I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have heard that question from clients moving to The Woodlands from out of state or even a different local school district.
Which School is Best? This is the one of those questions that every parent moving into an area asked. It is also one on those questions that is very tricky to answer. Here in The Woodlands, all of the public schools are rated extremely well. So, when I’m asked which is the best? The question really is which is the VERY best.
My answer is always the same. “It depends on which school best fits your child’s personality and background.” I base this on the three high schools that service The Woodlands.
The three high schools are The Woodlands High School, The Woodlands College Park High School and Tomball High School and service most of The Woodlands. The first two schools are part of the Conroe Independent School District. Both are highly rated, both score equally well, and both produce about the same number of National Merits Scholars, both are extremely academically competitive.
There are differences.
The Woodlands High School is the largest of the schools and has a 4 class a day block schedule. The classes at The Woodlands High School are accelerated into one semester with students spending more time per day in each class. Because of the number of students, the school has two campuses. It has a ninth grade campus and a tenth through twelfth grade campus. While the freshmen often refer to their campus as “kiddie high,” there are quite a few dads happy to have their freshman girls in a different school from the senior boys. The Woodlands High School takes its sports and band very seriously. Ranked among the best of the best, the students spend many hours training. I’m told that getting on the varsity football team is akin to getting accepted to Harvard.
The Woodlands College Park has a traditional 7 class a day schedule. It is the second largest and newest high school. It is the home the highly rated and nationally recognized Academy of Science and Technology. This school houses all four grades on one stunningly beautiful campus. It recently built on an addition referred to as the “fish bowl” by upper classmen. As you can imagine this is a hall that was created most freshman only classes. The students love the location of this campus. Located off of College Park Drive near numerous restaurants, the students often walk over to one of the many restaurants after school to work on group projects or study for exams. While sports and band are well respected, students here tend to have slightly less practice time and a better chance at being on the varsity team.
Tomball High School is part of the Tomball Independent School District and serves the Village of Creekside Park. It is the smallest of the three schools. If you are moving The Woodlands from a more rural or small town environment then Tomball High might be the school for your child.
Schools are like brand name running shoes. You can’t just rely on your research of their reputation, you need to try them on, walk around and see if it’s a good fit. High school is like a running a marathon, you need the best fit possible for the best outcome possible.
If you are thinking about moving to The Woodlands, give me a call or drop me an email. I will gladly share with you my twelve plus years experience with The Woodlands schools.
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