SpringTX

You found the mall, you found the riverwalk and the boat, but you didn't find the town center. The Cheesecake Factory is just part of the mall and the stuff immediately around it. The town center is a little farther from the mall - maybe half a mile away. It looks sort of like what you saw around the Cheesecake Factory, but it's a lot larger, and it resembles a downtown more, with its little blocks of streets and sidewalks. If you drive outside the mall and head west, I think you'll run right into it. I haven't seen the new townhouse community yet, but I think it's right near there, too. I think I've seen the new ice rink, which is there, too. That stuff is all nifty, but that's not the coolest part of The Woodlands. The coolest part is everything else. Drive around the rest for a while. You'll literally drive for miles and miles and see nothing but trees, and almost no signs of civilization anywhere. The McDonald's sign is about 4' tall and hidden behind a tree. The Wal-Mart is nearly impossible to find, and doesn't even look anything like a Wal-Mart when you do find it. Most every residential street seems to be a cul-de-sac, and many or most of the houses are hidden behind trees. There's a hike/bike path along most every road, and they wind away and disappear into the trees. It's almost impossible NOT to get lost when driving in The Woodlands, even if you're familiar with it, and that's half the fun. Many of the roads bend, or even go in circles. There is no logical layout of streets or naming conventions that would aid in navigation. And I would start picking on the people, calling them 99% white-skinned, silicone-breasted, blonde-haired, botox-injected "pretty people", but that would just be shallow and unfair. I think the white population is actually closer to 98%.

The 4000+ for a high school is (or was) common in the Woodlands and nearby. The Woodlands High School last year was over 4000 (between 2 campuses). Both high schools in Spring ISD are well over 4000 right now. But now that trend seems to be changing. The Woodlands plans for its 2 high schools to eventually settle around 3000. And they have a 3rd high school planned (the old McCullough). Spring ISD is building 2 more high schools and they're aiming for under 3000 for both. Everybody's citing research now that shows that smaller schools lead to more successful students.

McCullough is a junior high for now (starting this fall). In a few years, it will be a 3rd high school for The Woodlands. Branch Crossing (formerly junior high) is now a 9th grade center.

In addition to all the wildlife, Spring Creek and Cypress Creek have sandy white beaches and naturally-growing fan palm trees, which surprised me. These new parks should be great. Here's a picture of canoeing in Cypress Creek for those that have never seen it: http://www.paddling.net/places/TX/Images/vsCC.jpg