Hillsboro schools (Beaverton, North Plains, Beaver: home, transfer, school district)

[somewherediff]

How are the schools in Hillsboro? I'm specifically looking for a high school with a good honors program and a good girls soccer team. If Hillsboro doesn't have anything than we will look in Beaverton, where I think the schools are better but the traffic, housing cost, and commute to my work in Hillsboro will be worse. Thanks so much. We are out of state so I can't check it out myself.

[figmalt]

I wouldn't have a problem with any of the high schools in Hillsboro (there are four):
1. HilHigh
2. Glencoe
3. Century
4. Liberty

I went to Glencoe for a year (after Westview in Beaverton) and several of my associates went to Liberty when it opened a few years ago.

As far as soccer teams, Liberty probably has the best team. You can check out this website for statistics: OSAA.org :: Soccer

If you want to live in the Hillsboro area, Westview would be a really good choice. It's on the far NW border of Beaverton, literally across the street from Hillsboro (185th Ave is the dividing line), far from the madness that is Beaverton, and it has a great soccer team. However, housing in this area (called Tanasbourne), is generally more expensive.

[somewherediff]

Ok thanks so much for the info.! As far as academics, can you tell me which of the 4 Hillsboro schools is the strongest?

[somewherediff]

Also, how did your experience at Westview compare to Glencoe or your friends at Liberty? Thanks!

[figmalt]

When I was at Westview it was vying for position as the biggest high school in the state. I think there were over 500 freshman that year, and 300-400 in each of the other classes. It's a big school, and it feels big. Generally speaking, the kids there come from higher socio-economic backgrounds, and that is noticeable too (i.e. BMW's in the parking lot). I really liked Westview, and it has a lot of good resources and opportunities for student.

Glencoe has a much more intimate and down to earth feel to it than Westview. There are fewer students, a lot of kids from the more rural areas of the county (like North Plains). It's still a big school, but you don't feel like just a face in the crowd.

Liberty is still fairly new, and it has only graduated 5 senior classes. Most of the families/kids there would have gone to Glencoe, and a fair number of Glencoe students transferred over to Liberty when it opened. I think it's still trying to define itself, but the students are generally enthusiastic about going there.

Glencoe is probably the strongest school for academics, but it doesn't have a really cohesive honors program. They do have several AP classes. HilHigh has the International Baccalaureate program (International Baccalaureate (IB)), which none of the other high schools have.

You should talk to the coaches at each school to see what kind of programs they run, what their expectations are, what your kid's chances are, etc. When we first moved to Oregon my brother was a senior and a state wrestling champion from our home state, and our school district had either taken state, or second for 6+ years. Despite his skill and his high school's impressive winning record, he didn't get any enthusiasm from the coaches in Beaverton. As a result, he lived with relatives for his senior year and didn't move to Oregon. In other words, it doesn't matter how great the school is, or how great your child is, if they don't click, it's not worth it.

Good luck!

[somewherediff]

Ok thank you so much for the info. and excellent advice!