Schools and life in Castro Valley? (San Francisco, Oakland: renters, houses, neighborhoods)

[ChristyNguyen]

My daughter really doesn't want to go to an Oakland high school. She's an 8th grader and graduating in June.
She wants to go somewhere like Alameda or Castro Valley, but apparently Alameda schools are starting to lose a lot of it's excellency because of the budget cuts in the Alameda school district. I'm conscerned that CVHS is to much of a big school and I don't know much people there so I don't know what the environment is like. I work in a small buisness in Oakland and her father lives in San Francisco, so I don't want to move to far from either of those cities. The farthest I'd want to move is 30 minutes from Oakland since I have most my friends/family there and I work there.
Does Castro Valley really have schools that are worth the trouble moving there? I can't afford a place like Piedmont, as I'm a single parent and I don't exactly have a very high income. Is Castro Valley an okay place to live? I want to know that my daughter will be going to a somewhat safe school and also be getting a good education that will prepare her for getting into a good college/university.
I also want to buy a house so I won't have to deal with renting once I retire; so are the neighborhoods good there as well?

[aslowdodge]

castro valley is better than most parts of oakland living wise and school wise and still close to oakland where you work. Very few schools in oakland are better than castro valley.

[Ultrarunner]

One of my renters in Oakland sends her son to Lowell (sp) High School in San Francisco because her ex works in SF. He takes BART to the city with a reduced Student Rate.

Space permitting, you are allowed to enroll you kids in the district where you live OR the district where you work.

Oakland has a couple of excellent private High Schools with many students attending from Castro Valley, Peidmont and Berkeley... Bishop O' Dowd is one that comes to mind if you are thinking College Prep.

Castro Valley has several excellent grade schools... but I know Castro Valley Parents that work in Danville and Pleasanton and that's where their kids attend High School.

[Meena Gujral]

Moderator cut: Realtor advertising
I lived in Castro Valley for 7 years. Castro Valley is a nice little town, with very easy commute to some major freeways like 880, 580 and 92. All the Castro Valley schools are very good with some of the best elementary schools. Depending on your price range, two of the newer homes area are in Five Canyons and Palomares Hills. At this time there are some great listings on the market in both the areas. I would recommend that you check out Castro Valley on Sunday when there are many open houses especially in these two areas.
There are quite a few restaurants in Castro Valley and for shopping, I would suggest Stoneridge shopping center in Pleasanton which is a few miles drive from Castro Valley.
Castro Valley also has some good wineries. Castro Valley also has some horseback riding schools.
Moderator cut: Realtor advertising