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Old 04-02-2009, 09:17 PM
 
1 posts, read 1,981 times
Reputation: 10

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I'm moving to the area next week and desperately need help figuring out which city would be the best for my family. I have kids in elemetry, indermediate and high school and where we live they are all in magnet schools for gifted students. I'm looking for an area that has an excellent school system with magnet/charter schools and preferably a high school with an IB program as my high schooler is currently in the IB program in her school now. I also want an area that is safe, family friendly with moderately priced homes. My husband and I are looking to buy/build a house in the next 6 months and I don't want to have to pull my kids from yet another school once that happens so I really want to find our temp home in the same area that our permanent home will be.

I'm frantic at this point and totally overwhelmned with facts and figures on the communities and would really like some personal insight as to which communities are the best and why. Some of my new co-workers have suggested Flower Mound, Keller and Grapevine as areas that would be good but I don't see any schools that meet my criteria. Any suggestions?
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Old 04-02-2009, 09:51 PM
 
6,578 posts, read 25,520,603 times
Reputation: 3249
Just because a school is a magnet or charter doesn't mean it's any good. Sometimes schools are designated magnet to help even out demographics and nothing else. The good charter schools like North Hills and Westlake are hard to get into (well, except if you live in Westlake, I think you can get into okay). But North Hills has more on the waiting list than there are spots in the school and they have already taken applications for next year. Really, though, most of the charter schools around here aren't very good.

Apparently Garland has a dedicated magnet school for gifted kids and poster Mom can tell you more about that. Dallas ISD has dedicated magnet schools for talented and gifted, but I am not sure if you have missed the application deadline for next year.

Richardson's magnet schools are for demographic purposes only no matter what it is they call them, except for Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet which is a court ordered school.
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Old 04-02-2009, 10:12 PM
 
2,973 posts, read 9,506,965 times
Reputation: 1551
It will be new, but it's at Woodrow in Dallas (DISD):
www.advocatemag.com >> All Things Lakewood and East Dallas - Woodrow's degree program expected to change school's makeup, academics

You will surely hear all kinds of horrible things about DISD. But there are many of us who make it work for us.
My oldest in at the Science and Engineering Magnet (but I believe the application process is completed, but do call, you never know).
And my youngest is in a school that is only 5% while and 90-95% reduced lunch (low income) and he is thriving - more so than my older son was at the same age and he was at a Montessori.

TAG in DISD starts in K with testing at neighborhood schools (they get pulled out of class and go to TAG), but fully dedicated TAG schools start at grade 4.
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Old 04-03-2009, 06:21 AM
 
Location: Lancaster, TX
1,638 posts, read 4,120,129 times
Reputation: 2640
Quote:
Originally Posted by d_mcbarnes View Post
I also want an area that is safe, family friendly with moderately priced homes.
To better help the posters on this forum help you, what home price range do you consider to be moderately priced?
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Old 04-03-2009, 06:53 AM
 
Location: Texas
5,872 posts, read 8,117,502 times
Reputation: 2972
Have you looked into McKinney or Frisco?
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Old 04-03-2009, 07:40 AM
 
Location: The Big D
14,860 posts, read 42,992,982 times
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My daughter starts high school next year and will be in the IB program at Garland High School. I've heard nothing but wonderful praise from all parents whose kids have gone to GHS even if they were not in the IB program. My daughter has been in the G&T Magnet program since kindergarten. My youngest is not and there is a night and day difference between the two. The G&T magnet program is AWESOME!!! It is a top notch program with dedicated instructors and administrators that support the program 100%. Right now we are going over my daughters course choices for next year. They are due later next week. No matter what district you pick if you want your child in the IB program for next year........... CALL THE SCHOOL NOW!!! Get all paperwork you need submitted if they will let you. Problem is the districts will not accept it till you show proof of residence in that district. That can be a short term lease. Go to garlandisd.net for more info and feel free to pm me if you want more detailed info about the schools, district and area. It is a VERY NICE area of Dallas and you can still build a new home in some very nice upscale areas in Garland (The Hills of Breckinridge is the best right now and it is small and all custom homes).

Not many districts offer the IB program but Garland has it at Garland High School and Plano has it at Plano East Sr. High. The difference is at Plano East they don't technically "start" the program till they are at Plano East for their jr. year. It is a senior high w/ only 11th & 12th graders.

The Dallas ISD has Yvonne Ewell and Townview which happen to be the top high schools in the nation. A good friend teaches there and LOVES it. If you do not reside in the Dallas ISD you can still get into those schools by applying and testing for it and paying tuition.

If your daughter is accepted into the IB program and is more than capable of doing the work............. KEEP HER IN IT! It can be very rewarding.

Some of the other magnets in the GISD are:
Elementary: Kimberlin, Hillside & Walnut Glen are for the G&T program.
Classical Center at Vial is for the fine arts and even for gymnastics and dance.
Middle School: Austin Academy (I LOVE THIS SCHOOL) for the G&T program and Brandenburg for the fine arts.

Go to this thread for some pics I did of Garland to get an idea of the area:
https://www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...d-my-area.html
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Old 04-03-2009, 12:03 PM
 
Location: Cincy
254 posts, read 985,513 times
Reputation: 109
Quote:
Originally Posted by d_mcbarnes View Post
I'm moving to the area next week and desperately need help figuring out which city would be the best for my family. I have kids in elemetry, indermediate and high school and where we live they are all in magnet schools for gifted students. I'm looking for an area that has an excellent school system with magnet/charter schools and preferably a high school with an IB program as my high schooler is currently in the IB program in her school now. I also want an area that is safe, family friendly with moderately priced homes. My husband and I are looking to buy/build a house in the next 6 months and I don't want to have to pull my kids from yet another school once that happens so I really want to find our temp home in the same area that our permanent home will be.

I'm frantic at this point and totally overwhelmned with facts and figures on the communities and would really like some personal insight as to which communities are the best and why. Some of my new co-workers have suggested Flower Mound, Keller and Grapevine as areas that would be good but I don't see any schools that meet my criteria. Any suggestions?
I too am moving to the DFW and I have been doing a ton of research on schools. I am concentrating on schools with AP classes. If you are looking for IB, check out the HEB Isd, they have two nationally recognized highschools with the IB program, Bell and Trinity. I am in the same boat, we are going to rent for awhile, but yet I have to rent where I "think" I will build/buy since I too have three kids, and I cant move them twice. The move from Ohio is going to be painful enough.
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