SLO High VS AG High (San Luis Obispo, Atascadero: low income, transferring to, school district)

[Don The Beachcomber]

Hi Everyone ,
My Teen goes to SLO High School & thinking of transferring to AG High
Mostly because the kids @ least the ones my kid knows don't do much outdoor stuff unless its organized sports .
Heard they surf skate etc. more at AG.
Let me know what ya think , My kid gets good grades just wants to have some fun too..

[RosieSD]

Aside from skating, surfing and having fun, what are your kid's goals in life?

If college might be a goal, ask each school's counseling office for a copy of the School Profile that they send to colleges along with student transcripts. Compare the number of AP courses, the percentage of kids going to four year colleges, and where kids go to college from each school.

All things being equal between the academics and outcomes of both schools, there's probably no harm in transferring (assume you can arrange a transfer).

All things not being equal, this may be a chance to teach your child an important life lesson about delaying gratification in order to work towards a more important goal.

Perhaps there is a way to find what he is looking for at his current school. For instance, he could start an "outdoors club" or a "surf club" at his school. (a plus: colleges love kids who take initiative and get involved in making their schools better).

All of the above assumes, of course, that your kid is intending to go to college, and not just live a skater's life forever.

Good luck with your decision.

[the city]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Aside from skating, surfing and having fun, what are your kid's goals in life?

If college might be a goal, ask each school's counseling office for a copy of the School Profile that they send to colleges along with student transcripts. Compare the number of AP courses, the percentage of kids going to four year colleges, and where kids go to college from each school.

All things being equal between the academics and outcomes of both schools, there's probably no harm in transferring (assume you can arrange a transfer).

All things not being equal, this may be a chance to teach your child an important life lesson about delaying gratification in order to work towards a more important goal.

Perhaps there is a way to find what he is looking for at his current school. For instance, he could start an "outdoors club" or a "surf club" at his school. (a plus: colleges love kids who take initiative and get involved in making their schools better).

All of the above assumes, of course, that your kid is intending to go to college, and not just live a skater's life forever.

Good luck with your decision.

Sorry but I have to step in on this one. That is the same logic many parents use. Test scores and all that differs on each student's own willpower and their parent's dedication. SLO and AG High both have resources to help students succeed if the student has enough willpower and family support to make it happen.

But screwing up a child's social interactions will hurt them the rest of their lives. I should know bc I got forced to go to a highly rated school in this area but was in a position where I got bullied and didnt get along with anyone bc I was a more open-minded thinker and everyone at my school was close minded conservatives.

Your child should be in a place where they can make friends and pursue hobbies that make them become comfortable with people and build lasting relationships.

SLO High students vs Atascadero vs Templeton vs Paso vs AG High vs Nipomo students differ GREATLY. Paso is a poorer crowd, there is more gangs and a larger hispanic pressence. SLO High seems to have alot of hippy thinking kids or rich stuck up conservative kids. Arroyo Grande High is a more mixed bag since it's a larger high school in an area with not alot of low income students. You have surfers, stoners, jocks, skaters, aggies, but from what I can tell AG seemed to have the nicest patch of kids as well as Nipomo and New Tech High.

[RosieSD]

Great perspective. I agree with you on a lot of the points you've made. And, obvously, you add a locals perspective as well.

Are the two high schools in the same school district? If not, how hard is it to request an inter-district transfer in that area?

Originally Posted by the city

Sorry but I have to step in on this one. That is the same logic many parents use. Test scores and all that differs on each student's own willpower and their parent's dedication. SLO and AG High both have resources to help students succeed if the student has enough willpower and family support to make it happen.

But screwing up a child's social interactions will hurt them the rest of their lives. I should know bc I got forced to go to a highly rated school in this area but was in a position where I got bullied and didnt get along with anyone bc I was a more open-minded thinker and everyone at my school was close minded conservatives.

Your child should be in a place where they can make friends and pursue hobbies that make them become comfortable with people and build lasting relationships.

SLO High students vs Atascadero vs Templeton vs Paso vs AG High vs Nipomo students differ GREATLY. Paso is a poorer crowd, there is more gangs and a larger hispanic pressence. SLO High seems to have alot of hippy thinking kids or rich stuck up conservative kids. Arroyo Grande High is a more mixed bag since it's a larger high school in an area with not alot of low income students. You have surfers, stoners, jocks, skaters, aggies, but from what I can tell AG seemed to have the nicest patch of kids as well as Nipomo and New Tech High.

[the city]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Great perspective. I agree with you on a lot of the points you've made. And, obvously, you add a locals perspective as well.

Are the two high schools in the same school district? If not, how hard is it to request an inter-district transfer in that area?

No they aren't in the same district. San Luis Obispo High is in the San Luis Coastal Unified District which includes Morro Bay High.

Arroyo Grande is apart of the Lucia Mar Unified School District which includes Arroyo Grande High, Nipomo High, and New Tech High also in Nipomo.

However, when I was in high school it seemed fairly easy to transfer to different districts.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by the city

No they aren't in the same district. San Luis Obispo High is in the San Luis Coastal Unified District which includes Morro Bay High.

Arroyo Grande is apart of the Lucia Mar Unified School District which includes Arroyo Grande High, Nipomo High, and New Tech High also in Nipomo.

However, when I was in high school it seemed fairly easy to transfer to different districts.

How long ago was that?

[Just One of the Guys]

Based on my experience, it is easier to transfer from one district to another. It seemed transferring within the same district was a little more difficult, but still possible, there were always school boundary issues with inner district transfers.

[the city]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

How long ago was that?

long time ago. inner district transfers i believe the district still gets the money for the student while inter district you don't.

[Don The Beachcomber]

Thanks for the replies!
"the city" seems your pretty close on SLOHS (talked to my teen & sorry 'bout your time in HS
my parents tried to pull that crap on me too...
My kids got their future college etc planned pretty good (for those off topic...
I was just surprised moving up here (Avila Beach) how non-beach vibe it was & glad my kid don't mind skating/surfing with the old man still..

[the city]

Originally Posted by Don The Beachcomber

Thanks for the replies!
"the city" seems your pretty close on SLOHS (talked to my teen & sorry 'bout your time in HS
my parents tried to pull that crap on me too...
My kids got their future college etc planned pretty good (for those off topic...
I was just surprised moving up here (Avila Beach) how non-beach vibe it was & glad my kid don't mind skating/surfing with the old man still..

Avila doesn't get waves, so you don't see surfers. It's a high class, hoity toity crowd.