Need Advice from San Antonio Natives and Residents (New Braunfels, Boerne: to rent, houses)

[LexC_Sings]

I am relocating with my husband and two toddlers this summer to San Antonio. We have been looking at houses to rent primarily in the North West area of San Antonio. I want to hear from people who grew in San Antonio...how was life for you in San Antonio? Were your schools always good and safe? Are you and your peers professionals now? I am trying to get a general view of what kind of children are raised in your city...being from NYC I know that environment can have a huge impact on children...girls in NYC seem to grow up a lot more quickly then girls in say, southern, IL. So, how are the kids in San Antonio? Other than that, are there any pointers that u can give me about your city? Are there any significantly negative things to know? Is it true that it gets too hot to leave the house? Any advice would help! Thanks

[Rustybolt]

I graduated from public school here, have a bachelors in engineering and two masters degrees. Successful career of my own making and living here now very comfortably with all three children grown and successful in their own right. San Antonio is a good place for a family and is 180 out from NYC. All that said, I'm not a product of my environment. My environment is a product of me. I'm a driven individual. Raised my kids to be that way too. We live how we want to live because we make it so. Given that, San Antonio has all the resources to make it possible for you and your children to achieve whatever they want. Good education, meaningful work, positive experiences...they can all be found here in SAT.

[ashbeeigh]

Define northwest. Are you looking at like the Taft (1604/Culebra) area or are you looking near the Medical Center? Either way the schools are good. You'll get different responses depending on the area you are interested in. And no matter where in the area you live, there will be days in late August and early September when you want to stay in bed because it is so hot. That doesn't change, no matter how long you've lived here.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

It's not really that bad going from your air-conditioned house to your air-conditioned car. There are times when the only decent outdoor activity is swimming, though.

As far as the schools, I went to a private college prep high school. There are people I graduated with who are professionals now and there are people who work at gas stations and grocery stores. It depends more on your personal goals and how motivated you are...and how able your parents are to pay for college.

[LexC_Sings]

Thank you all so much! Your advice was really helpful. I agree that personal motivation ultimately determines an individual's success, however, I am thinking about when my children are in Junior high school...I want to be sure of the type of peers they will be going to school with. Happy to hear there are private schools to choose from in San Antonio. Is anyone familiar with New Braunfels? Is that far from San Antonio? Would it be a good suburb choice right outside the city?

[Buffyfan]

SA is a very family oriented city. NW side of SA is ok, but I recommend checking out the schools in North Central SA. Check out the scores on these schools, I taught in several of the elementary schools in the North East Independent School District. If you want to get a personal opinion from a teacher from SA, private message me. I am sure Northside I.S.D. has some fine schools, as well.

New Braunfels is nice. A cute German town close to SA. The schools are decent. I would also check out Boerne, a small town outside of SA.

[Rustybolt]

Originally Posted by LexC_Sings

Thank you all so much! Your advice was really helpful. I agree that personal motivation ultimately determines an individual's success, however, I am thinking about when my children are in Junior high school...I want to be sure of the type of peers they will be going to school with. Happy to hear there are private schools to choose from in San Antonio. Is anyone familiar with New Braunfels? Is that far from San Antonio? Would it be a good suburb choice right outside the city?

Don't let your perceptions of schools in the northeast taint your view of schools here. I lived in Maryland and private schools were an expensive must-have. Public schools were horrible. In San Antonio, if you are in the right school district, the public schools are far better than most of the private schools we had in Maryland. Be open minded about that.

[pobre]

^^this^^

The number of private schools here (total, per capita, whatever) is far below that in the Northeast. Many of the private schools here are religiously affiliated. There are very few independent schools around (the ones that exist are good, though.)

By and large, most of the public schools are quite good. The schools reflect the makeup of the neighborhoods around them.

[LovingSAT]

Great question. I grew up on the Northwest part (closer to west) of San Antonio and went to local public schools. I have an associates, bachelors, and two masters degrees along with educational certifications which I obtained through an alternative certification program. My parents were involved in our education and we knew and were friendly with all our neighbors. Many of these neighbors have remained close friends with our whole family.
I agree with what Rustybolt said about districts with one caveat; I believe all districts are good with educated and caring teachers the trick in my opinion is to be an involved part of the system. Remain in constant contact with administrators and educators alike and your children will be sure to strive.
Remember extracurricular activities are a must for all children.

Welcome to San Antonio. I wish you much success!

[LovingSAT]

And yes it gets hot but not so much that you will be painfully miserable.