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Lots of people here in carmel valley have boy/girl siblings sharing a room in a two bedroom apt., including more than one set of our friends. (:
CV is a great area; the school is great-we have family who graduated in recent years from TP High, played sports for the school, etc. We love the area.
You could also check into charter high schools in the San Marcos district. You don't *have* to send your kids to the regular ole' neighborhood school. SD county has dozens of charter schools, and some are excellent. They could also homeschool/independent study....maybe they'd love to do that and ride horses???
good luck w/your decision. I've found that kids really just like spending time w/their family, more than having a huge house/'things'. It's up to the parent to set the tone, and if he/she is okay with the choice, the kids will be, too.
No "class warfare", just reality. Which I guess some folks just don't want. If you read my post, my opinion was that SM High was not of the quality that LCC or Carlsbad High are. Actually, that's not my opinion. Thats' factual, based on test scores, percentage of kids graduating, percentage of kids going on to college, etc. Simply numerical data. Reality. I believe that is what the original poster requested.
Now, IF a parent desires their children to attend either Carlsbad High, or a school in the San Dieguito Union High School district, they need to live in the district. Again, that is reality, not a statement of "class warfare", snobbery, etc... These parents have a choice. Assuming they are planning on spending $600k, their choices could be:
Buy a medium size (~3000') home in San Marcos, and thereby choose SM High.
Buy a smaller (~1600'-2000') house in Encinitas or Carlsbad. (Actually you can buy a nice older custom home in La Costa for ~$600k) This is the price of admission to these "better" schools.
Spend more money (~$800k+) and buy a nicer home in either Carlsbad or Encinitas. Why not have the larger house & send the kids to the better schools...
We all make choices regarding where we live, what work we do, etc. The choices have both benefits and consequences. Rejoice in the fact that we DO have these various options, and that you are free to exercise any you choose. My last child is already in high school. We always made it our priority to live in top quality school areas. Choices. Priorities...
Yea, and my friends in south encinitas/RSF, have their daughters dealing with diets and image issues at 10 years old. 'Better schools'? You should hear the stories!!!! lol. I'm serious-we homeschool and my friend say 'hey, homeschooling's looking better and better every day.'
So,back to the point: they are better schools? Better schools for what? Oh, I know what you mean....not being violently attacked has come to be equated with a good school now adays. geez.
While we are on the subject, however, what about Poway? Aren't they in the top 3 districts, too? Housing is on par with SM/carlsbad, right?
Not to claim San Marcos H. is an equal or near-equal of those other schools, but this is one of those areas where perception is gospel.
Sort of (re: it being all perception). But san dieguito/torrey pines high does not have any gang activity. I'll be frank-my friends are Persian, and she teaches in Poway. She compared the curriculum, and said her kids' work here in carmel valley is harder than Poway's. And, she said [not me, but whatever-i dont need to be PC] that carmel valley district is more challenging b/c 'there are lots of Asian kids; they are smart, and it sets the bar'.
It's true; there are 'lots of Asian kids' in CV-india, korea, china, japan...
My spouses' family who attended are not asian-but point being, it's a VERY focused academic crowd at Torrey Pines High. People move into CV knowing exactly what they want-and they will live in an apartment or condo to do it. It's more important to these parents, often as first generation residents of the US, to give their children the fast track, than to have a huge home. Sure, there are large homes in CV, too. But, heck, there are even Korean kids here who's parents rent them an apt., but the parents live in Korea-just so their kids can graduate TP high. This is for real. These kids live on their own and attend school-study, study, study.
Trust me-TP High is a serious place. Athletics, academics, you name it.
I'm sure many students graduated from SM high and have been very successful.
BUt it's not all perception, when you are discussing what type of environment/interactions your child will be exposed to, day in and day out. This is something that *test scores* have NOTHING to do with. Not saying TP High is full of roses...just that I live right next door, and what I have seen is what I have written about. No gangs; no graffitti.
Last edited by lrmsd; 07-09-2010 at 11:29 PM..
Reason: typo
"there are even Korean kids here who's parents rent them an apt., but the parents live in Korea-just so their kids can graduate TP high"
How can those Korean kid go to public school supported by taxpayer money's
in USA? that's legal? they should pay higher tuition to go to private school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lrmsd
Sort of (re: it being all perception). But san dieguito/torrey pines high does not have any gang activity. I'll be frank-my friends are Persian, and she teaches in Poway. She compared the curriculum, and said her kids' work here in carmel valley is harder than Poway's. And, she said [not me, but whatever-i dont need to be PC] that carmel valley district is more challenging b/c 'there are lots of Asian kids; they are smart, and it sets the bar'.
It's true; there are 'lots of Asian kids' in CV-india, korea, china, japan...
My spouses' family who attended are not asian-but point being, it's a VERY focused academic crowd at Torrey Pines High. People move into CV knowing exactly what they want-and they will live in an apartment or condo to do it. It's more important to these parents, often as first generation residents of the US, to give their children the fast track, than to have a huge home. Sure, there are large homes in CV, too. But, heck, there are even Korean kids here who's parents rent them an apt., but the parents live in Korea-just so their kids can graduate TP high. This is for real. These kids live on their own and attend school-study, study, study.
Trust me-TP High is a serious place. Athletics, academics, you name it.
I'm sure many students graduated from SM high and have been very successful.
BUt it's not all perception, when you are discussing what type of environment/interactions your child will be exposed to, day in and day out. This is something that *test scores* have NOTHING to do with. Not saying TP High is full of roses...just that I live right next door, and what I have seen is what I have written about. No gangs; no graffitti.
for one thing, san marcos high school doesnt have gang problems. It is not the same high school that it was 7 years ago. Its completely changed....
since 2005, tests scores have increased drastically- the API has literally grown by 127 points!
This compared to schools like San Dieguito and Canyon Crest Academy, which are at the same level they were back in 2006.
The SMHS API has increased by an average of 33 points over the past 3 years alone to be within 11 points of San Dieguito, 14 points from LCC, and 10 from Carlsbad. San Marcos and Mission Hills will soon pass Carlsbad, SDA, and LCC to become top schools in the county- probably this year too.
And as far as the school environment...since San Marcos is much less affluent than its southern neighbors, kids and faculty have less problems with snobby rich kids that think they are entitled to everything. There are no gang problems, despite what everyone claims...instead, the amount of lower income students is a humbling experience to the more fortunate. The schools are strict and focused, and this has really shown in recent years with high achieving students. We can only hope that San Marcos remains a haven for middle class families that deserve access to good schools and affordable housing (relative to SD).
irmsd- no, Carlsbad is MUCH more expensive than San Marcos. Houses of similar size cost $200,000+ more. You can find some cheaper places in Poway, but they are usually $100,000+ more for the same house in SM.
I find some of these post so very interesting. I attended SMHS as well did my aunts, cousins, sister and brother not one of us got pregnant before we were married. None of us were drop outs. Not one of us joined a gang. Nor did any of us fail in life by attending SMHS. I attended SMHS from 2000-2004 and was in all groups. I played sports and was friends with the popular girls and friends with what you people might look at and think "I hope my kid isn't hanging out with him or her!" The Kids that we interacted with that were from LCC and Carlsbad high were the ones that actually had the money to do the drugs that you parents are so afraid of. Guess where they get the money...yes that is right! From Mommy and Daddy. So before you go and make such disgusting assumptions about things you are clearly not educated about have a heart and stop being so ignorant. Stop and think that just because these kids are "latino", as if its a disease or a condition, or they have parents who don't drive nice cars like you they are students that are trying to make it even though there are people in this world like you trying to label them as failures because of what their parents bank accounts lack....
My guess is SMHS will probably pass Carlsbad and LCC in ten years in API. More and more students from stable parts of new developments in San Marcos and lots of kids from Carlsbad too.
My guess is SMHS will probably pass Carlsbad and LCC in ten years in API. More and more students from stable parts of new developments in San Marcos and lots of kids from Carlsbad too.
Actually, San Marcos and Mission Hills High schools both passed Carlsbad and LCC this year:
Mission Hills: 839 (improved by 25)
San Marcos: 829 (improved by 25)
La Costa Canyon: 816 (declined by 3)
Carlsbad: 812 (no improvement from last year)
SMHS is going to continue to improve because it is only just beginning to see the influx of upper-middle & middle class students. The demographics are really going to change in the next 5 years. At San Elijo Middle (which completely feeds into SMHS), there are 800 caucasian students in grades 6-8. SMHS has 550 in grades 9-11, so plan for a huge increase in the percentage of whites. Also, in the last decade the population of asians in SM has nearly doubled.
mrs.g86- I can completely relate to your comments. There are not gangs at San Marcos and its sad to say that this assumption is based entirely off the fact that the school is half latino. When I was there, the Carlsbad kids were usually the ones that had the parties. They really like their party buses lol
also, to put that misconception to rest, the pregnancy report was a complete sham. The "pregnancy tally" was based on how many visits were made to the counselor's office regarding pregnancies, not how many girls were pregnant. It was the same few people visiting the office. Plus this happened 15 years ago...
What is this great fear of our kids going to school where there are gangs? How are they ever going to learn how to stand up and deal with them if you shelter them from all the harm you envision in your minds about them. All of life involves being threatened and having to associate and stand up to gangs. Are you doing your kids any favors trying to keep them in a sterile environment which doesn't emulate the real world?
There are gangs in every walk of life trying to intimidate us with threats and fear. There are gangs of every race and creed, gangs of Republicans which are constantly threatening us with gloom and doom if we don't join them in bullying their constituency and the world. There are gangs of Democrats who try to make you feel guilty if you don't want to share your hard earned money with those who are not as smart or ambitious, or even down right lazy. There are terrorist gangs of every religion, in this country mainly Christians threatening you with hell and damnation if you don't join them. They even come to your house and try to get in and brainwash you with their tricks and fantasies. And there will be gangs in every professional work place that will lie, cheat, back stab, and walk right over you to get to the top. There are gangs telling you that you need and have the right to guns, and gangs telling you that you shouldn't and don't. There are gangs telling women what to do with their own bodies, often with bloody results. There are gangs harassing and condemning you if you don't join in their particular sexual preference.
My point is quit worrying about gangs, and instead concentrate on giving your kids the experiences, training, and strength they will need to walk amongst them and deal with them in every walk of life. Train them to be strong, stand tall, and be independent without antagonizing or alienating all the gangs of the world that will always be trying to intimidate them with threats and fear, whether physical or psychological.
SMHS is going to continue to improve because it is only just beginning to see the influx of upper-middle & middle class students. The demographics are really going to change in the next 5 years. At San Elijo Middle (which completely feeds into SMHS), there are 800 caucasian students in grades 6-8. SMHS has 550 in grades 9-11, so plan for a huge increase in the percentage of whites. Also, in the last decade the population of asians in SM has nearly doubled..
The mexican population has shifted towards Escondido and Oceanside. Just like the Filipino population has moved from Mira Mesa up to PQ/RB/Scripps Ranch
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