Relocating to Harlingen (Houston, El Paso, Mercedes: sex offenders, high school, college)

[schog]

We are moving from El Paso to Harlingen this summer. My husband has Valley Baptist Hospital assigned as his clinical site and we will be there for a year. Ive never been to RGV farthest east I have gone is Houston. I need some info on the area. I was looking at Bayview and a couple of towns around Harlingen. From researching the area the 78550 has a large number of sex offenders and was hoping to stay clear of that area. My husband will have to commute daily and willing to no more than 45 min a day. I dont mind living outside Harlingen if it means safer, nicer and quieter. I have 2 children that will be entering their freshman year and wanted to know if there are any charter schools or secular schools in the area. Ive searched online and only find nonsec schools. Ive researched all the demos on the area but wanted some real life input. You know the kind of secrets only the locals know. Ive never seen Harlingen or even heard of this place before so ANY info will help.

[lone sailor]

Harlingen Mom looking for other secular and/or unschooling familes

[Spree]

Treasure Hills is a nice area of Harlingen, and close to the hospitals. Harlingen South is the high school, but there is also Med High in Mercedes that's a really good school. I believe it's charter. Anyone in the Valley can go if they meet the requirements. I'm not sure what those are you might want to contact them if interested. Med High - Index

[schog]

Treasure Hills I cant find that on the map. My kids are a little anxious whats there to do for teens? My daughter's assistant director Grandmother lives in Harlingen and told me they opened up some nice malls. Other threads make Harlingen sound like a ghost town. Whats the deal?

[texan55]

Originally Posted by schog

Treasure Hills I cant find that on the map. My kids are a little anxious whats there to do for teens? My daughter's assistant director Grandmother lives in Harlingen and told me they opened up some nice malls. Other threads make Harlingen sound like a ghost town. Whats the deal?

what are your kids like?

there are usually shows in mcallen on the weekends.


if theyre into eco stuffs there's PLENTY to do.

[schog]

They're typical teenagers. One is having to leave her metal band and the other is a nature girl. That's the one that's excited. They are band geeks at their school and hope to continue playing at whatever high school we land on. The only thing is that they are Latina but do not speak Spanish. We had a problem at one school in NM where they were the odd ones out and of course weren't in on the inside joke (them). Were hoping to not have that repeated. So I'm a little leery about what school to send them too. Reading some of the posts has me a little scared. Were looking forward to living by a coast we used to live on the northwest coast so this is sort of cool to live by an opposite coast.

[Spree]

The mall in Harlingen is lacking. I think the floors have been redone but as for shopping, not good. There is a Dillards and a JC Penney and possibly a Sears if it's still there but the rest of the stores in the mall, from what I remember, won't interest your teens.

There is a new outlet mall that has opened up in Mercedes, about 20 minutes or so away Rio Grande Valley Outlet Mall stores Mercedes Outlet Mall

Treasure Hills is a subdivision/housing area of Harlingen, directly northeast of the Valley Baptist Hospital, I would say about a mile away. Another nice area is the Country Club area off of Stuart Place Road on the west side of Harlingen.

[schog]

Originally Posted by Spree

Treasure Hills is a nice area of Harlingen, and close to the hospitals. Harlingen South is the high school, but there is also Med High in Mercedes that's a really good school. I believe it's charter. Anyone in the Valley can go if they meet the requirements. I'm not sure what those are you might want to contact them if interested. Med High - Index

Thanks Spree, spoke to a RA today and will take a look around Treasure Hills next month when we go scouting. Thanks again

[schog]

Anyone know anything about Early College High School? What the difference from Harlingen High and Harlingen South. What would anyone recommend?

[elvalle_mayne]

Originally Posted by schog

They're typical teenagers. One is having to leave her metal band and the other is a nature girl. That's the one that's excited. They are band geeks at their school and hope to continue playing at whatever high school we land on. The only thing is that they are Latina but do not speak Spanish. We had a problem at one school in NM where they were the odd ones out and of course weren't in on the inside joke (them). Were hoping to not have that repeated. So I'm a little leery about what school to send them too. Reading some of the posts has me a little scared. Were looking forward to living by a coast we used to live on the northwest coast so this is sort of cool to live by an opposite coast.

There's a lot of kids who can't speak Spanish in the valley and are Mexican. yeah they get picked on a bit, but isn't that a part of growing up? As long as they can stand up for themselves (a simple shut up it's annoying will suffice) they'll be fine. Fact is, the students are just giving them a hard time for the sake of it, not like they're really trying to shun them out of society.