Looking for a private school for gifted kids in San Diego (Encinitas: homes, luxury)

[baciamille]

We are currently in Denver and are planning to relocate to San Diego. Our daughter attends what I would term an alternative school for gifted kids (multi-age, self-guided study etc) which we love, and we want to find something similar in San Diego. This obviously might guide where we live there too...

Can anyone suggest some private schools that cater towards gifted kids?

Thanks!

[cobmw]

You are in for a bad awakening. California has a terrible school system compared to Colorado. I know as I have studied both quite a bit. Colorado has a wide choice of good charter and private schools. California has very few charter schools (thanks to the teacher's union) and the private schools cater mostly to kids from high-income homes. My suggestion would be to look at religious schools. There may be some good schools in that category. Good luck.

[janineg]

I don't know anything about this school, but there is a private school for gifted kids in Encinitas called the Rhoades School: Rhoades School - Encinitas, California - CA - School overview
Janine

[esmith143]

Most private schools in San Diego are religious. Which is good if you want to have your child brainwashed into a religious fanatic, bad if you want modern multifaceted education without any Intelligent Design and similar nonsense.

Three largest non-religious private schools are Francis Parker, La Jolla Country Day, and aforementioned Rhoades. Francis Parker and La Jolla Country Day are K-12, Rhoades is K-8. Rhoades costs 13-14K/year, Francis Parker costs 18-21K/year, LJCD costs 21-24K/year depending on grade.

If I were in your place, I'd probably take my chances with a GATE program in a good public school.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by esmith143

If I were in your place, I'd probably take my chances with a GATE program in a good public school.

The problem is that many / most elementaries in San Diego do not have actual GATE programs. Many do not start until 4th,5th,6th grade, and many are just one class a day. You have to be very careful. GATE is classified as special education and a good way to determine the quality of a GATE program is to look at their special ed programs. It might come as a surprise to many that if you live in Del Mar and have an autistic child, the local school district would prefer you go elsewhere. Really only SDUSD and Poway have the depth and breadth of programs like this, and even then it is a school-by-school proposition.

[pinal]

sassaberto is so right. GATE programs are like the step child, at times described by school administrators as ' frivolous expense or luxury cost".

The GATE programs differ from school to school, there is somethign called the SEMINAR program, which is more specialized, your child will have to be tested into it.

If you are moving from outside sand iego, you can ask to be tested.

The seminar program is very individualized, smaller class size, most often a dedicated teacher, advanced curriculum, more field trips.

SDUSD, poway offer the program, i know del mar, carmel valley, chula vista etc do not offer this program.
and it is not 1 day/week, it is a separate class altogether.

La Jolla, Del cerro - hearst elementary, poway, scripps ranch have some of the better programs.

again, for gifted kids, there probably will be more opportunities, resources in a good public school than a private school, IHMO.

hope this helps,

[loveautumn]

don't mean to pry...just curious...why are you moving from Denver to SD (please don't say the weather).

[amyhue]

to esmith143.
What a disgusting display of intolerance and ignorant bias. Who would take the opinion of someone like that?... And I send my kids to public schools. There are great, "multi-faceted" educations to be had in parochial and other church backed schools for children of all origins. Some of our country's greatest secondary and higher education institutions had their beginnings and even current backing from church/religious affiiated organizations... and no one is coming out a "religious fanatic". Just well-educated, tolerant people, unlike you.

[esmith143]

Originally Posted by amyhue

to esmith143.
What a disgusting display of intolerance and ignorant bias. Who would take the opinion of someone like that?... And I send my kids to public schools. There are great, "multi-faceted" educations to be had in parochial and other church backed schools for children of all origins. Some of our country's greatest secondary and higher education institutions had their beginnings and even current backing from church/religious affiiated organizations... and no one is coming out a "religious fanatic". Just well-educated, tolerant people, unlike you.

look ... i'm sorry if you're offended, but religious schools place great emphasis on indoctrinating religious beliefs in young minds, that's a fact, and that's half the reason why they even exist.

here are some quotes from the website of a random religious private school from San Diego area:

The Catholic religion is not merely a subject to be studied and mastered. Students are taught to integrate their faith into every facet of their lives in order to assume an apostolic role in the world:

• Students develop the habit of daily prayer (starting in kindergarten, where they learn the Pater Noster, the Our Father in Latin), receive confession once a month, and attend Mass on campus weekly.
• A monthly virtue is taught and encouraged through our Caught Being Virtuous award program.
• The Works of Mercy Fridays program provides opportunities for all students to visit the elderly, to assist the homeless, to build homes for the poor in Tijuana, Mexico, and to pray the rosary in front of the local abortion clinic. Each Friday during Lent, the children pray the Stations of the Cross located around the perimeter of the sports field.

Don't know about you but I'd rather leave California than let my children attend anything like this.

Religion is to be chosen voluntarily during adulthood, not to be brainwashed into starting in kindergarten.

[MissNM]

I went to a private Christian college and not of the same denomination I was raised. It was an excellent experience. I'm well educated and tolerant.

However, many of the kids I went to school with had previously attended private Christian schools from elementary through high school. These kids were very biased, not very tolerant and not very prepared to make their own choices.

Faith-based schools are a viable choice. But parents should not let school doctrine go unquestioned. Raise your children to make up their own minds about their faith. Don't dictate to them how they should think. This applies to public schools where faith is discouraged. Don't let any school dictate how your child thinks.

My intent is not to take sides - in fact, I am walking the fence on this one.