Thinking of a move to Carlsbad -- SCHOOLS? (San Diego, Riverside: extended stay, 2013)

[NYC_mom99]

Hi All,

We are a family of 4 (both kids under 3 years old) currently living in NYC and rapidly outgrowing our space and patience for the city. We are both professionals, but cannot stomach another winter or a move to Long Island or CT or Westchester. We are seriously thinking of making a move to Carlsbad, CA in the spring/summer of 2013.

We have good friends who are moving out there and we will be visiting them in the spring of 2012...

A few questions:

- does anyone consider these API scores or are they BS?
- any thoughts on the best elementary schools?
- any area of Carlsbad to be situated for the entire public school haul (i.e. elementary to middle school to HS?)

And finally, what about a commute to SD from Carlsbad? Doable? Traffic?

My husband is a software developer and would work from home. I am in medicine and would likely hunt for a job in SD.

Thanks everyone!

[carlsbadbruin]

I am originally from NYC, and have lived in Carlsbad with my family for over 10 years now. This is a great city to raise a family! I would recommend any home in the San Dieguito H.S. district - all the schools from elementary to high school are excellent. This area also encompasses Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Carmel Valley in addition to part of south Carlsbad (the school district website has a map). There are many ex-east coasters here! I also really like Olde Carlsbad, but that area is in the Carlsbad H.S. district, which has only one high school that is overcrowded. They are in the process of building a new one, however, and it should be completed by fall 2013.

Oh, on the API scores... in my opinion the schools here think about them TOO much, and some schools over-emphasize on "teaching to the test," even rushing to finish textbooks months early to have sufficient time for test review. It is a way of evaluating which are the better (testing?) schools, but you also need to look at the number of English language learners, which can bring down the API scores of excellent, but more diverse, schools.

Commute to San Diego is not too bad. There are freeway expansion plans in the works, and there also is a rail line that runs along the coast to San Diego. That said, I would look for a job in medicine in North County. There are many medical groups and a good hospital (Scripps Encinitas) here. My husband is a physician, and I work in software design :-)

[SDrelocate]

Hey NYCmom,

I reloed out here a few years back from back east, lived in major cities DC, Chicago, B-more. North county San Diego and particularly Encinitas/Carlsbad are awesome places to live and raise kids. I got a couple young school age kids. My wife was in heathcare but now an extended stay at home mom.

Carlsbad/Encinitas are great, well run, financially stable cities, strong civic activities, close beaches, legoland, 101, cool beachy downtown Encinitas and Carlsbad. I have steady stream of visitor year round from back east.

Just a comment...this is no NYC in terms of cultural/arts/nightlife scene. You may miss that. There is no where near the theater, artistic, restaurants scene as NYC, Chicago, DC, etc. LA is nice weekend trip but bit to far (90min away) for night on the town. Downtown SD gaslamp is much larger, diverse, and larger # downtown residents compared to just 10 years ago, but still a drop in the bucket compared to NYC. North county has a good share of cool restaurants.

Can't go wrong with Carlsbad or San Dieguito School districts. There is math/science focus HS being built now in Carlsbad, sounds like it will be like an academy type like in Encinitas. I'm steering my kids in math/science direction. Seems like the only jobs really available now are for strong math/science/engineering majors. It is true now and also when I graduated from undergrad, grad schools during previous recessions (1992, 2001). It will be probably true in 10 years.

Commute to Downtown San Diego from Carlsbad can have bad traffic some days, the Coaster train is awesome alternative. It goes along the beach for stretches, you can watch the sunset, work on your work email, watch the surfers or surf the net, etc. Trains are new and there is no faint smell of pee. Strangers actually have nice conversations. It is a bit different than NYC public transit, although I do love NYC metro! Man it gets you everywhere, you don't even need a car there.

Anyhow, good luck in your search in San Diego....I have posted some previous "grains of salt" advice.

Best advice is take an extended trip out here, do alot of research, don't jump in cold to an unknown area. Make a vacation out of it. Take the family to legoland, seaworld, birch acquarium. Drive up the 101 from La Jolla to Carlsbad, have a fish taco or two, go tidal pooling at La Jolla, take a surf lesson, go to San Diego Botanical children's garden, watch the paragliders jump off the cliff at Torrey Pines glider, go whale watching, Hotel Del coronado, Silver Strand, Torrey Pines, etc...etc.

Is the grass always greener in San Diego?

To all moving, or thinking of moving to San Diego...some advice

I would modulate the above advice about renting before buying....rent for short term say 6 months or month to month. Heavy research and multiple trips out here may allow you to jump in an buy without living in area for a bit. Key point, Learn about the area you may want to live.

Other posters Encinitan and EarlyRetirement seem to have good advice on this forum

Good Luck!

[NYC_mom99]

Hi SD relocate -- we just took a trip to Carlsbad to visit our friends. Loved the beach, children's museum of SD, La Jolla, etc...

but one question for you: do you live in a subdivision? And, after having lived in many major cities, if you did end up in a subdivision .... how goes it? Our friends were in La Costa Valley. After living in NYC for so long, it felt really very odd.

[SDrelocate]

Hello NYC_Mom99,
The lifestyle difference between NYC and suburban San Diego is quite large, and for some not the right fit. I've never actually lived in a major city with young kids, but I bet depending on neighborhood and your means and outlook it could be very fun and enriching childhood for kiddos. For me it was just my personal preference to live in a SFH raising a couple young kids, perhaps it is something I'm just familiar with. I was raised in house in the suburbs of a major city, DC.

So far I like it out here. People out here are pretty laidback in general, and it's fun hanging out neighbors with beer in hand with occasional block party or street sports. Most of my free time seems to be spent at kiddo sports and other kids activities, there is no shortage of those and we've met some great friends from school and kids activities. It seems pretty diverse out here, and there is plenty of opportunity to expand your outlook. This is after all California, and is in general very open minded. Restaurant scene is no where as good as NYC, but there is decent mix across the culinary spectrum. So far I got both kids liking Thai, Indian, Vietnamese Pho amongh other cuisines. I don't like picky eaters.

My wife is into gardening and we supplement with CSA and some cool farmers markets nearby. As a east coast transplant I went nuts and planted bunch of semi-dwarf citrus.....lime, lemon, orange, and avocado trees. I like puttering and working on projects around the yard, house, garage, so house suits me great.

I could see myself when an empty nester moving back to the big city. Jumping on the El/metro/subway and going out to restaurant/theatre is awesome. Some of the neighborhood and farmers markets in big cities are awesome. Ditching the car would be great, NYC would be one place you can certainly do it.

Anyhow....just some thoughts.
Good Luck!

[NYC_mom99]

Thanks SD ... I imagine when my kids get a little older we would be doing the same things. And puttering around the house!

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by NYC_mom99

Hi All,

We are a family of 4 (both kids under 3 years old) currently living in NYC and rapidly outgrowing our space and patience for the city. We are both professionals, but cannot stomach another winter or a move to Long Island or CT or Westchester. We are seriously thinking of making a move to Carlsbad, CA in the spring/summer of 2013.

We have good friends who are moving out there and we will be visiting them in the spring of 2012...

A few questions:

- does anyone consider these API scores or are they BS?
- any thoughts on the best elementary schools?
- any area of Carlsbad to be situated for the entire public school haul (i.e. elementary to middle school to HS?)

And finally, what about a commute to SD from Carlsbad? Doable? Traffic?

My husband is a software developer and would work from home. I am in medicine and would likely hunt for a job in SD.

Thanks everyone!

NYC_mom99,

I was born and raised in NYC (The UWS along Riverside Dr) and have lived here in San Diego going on 8 years as well as abroad for a number of years.

While I dont have kids, if you have never been to SD before, take the advice given so far. The lifestyle here is considerably different in tone and day to day things. I am certain you have some idea of that already, but just wanted to throw that out there.

FWIW, I had my 4 year old nephew out here recently and he LOVED it. Of course the kid is excited about anything but he was especially excited to have the sunshine to play outside in, go to all the fun parks, beaches etc with day after day of sunshine (although this past weekend was a wash).
He was here for over a week and there was still tons of things to do that he is going to have save for on another trip.

In other words the lifestyle here can provide more options for parents (or aunts and uncles) to get out of the house vs 'planning' for months indoors. Sure we have cool days in the winter but they dont last very long.

I dont know much about Carlsbad or 'North County' specifically, but have heard nothing but good things about it from a family lifestyle standpoint. Aesthetically at first glance it may appear bland in some of the subdivisions/gated communities, but I would think the benefits would far outweigh any of those thoughts.
South San Diego is considerably different than North County, so take your time scoping out the various areas in the county.

Good luck!