VicMan

Again, I know that wealthy people send their kids to Pershing, but I have a feeling that their kids do not interact with the kids in the regular classes (as in the kind who start fights such as described that report likely have no motivation to travel in the university preparatory route).

Niche, man those are some broad generalizations of the wealthy. This is what scares WestU parents from sending their kids to Pershing...

http://www.braeswoodplace.org/index.cfm/ac.../startrow/2.htm

Those criminals will be so embarrassed.

By choosing Miles, they made complete fools of themselves.

Some West U families go to Lanier MS (Remember that Lanier is also (like Pershing) major feeder school for Bellaire HS and Lamar HS).

EDIT: This one kid, who is in GT classes, says that most of the kids in the GT classes at Pershing are wealthy.

Which Sheraton Houston are you talking about? There are three:

* Sheraton Houston Brookhollow - 3000 North Loop West Freeway, Houston, TX, 77092

* Sheraton Suites Houston near the Galleria - 2400 West Loop South, Houston, TX, 77027-4204

* Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental - 15700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77032

I think the links expire. Chris, is there a place where you could upload the PDF file?

has any mention been made (outside of racial purposes) as to why Klein's southern boundaries snake into Houston in the middle of two districts?

All of the KISD boundary is unincorporated Harris County. The southernmost part is inside Beltway 8.

Pershing, from the statistics, seems to be a fairly diverse school racially (White plurality at 36%) and socioeconomically (free lunch is 40%) - I know some people who go there.

Pershing is actually considered to be among the top HISD middle schools - not as good as Lanier, but close to Lanier.

This attitude just bugs the &%*$ out of me. I totally understand it, but maybe, just maybe, the world would be a better place if we all just didn't leave the poor behind at every turn and act like they don't exist. Maybe, just maybe, those kids from the apartments would have a better life if the parents who had the money and time to make Pershing a better school stayed on as active parents instead of running away from the slightest perceived differences. Additionally, maybe those kids of the wealthy West U parents would grow up with a little bit more respect for the different classes than their parents currently have.

Of course, that just isn't reality. The end result is a totally segregated school systems (by class and race) where the poor kids know right off the bat that society doesn't give a damn about them. How's that turning out for us?

Sorry for the rant, but it just irks me.

Thanks - how diverse is the neighborhood? How do the neighbors get along etc? Is it overly snooty due to the wealth there?

I would like my kids to have some semblence of a "normal" upbringing if you know what I mean. I also value some diversity of thought and ethnicity.

The city of West University's ethnic makeup is shown here in the 2000 census:

* 92.37% White

* 4.74% Asian

* 1.41% Two or more races

* 0.90% Other races

* 0.50% African-American

* 0.07% Native American

* 0.02% Pacific Islander

Of the population, 4.72% is Hispanic.

Anyway, the zoned middle and high schools are more racially and socioeconomically diverse since they serve many neighborhoods.

In my view, Houston's diversity doesn't show in neighborhoods but in services and places used by community members (i.e. schools, public libraries, etc.)

WestU elementary rocks, but I know most of the families try and move their kids to private school when they reach middle school because they don't want their kids going to school with apartment dwellers from Braeswood. There are still some rough parts that is zoned to Pershing. The mayor did try and implore WestU families to send them to the all new Pershing. But most friends I've talked to won't do it.

I believe most of the apartments zoned to Pershing that are "rough" are zoned to Shearn Elementary School. Those apartments are also zoned to Madison High School.

Dowling is severely overcrowded, so perhaps a new middle school somewhere near Shearn ES could help.

Bellaire is also part of the Houston ISD.

Depending on the section of Bellaire, residents may be zoned to one of three elementary schools serving Bellaire:

* Horn Academy serves Bellaire residents inside the 610 Loop

* Condit Elementary School serves most Bellaire residents outside of the 610 Loop

* Lovett Elementary School (in Houston) serves a few Bellaire residents outside of the 610 Loop

The middle school assignment is the same as West U's - Zoned to Pershing, option of Pin Oak

Bellaire High School is the zoned high school of Bellaire.

Profiles:

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Condit_ES.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Horn_ES.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Lovett_ES.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Pershing_MS.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/PinOak_MS.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Bellaire_HS.pdf

Websites:

* Condit: http://es.houstonisd.org/condites/

* Horn: http://es.houstonisd.org/hornes/

* Lovett: http://es.houstonisd.org/lovettes/

* Pershing: http://www.pershingms.org/

* Pin Oak: http://www.pinoak.us/

* Bellaire: http://www.bellaire.org/

If you are looking for a somewhat affordable place to live where it is clean and safe then Meyerland is your best bet. Kolter or Parker are your primary schools while Johnston is the middle school. You would have to use private school for High since one should go into Westbury High only with a concealed weapon, a tazer, and a ballistics vest on. Meyerland has excellent access to the city, mature tree lined streets, well kept large yards, and homes that are not cookie cutters (all look the same) like most post WW2 era tract housing or McMansions built in the past 20 years.

Meyerland proper is zoned to Bellaire High School. Some neighborhoods near Meyerland are zoned to Westbury.

West University Place is an upper middle class family haven. The center of the city includes a library operated by Harris County, a community center, the municipal headquarters, the fire station, and the zoned Houston ISD elementary school.

The local elementary school, West University Elementary School, is among the highest ranked schools in Houston ISD. The zoned middle school, Pershing Middle School, just received a brand new building. People in West U also have the option to attend Pin Oak Middle School. Lamar High School is West University Place's zoned high school.

So, here are the profiles:

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/WestUniversity_ES.pdf - West University Elementary School

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Pershing_MS.pdf - Pershing Middle School

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/PinOak_MS.pdf - Pin Oak Middle School (option)

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Lamar_HS.pdf - Lamar High School

Websites are here:

* http://es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity - West University Elementary School

* http://www.pershingms.org/ - Pershing Middle School

* http://www.pinoak.us/ - Pin Oak Middle School (option)

* http://hs.houstonisd.org/lamarhs - Lamar High School

The same topic was posted on this forum as well: http://www.city-data.com/forum/houston/111...ading-away.html

The Davis Food City on Stella Link closed. Does this mean that Davis Food City is in trouble?

This is probably why HISD rebuilt Wheatley; HISD figured that the 5th Ward would not gentrify (and therefore, prevennt a loss of its school-aged population).

The 5th (as it is commonly known, north of I-10 and east of I-45) is a hard sell. The third is sandwiched in between the TMC and UH/TSU, each major regional activity centers, and also has somewhat better connectivity with downtown. For someone that has been in Houston reasonably long, odds are that they've cut through the 3rd numerous times to get one place or the other. The fifth is out of everybody's way and doesn't really but up against anything other than industrial facilities. Also, whereas the 3rd receives a lot of politicial support from wealthy folks in the neighborhoods that line Brays Bayou, the 5th doesn't have that kind of backing. The 5th also earned the "bloody 5th" moniker back in the 80's and has had difficulty shedding the reputation. Add to that all the flooding problems, even if they aren't unique in that respect, it just doesn't make for an environment very conducive to urban redevelopment.

The East End, 3rd Ward, Near Northside, and perhaps several areas just outside the loop are going to face redevelopment pressures and become substantially transformed long before it hits the 5th Ward in any meaningful way.

sounds like a problem with the judge.

What is the name of this judge? What was the case?

The court of HAIF is now in session

Moni, he's saying that people may not see problems with rail but they may look down at using the bus.

I made a transportation thread at the Kingwood Underground forum, and I found people who were willing to use commuter rail but did not want to use the bus.

Sooo, you're saying that mass transit would only appeal to "low class people?" Or, are you saying that riding the bus makes you "lower class"?? This is a strange comment.

101 Stratford is zoned to in Houston ISD:

* Gregory-Lincoln Education Center (K-8)

* Lamar High School (9-12)

AISD has been naming their new campuses after teachers and firefighters. I don't believe those people are dead or high level appointees to anything.

Which AISD? (Aldine? Alief?)

Since Rod Paige has a stained legacy, I would like for my alma mater school district to leave Bowie as is. Should I check to see if there are hearings about this?

Should I check if the Bowie ES population (I.E. residents of the neighborhood) REALLY wants it renamed?

Its a shame none of his closer friends tried to stop him. Its obvious he was planning this, on his myspace he has a picture of a cruise ship and a quote (something like) "I always plan ahead".

Where is it?

On the ship? Or in port?

Between the e-coli infested food and water, and not to mention the real life pirates, cruise ships these days seem very ... dangerous.

In port - As in, it was in an excursion into Jamaica.

Oh, then, I wonder if the group organizing the commuter rail service

Vic METRO isn't doing commuter rail. hopefully the county will take charge quickly instead.

Vic do you see trains going 70-80 mph in Houston proper?

I can't tell speeds of trains (as in how many MPH) just by looking at them. On the tracks in my area, the trains go slowly at crossings. But I am not sure if this is because of the specific crossing.

The Trinity Railway Express in Dallas, as an example, posts speeds of its trains. Maximum speeds exceed 65 MPH, but the only average speed I see is the Rail Diesel Car (45 MPH) - http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/trerollingstock.html

So, what is the maximum speed of the specific commuter rail vehicle that METRO plans to use?

Remember that, on most freeways, the speed limit is 60 MPH, and buses ought to respect the speed limit (on some it is 65 MPH). So, I would believe that a commuter rail train would go about 10-20 MPH faster than the maximum speed allowed for a bus.

Are there specifications of the commuter rail vehicles that METRO wishes to use?

This area HAS seen a crush of students. they've built 2 new elementary schools to accomodate in Pecan Park alone. In the Pecan Park area, there are 4 elementary schools now. For one neighborhood, i'm sure that isn't commonplace. Remember, I was only talking East End so i won't address the other schools mentioned. One other factor is charter schools which seem to be popular on the East side.

Ah - that's the complete opposite of what I was finding (schools losing population) on the forum - that shows that closing schools in the Milby feeder pattern makes no sense at all.