OT - Need the Board's input on FW private schools
- Thread starter Armadillo
- Start date
Genbukan
Full Member
Its very similar to higher education. The larger public schools can not only offer an education equal to private schools, in many cases there are more educational opportunities. Just look at the number of degrees you can pursue at UT vs. TCU.
The advantage that the private schools have is smaller class size that allows for a closer interaction between student and teacher. Because its smaller it can also be more nurturing. Sad to say but perhaps the biggest factor that leads parents to choose to pay for a private school education is safety and discipline - issues that are even more important when kids are younger. Kids that cause trouble in a private school don't stay around and that allows the rest of the kids grow and learn.
And lets be honest - in a lot of cases there is a definite "class" or "elitism" factor that enters into the decision.
I'm a huge proponent of school choice but the bottom line is there are kids that graduate from big city public schools that are every bit as smart and successful as private school honor students. As long as the schools are safe its often times more about what the kids (and their parents) make out of their opportunity - not where they find the opportunity.
GlendarrochFrog
Full Member
Covenant Classical, bruh. Great academics, athletics are way behind, and it is a seriously Christian school. Best value in the business but if Christianity is not their thing, it won't be a good fit.
TCURiggs
Active Member
I like your thinking. We got lucky and bought into Tanglewood almost 9 years ago, when it was much more affordable, and my oldest will start Kindergarten in August. I told my wife the other day that we probably just need to stay put until our kids get through Tanglewood, then sell, make good money on our house, and buy in Westcliff or something. That would make TVS much less painful if we decide to go that route, which we probably won't. Ha
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Frog-in-law1995
Active Member
Once we get the school thing settled, let's debate assembly vs. steeplechase.
Paradoxotaur
Full Member
The move to TAPPS is going to be a huge improvement for All Saints' as a whole. TAPPS is more than just an athletic conference, and provides tons of academic and artistic opportunities that weren't available to the school before. Things like conferences, competitions, trips, etc. for students and faculty.
SPC is really just an athletic conference. So while it was good to be associated with the other "prestigious" schools in Texas and Oklahoma, it didn't really impact anything outside of athletics. SPC was once great, but it really seems to be headed in the wrong direction, and member schools are starting to drop out one by one. I honestly think the conference will be dead, or will at least look totally different, within the next 10 years. TAPPS seems to be headed in the right direction and making the changes necessary to thrive in the present day climate.
I know that All Saints' is very excited about the move to TAPPS. We'll see what happens with everyone else.
Frog-in-law1995
Active Member
You know a Zac Thomson?
TCUdirtbag
Active Member
Yeah, no way we are paying for Tanglewood and private. It's one or the others. And if we start then in Tanglewood we'll probably push them all the way through public/Paschall
wes
KIllerfrog Emeritus
Why would All Saints move to TAPPS?
TCUdirtbag
Active Member
Pretty much in line with what All Saints folks have told us. And one reason we are glad we have 3 years before we have to have a final decision. FWCD and TVS appear very committed to SPC and snobby about not being in TAPPS.
TCUdirtbag
Active Member
ftwfrog
Active Member
I love Fort Worth. But if you're going to pay $20,000 a year to go to a private school, (especially for 2 children) why not turn that money into a house in a district where you approve of the schools? Unless of course money isn't an issue.
In my opinion you're paying for who you surround your kids with, it's not necessarily a "better education".
Dirtbag, There are some amazing teachers and programs at Paschall.
In my opinion you're paying for who you surround your kids with, it's not necessarily a "better education".
Dirtbag, There are some amazing teachers and programs at Paschall.
Paradoxotaur
Full Member
Because the SPC "division" model is stupid and the travel requirements are absurd for families, especially when the other 2 Fort Worth schools refuse to play you in football.
Among many other things.
There are tons of issues with the SPC right now. All Saints' wasn't the first school to leave recently, and it certainly won't be the last.
ShadowFrog
Moderators
If you're looking at Haslet or Colleyville then recommend looking at Trophy Club, excellent schools, town, homes, police, fire, parks etc.
flyfishingfrog
Active Member
Well - this is probably worse than debating religion or politics in Ft Worth.
Between my 4 kids that graduate a long time ago and the 8 grandkids currently between K - 12, I have a lot of experience in both public (the Tanglewood to Paschal route) and private (the three majors at least) if you want to PM me I would be happy to share our family's experience.
But in the end - They need to do their own research and not really depend on the opinions of people - there is so much misinformation out there it is impossible to get the truth in comparing each option simply from asking individuals from their experiences alone.
But I will tell you this - in the end, if you go private - go visit them and determine which one fits their family and their children - and don't let other people influence your gut or worry about pre-conceived opinions of each school or their strengths/weaknesses. I have grandkids at all 3 right at this moment and some are literally brothers/sisters - each school provides a great education and has different atmospheres and approaches.
I can tell you my grandkids wouldn't trade places with each for all the money in the world but only they can tell you why it is for them and why where their sibling or cousin goes isn't.
I also have 2 of them in the public school system - and there is a lot of good info out there but also a lot of people who don't really understand Alice Carlson ALC vs Tanglewood, what life is like after elementary or what the difference is between the Honors program at Paschal and the rest of the overall High School itself. So even there, you need to do your research.
A kid that will love FWCD may dislike TVS and vice versa due to atmosphere, artistic focus, athletics, teachers, etc.
A kid that likes Public school may not like private because of the fact that kids have known each other since K and they classes are small or may do even better with the smaller class sizes.
All the private schools have lower student to teacher ratios - which is one of the drivers of why people go - but it is only one thing to consider just like diversity is an advantage of public schools, but still only one thing.
Look what universities the schools have relationships with for curriculum and classes, see where the graduating students have been accepted and are attending school, if athletics are important - talk to the coaches, if science or math is important - ask about their approach and how they teach to individual students, but get them to show you also and same for the arts.
Between my 4 kids that graduate a long time ago and the 8 grandkids currently between K - 12, I have a lot of experience in both public (the Tanglewood to Paschal route) and private (the three majors at least) if you want to PM me I would be happy to share our family's experience.
But in the end - They need to do their own research and not really depend on the opinions of people - there is so much misinformation out there it is impossible to get the truth in comparing each option simply from asking individuals from their experiences alone.
But I will tell you this - in the end, if you go private - go visit them and determine which one fits their family and their children - and don't let other people influence your gut or worry about pre-conceived opinions of each school or their strengths/weaknesses. I have grandkids at all 3 right at this moment and some are literally brothers/sisters - each school provides a great education and has different atmospheres and approaches.
I can tell you my grandkids wouldn't trade places with each for all the money in the world but only they can tell you why it is for them and why where their sibling or cousin goes isn't.
I also have 2 of them in the public school system - and there is a lot of good info out there but also a lot of people who don't really understand Alice Carlson ALC vs Tanglewood, what life is like after elementary or what the difference is between the Honors program at Paschal and the rest of the overall High School itself. So even there, you need to do your research.
A kid that will love FWCD may dislike TVS and vice versa due to atmosphere, artistic focus, athletics, teachers, etc.
A kid that likes Public school may not like private because of the fact that kids have known each other since K and they classes are small or may do even better with the smaller class sizes.
All the private schools have lower student to teacher ratios - which is one of the drivers of why people go - but it is only one thing to consider just like diversity is an advantage of public schools, but still only one thing.
Look what universities the schools have relationships with for curriculum and classes, see where the graduating students have been accepted and are attending school, if athletics are important - talk to the coaches, if science or math is important - ask about their approach and how they teach to individual students, but get them to show you also and same for the arts.
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Bob
Active Member
If you want to save money, move to W. Seminary area and let you daughter go to Rosemont.
TCUdirtbag
Active Member
OP specifically requested insight on private schools though. You don't have to convince me - I'm a public school product. Wife was a private school kid though.
We have no desire to live outside central Fort Worth and though paying 20k/yr/kid is absurd we could swing it. Our concerns are non-academic with Tanglewood and Paschal and more about the middle school, the event our kids aren't as smart as they'd need to be to get into the gifted/AP bubble at Paschal (I'm concerned about the environment in the classrooms of the average classes), and if they actually want to play sports and might have more opportunities to do that in a private school than in a big 6A public school. We have our concerns about private school culture/insulation as well.
Bob
Active Member
That being said, I went to Everman which was a nice school until it was annexed into the FWISD. After that, it was interesting - fights every day, police in the parking lots, but it was still a place I liked to play sports and graduate from. Nothing in the Vietnam era Army could compare with a day at Everman, and I always felt confident based on my experiences there. So, there is something to be said for public school - as a student you learn what it takes to compete in life. After the Army, life a TCU was a breeze. Nothing but a bunch of Brilesbag hippie wannabes playing Country Joe on their $1,000 stereos, that their daddies bought, blasting full bore into the quad behind Sadler, while the ROTC kids were practicing drills.
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