Middle Schools in Houston (Spring, Howe: sales, leasing, house)

[Ozzie12]

From the replies of my previous posts, we've narrowed the kids school down to Memorial Middle due to their acadamic performance, sports & other activities available.

1. Would you recommend any other?

2, Do we have to live in 77024 to go there or can we live anywhere in the Spring Branch ISD or Houston ISD?

3. Would that be, what we call, a "feeder school" (automatic acceptance) to Memorial High? Or do we have to apply to Memorial high upon completion of grade 8?

4. How do the application to enter the school of choice work? Are there wait lists for public schools?

5. Do they have entry tests or is it based on their previous school's academic performance (in this case an Australian school)?

6. What's a Charter Public School? E.g Cornerstone Academy is that a good school? They don't seem to have a lot of activities compared to MMS although their academic grades are excellent.

Any other information on schools will be greatly appreciated.

Thanking you in advance.

[EasilyAmused]

You can live in 77079 all the way to Kirkwood and go to Memorial Middle. However the High School switches to Stratford at the Beltway. But it was ranked 163rd or so in the country by Newsweek ( which based ranking combining the factors of number of kids in Advanced Placement classes, passing AP exams and SAT scores). Memorial wasn't listed, however it's long been considered the more elite school, and whose SAT scores are slightly higher. On other lists they are both considered top tier schools.

Cornerstone is Lottery Enrollment. You can't just "go."

PS- You bring your child's transcripts and some utility bills to prove you live and are zoned to the particular school you want to go to. They don't test you to get in public...you just have to be breathing.After middle school you are automatically rolled right into the High School in your area.

Good Luck.

[ToyYot]

Based on your previous posts you'll be hard pressed to get into the Memorial Middle zoned district on your budget. You're looking at an area bounded by: south of the I-10, east of Kirkwood, north of the bayou and west of Bunker Hill. Check HAR.com for lease and buy prices and the link below for Spring Branch school boundary maps. If you live within the boundary, you go there.

Maps

As I previously posted, most of the kids in our neighborhood go to Spring Forest Middle and do fine but some folks can bit be a nervous about the 'diversity'. Don't sweat the difference between Stratford and Memorial High, both are good with endless extra curricular activities.

If you plan on leasing I can pm you a realtor who lives in our neighborhood and can get the scoop on rentals and sales here including our house coming up for lease soon. Both go fast and often by word of mouth.