J. L. Long Middle School in Lakewood (Dallas, Forest Hill: attorneys, neighborhood)

[zuzuspetalsTX]

We currently live in HP and want to relocate to a different neighborhood. Our experience here has been fine, but it is not the place for us to plant the flag. Lakewood is on our list -- we are fairly conservative, but until recently have always lived in more liberal cities (East Coast, Pacific Northwest) and actually prefer those areas over the more conservative ones. We are considering our schooling options -- I know the elementary schools are good in Lakewood and Woodrow has a ton of community support. That speaks volumes, especially in a neighborhood where I assume many residents can send their kids to private schools, which I know some do. Maybe the majority? What I do not know as much about is J. L. Long. We are approaching the middle school years with our kids so I'd appreciate any feedback regarding Long. I know there is much value in going to a diverse school, but maybe the best option is to do private until high school? Please be brutally honest.

[pepper131]

Truly, I think it's fine as long as your kid in is the AP track and seeking higher level education. Most of the preAP classes are clustered together and there is not much mingling of the those who choose a lower educational route.

Honestly, it's best to take a tour of the school and talk to the parents. Seek out the PTA meetings and see who shows up. I always approach parents this way - I find it is the BEST source of information.

[Spree]

agree with Pepper, also here are the scorecards for the school:

2009-2010 http://www.dallasisd.org/scorecards/pdfcards/053E_LONG.pdf

pg. 48 for 2007-2008
http://www.dallasisd.org/scorecards/0708archives/20072008MSScorecardBook.pdf (broken link)

main scorecards to look at any other schools - Lakewood & Woodrow

Schools-General Information: 2009-2010 School Scorecards (http://www.dallasisd.org/scorecards/scorecards.cfm?SchoolType=ms - broken link)

[Lakewooder]

Long always seems to be a question mark but as stated, if you have good students they are going to do just fine. I think it is partly the age, the fact that they moved sixth grade in (they have their own new wing) and just general trepidation about going from a more homogeneous Lakewood or Stonewall to going to school with the kids from Mount Auburn (which has been ranked recongized and exemplary) and the 4-5th grade at Mata which has been a problem which seems to be getting much better since some have returned to Lipscomb and the new principal took over).

In the past few years the top students have always done well and placed (and won) in state competition. It's been several years, but the Mathcounts team beat a shocked St. Mark's in state competition. We have a very strong math group coming in from Lakewood Elementary this fall, so I think that will continue. In separate competition I know of at least one kid who is going on to upper level science fair competition. The coach of the Lakewood Math team is a Lakewood/Long/Woodrow alum, attorney Monty Watson. His wife also attended Lakewood/Long/Woodrow and was Lakewood PTA president last year - which I thought was really cool!

Pre-AP is what is taught and the school is applying for IB MYP in April. The coordinator has been hired and all seems to be going well with the process. I'm going to a meeting a week from tomorrow and should have an update then.

[debtex]

I know that a lot of people who are happy with Lakewood but really can't bring themselves to send their kids to Long. Many face a private/Park Cities choice after Lakewood Elementary. Middle school is a fragile time for kids as it is, it's not a great time for school quality to be in question.

We went the private route primarily because of Long's issues - Lakewood Elementary is a great school. In our neighborhood it's about 30/70 public/private.

I guess I have an issue with this idea that you have to be in honors/AP to get a solid education at these schools - whether it's true or not, it keeps getting said. Lots of smart kids don't end up on that track, and I hate to think they'd get lost.

[Lakewooder]

Of course much of that has to do with the motivation, background and parents of the students - I do not place blame on Long for that as I have seen all the effort that goes into getting these kids up to speed (for several decades). A problem is that kids who were taking the TAKS in Spanish at the elementary level must then take them in English in middle school (I'm not sure which grade this starts). I want all students to do well but I think the people who opt for private are missing out on a chance to get to know, become friends and form relationships with people which will be mutually beneficial.

The only blame which can be placed on the school is that several years ago there was a principal turnover problem. Just when they got a really good one, she got sick and had to resign. I have complete confidence in Dannielle Drury Petters who is in her fourth year as principal. She went from STA to Woodrow (as a lot of kids do) and graduated in 1985. After college she came back and taught at Woodrow for several years before going into administration at other schools. We were all quite excited when she was chosen as Long principal because of her dedication and familiarity with the institution. She has a rather large family of siblings who all went through Woodrow and her parents established the Drury Scholarship about 20 years ago.

I would dispute that public / private ratio - last census figures I saw for J.L. Long / Woodrow attendance zone was only 25% private - vs. for example Park Cities which was 20% private. I did see some other figures for Lakewood Proper but I'm not sure of the exact boundaries and that was 50/50. I had never seen the data broken down this way before. I know that about 50% of the applications pending for Woodrow IB next fall are from private school students. We lose about 75 kids in each class to privates so I am going to estimate on my somewhat cursory knowledge that the 9th grade Pre-IB will have 50-60 new kids returning from private schools.

This year there is a big push by many at Lakewood Elementary to stick together and not break up the kids by some going private. It is being lead by several attorneys (and a few bankers). They are having a meeting at Times Ten next Thursday night.

[Spree]

>>This year there is a big push by many at Lakewood Elementary to stick together and not break up the kids by some going private. It is being lead by several attorneys (and a few bankers). <<

For real? The decision made by families to go private education is a personal decision. There is a climate of divide in that area between those that go private and those that don't. Ruth Vail (principal of Woodrow Wilson) got a lot of slack for sending her children to a private school.

[Spree]

>>We are approaching the middle school years with our kids so I'd appreciate any feedback regarding Long. I know there is much value in going to a diverse school, but maybe the best option is to do private until high school? <<

You live so close already, have you visited? If so, what were your thoughts? You have the advantage of already living in the area to be able to visit at different times. You should also bring your child(ren) that are going to attend Long for a visit as well.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Spree

>>This year there is a big push by many at Lakewood Elementary to stick together and not break up the kids by some going private. It is being lead by several attorneys (and a few bankers). <<

For real? The decision made by families to go private education is a personal decision. There is a climate of divide in that area between those that go private and those that don't. Ruth Vail (principal of Woodrow Wilson) got a lot of slack for sending her children to a private school.

It is a personal decision, but a lot of "fear mongering" goes on by private school families to steer families of incoming 6th graders away from Long. Same can be said in North Dallas in the White HS zone.

The same can be said for that matter in the Park Cities- A LOT of kids go to (particularly) Armstrong or Bradfield K-5, then duck out and go to Hockaday or St Mark's for middle school, then back to HPHS for high school. Some families want their daughters (or sons) to come of age in a "girl power" private school instead of a co-ed public/private where there is a lot of focus (amongst the students) of who is "going out" with whom, who is "popular" ("popularity" pretty much disappears by high school- those "mean girls" aren't popular by the time they graduate....the genuine, nice, down to earth kids are because they've been nice to everyone for so many years), who is trying out for freshman cheerleader in 8th grade, etc.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by Spree

Ruth Vail (principal of Woodrow Wilson) got a lot of slack for sending her children to a private school.

Her daughter, Karissa, now attends Woodrow. She was not previously in the Woodrow cluster - she would have attended Gaston Middle School, as they lived in Forest Hills. Rod Dreher, who criticized her, did not bother to gather the facts (or visit the campus) - she went to STA, which has a history of sending many of its eighth graders on to Woodrow.