from Lakewood.

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by davidv

Dave, quit pushing D'Evelyn to people moving to the area. D'Evelyn is a magnet school in which the only way in is through a lottery prior to the student starting 9th grade. Parents have to attend one of three mandatory meetings before their student's name is put into the lottery, and the lottery is held at the end of January.

OP, I am kind of confused by your concern about your kid being the new minority kid. Kids transfer schools all the time. There will be many "new" kids in every grade every year, and some will even be minorities. I don't know where you are moving from, but in Colorado, race is largely a non-issue, especially for the younger generation.

Anyway, the first three schools on your list are in Jefferson County School District. It is a good district, but on Tuesday, it will probably thrown into a financial chaos as the voters reject a mill levy increase and a bond issue (that is what I am predicting anyway). The cuts that will follow will affect the classroom.

Eaglecrest is in Cherry Creek School District. This is a better district overall, and the mill levy / bond increase has a better chance of passing. It is on the other side of the metro area from Lakewood.

I have a kid in Eaglecrest. Freshman, didn't know anybody when school started. Made friends the first week.

The teachers are very communicative, the curriculum is strenuous and there are athletics and clubs for every interest.
The only thing that has taken a bit of getting used to is that school starts early in the morning, at 7am.
Overall, I am very satisfied.
And the area that feeds into EHS is very livable.

[davidv]

Originally Posted by davidv

Anyway, the first three schools on your list are in Jefferson County School District. It is a good district, but on Tuesday, it will probably thrown into a financial chaos as the voters reject a mill levy increase and a bond issue (that is what I am predicting anyway). The cuts that will follow will affect the classroom.

Eaglecrest is in Cherry Creek School District. This is a better district overall, and the mill levy / bond increase has a better chance of passing. It is on the other side of the metro area from Lakewood.

Thankfully, I was wrong. Jeffco voters surprised me twice - once for the Obama vote and one for the increased taxes. Maybe the county is starting to change.

Mill levy elections and bond elections also passed in Denver and Cherry Creek. It's a good day for the kids and teachers in all the districts. I guess they'll have money to hire the teachers fleeing from Douglas County after all.

[2bindenver]

Where is work? I'd suggest living east of your workplace for an easier commute. Call the schools you are considering and ask them pointed questions.