Keller Middle vs North Hills Preparatory (Spring, West: home, neighborhood, middle school)

[Mommy24kids]

I would like to hear from parents whose children have attended Keller Middle School and any whose children attend North Hills Preparatory School.

My son is going to the 7th grade this school year. Our home school is Keller Middle. However, he "won the lottery" and got into North Hills Preparatory - Formerly The North Hills School. I have a lot of concerns regarding our decision and would like some input. Both schools come with their share of pros and cons.

Keller would offer him everything he wants such as Band, Baseball and Math and Science club. He's a very bright young man albeit a bit lazy. He's also more of a follower and can be easily swayed to be a follower. I'm not sure he can be convinced to do something wrong or bad but his opions are easily swayed.

North Hills Preparatory has a rigorous program and he will definitely be prepared for college upon graduation. They don't offer baseball which my son loves. However, my son can continue to play through KYA.....at least for 7th grade. They do have Band and a Math club but no Science club. The families there are there because they want to be not because they have to. The parents are highly involved in their children's education and the children are well mannered and behaved.

At Bear Creek Intermediate, there was a lot of bullying and my son didn't seem to fit with any particular group of kids. He's social but not extremely so. He's very kind...sometimes to a fault. I personally think his personality will be a better fit at North Hills Prep. Plus I like the idea of a small school and uniforms.

He had his heart set on going to KMS and it's not too late for us to stay. I'm just unsure of what is going to be best for him in the long run.

Any thoughts and opinions are welcome.

[loves2read]

hindsight is 20/20--but you can't find that now
you don't mention some of the other factors regarding this choice

the extra cost of tuition vs saving for college and other family needs--
the drive time
the money for the drive time
the fact that your son's new friends may not live in areas that are convenient for you
how will this choice interfere with your other children's needs/activities
will it cause friction in the family that one child has this option and others are in public school
will you choose this option for other children when they are older

baseball will be more problamatic after this year and you will lose some other options as well

what does your husband say about this choice?

[Mommy24kids]

Originally Posted by loves2read

hindsight is 20/20--but you can't find that now
you don't mention some of the other factors regarding this choice

the extra cost of tuition vs saving for college and other family needs--
the drive time
the money for the drive time
the fact that your son's new friends may not live in areas that are convenient for you
how will this choice interfere with your other children's needs/activities
will it cause friction in the family that one child has this option and others are in public school
will you choose this option for other children when they are older

baseball will be more problamatic after this year and you will lose some other options as well

what does your husband say about this choice?

All VERY GOOD questions. Thank you, this helps me sort things out in my head.

The cost isn't really a factor. It's only $500.00 per year. There are no other fundraisers so we won't be nickled and dimed to death.

My husband works near North Hills so he would drop him off and pick him up everyday. He does work from home quite a bit so now he will no longer have that option.

Yes, the fact that his new friends won't live in the area is something I consider, however, he will still have his neighborhood friends. He went to private school from k-4 and no one at that school lived in our neighborhood so we've learned how to deal with that. Let me say though that sometimes these friendships are overated. This year I had to make him "divorce" one of his friends. This kid was a bad influence and my son is a follower type.

As far as the other children are concerned, 1 will attend Westlake Academy this year.....yes, we won the lottery twice. The other 2 are in public school together. They are both on sibling waiting lists for both schools. The others are fine with the school they are in but would love the opportunity to attend Westlake or North Hills.

As far as other activities are concerned, I pretty much handle the younger one's activities and my husband handles the 7th grader's. It gets a bit crazy with all that they do but we somehow manage to work it out.

Baseball yes will be an issue. The thing is, my son loves baseball but he's not a good player. The older you get the more competitive any sport will become and I'm not sure he would be selected to be on a team beyond middle school. However, at a smaller school, they can't be as selective for their sports teams. North Hills has other sports such as basketball, golf, soccer, cross country and tennis. I'm hoping that IF he attends North Hills, he will try another sport. It appears as though they are starting a Lacrosse team this year as well.

My husband thinks that our son should attend North Hills Prep.

[5stones]

I'd say send him to North hills. Esp since both you and your husband feel it may be a better fit for him.
Middle School is hard esp socially, I think harder than HS.
Give it try for a year, he may love it or he may hate it.
YOU can always send to KMS or even KHS later.

My daughter plays tennis and we have seen many boys transition from baseball to tennis VERY sucessfully...same hand eye coordination and the swings are very simuliar.

She attended Indian Springs and transitioned very well as a new student in Nov. due in large part to the tennis team kids.

[Mommy24kids]

Thanks 5stones. I think that's what we'll do. Seriously, I've been losing sleep over this decision. He was VERY unhappy when we found out he got into North Hills Prep.

We attended a picnic there for new families last Saturday, today is a Culture Class for new incoming families and next Saturday is a Pancake Breakfast for new incoming families. It seems they do all they can to make the new children feel more comfortable in the transition. I met many of the other families and I too feel more comfortable.

I told my son that really this is just as hard for me as it is for him. My life as his mom has also changed. I thought my youngest would be in 1/2 day Kinder this year, then he got Westlake. That was a blessing and a curse because I was really looking forward to enjoying my mornings with him before sending him off to school at noon. Then we get the news about North Hills Prep and yet another huge alteration to how things would be run in the household from now on. Most especially, hubby not getting to work from home anymore as he will be the one to drive my oldest to school.

It's hard being a parent and having to make really tough and life changing decisions regarding your children.

I appreciate the feedback.

[5stones]

It's hard being a parent and having to make really tough and life changing decisions regarding your children.

Man isn't that the truth!
we moved our kids 2x in 2 years. oUr eldest in 6th grade and in 8th grade. So I know all about teenage angst etc... (mine are all girls)

I am a big believer in keeping my kids informed on situations etc that affect them.

You are trying to do whats best for your kids and what is the best LONG term situation etc... Keep your son in the loop so he feels he is a part of the decision making process.

Tell him lets give it a try. (You said he was unhappy at Bear creek park?) If he is truely miserable after 1 year then you will look at other options etc...(KMS etc..)
Get him invloved in extra cirrcular activites at the new school, I feel this has always helped our kids adjust. They find kids with the same intrests etc...

My eldest starts KHS this year and I am very nervous...it's soo big! (her old school in VA would have had 1200 kids!) But she has made some good friends joined student council and made the freshman advisory board. As well as being very excited about playing HS tennis.

GOOD luck.

[Ozzy123]

Originally Posted by Mommy24kids

Thanks 5stones. I think that's what we'll do. Seriously, I've been losing sleep over this decision. He was VERY unhappy when we found out he got into North Hills Prep.

We attended a picnic there for new families last Saturday, today is a Culture Class for new incoming families and next Saturday is a Pancake Breakfast for new incoming families. It seems they do all they can to make the new children feel more comfortable in the transition. I met many of the other families and I too feel more comfortable.

I told my son that really this is just as hard for me as it is for him. My life as his mom has also changed. I thought my youngest would be in 1/2 day Kinder this year, then he got Westlake. That was a blessing and a curse because I was really looking forward to enjoying my mornings with him before sending him off to school at noon. Then we get the news about North Hills Prep and yet another huge alteration to how things would be run in the household from now on. Most especially, hubby not getting to work from home anymore as he will be the one to drive my oldest to school.

It's hard being a parent and having to make really tough and life changing decisions regarding your children.

I appreciate the feedback.

- Just wondering if your son went to North hills? What was the experience like? I am in the same situation, would appreciate your honest opinion!
Thank you!

[loves2read]

send a PM--personal message--
is much more likely to get response than opening a thread that is from 2008