St. Theresa Catholic School

I wish I had started my daughter at Highland Park. Brentwood is a mega school with and principal that is out of touch with the school and does not engage with parents or students. There is not a strong sense of community and the administration is quite rude. Especially the front office workers, with the exception of Neff. The other two basically scowl at you.

Gullett is such a sweet school. The family involvement is great and everybody tries to take care of each other. The teachers have been great so far. Every classroom has a garden which is so fun and educational. Academics seem high, and I really like the principal, you can tell she really cares about the school absolutely the kids.

Highland Park has a mix of great and horrible teachers in each grade. We had some years that were amazing due to the teacher and other years that were hardly tolerable. Overall, it is fine and better than most AISD elementary schools. The building is in pretty bad shape. The biggest issue we have run into is 5th grade math. In 5th grade, the number of kids per class cap lifts, and our year had 34 kids in the math class. In addition, despite tons of feedback each year from parents, the 5th grade math teacher does not teach math like any of the surrounding schools. The kids are thus not ready for middle school math - everyone we know is doing tutoring or Mathnasium this summer to get caught up. My high-achieving child moved DOWN in math quantile due to the math teacher - she teaches every kid like they are too dumb to understand things like multiplication or division. These kids are not ready for their feeder school math - Lamar, and not ready for Kealing, ARS or private either. Parents are told not to teach their kids algorithms and kids get in trouble for using them in class. It's like remedial math for all. Super disappointing to start out behind in middle school due to this.

Paragon Prep School is truly phenomenal, and we give it our highest recommendation. One of the first things that stood out to us when visiting schools was seeing Paragon graduates—after high school and even college—return to visit their teachers. That speaks volumes about the strong relationships and sense of community the school creates.We love Paragon’s motto, “Work Hard. Play Hard. Be Kind.” It perfectly reflects both the school culture and what education should be about. Paragon is also wonderful for busy families, offering a wide variety of before- and after-school programs, enrichment classes, sports, and summer camps.Paragon’s Valor program ensures new students feel welcomed and connected from day one. The school year even begins and ends with a pool party! There are many fun traditions and celebrations, including Elvis Day, Chinese New Year, Día de los Muertos, and a full week of roller skating. Students are placed into “colleges” and enjoy earning points through school spirit, volunteering, and community service, creating friendly competition throughout the year.Engaging field trips are an integral part of the curriculum, and the school also offers international trips for families during the summer. We accompanied the sixth graders on a trip to Colonial Virginia, and it was a truly enriching experience for both the students and our family.Our middle school son is proud to be taking all honors classes, and even with the academic rigor, he is able to play three school sports while also practicing another outside of school. With Valor and study hall, students have ample time to complete homework and stay organized.We are deeply grateful for the exceptional educators and staff who have made such a lasting difference in our son’s life. A special shoutout to Mrs. Lype, Mrs. Correro, Coach Josh, Coach Nick, Mrs. Behr, Mr. Wyatt, Mr. Stubblefield, Mr. Aidan, Mr. Cory, Mr. Joey, and Mrs. Hay! Our son will undoubtedly become one of the many Paragon graduates who return to visit the teachers, staff, and administrators who helped shape his journey.