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I've read through other threads about GATE in SDUSD and PUSD. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with GATE in Carlsbad? We'll be moving from the Bay Area/Central Coast to SD over the summer and based on what I've learned so far, I think that Carlsbad would be the best fit for our family's budget and lifestyle. My son is currently in GATE and will be starting 4th grade in the Fall. I also have a daughter going into 1st grade. (She's in accelerated reading but I don't know if she will be GATE or not.)
My son is one of those kids who loses interest, tunes out and gets into trouble when he's not challenged so I am more than willing to choose where we'll live (budget permitting) for the best schools.
I realize that there are other threads on the topic of gifted programs in Poway and SDUSD but they are a couple of years old and the recent out-of-control budget cuts must be having an impact. Do programs in Carlsbad measure up to those offered in Poway and SDUSD? Are any schools in particular better than others?
from my understanding, most GATE programs are very similar. They all do very similar activities such as animal dissections or science experiments.
I was actually in the gifted program at Carrillo Elementary in Carlsbad when the school first opened.
If there is one school I will wholeheartedly vouch for it is my elementary school from grades 3-5. Carrillo offered a wider array of gifted programs than other schools because they had GATE for a more general advanced education, but they also offered Junior Great Books, which was a program for accelerated readers. We read advanced novels (for our age) and discussed them in small groups once a week. It was actually a surprisingly inspiring experience...by 5th grade I was at an adult reading level and would read Michael Crichton in my spare time. We also were given the chance to compose a puppet show of our own liking, which was a pretty rewarding experience. My two younger sisters also went through GATE while at Carrillo and it was rewarding for them as well.
Here is the link for more information about GATE at Carrillo. http://www.smusd.org/1665205271652623/site/default.asp (broken link)
Now I know that most people hesitate before enrolling their kids in San Marcos Unified (Carrilo and La Costa Meadows are Carlsbad schools located in SMUSD) because there is the perception that San Marcos Schools are not as academically challenging as Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Poway schools or that the area suffers from gang problems (even though SM has a lower crime rate than Carlsbad...?) However, in my opinion, buying into Carlsbad Unified is a waste of money if schools are your main priority. Most San Marcos schools perform at similar levels to Carlsbad schools and the home prices are usually about 100-300K cheaper. In fact, San Elijo Middle School in nearby southern SM actually has higher test scores than all three Carlsbad middle schools and Mission Hills High has higher scores than Carlsbad despite the fact that it is less affluent. There is also a higher proportion of students in more advanced classes (namely math classes) at San Elijo Middle. So with San Marcos you definitely get more bang for your buck.
San Marcos High School is also an up and coming schools. For instance, caucasian students at SMHS have the second highest API score out of all high schools in the county. It is actually in the top 20 API scores in SoCal for traditional high schools. (877 compared to Carlsbad's 834).
It is also interesting that San Marcos Unified caucasians, african americans, and filipinos have the highest API scores for their race in SoCal out of all k-12 districts.
When you break up test scores by race/ethnicity SMUSD all subsets of the population perform at higher levels than both Poway (except for hispanics) and Carlsbad (except for asians). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Mar...chool_District
Also, San Marcos Unified really caters to students that demonstrate a lot of potential. When my sister was in kindergarten she was reading at a very advanced level, so the staff had her study with first and second graders at least twice a week. I on the other hand was much more proficient at math and in 2nd grade my teacher designed a special curriculum for me so that I could improve upon and expand my math skills. I can honestly say that if I hadnt received the special attention by the amazing teachers in San Marcos Unified, then I surely would not have finished 7th in my graduating class with acceptances to berkeley and cornell. Same goes with my younger sister, who will be valedictorian for her class at SMHS. My other sister will be attending San Elijo Middle School next year due to its emphasis on advanced academics.
So if you are looking for a rewarding GATE program I am more than happy to recommend Carrillo Elementary in San Marcos Unified (but in Carlsbad).
Just remember that your child's education is up to you- stay involved and you cant go wrong. I cant thank my parents enough for always pushing me to do my best. Best of luck to you in your search! If you have any other questions about San Marcos schools feel free to ask, i went to 6 different schools in the district...
Last edited by sdhkshdcny09; 06-09-2010 at 11:44 PM..
Wow. Thank you so much for your thorough and really helpful reply. We hadn't considered San Marcos because the reviews were mixed. I see that you can buy a lot more house there. Rentals, on the other hand, seem to be about the same (on Craig's list today). Most likely, we'll be renting for the first year or two. So, with schools being priority #1, commute to Sorrento Valley, and a rental budget around $2500-3K, would you say 1) San Marcos; 2)Carlsbad; 3)Poway/Rancho SB; 4)Carmel Valley (more $)??
from my understanding, most GATE programs are very similar. They all do very similar activities such as animal dissections or science experiments.
I was actually in the gifted program at Carrillo Elementary in Carlsbad when the school first opened.
If there is one school I will wholeheartedly vouch for it is my elementary school from grades 3-5. Carrillo offered a wider array of gifted programs than other schools because they had GATE for a more general advanced education, but they also offered Junior Great Books, which was a program for accelerated readers. We read advanced novels (for our age) and discussed them in small groups once a week. It was actually a surprisingly inspiring experience...by 5th grade I was at an adult reading level and would read Michael Crichton in my spare time. We also were given the chance to compose a puppet show of our own liking, which was a pretty rewarding experience. My two younger sisters also went through GATE while at Carrillo and it was rewarding for them as well.
Here is the link for more information about GATE at Carrillo. Carrillo Elementary | GATE (http://www.smusd.org/1665205271652623/site/default.asp - broken link)
Now I know that most people hesitate before enrolling their kids in San Marcos Unified (Carrilo and La Costa Meadows are Carlsbad schools located in SMUSD) because there is the perception that San Marcos Schools are not as academically challenging as Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Poway schools or that the area suffers from gang problems (even though SM has a lower crime rate than Carlsbad...?) However, in my opinion, buying into Carlsbad Unified is a waste of money if schools are your main priority. Most San Marcos schools perform at similar levels to Carlsbad schools and the home prices are usually about 100-300K cheaper. In fact, San Elijo Middle School in nearby southern SM actually has higher test scores than all three Carlsbad middle schools and Mission Hills High has higher scores than Carlsbad despite the fact that it is less affluent. There is also a higher proportion of students in more advanced classes (namely math classes) at San Elijo Middle. So with San Marcos you definitely get more bang for your buck.
San Marcos High School is also an up and coming schools. For instance, caucasian students at SMHS have the second highest API score out of all high schools in the county. It is actually in the top 20 API scores in SoCal for traditional high schools. (877 compared to Carlsbad's 834).
It is also interesting that San Marcos Unified caucasians, african americans, and filipinos have the highest API scores for their race in SoCal out of all k-12 districts.
When you break up test scores by race/ethnicity SMUSD all subsets of the population perform at higher levels than both Poway (except for hispanics) and Carlsbad (except for asians). San Marcos Unified School District - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Also, San Marcos Unified really caters to students that demonstrate a lot of potential. When my sister was in kindergarten she was reading at a very advanced level, so the staff had her study with first and second graders at least twice a week. I on the other hand was much more proficient at math and in 2nd grade my teacher designed a special curriculum for me so that I could improve upon and expand my math skills. I can honestly say that if I hadnt received the special attention by the amazing teachers in San Marcos Unified, then I surely would not have finished 7th in my graduating class with acceptances to berkeley and cornell. Same goes with my younger sister, who will be valedictorian for her class at SMHS. My other sister will be attending San Elijo Middle School next year due to its emphasis on advanced academics.
So if you are looking for a rewarding GATE program I am more than happy to recommend Carrillo Elementary in San Marcos Unified (but in Carlsbad).
Just remember that your child's education is up to you- stay involved and you cant go wrong. I cant thank my parents enough for always pushing me to do my best. Best of luck to you in your search! If you have any other questions about San Marcos schools feel free to ask, i went to 6 different schools in the district...
I've noticed whenever you discuss schools and particularly how SM schools are, in your opinion, a much better deal than LCC or other Carlsbad schools, you base your argument entirely on test scores. Now, as we all know, test scores and all statistics can be twisted and selectively used to make any point. But that's not where I'm going. It's more interesting to me that you omit other factors that figure largely in the quality of education. Things like athletics, music, art, extra-curricular programs and the like. School is not just about what happens in the classroom. You have to take into consideration the entire experience. Just a thought.
I've noticed whenever you discuss schools and particularly how SM schools are, in your opinion, a much better deal than LCC or other Carlsbad schools, you base your argument entirely on test scores. Now, as we all know, test scores and all statistics can be twisted and selectively used to make any point. But that's not where I'm going. It's more interesting to me that you omit other factors that figure largely in the quality of education. Things like athletics, music, art, extra-curricular programs and the like. School is not just about what happens in the classroom. You have to take into consideration the entire experience. Just a thought.
that's totally another big topic: unless everyone accept other standard,
we have to use API as the standard for the performance of a school.
otherwise u can say LCC is better than Mission Higher due to more students good at surfing in LCC
sorry i took so long to respond, i have been in fremont for the past week...
if schools are your #1 priority then i would recommend Poway/ Rancho Bernardo. The schools are more prestigious and wealthy. It is also a much easier commute to Sorrento Valley than SM- you just take the 56.
SM is a great alternative for families that cant afford the 800K house in Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Poway because you dont have to sacrifice quality of education or personal safety for a larger and/or cheaper house. It is the most affordable high-performing district in the county. it is also an up and coming area. Poway and RB will always be boring bedroom communities. SM is developing a downtown creek district and a separate University District next to Cal State San Marcos. In my opinion, The educational and family oriented atmosphere in SM is unrivaled in San Diego County.
Hi. I'm back after posting this question almost a year ago. We are still in the bay area because the company in Sorrento Valley stopped hiring. Now, it looks like the move will happen after all (work in either Sorrento Valley or Poway). I really appreciated all the feedback regarding schools and homes. I know that many people don't care for master-planned communities but I'm open to somewhere like San Elijo Hills or 4s Ranch with kids (7 & 10). After a year of more school budget cuts and home foreclosures, would your recommendations change? We are beach people but our rental budget is only $2500-$3000 per month.
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