private schools and other questions (Houston, Briar: home, neighborhoods, theatre)

[dreeintexas]

Hi-We are considering a move to Texas again. Should be fun! In any event, would love to hear more about Regis school, Duchesne as well as St. Francis. Maybe Kinkaid and St. Johns. Both kids are good students etc. We are a Catholic family but are open to other schools with different religion. Also trying to figure out best places to live --work will be near Energy Corridor. Kids very involved with soccer and baseball so areas of Houston with good leagues would be nice. Budget for home up to 2 million maybe a little more but would be thrilled with a lot less. We are moving from north so everything is really expensive and hoping for better in Texas. Who knows. Also trying to figure out an area that fits our personality. We are conservative but laid back. Should add would love to hear about personalities of schools from those who send their kids there. Currently our kids are at an excellent private that has great academics but also holds the line on bad behavior ie gossiping/bullying that sort of thing is dealt with asap and frankly all the kids are nice and I think it is because parents are all on same page. Would hate to send kids to a school if the mean girl stuff is really bad. Thank you so much for your consideration. We have been back and forth on a move for years but looks like it is going to happen this time.

[KatieKennedy]

What ages are your kids? In Houston the competition to get into the good private schools is intense especially at the middle school and high school levels. Add St. Agnes Academy for girls and Strake Jesuit and St. Thomas High School for boys to your list of good Catholic high schools to investigate. Regis does not go all the way through high school, but Duchesne does. St. Francis is Episcopalian and is adding a high school soon. St. John's and Kinkaid are nonsectarian PreK -12 schools. With your budget and jobs near the Energy Corridor you should live in the Memorial Villages area zoned to Memorial High School. This will give you a good public option if you decide to go that way. Baseball USA is also near the Energy Corridor. My daughter is at Kinkaid, and she loves it. There are great academics, a wide variety of sports for boys and girls, and terrific arts/theatre programs there. She has not experienced bullying or mean girl stuff.

[hendersj31]

You don't mention if your children are girls\boys but I assume maybe you have one of each since you mention both all girl and all boy schools. My son went to the Regis school. I feel it is a great school. The class sizes are smaller around 11-12 per class, not sure if its changed since. They let the boys be boys and do not constantly complain and send home notes every time he would talk in class or act up. I would say the academics were strong. He always had homework and it wasn't busy work but challenging. The families were very nice and really not as pretentious or snobby as I have seen at other private schools.

If you end up in the memorial villages you can have access to SBMSA for baseball and soccer. Although if you want more competitive soccer you may want to chose Albion or Houston Express. You can check the locations to see what fits better for you. Post Oak little league is also an option but the residence boundary does not cover all of memorial so need to check that.

[westres1]

Grace is a great school. Walnut Bend and Briargrove Park are great neighborhoods with many families that send their kids to various private schools in the area.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by dreeintexas

Hi-We are considering a move to Texas again. Should be fun! In any event, would love to hear more about Regis school, Duchesne as well as St. Francis. Maybe Kinkaid and St. Johns. Both kids are good students etc. We are a Catholic family but are open to other schools with different religion. Also trying to figure out best places to live --work will be near Energy Corridor. Kids very involved with soccer and baseball so areas of Houston with good leagues would be nice. Budget for home up to 2 million maybe a little more but would be thrilled with a lot less. We are moving from north so everything is really expensive and hoping for better in Texas. Who knows. Also trying to figure out an area that fits our personality. We are conservative but laid back. Should add would love to hear about personalities of schools from those who send their kids there. Currently our kids are at an excellent private that has great academics but also holds the line on bad behavior ie gossiping/bullying that sort of thing is dealt with asap and frankly all the kids are nice and I think it is because parents are all on same page. Would hate to send kids to a school if the mean girl stuff is really bad. Thank you so much for your consideration. We have been back and forth on a move for years but looks like it is going to happen this time.

With your budget, you can find a place in any neighborhood. You can search HAR.com in neighborhoods you are interested in.