Poway school district -- do they have music. art. pe classes??

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by momof3seattle

accoding to our address, our school would be Sundance elementary

Also, don't assume just because you get a school assigned you are guaranteed to get that school. Some of the schools here have so much demand that even if you live across the street from it, you are NOT guaranteed to send you kids there. So really check into that. PUSD does NOT guarantee that you get to go to the school you are assigned to. They only guarantee that you will get to go to a PUSD school.

As an example, there is SO much demand for Kindergarten at Willow Grove Elementary where our kids go, there is a waiting list of 53 kids to get into Kindergarten! I doubt all of those kids will get in. And some of them live as close as a few blocks from the school!

Same thing happens in other very desirable school districts in Carmel Valley. So you need to contact the school and see what the situation is like.

But the good thing is once you start in that school you won't have problems but it's entering in the first place that is important. Something to keep in mind as many people that move to the area get the shock of their life sometimes.

[momof3seattle]

Thank you hitman619, earlyretirement!!
We don't know anyone here so your comments are soooo helpful!!
Thank you for great ideas! So true about saving $ for college instaed of spening on private schools.....
We went a school tour at Maranatha, not Horizon. They both seemed to be good schools but lack in diversity... have you heard anything about small christian schools in Mira Mesa such as Christ the cornerstone and Mira Mesa christian (their tuitions are more affordable)? Or you think it doesn't make sense living in Poway school district and seding kids in Mira Mesa area???

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by momof3seattle

Thank you hitman619, earlyretirement!!
We don't know anyone here so your comments are soooo helpful!!
Thank you for great ideas! So true about saving $ for college instaed of spening on private schools.....
We went a school tour at Maranatha, not Horizon. They both seemed to be good schools but lack in diversity... have you heard anything about small christian schools in Mira Mesa such as Christ the cornerstone and Mira Mesa christian (their tuitions are more affordable)? Or you think it doesn't make sense living in Poway school district and seding kids in Mira Mesa area???

You're certainly welcome. I know how it is moving to a new area with kids not really knowing anyone so feel free to PM me with any questions.

I'm not against private schools per se. You just have to realize that many parents purposely move out to this area solely for the schools. To be honest, we moved to the area vs. other areas we were considering (La Jolla) due to the excellent schools but now we LOVE the area. Besides the excellent school district here, the lifestyle out here is just about perfect for raising kids. I can't imagine living anywhere else now.

I don't know anything about the private schools in Mira Mesa but maybe Doc here knows more about it as he knows Mira Mesa very well. You could call him "Mr. Mira Mesa". LOL.

IMHO, I'd start out in the PUSD and if you think that it's not cutting it or not up to your liking you can always move them over to private schools. I think it would be easier transitioning that way vs. sending to a private school and then moving over to a public school.

Also, as far as the diversity, it can greatly differ from school to school even within a few miles. For example, last year our daughter went to preschool at another PUSD (Turtleback) because the waiting list at Willow Grove was about 30+ kids long! So we sent her there instead.

Well, there white kids were the minority in her class. There were only a few white kids and the vast majority were Asian, Indian/Middle Eastern, a few black kids. Where as this year she goes to Willow Grove and it's mostly white kids with several Asian kids as well.

But if you're concerned about that I believe this type of information is all posted online if that is important to you. The PUSD is very strong, IMHO and the parent involvement is really excellent. And the teachers really seem to care as well.

[docmcstuffin]

I don't have any first hand experience with the private christian schools in Mira Mesa. So, I'm not a good source here either. The real question is which one do you prefer, private christian school or public. Assuming academic level is similar and price is affordable, would you pick private over public? Like ER, I would personally pocket the saving and send my kids to public schools and use that saving for either enrichment activities or for college. I would only send my kids to private school if it's to schools like La Jolla Country day, where they can rub elbows/make friends with rich kids. So that in the future, if they want to open their own biz, then will have an easier way to find funding, especially if the friends will be part of the start up and their mom and dad can help fund it.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by docmcstuffin

I don't have any first hand experience with the private christian schools in Mira Mesa. So, I'm not a good source here either. The real question is which one do you prefer, private christian school or public. Assuming academic level is similar and price is affordable, would you pick private over public? Like ER, I would personally pocket the saving and send my kids to public schools and use that saving for either enrichment activities or for college. I would only send my kids to private school if it's to schools like La Jolla Country day, where they can rub elbows/make friends with rich kids. So that in the future, if they want to open their own biz, then will have an easier way to find funding, especially if the friends will be part of the start up and their mom and dad can help fund it.

See this is where you can have different opinions. No one is right or wrong. But what doc highlighted is exactly the reasons why I would NOT want to send my kids to elite and expensive private schools. I wouldn't want them rubbing elbows with only rich kids on a daily basis at school. That "bubble environment" is exactly what I'd want to avoid.

I can easily afford those type of elite private schools but I just would have no desire to put my kids in that kind of environment. My philosophy is that if my kids want to start their own business and they can't get funding for it through more traditional means, then it's probably not a good idea or worthy of investing in. LOL.

I'm not taking ANYTHING away from the La Jolla Country Day school type schools as they are VERY excellent and they can and do work for many families. I think it's all relative as some of the families that send their kids there have buku bucks and $27,000 a year for elementary/middle/high school isn't anything.

But for me, it doesn't just come down to a financial aspect of it. For me personally, it's too much of a bubble type environment. I like the various socio-economic groups that my daughter is exposed to at her school. Although the area is somewhat affluent, at school most of the parents both work, have a wide range of professions and just really down to earth people and so are their kids.

[docmcstuffin]

Originally Posted by earlyretirement

See this is where you can have different opinions. No one is right or wrong. But what doc highlighted is exactly the reasons why I would NOT want to send my kids to elite and expensive private schools. I wouldn't want them rubbing elbows with only rich kids on a daily basis at school. That "bubble environment" is exactly what I'd want to avoid.

I can easily afford those type of elite private schools but I just would have no desire to put my kids in that kind of environment. My philosophy is that if my kids want to start their own business and they can't get funding for it through more traditional means, then it's probably not a good idea or worthy of investing in. LOL.

I'm not taking ANYTHING away from the La Jolla Country Day school type schools as they are VERY excellent and they can and do work for many families. I think it's all relative as some of the families that send their kids there have buku bucks and $27,000 a year for elementary/middle/high school isn't anything.

But for me, it doesn't just come down to a financial aspect of it. For me personally, it's too much of a bubble type environment. I like the various socio-economic groups that my daughter is exposed to at her school. Although the area is somewhat affluent, at school most of the parents both work, have a wide range of professions and just really down to earth people and so are their kids.

In life, the one biggest thing I've seen and learned is that it's much more important in who you know than what you know. It's not that you can make it being a party animal and not try, but it's much easier to move up and get exposed to opportunities when you know the right people. Example would be, your friend's dad is a CEO of a large corporation. You go and get your degree and you can be of service of that corporation. Since your friend's dad know you personally and your capability and work ethic, it would be much easier for you to get a job at that company and move up at that company.

Another example would be, your friend's is rich with a lot of money he wants to invest. Your friend is a good people person and have a good idea. But your friend need someone to be the CTO and execute on that idea. You just happen to be a good technical person. So, you get presented with that opportunity. There are many more examples I can come up with, but you get the idea. You do not get expose to those opportunity going to a school in PUSD or if you do, it's probably extremely limited.