Public vs Private schools in Houston (Sugar Land, Bellaire: best schools, college, zoning)

[sreddy26]

My daughter is about to start Kindergarten in the fall, and I am trying to figure out exactly where to send her. We are zoned to Cornerstone in Sugar Land, and while I was impressed with it, I have concerns about it. Namely the class size, the lack of a second language being taught, and the overall cirriculum at Fort bend. But I keep hearing what a great reputation Fort Bend has, so I am wondering if I am missing something.

She applied to the Village school and got in. I would like to reapply to Kinkaid next year as well as St. Johns ( she didn't get into Kinkaid and we missed St Johns deadline). But, how is the village school? Is it a much better experience than Cornerstone would be? Especially if I plan on supplementing her Cornerstone education with a tutor and Spanish classes?



Thanks!

[SL Hawkeye]

I think you would find Cornerstone to be a very good school, but it may fall short of your high expectations. While overcrowding has been an issue due to Telfair's rapid growth, the rezoning should help (assuming the budget doesn't require a massive RIF). As for a foreign language being taught, I doubt you can find a public elementary with foreign language classes outside of ESL programs.

I don't have any advice on private schools, so I'll leave that to those who know what they're talking about.

I applaud your concern over your daughter's education, especially at a Pre-K age. My only advice is that you don't get too caught up in the "education arms race" and forget that your daughter is still a child. That being said, I'll take a parent who is concerned about their child's education over a parent who is ambivalent.

[tkehawk]

You might want to look at Fort Bend Baptist Academy, it isn't just for those who are Baptist.

[fnh]

Presumably since you applied to the Village School you have visited and talked with the teachers and staff there and looked over the curriculum and campus, as well as for your local public school and the other schools to which you applied. What does your gut tell you?

[aerosfan25]

The Village School is an excellent school. With all the budget cuts going on, public education is going to be a mess. I'd go with private if you can afford it.

[westres1]

Village is a good school and academically challenging.

[houstonfan]

Go private if you can afford it in TX. I'm a fan of public school for all the real life experience it provides but in TX, all the schools focus on teaching their students how to pass the TAKS tests and the level of education here is not great compared to many other nations. Private schools tend to be more accountable to the paying parents.

[sreddy26]

Thank you everyone for the information and insight. We can afford the private, although it will mean giving up some stuff but those things are mainly lifestyle niceities. The main reasons I even posted this question because I wasn't sure how good Village school was in comparision to the public FBISD as well as some of the other private schools. We have applied to Kinkaid but didn't get in, so I applied to Village bc it was the only other school I had seen. So, part of me wants to wait a year to get a really good look at all of the privates before we plunk our money down. From the websites, I really liked Awty and St Johns. But I am concerned that she may not get in next year because I figure with kids, things can change a lot in a year

Also, we have a younger child who would be three next year so I could try to get them into the same school which would make life a little easier.
And I guess you all addressed my last concern- the quality of the education. Our whole foray into private school started after she took that WPSII test and did well on it. Her IQ was 125 which I gather is high but not in the gifted range. So I would assume she wouldn't qualify for the G&T programs at Fort Bend. So I am also worried about whether she will get challenged enough.

That and i went to a small private school until high school and then went to Bellaire. And Bellaire kicked my butt. It was hard, but it made my first two years at college pretty easy. So I keep thinking there is academic challenge in public school. Although I also graduated in 1993 so I am guessing things have changed.

Thanks again!

[hello2200]

Originally Posted by sreddy26

My daughter is about to start Kindergarten in the fall, and I am trying to figure out exactly where to send her. We are zoned to Cornerstone in Sugar Land, and while I was impressed with it, I have concerns about it. Namely the class size, the lack of a second language being taught, and the overall cirriculum at Fort bend. But I keep hearing what a great reputation Fort Bend has, so I am wondering if I am missing something.

She applied to the Village school and got in. I would like to reapply to Kinkaid next year as well as St. Johns ( she didn't get into Kinkaid and we missed St Johns deadline). But, how is the village school? Is it a much better experience than Cornerstone would be? Especially if I plan on supplementing her Cornerstone education with a tutor and Spanish classes?



Thanks!

Definitely consider St. John's and Kinkaid, they are known to be the best schools in the city. But also consider River Oaks Baptist, Presbyterian, Annunciation Orthodox, Duschene (for girls), and Village

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by houstonfan

Go private if you can afford it in TX. I'm a fan of public school for all the real life experience it provides but in TX, all the schools focus on teaching their students how to pass the TAKS tests and the level of education here is not great compared to many other nations. Private schools tend to be more accountable to the paying parents.

I really think the TAKS and No Child Left Behind really screwed everything up. I personally felt kids were smarter before 2001 and now? Not so much. It use to be learning everything. Not just what's going to be on a test.

Public school has definitely gone downhill. It wasn't suburb of course but it's gone down with the TAKS, I think.