best schools in bend area (Redmond, Prineville: rental, houses, landscaping)

[overleaf]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could tell me the best schools or schools districts in the area that encompasses LaPine, Sunriver, Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Prineville and Madras. Is there anyone one of these towns that are more family oriented than others? Thanks in advance.

[Bendite]

Bend, LaPine and Sunriver are all in the same school district called the Bend-LaPine School District, curiously enough . Not all schools are equal in the Bend-Lapine District, some say that LaPine is not treated equally. I can't say whether that is true or not, but it is certainly the impression that it is treated as the poor sibling. Schools in Bend vary in performance, some better than others, like in any city, I'd think. Although Redmond is in the same county as Bend, it has its own school district. Prineville is in the Crook County School District. Some of its schools perform above state average, some below. One of the teachers from Prineville just won the United States Teacher of the Year Award, so that says something! Sisters also has it's own district and it has an excellent reputation for a district its size (small). Madras is the the Jefferson County School District. Without looking at the stats, my guess would be it has the lowest performance. There is information available on the State's website, on a school-by-school basis: AYP and Report Card Download - Oregon Department of Education

Of the towns you are asking about, I would say that Sunriver, being a resort town, might have somewhat less of a family orientation than the others. Sisters is probably the most expensive in terms of housing. Each town has its own plusses and minuses, but they each offer good places to raise kids - it depends on what you are looking for

[amusing_chaos]

Our family is looking into moving to the Bend area sometime next year and I have been trying to do some research on the area schools. So far I like what I see about Mountain View High, and Sky View Middle, but I am wondering which elementary school is within those same boundaries? And do you have to live in that area for the kids to go to school there?

[Bendite]

The school district has established new boundaries for schools starting this coming year. A new school, Ponderosa Elementary, is under construction and is supposed to be open for the new school year. It feeds into the higher level schools you're interested in. Another elementary school that I think is in the same "feeder" is Lava Ridge. Also, I think Buckingham Elementary is one in that feeder group. Your best bet would be to call the school district to be certain. Their maps online are so huge, it's hard to even get them downloaded. Because of the redistricting, some children will be grandfathered into being able to stay at the school they were in last year. New students would go to the school within their designated neighborhood areas. The main information line is 541-383-6004

[amusing_chaos]

Originally Posted by Bendite

The school district has established new boundaries for schools starting this coming year. A new school, Ponderosa Elementary, is under construction and is supposed to be open for the new school year. It feeds into the higher level schools you're interested in. Another elementary school that I think is in the same "feeder" is Lava Ridge. Also, I think Buckingham Elementary is one in that feeder group. Your best bet would be to call the school district to be certain. Their maps online are so huge, it's hard to even get them downloaded. Because of the redistricting, some children will be grandfathered into being able to stay at the school they were in last year. New students would go to the school within their designated neighborhood areas. The main information line is 541-383-6004

Thank you Bendite! You are so helpful. I had just re-asked this question on the post you helped me with earlier lol...so just dis-regard that one.

I am attempting to look at the boundary maps now that I found with delta07's help...but your right, they are huge and take forever to load. But it looks as though your right and the Buckingham and Lava Ridge Elementaries are close to the other 2. Maybe the Ponderosa one will be built by the time we move. Thanks again for your help.

[delta07]

One thing to consider about the elementary schools mentioned, specifically Lava Ridge and Ponderosa, is the location. Both schools are in the far northern part of Bend. This may not be an issue for you, as Bend is relatively small. However, if you are looking for a home that is within walking/biking distance of downtown, you may not like that area. I have also found the houses are really packed close together in those newer subdivisions. I prefer the older, more established neighborhoods closer to town. This is a personal preference though. The houses near those schools seem to be more affordable, and you get more house for the money. That may be appealing to some.

[amusing_chaos]

Originally Posted by delta07

One thing to consider about the elementary schools mentioned, specifically Lava Ridge and Ponderosa, is the location. Both schools are in the far northern part of Bend. This may not be an issue for you, as Bend is relatively small. However, if you are looking for a home that is within walking/biking distance of downtown, you may not like that area. I have also found the houses are really packed close together in those newer subdivisions. I prefer the older, more established neighborhoods closer to town. This is a personal preference though. The houses near those schools seem to be more affordable, and you get more house for the money. That may be appealing to some.

While renting, that probably wouldn't be an issue for me. I may change my mind once we start looking into buying. Right now I'm more into situating ourselves around what I think might be the best fit school wise for my children. In terms of more or less tree's (pine) how does the Northern area look?

[Bendite]

Originally Posted by amusing_chaos

In terms of more or less tree's (pine) how does the Northern area look?

Bend is a bit odd when it comes to natural landscape. The further west you go, the more Podersosa pines you will see, while the further east, you will have more juniper, and by the time you get to the farthest eastern edge of Bend, you'll find almost no Ponderosa pine at all, and it will feel more like the high desert. This is because there is an actual difference in cold and precipitation on the west side versus the east side and it all happens within about 10 miles. The more moisture, the more Ponderosas.

The way Bend has been built up, the northwest side kind of leans toward the west (mountains) while the northeast side has been developed more in a straight line north towards Redmond and also spreads east. The area you are looking at vis-a-vis schools is in the northeast part of Bend. The area tends to have a lot of juniper, which can be troubling to some people who suffer from pollen allergies. There are few Ponderosas, though you'll see that some people have planted pines as part of their landscaping. If you are looking for more pines than juniper, then you'll need to look towards west Bend which tends to be more expensive, but with the housing market the way it is, you can probably find a good rental property at a fair rate.