Kealing Middle School

I am a Kealing graduate, went to LBJ Science Academy, then UT-Austin for engineering, then Harvard/MIT for a MD/PhD. I can only say that Kealing started it all for me. I was challenged, disciplined, and engaged to learn more and do better. Kealing prepared me for LBJ by allowing me to take advanced math classes and the science electives to this day were some of my favourites. I think the academic rigor and creative classes really set apart and self-designed a curriculum that excited me. Also, something that is very important and not to be overlooked... At the time, the neighborhood was pretty rough, (gang-related?) fights everyday and we had to wear our backpacks in front of us during lunch so our graphing calculators wouldn't get stolen. Some parents may think that this is a dangerous situation that they would never want their kids to encounter. It was an invaluable part of growing up and helped me learn the so called "street smarts" and a good dose of reality. And as a physician, people from multiple diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic levels have said that they can relate to me more since I understand their background. Thank you Kealing + LBJ. A winning combination.

Kealing was definitely the right choice for me. I never had a challenge back in elementary school, and going into Kealing was just what I needed for my level. There's always a challenge waiting around the corner to get you, and only you can decide whether or not you will fight back and conquer the beast. If you feel like school is too easy for you, then come to Kealing if you're willing to fight back.

A lot can change in the 20 or so years since I was a student at Kealing but it sounds like the work load and academic standards have not. As a 34 year old graduate of an Ivy league university, law school and MBA school, and Kealing, I can honestly say Kealing was the hardest, most challenging and stressful academic experience of my life. I would agree that the work load was probably "developmentally inappropriate" as I clearly remember working 5-7 hours a night, and these two years being among the most stressful of my life. However, in highschool honors classes there was a huge difference between students who went to Kealing vs Murchison and others. Also, the discipline and study skills I learned at Kealing carried me through highschool and ultimately the rest of my life. I never again want to work that hard consistently, but when the need emerges, I know how to turn on the focus needed for this kind of endurance. Ultimately this experience shaped who I am for the better, though it definitely came at a price. I know my success later in life started at Kealing.

I work at Kealing MS in the Magnet Program. Our program is worthwhile for most students and families who join, since it really is a microcosm of life-in-general, with a few added supports and a few unique hurdles of its own. The pros? Students prone to "check out" in normal public school because they feel they're way ahead of the game almost certainly won't do so in this program. Between the accelerated curriculum, the robust extracurricular clubs/sports, and the wide variety of elective opportunities, a kid has no room to be bored. In addition, teachers have enough autonomy to create/modify curriculum to the accelerated needs of the students. Students create poetry, plant gardens, build musical instruments, study the stars, and much more. The cons? Sometimes the curriculum is heaped too high for the child's/family's time to manage. Sometimes the teacher doesn't fully understand the student's unique needs or family situation. Sometimes a student feels overwhelmed or misunderstood. But the best part? IT'S JUST MIDDLE SCHOOL. All its absurdities and stressors perfectly foreshadow those found in later life, but in a safer environment with some more room for mistakes. And learning.
—Submitted by a teacher

I am a current 7th grader, and I know that this school is tough. The academics are rigorous and the amount of homework I have can be a lot. But I feel like I'm learning so much more than I did at my normal public school. The courses are absolutely amazing! The math and science courses offered are really advanced and I'm learning more than I ever thought I would in middle school. I really do love Kealing Middle School. I would recommend it to anyone that wants more of a challenge than a regular public school can offer.

Alrighty hate to be this one person, but Kealing is one of the best schools ever. Current Student in eighth grade so I've been through what your kids have been through. I couldn't have written this without Kealing. It has taught me many outlets of expressing myself, writing being one of those. I work on homework, on the bus, and at school during classes. If i sit down and focus I'm done in 45 minutes what apparently takes kids 4 years. It's not cause I'm better than others, it's because I focus. It takes kids doing "homework" on computers like 10x longer cause they multi task. Also this load of homework in Seveth grade. Been there done that. So easy. All you had to do was focus. I did Algebra and German as well. The teachers there are the best. They support critical thinking. In the end we don't follow district guidelines until we have to. We learn sometimes really useful things. Sometimes though we don't learn anything, because we think to much on a journal entry and debate. Overall Kealing in my opinion is one of the best schools for intellectual knowledge and for your kid to learn more. By that I mean interacting. I have scraped friends made new ones. Easy and a good thing too.

Parents beware--the magnet program challenges the kids, however, the negative reviews on this site are right. The homework load is outrageous. My kid frequently has over 5 hours of work each night--no breaks, works continuously , even at the dinner table. After school sports and clubs had to be dropped to keep up.The load is so great that parents started complaining on the listserve. They reported stressed out kids, lots of tears and frustration. Administrators conducted a survey confirming the problem. 1 in 3 parents said they considered removing their kids from the school. Teachers have unrealistic expectations and can be a tad sadistic. In group projects one member of the group usually does not do their part so the others are up late picking up the slack. The new principal seems to want to change things but it's wait and see. A.teacher at a very prestigious private high school once told me not to worry about getting my child into the best schools until high school where it would really matter most. I wish I had listened and kept my student in our home school & then attempted to get into LASA which I hear has a wonderful, positive learning environment. We will not be back.
—Submitted by a parent

The classes are extremely engaging, but the amount of work loaded on these kids is developmentally inappropriate. I have a post graduate degree in Education, and wanted my son to attend this school to be challenged; instead he is beginning to feel like he can't make the grade. I am trying to ascertain if the strong academics partnered with my child's plummeting self-esteem outweigh the "regular" curriculum of our neighborhood school where my child's self-esteem would remain intact. This school is not for everyone, and just because your child is bright/gifted does not mean this is the right learning environment for them. Is Kealing a good school? Yes, it is a good school. Is it for everyone? No, absolutely not.What would make Kealing a great school? Have a more inclusive accelerated curriculum that engages and encourages all students learning styles. Also, keep in mind an accelerated curriculum does not mean you must teach the students as if they are in college, challenge them , push them, but keep your teaching practices and expectations in line with the developmentally appropriate guidelines for the tweens and early teens you are charged with educating.
—Submitted by a parent

Is Kealing Magnet harder? Yes. Is it better? Not sure. Some instruction seemed unnecessarily difficult. On the other hand, students do learn self-discipline. Is there more opportunity? Definitely lots of electives and after school activities. Are the kids great? Yes. Are teachers really engaged? Not in our experience. This one really surprised us. In fact, our student felt anonymous among Kealing Magnet teachers and considered returning to our former AISD middle school for its excellent teacher-student relationships.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm a 7th grade magnet student at Kealing Middle School, and overall I would have to say Kealing is a great school. It's great for any child who is looking for a challenge, yes there's a lot of homework (it decreases as the year progress) but it is a great experience and a great advantage in their future. Kealing makes sure you are ready for life coming ahead and will make high school and college a breeze if you are successful. Don't freak if your child's grades than normal, it's normal the curriculum's are harder and challenging but overall it's a great school and highly recommend it for any bright child looking for a challenge!

I cannot speak to the quality of the regular/CAP program, but as far as the Magnet School I can't say enough great things. My kid was utterly bored the last year of elementary school and Kealing completely woke her up. Yes, its tough, but all the kids in her group are completely supportive and devoted to making it. The classes are interesting and challenging. You MUST stay on top of the homework every day or you will sink, guaranteed, but if you can set the right rules for getting it done, its super worth it, and my kid takes a perverse pride in knowing she's in the toughest school in the city. The orchestra is amazing, the electives fun, the core classes challenging. Our kid immediately made new friends who were also eager to learn. I am so impressed by the level of smarts at this school. There are downsides: friends are scattered all over town and hard to see after school. The cafeteria is dysfunctional so plan on taking lunch. Really, my kid never had time to eat after going through the line, so we gave up. But overall, Amazing school. Demanding but brilliant.
—Submitted by a parent

My child is now in the 7th grade Kealing Magnet program and it is far more sane for him than 6th grade was. He only has 1 hour homework a night and no longer has huge projects due every 6 weeks in multiple classes. I have not had to help him with any subjects other than some linear algebra they touched on for a week. That was hard core, but thankfully a short chapter. This has been a very easy year for the family. Nothing like 6th grade. My son is holding a 92 average in most core classes, 95 in English and history. He is a smart child but loves to goof off and play. He is still a child at heart. 7th grade is not crushing his spirit like 6th grade almost did last year. I no longer drive him so hard either. 92% in math and science are fine. He is 12. KM 85% is like A plus in other schools. Don't freak if your A+ baby drops to the 80's in a class or two. That holds double for 6th grade. Best of luck!
—Submitted by a parent

Our 6th grader in the Kealing Magnet program is having a great time. He is finally getting academic instruction and challenge at an appropriate level for him. For years we paid extra for math instruction through the Stanford EPGY program and now he is able to take math at his level. His other classes are also very high caliber and interesting to him. The coordination between English and World Cultures is great. And science and band are both fun and challenging. He spends about 1 hour on homework during the week and just a couple hours on the weekend. I think this is very acceptable. I think some kids at Kealing may not have good preparation for scheduling their time but it's a skill they WILL eventually have to learn to get into a great college. Being a Stanford graduate household, this is what we want for our kids and I think this is the way to prepare them for that caliber school. Kealing isn't for every kid and some kids will mature later and not be ready for the responsibility and work yet. But if your student is really motivated and is aceing their elementary school work then Kealing may be a good option for them.
—Submitted by a parent

It has good teachers, really! And it should be, considering its' a magnet school. YAY!!

People complain about teachers being too harsh or the homework being too hard, but as a 7th grader at the school I can say that that's the point. You sign up knowing that you will be subjected to a heavy workload and possible stress, and you deal with it if you are actually interested in receiving superior education. If you don't then the consequences are your fault. Students at school are happy and supportive of each other and there is a strong, positive community. The curriculum is rigorous and covers much more ground than regular schools. Kealing also has great orchestra and band programs and a huge selection of fun, engaging electives that aren't offered at any other school. It's really a personal matter. You will hate the school if you can't handle the workload, but if you can the academic and personal rewards are great.

I am a current 8th grader at Kealing in the magnet program, and it is one of the best learning experiences I've ever had. The curriculum is rigorous and difficult, but fun to learn about and gives you good study habits. There is a lot of homework but I enjoy doing it and I still have time for extracurriculars and friends. The orchestra program is also amazing and in the top ten middle school orchestras in the state. You make friends with kids in both programs and people from all over the city. The teachers are excited about teaching and we want to learn.

I would strongly encourage everyone to stay away from Kealing Magnet School. They screen kids to get the smart ones but heap so much homework on them as if they can't comprehend! Three hours of homework a night is routine. There isn't any room for other activities. Kids learn best when they are having a positive experience, not being punished. They need to explore other interests and be well rounded. Administration ignores these issues and is difficult to work with. Don't be surprised if they don't return your calls. Teachers impose their own liberal views of life/religion on kids and parents aren't usually aware unless you follow homework carefully. You are far better off to have your students in local middle schools. They have student support and factual curriculum. Their music and theater teachers quit last year due to no support from the administration. One teacher told me she felt she was being set up by the administration for failure. The students I spoke with weren t happy at Kealing Magnet. They hated the bars on the windows, the homework, the teachers and the many fights between CAP kids and Magnet kids. We have one chance to raise our kids. Beware .
—Submitted by a parent

Well after looking at all of these reviews i see that most of the Magnet parents and students still look down apon us CAP students. I went to Kealing all through middle school and it was great i had friends in both programs but i noticed that each side hated the other. Sports at kealing are the best we have alot of competion in our zone. But over all a great school i went there from 07 - 09

Hate it. I cry everyday. Its ridiculous. There's to much homework and when I look at my homework I say to myself "uhmmm, einstein where are you?"

Great school with excellent teachers and very effcient office staff! The magnet program offers them exactly what our kids need. The math, social studies, electives and after school clubs are great and high quality education opportunities to many students who want to learn. The program director, teachers there are working very very hard. So do the kids and everybody there. We really appreciate the Kealing Magnet program and Kealing school!
—Submitted by a parent