not happy with an HISD school, are they all the same (Houston: appointed, 2013)

[houstonmomma]

Hi! My daughter currently attends the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion School (MCLIMS), and my hubby and I are not pleased at all with the school. The Mandarin portion is great (my daughter is able to engage in basic conversations with random strangers), but we are not impressed with the standard English Curriculum.

We have applied to 4 area private schools, including the private school that we left at the end of last school year. I would like to have a back up plan in place in case my daughter is not accepted at any of the prospective schools.

My hubby and I are prepared to move(rent), so we are not worried about the magnet application deadline which has already passed.

The following are my primary concerns with MCLIMS

1)MCLIMS uses a standard homework packet that does not correlate with classroom activities. I know in advance when my son will have a test, but the teachers don't like to communicate the information that is to be covered on the tests. Since we don't have the information required to review for tests, I don't know exactly what my child is covering in class. Are stock homework packets used in all HISD schools

2) The principal and the administration.

3) The curriculum is not challenging. My daughter was only recently tested for the gifted program, but even if she is declared gifted, the only enrichment is additional homework worksheets.

My daughter is not "gifted" but she is bored in the classroom, as the material they care covering is similar to what she learned in Kindergarten and earlier.

We are interested in River Oaks and Roberts in HISD. I also recently learned about Frostwood in SBISD, so I would like more information on all three if possible.

I have reviewed the stats of the Children at Risk Survey, but I would like first hand information.

Also, please feel free to share information on smaller christian schools with strong academics.

TIA

[CindyDavis]

Originally Posted by houstonmomma

Hi! My daughter currently attends the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion School (MCLIMS), and my hubby and I are not pleased at all with the school. The Mandarin portion is great (my daughter is able to engage in basic conversations with random strangers), but we are not impressed with the standard English Curriculum.

We have applied to 4 area private schools, including the private school that we left at the end of last school year. I would like to have a back up plan in place in case my daughter is not accepted at any of the prospective schools.

My hubby and I are prepared to move(rent), so we are not worried about the magnet application deadline which has already passed.

The following are my primary concerns with MCLIMS

1)MCLIMS uses a standard homework packet that does not correlate with classroom activities. I know in advance when my son will have a test, but the teachers don't like to communicate the information that is to be covered on the tests. Since we don't have the information required to review for tests, I don't know exactly what my child is covering in class. Are stock homework packets used in all HISD schools

2) The principal and the administration.

3) The curriculum is not challenging. My daughter was only recently tested for the gifted program, but even if she is declared gifted, the only enrichment is additional homework worksheets.

My daughter is not "gifted" but she is bored in the classroom, as the material they care covering is similar to what she learned in Kindergarten and earlier.

We are interested in River Oaks and Roberts in HISD. I also recently learned about Frostwood in SBISD, so I would like more information on all three if possible.

I have reviewed the stats of the Children at Risk Survey, but I would like first hand information.

Also, please feel free to share information on smaller christian schools with strong academics.

TIA

Frostwood is an outstanding school and has been for years. The facility is under construction this year and will be brand new in the Fall. River Oaks Baptist School and St. Francis Epscopal are both strong private Christian schools. If you have specific questions, please post back and I will help if I am able.

[houstonmomma]

Originally Posted by CindyDavis

Frostwood is an outstanding school and has been for years. The facility is under construction this year and will be brand new in the Fall. River Oaks Baptist School and St. Francis Epscopal are both strong private Christian schools. If you have specific questions, please post back and I will help if I am able.

Thank you for your response. St. Francis is one of the schools that we applied to for 2013. I am wanting to know about smaller schools with open enrollment in the event that she is not accepted to the four schools with more rigid deadlines. Are you familiar with any schools such as that?

[EasilyAmused]

Frostwood, Wilchester, Bunker Hill,Meadowood,Hunters Creek are all good. One not better than the other. Edit: Meadowood got some of Frostwood's better teachers in the re-shuffle..

Personally, I see St. Francis producing some great kids. Or well rounded types are drawn to it.

[KatieKennedy]

My daughter attended West U Elementary in HISD, and we thought it was terrific. If you are looking at Roberts and River Oaks Elementary in HISD, put West U on your list too.

[Meyerland]

My daughter is in the gifted program at Herod, and it is fantastic. Her homework was aligned with what they were doing in the classroom. We had lots of projects and parental involvement is expected. We came from an excellent school in Katy, and the curriculum is more difficult in HISD.

I will say this, no matter what school you choose it will not be perfect. Each year is different because of the teacher your child has. We have had great years and terrible years. (The terrible year was actually in a school that people fight to get into.) If mandarin immersion is available at a private school, that might be the route you want to go. I would advise against burning your bridges at the HISD Chinese Immersion program just in case you want to return.

I can't tell you how many parents get upset and leave public schools, only to return the next year.

Good luck!

[Schumacher713]

West U, River Oaks and a few others. If money is no object and you can afford to live in the expensive neighborhoods move to West U. I am a product of a mix of private and public schools. I grew up here. I went to Second Baptist and Briar Grove. You might be disappointed in many of the private schools too. I have friends that have been to just about every private school in Houston. My cousin with to Kincaid. I almost went there. St Johns is very good if you can get in. Basically, all the really good public schools are in very expensive areas except Oak Forest elementary. My friend is friends with the principal there. It is supposed to be excellent. Good luck

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by houstonmomma

Hi! My daughter currently attends the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion School (MCLIMS), and my hubby and I are not pleased at all with the school. The Mandarin portion is great (my daughter is able to engage in basic conversations with random strangers), but we are not impressed with the standard English Curriculum.

We have applied to 4 area private schools, including the private school that we left at the end of last school year. I would like to have a back up plan in place in case my daughter is not accepted at any of the prospective schools.

My hubby and I are prepared to move(rent), so we are not worried about the magnet application deadline which has already passed.

The following are my primary concerns with MCLIMS

1)MCLIMS uses a standard homework packet that does not correlate with classroom activities. I know in advance when my son will have a test, but the teachers don't like to communicate the information that is to be covered on the tests. Since we don't have the information required to review for tests, I don't know exactly what my child is covering in class. Are stock homework packets used in all HISD schools

2) The principal and the administration.

3) The curriculum is not challenging. My daughter was only recently tested for the gifted program, but even if she is declared gifted, the only enrichment is additional homework worksheets.

My daughter is not "gifted" but she is bored in the classroom, as the material they care covering is similar to what she learned in Kindergarten and earlier.

We are interested in River Oaks and Roberts in HISD. I also recently learned about Frostwood in SBISD, so I would like more information on all three if possible.

I have reviewed the stats of the Children at Risk Survey, but I would like first hand information.

Also, please feel free to share information on smaller christian schools with strong academics.

TIA

Outside of magnet schools(DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Carnegie Vanguard High School,
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) and schools like Bellaire, Westside or Lamar, HISD schools are not very good. That's why most people with money who live within HISD boundaries send their kids to private schools.

[Meyerland]

HISD is an enormous district and there are good schools and bad schools. Every parent, except one, on my block sends their child to an HISD school close by. That one parent is Jewish and sends their child to private Jewish school.

Everyone told me what a mistake I was making to move from KatyISD to HISD. It is just the perception of what the schools are like. Not all suburban schools are good and no district has all good schools. (Except maybe Friendswood.)

[hbcu]

If HISD enforced boundaries...their schools would be in better shape. To see kids getting up at 5 a.m. in Sunnyside to bus to Pershing by the Medical Center is dumb..that's happening all over the place

any kid that's black and attending Lamar High...usually comes from somewhere else