Is nottingham forest improving? (Spring, West: townhouse, neighborhood, to buy)

[mcmummy]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

What could possibly be a problem with Meadow Wood that would give your child an inferior education? Same Spring Branch teachers, upscale single family neighborhoods. How would a few apartment kids hurt your child's education? I don't see how it's even possible, this kind of parsing of school zones seems ridiculous.

I know a couple of families that pulled their kids out of ME kinder because the other kids that never attended preschool and spoke another language slowed the class down. The families felt the classes were catered to bringing those kids up to speed and the other kids were not being challenged. Those families send their kids to private k then went back to ME for first.

The big NF houses stagnant on HAR flood? Is that what you mean?

Don't dump on those dumpy ranchers!! It's very interesting to look at all the different layouts in 77079. So many one story ranchers have original bigger kitchens that those two story houses. Those one stories usually have more functional layouts then the bigger houses.

[ToyYot]

Originally Posted by mcmummy

I know a couple of families that pulled their kids out of ME kinder because the other kids that never attended preschool and spoke another language slowed the class down. The families felt the classes were catered to bringing those kids up to speed and the other kids were not being challenged. Those families send their kids to private k then went back to ME for first.

We put two through kinder recently, didn't see this to be an issue. In fact, this seems rather alarmist, helicopter parents in the making! A mixed student population will have slower kids in it but that's public school for you.

Originally Posted by mcmummy

The big NF houses stagnant on HAR flood? Is that what you mean?

A small part of NF8 is in the 100yr flood plain, as with all the neighborhoods bordering the park or a bayou (Rummel Creek). Just don't buy on those streets.

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Never heard anything but positives about Meadowood from those IN IT. Its smaller than most of the south side elementaries, and new. Lots of teachers came over from Frostwood a few years back. Wilchester is getting overcrowded, and thew new apartments on 10 are going to cause enrollment issue no doubt. I would almost positively say anything negative said about Meadowood comes from those zoned east of Kirkwood. Just like anything negative said about Wilchester is said by those east of the Beltway, etc. etc. we use private school, but observing the school snobbery has been amusing.

This is where the negative comments come from. Trust me, we have friends with kids in Rummel Creek and Frostwood, all schools have their particular issues to deal with.

Yep, the teachers at MWE are fantastic, the PTA is tops in the district.

Originally Posted by bgrif

It's a shame that Nottingham elementary wasn't included in that bond, it could definitely use a rebuild or at minimum some sprucing up. Do you know why it wasn't included??

No idea but neither were Rummel Creek and others. They saved so much money by building during the downturn they later added Rummel Creek, its being rebuilt now.

Originally Posted by bgrif

We can afford to buy in wilchester and other more "conventionally desirable" areas, but we'd have to downsize and buy a house we don't love. NF8 has a few homes that we LOVE the look and could put some work into and make them our dream home. However, schools are the priority.....I'm hoping I can have both the home and schools in NF8 if the area is being revitalized. I just don't know how much of a gamble it is.

Given your budget, maybe the compromise between NF8 and Wilchester is NF?? But don't I see anything wrong with NF8, just no personal experience with the elementary. A large part of the crime in NF8 was from the apartments surrounding and in it. With those (almost) gone, IMO its a sure bet.

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

What could possibly be a problem with Meadow Wood that would give your child an inferior education? Same Spring Branch teachers, upscale single family neighborhoods. How would a few apartment kids hurt your child's education? I don't see how it's even possible, this kind of parsing of school zones seems ridiculous.

Yep, I agree. IMO you're over thinking it but then I went to mixed schools K-12 so maybe I'm more accepting of it? Dunno...

Oh, and just to add to and clarify my earlier comment - Thornwood is zoned to Nottingham Elementary not Thornwood Elementary.

[mcmummy]

[quote=E we use private school, but observing the school snobbery has been amusing.

.[/QUOTE]

Observing the private school snobbery is entertaining as well.


Bottom line, how you parent your kids is more important than which school they attend.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by mcmummy

Observing the private school snobbery is entertaining as well.

.

That goes without saying. However, your elementary schools, sprinkled every mile along Memorial,provide the same ciriculaum,circulate the same teachers, use the same books. Apples to apples. All the schools cater to the upper-middles class, some just have more apartments zoned to them than other..but really that is something that is shifting presently. Rummel Creek, Wilchester, Meadowood, Nottingham..they all end up at Stratford on the same educational course. The looking down the nose at the similar public school one mile away makes no sense.

Private schools are at the least independent from one another, and different in their atmopshere and ciriculaum from one another. The selective enrollment and advanced, rigorous (some more than others) studies does logically breed some fierce loyalty and competitiveness between them.But lash out if you must.

[mcmummy]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

That goes without saying. However, your elementary schools, sprinkled every mile along Memorial,provide the same ciriculaum,circulate the same teachers, use the same books. Apples to apples. All the schools cater to the upper-middles class, some just have more apartments zoned to them than other..but really that is something that is shifting presently. Rummel Creek, Wilchester, Meadowood, Nottingham..they all end up at Stratford on the same educational course. The looking down the nose at the similar public school one mile away makes no sense.

Private schools are at the least independent from one another, and different in their atmopshere and ciriculaum from one another. The selective enrollment and advanced, rigorous (some more than others) studies does logically breed some fierce loyalty and competitiveness between them.But lash out if you must.

Wow! What an insult to public schools. Who is lashing out here?

I'm not lashing out, I'm calling you out EA. I suggest you include private schools looking down on public schools in your "who looks down on who" paradigm.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by mcmummy

Wow! What an insult to public schools. Who is lashing out here?

I'm not lashing out, I'm calling you out EA. I suggest you include private schools looking down on public schools in your "who looks down on who" paradigm.

I never said anything negative about your public schools,and acknowleged and identified the reason for the pecking order in private schools.We bought in the area because all the schools were good, which is good for property value. I Merely commented on the weird snobbery on similar schools. How is it an insult that the public schools in that area are interchangeable? All good?That is a GOOD thing. I never mentioned anything about an inferior education.Why does it bother you that school "a"can give the same education and has the same demograhics as school "b?" They're all in the same dang district.It says a lot for the families that participate in them that they are all strong.This is that weird dynamic again.

You must be a Wilchester mom. I agree with that rep. Comment.

[mcmummy]

You must be a Wilchester mom. I agree with that rep. Comment.[/quote]

Please elaborate, I'm not sure I understand. I want to learn more about how you stereotype Wilchester moms.

[ToyYot]

I took EA's comment about private school snobby to mean snobbery within the private system - i.e. "Gee whiz, Awty is so much better than the Village School, I'd never send my kids there". As she points out, in the private system there is likely to be differential between private schools (say one teaches the British curriculum, one the IB...whatever it is).

In the public schools that are the subject of this discussion - the only significant differential is the number of apartment kids. So it begs the question - why the public school snobbery?

In the end it doesn't matter, perception is reality and some will insist on the memorial zoning and pay the higher price. That, and location within the zip (cheaper further west) are the reasons for the price dropping westwards. Thornwood losing out a touch more than NF8 due to lack of park access, a walkable elementary and the neighboring apartments - many of which are being rebuilt into class A complexes.

So, back to the OP, It doesn't really matter which neighborhood you choose in terms of property value between the beltway and Eldridge, and beyond for that matter. They will all continue to go up and down together depending on the economy. I think NF8 is the best bargain, if such a thing exists right now, being the last park access neighborhood zoned to good K-12 schools. Tour Nottingham Elementary and Meadow Wood and then have a think about it.

[bgrif]

Originally Posted by ToyYot

I took EA's comment about private school snobby to mean snobbery within the private system - i.e. "Gee whiz, Awty is so much better than the Village School, I'd never send my kids there". As she points out, in the private system there is likely to be differential between private schools (say one teaches the British curriculum, one the IB...whatever it is).

In the public schools that are the subject of this discussion - the only significant differential is the number of apartment kids. So it begs the question - why the public school snobbery?

In the end it doesn't matter, perception is reality and some will insist on the memorial zoning and pay the higher price. That, and location within the zip (cheaper further west) are the reasons for the price dropping westwards. Thornwood losing out a touch more than NF8 due to lack of park access, a walkable elementary and the neighboring apartments - many of which are being rebuilt into class A complexes.

So, back to the OP, It doesn't really matter which neighborhood you choose in terms of property value between the beltway and Eldridge, and beyond for that matter. They will all continue to go up and down together depending on the economy. I think NF8 is the best bargain, if such a thing exists right now, being the last park access neighborhood zoned to good K-12 schools. Tour Nottingham Elementary and Meadow Wood and then have a think about it.

Thanks! Lots of helpful information. I'm a product of public school education myself and I actually feel okay with some diversity in my kids classrooms. Diversity is the reality of the world we live in. However, people equate that diversity with inferior education and it can sometimes complicate decision making for buying a home that is zoned to a school like that in a rather homogenous environment like memorial. I just wanted to hear from a few people that actually know the area somewhat. Of course most are probably telling us it'll be fine and buy there, but probably wouldn't buy there themselves Haha! Now.....Convincing my husband that NF8 is probably a safe bet for purchase and that our kids will still get a stellar education is probably my biggest battle. He drank the "wilchester/Rummel Creek/memorial middle" are the only way to go koolaid. (of course he'd give a testicle to be east of the beltway- but we're in our early 30's - not there yet or may never be)

[bgrif]

All of you have been helpful and I appreciate you chiming in to what is probably the oldest debate in Memorial...which schools are better and why? It seems that some of you are over that debate and agree that they are all in the same district with the same involved parents, which gives most of them the same common denominator. The variables seem to be the apartment kids. The homes we are considering are zoned to NE/SFMS/Stratford HS- so I hope spring forest middle is beginning a turn around. Tough decisions. Again, thank you all for your time, insight and opinions!!