Oak Ridge vs. Ponderosa High School? (Galt, El Dorado Hills: for sale, renting, buying a house)

[FloridaGypsies]

We moved to northern CA recently and are currently renting in Rescue, just next to El Dorado Hills. We just started looking at homes for sale in the surrounding area. Our current neighborhood is really nice and more reasonable, pricewise, than some other homes in EDH. However, we are concerned re: schools for the future. We have a child in elementary school and one in preschool. We were told that we should be looking for homes that go to Oak Ridge High School rather than Ponderosa, which serves Rescue. When I looked up test scores, seemed the two schools were pretty equivalent. However, one person told us that Oak Ridge was more "polo" and Ponderosa was "4-H," and stated that Oak Ridge was superior re: academic prep. I was curious if any people from the area could give their input re: the two schools. Thanks.

[SDbeachbum]

I'm interested to read responses to this. We are considering a move to EDH, and have four children. Our oldest is in middle school right now, so high school is high on our list of priorities to research.

[NinaN]

I think the OP knows my opinion on this, but for SDBeachbum here's my take.

The areas that feed to Ponderosa are just east of El Dorado Hills, and it becomes increasingly more rural as you go east. So yes, it would tend to be more 4-H with kids coming from families with horses or other livestock. That's not all the kids, and not a negative in my mind. Ponderosa is a highly rated school and sometimes smaller schools can have huge benefits to the kids.

Oak Ridge is attended by most of the area in El Dorado Hills, and it's more suburb and less rural. Also highly rated. The kids I know that go to school there really like it and are thriving.

The biggest issue I see around here are the parts of EDH that go to Ponderosa. It's not because Ponderosa isn't a good school, it's the drive. Parents don't much like that Oak Ridge is just around the corner and but they have to go out to the highway and drive to the next city to get their kids to school.

There's also an area of EDH, south of Latrobe in the Blackstone community, that attends Diamond Springs. Now that's a hike and one I wouldn't care to do.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[hydro]

It seems like the Nina has a good point about Blackstone and the long drive.

Besides that, it seems like buying a house in serrano, for example, is more about master planned community and what that offers you. Rescue is more about rural living.


then there are the older neighborhoods of EDH and Cameron Park and Rescue which are neighborhood without the hoas and master planned living aspects (sounds like you live in one of these). It seems like if you fall in to this category, then your question of the two high schools might at that point need to be entertained. If you work in the city, then EDH is closer. If you fall in love with a house in Cameron Park or Rescue, there is nothing wrong with Ponderosa.

If you want some land, then obviously your kids will go to Ponderosa, unless you are very wealthy, or want to live south of the freeway and potentially drive up to diamond springs for high school. On another note, those on the south side of the freeway are supposed to be getting a brand new high school, so if your kids are young, you could cash in on this plan. That would open up anything to the south side of the freeway including Blackstone.

Also, to be overanylitical just for fun, if you have some prodigy athlete kid, Oak Ridge seems to pump out a lot of pro athletes (think Austin Collie). I personally imagine that the Oak Ridge scene would be pretentious myself. My top choice pretentious high school would be jesuit or st marys for a budding scholarship recipient, and that would require not living up there anyway! If your kids are regular kids, there really isn't some big huge difference between the quality of education they are going to receive at Oak Ridge vs Ponderosa I imagine.

[NinaN]

Originally Posted by hydro

If your kids are regular kids, there really isn't some big huge difference between the quality of education they are going to receive at Oak Ridge vs Ponderosa I imagine.

But our kids are not regular. They are the best athletes and the smartest kids in the class.

[NorCal Dude]

Ponderosa is not 4 h. Not like the high school in say, Galt.

Both schools are good. Oakridge is just a typical suburban upper middle class school. Ponderosa is kinda too, lots of kids from Cameron park and such, but its setting out there in shingle springs gives it a rural mountain feel. Lots of kids from rescue and other parts of el dorado county go to school there too.

[ccoutofsc]

I don't live there yet but I would think that since you have children in elementary and preschool the high schools may go through many changes negative or positive by the time your kids will get there. There may even be another high school that may come about and change zoning. So why not focus on the elementary and maybe junior high if you have a 4th or 5th grader. Junior high to me would be tough also since scores can change drastically with each new class. But if you must focus on high schools then everyone seems to say that both schools are good so look at what each one has to offer at this time that fits your family (ex. sports, AP classes, IB program, arts).

[FloridaGypsies]

Thanks for the replies. Just wanted to get some opinions from people who weren't coming strictly from EDH/Oak Ridge area (so there may be bias in that direction). We are looking more carefully because we would like to buy for the long-term. Now just have to find the perfect house

[justducky2]

Don't know if you have found that house yet, but I'll give you my take on Ponderosa as my daughter attends there.

We chose this area specifically for the schools that feed into Pondo, and Pondo itself. I love that it is still somewhat rural and has an FFA program, whether your child is in FFA or not (love to hear the goats and pigs!!). I am a former teacher, and I am impressed with the test scores and the academics. Plenty of AP classes if your child so desires, also ROP programs and art, and a top-notch, award-winning band program. Terrific, caring teachers that will stay after school to help your child. Counselors and staff who care.

Personally, for my family and other families I know, we didn't want to go to Oakridge (nor live in the EDH area). We feel like it is rather pretentious and you have to keep up with the Joneses. We find the Shingle Springs / Cameron Park area to be more authentic - and there are plenty of higher-priced homes in Shingle Springs, but somehow it's different. Oakridge and EDH is more "upper crust", and Pondo and Shingle Springs feels more comfortable and middle class, with less money, fancy car, and label pressure. You know?

[FloridaGypsies]

Thanks for your perspective, Justducky2. I've been waiting to hear from someone whose kids attend either high school. We aren't FFA or rural people by any means but want our kids to grow up with others who aren't too materialistic (which is what we did not like about Palm Beach County in FL, where we were before). It seems a bit difficult to figure out where we fit the best - we like the master planned communities because they tend to be very family-friendly and neighborly (which we don't have here - I never see my neighbors or any kids outside), so Serrano seemed to fit the bill, but we refuse to pay that much in monthly HOA/MR fees. Don't need a lot of land but enough to store a boat and have a pool Close enough to engage with our neighbors but not so close that they can look into our house. And commutable to Sac. Any suggestions?