Old Lake Highlands

Our first year at Hexter felt like a bait and switch. We had a lot of issues with the new principal's receptiveness and generally found many of the families to be kind of...social climby and rude and their kids seem to act the same way, not really how I want my child to learn to act. Everyone echoes "parental involvement is amazeballs at Hexter!" but it is almost a competitive sport leaving little room for actual participation, for example, lunch signups go FAST and there's a baseline expectation to put in tons of volunteer work with people whose entire adult social life revolved around their childrens school with the principal at the center of it as the queen bee. And for what? The test scores are average and only slightly better than other DISD schools because the demographics. I am sure the new campus will be beautiful and I think we got unlucky that this was our first year during the building chaos but I'm not sure we will stick around to hope for it to be worth it.

St. John’s Episcopal School has been an absolute gift to our family. The love, care, and intentional support they’ve shown both of our children goes far beyond what we ever expected from a school. From day one, we felt like we weren’t just enrolling our kids—we were joining a true community.We are especially grateful to Meshea Matthews, whose compassion, advocacy, and guidance were nothing short of life-changing for our family. When our oldest child was diagnosed with dyslexia, she walked alongside us every step of the way, helping us navigate next steps and ultimately supporting us in finding an incredible new school where our child could truly thrive. That level of care—putting the child first, even when it meant helping us transition elsewhere—speaks volumes about the integrity and heart of this school.St. John’s fosters a genuinely caring, family-like environment where every child is known, valued, and supported as an individual. The sense of community among teachers, staff, students, and families is something truly special. On top of that, the facilities are outstanding—beautiful, thoughtfully designed spaces that reflect the school’s commitment to excellence in both education and environment.We often find ourselves saying how much we wish schools like this existed when we were kids. St. John’s sets the bar incredibly high, and we will always be thankful for the role it played in our children’s lives and in our family’s journey. We couldn’t recommend it more highly.

Amazing teachers do way more than educate - they inspire & we have found that at SJES. We have been blessed with the teachers & entire staff. All the teachers make eye contact, always friendly, & are available to talk AND email. The teachers are very professional & caring. They are also very educated & serious about their jobs. They treat all of the children with love & respect. The director, Loree, is very compassionate & listens to parents. She is truly invested in the happiness & education of the children & takes the time to know each of them individually; she also makes it a priority to get to know the parents. You feel like your child is the most important concern at SJES. My son LOVES attending this school. The schools approach to education fosters a love of learning. My son learns because he is given some basic knowledge & the freedom & support to explore further. I also feel secure that there is a lock-pad on the door in the entryway, so you have to be buzzed in. What we love about SJES: Involved Parent Community, Low Turnover Rate of the School Staff, Imagination Blocks & the Large Open Playground - have you been to the bear cave?!