Saddleback v. Capistrano School Districts (Oakland, Stockton: fit in, sex offender, price)

[mrwumpus]

Originally Posted by payutenyodagimas

how did you know RSM Elementary better than Portola Hills? we just moved to Portola Hills because the ratings says Portola HIlls is 10?

A "10" on greatschools.org is just one way to judge a school. It doesn't measure much beyond test scores and a few other objective factors.

Portola Hills has some great teachers. It's not "bad" in any sense, but it is crowded and on a busy street that cars tend to speed down because it's so steep. Developers are currently building 900 more homes 1/4 mile down the street but the city isn't building new schools. If you cannot walk there, prepare for awkward traffic every morning you have to drop them off, which is only going to worsen with the new housing. RSM gets crowded in the mornings too, but drop-off and parking are on a quieter residential street where you don't get the commuter traffic. If you want quaint and quiet and small, you may be able to choice into Trabuco Elementary which is in the canyon half way to RSM elementary. Problem there is your child's friends will likely be zones for RSM Middle, which doesn't allow school choice at this point.

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by pacific2

So, you believe it makes sense to avoid Laguna Hill High since some impoverished AV students attend it? Wow, how amazing!

BTW, in case you didn't know, Laguna Hills has its own share of low-income residents. In fact, there are low income people in every OC city.

Don't be too scared.

AV has a ghetto

LH has some gritty areas around the mall/Moulton but even that

[payutenyodagimas]

Originally Posted by mrwumpus

A "10" on greatschools.org is just one way to judge a school. It doesn't measure much beyond test scores and a few other objective factors.

Portola Hills has some great teachers. It's not "bad" in any sense, but it is crowded and on a busy street that cars tend to speed down because it's so steep. Developers are currently building 900 more homes 1/4 mile down the street but the city isn't building new schools. If you cannot walk there, prepare for awkward traffic every morning you have to drop them off, which is only going to worsen with the new housing. RSM gets crowded in the mornings too, but drop-off and parking are on a quieter residential street where you don't get the commuter traffic. If you want quaint and quiet and small, you may be able to choice into Trabuco Elementary which is in the canyon half way to RSM elementary. Problem there is your child's friends will likely be zones for RSM Middle, which doesn't allow school choice at this point.

you really can not speed down coz of the bumper to bumper traffic and they are doing something about the curb don't know if it will ease the traffic during drop off

[HappyMommy22]

Originally Posted by mrwumpus

A "10" on greatschools.org is just one way to judge a school. It doesn't measure much beyond test scores and a few other objective factors.

Portola Hills has some great teachers. It's not "bad" in any sense, but it is crowded and on a busy street that cars tend to speed down because it's so steep. Developers are currently building 900 more homes 1/4 mile down the street but the city isn't building new schools. If you cannot walk there, prepare for awkward traffic every morning you have to drop them off, which is only going to worsen with the new housing. RSM gets crowded in the mornings too, but drop-off and parking are on a quieter residential street where you don't get the commuter traffic. If you want quaint and quiet and small, you may be able to choice into Trabuco Elementary which is in the canyon half way to RSM elementary. Problem there is your child's friends will likely be zones for RSM Middle, which doesn't allow school choice at this point.

Thanks. How does school choice work? Is it completely randomized as to which students are accepted? And I'm guessing it's up to the individual schools as to whether or not they accept non-zoned students? Is preference given to intra-district transfers over inter-district? Thanks again.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by motobecaneti

I used to live next to that area. I saw kids smoking weeds on the horsetrail and a crack addict getting high in his truck at 5am in the morning. There is a wall above that community that gets covered in graffiti. The city would paint over it and in two weeks it gets tagged again.

OP is shopping for a district. So yes, if I were her I would avoid Laguna Hills high and the bad influences from that ghetto. There is nothing elitist about this.

There are apartments in many cities, but you don't find one like the ghetto of Aliso Viejo in just every city. I can tell you Mission Viejo doesn't have one this bad.

You're obviously exaggerating. If that poor section of AV were as bad as you claim, then surely it would take the city's crime stats down into the dumpster...and I mean waaaaay down.

As it stands, Aliso Viejo is one of OC's, make that one of California's safest cities.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Teckeeee

AV has a ghetto

LH has some gritty areas around the mall/Moulton but even that

A lot of people, including many AV residents, don't know that there is there is a poor immigrant community located in the NE section. It was annexed in 2001 when Aliso Viejo achieved cityhood.

This condo is pretty representative of that area:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Laguna-Hil...6/home/4849889

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by pacific2

A lot of people, including many AV residents, don't know that there is there is a poor immigrant community located in the NE section. It was annexed in 2001 when Aliso Viejo achieved cityhood.

This condo is pretty representative of that area:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Laguna-Hil...6/home/4849889

Thanks maybe what I think is LH/LN is actually part of AV. LH/LW around the mall is worn and a bit gritty but looks shiny compared to some of what I see in CM.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Teckeeee

Thanks maybe what I think is LH/LN is actually part of AV. LH/LW around the mall is worn and a bit gritty but looks shiny compared to some of what I see in CM.

The mall is located in Laguna Hills. The section I'm referring to is near Iglesias Park, and has street names like Via San Marcos, Via San Rafael and Via Iglesias.

It's a small and older area near Laguna Woods and Laguna Hills, and it actually resembles Laguna Hills much more than it does the rest of Aliso Viejo.

Some of that area's residents were interviewed once by the OC Register, and at least one said she thought that AV annexed it just to lay claim to Iglesias Park.

I don't know why AV wanted the area since the city has plenty of parks and that section is so far away from everything. I think AV should gift it to Laguna Hills.

These are more typical of Aliso Viejo, and they are located around the bend and up the hill:
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Aliso-Viej...6/home/4855257

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Aliso-Viej.../home/17470878

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by pacific2

You're obviously exaggerating. If that poor section of AV were as bad as you claim, then surely it would take the city's crime stats down into the dumpster...and I mean waaaaay down.

As it stands, Aliso Viejo is one of OC's, make that one of California's safest cities.

OMG this is so overblown. That part of AV resembles LW more than LH, by the way. Moreover, it is lower income and Hispanic (OMG imagine that) and is made up of working people. It is not a scary area. If people call that a ghetto, I just have to laugh...hysterically.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

OMG this is so overblown. That part of AV resembles LW more than LH, by the way. Moreover, it is lower income and Hispanic (OMG imagine that) and is made up of working people. It is not a scary area. If people call that a ghetto, I just have to laugh...hysterically.

I know, but some people thrive on Lies, lies, damn lies.