4s Ranch vs Carmel Valley – schools

[ssr123]

Hi,

We will be moving to San Diego shortly and would like some help deciding between 4s ranch and carmel valley to buy our home. Our budget is around 700K. We are not concerned about the difference in housing sizes as long as it is over 1800 Sq.ft. The main concern is getting our gifted child into a good school.

I have read good things about both the school districts but I cant find any information on Delmar unified district page regarding special programs for gifted children. Is Poway school district (4s Ranch schools) better for gifted children?. How about Penasquitos area?. I read that bullying is prominent in Mesa verde middle school. Not sure if it was just one case or the school has a history.

Locals please help…

Thanks.

[SD Realtor]

I do not have any direct links or resources for you regarding the gifted programs in the Del Mar Union school district. Given your choices I think you will find that both school districts are good. If your budget is 700k you should be able to find a home in either district although you will not have as much of a selection in Carmel Valley as you will in 4S Ranch or PQ. Also the housing stock in PQ is quite a bit older then 4S or Carmel Valley with the exception of west PQ where the homes are newer. You will get a larger lot size in PQ with the older homes. I don’t think Mesa Verde has any chronic bullying problem however yes I have heard of bullying cases there from other parents. Additionally the schools themselves in 4S Ranch and Carmel Valley (for the most part) will also be a bit newer. Understand that some of the Carmel Valley schools are pretty impacted due to the new developments there as well.

Sorry I could not give you a specific answer as to whether one or the other school district is better suited towards gifted children. Honestly I think both are pretty good but it will be interesting to hear what some of the parents out there say. I would perhaps give the nod to Del Mar Union but not based on any hard facts that I personally know of.

I do know for sure that your housing selections will be quite different depending on which area you decide to go for.

[SD Realtor]

I do not have any direct links or resources for you regarding the gifted programs in the Del Mar Union school district. Given your choices I think you will find that both school districts are good. If your budget is 700k you should be able to find a home in either district although you will not have as much of a selection in Carmel Valley as you will in 4S Ranch or PQ. Also the housing stock in PQ is quite a bit older then 4S or Carmel Valley with the exception of west PQ where the homes are newer. You will get a larger lot size in PQ with the older homes. I don’t think Mesa Verde has any chronic bullying problem however yes I have heard of bullying cases there from other parents. Additionally the schools themselves in 4S Ranch and Carmel Valley (for the most part) will also be a bit newer. Understand that some of the Carmel Valley schools are pretty impacted due to the new developments there as well.

Sorry I could not give you a specific answer as to whether one or the other school district is better suited towards gifted children. Honestly I think both are pretty good but it will be interesting to hear what some of the parents out there say. I would perhaps give the nod to Del Mar Union but not based on any hard facts that I personally know of.

I do know for sure that your housing selections will be quite different depending on which area you decide to go for.

[SD Realtor]

I do not have any direct links or resources for you regarding the gifted programs in the Del Mar Union school district. Given your choices I think you will find that both school districts are good. If your budget is 700k you should be able to find a home in either district although you will not have as much of a selection in Carmel Valley as you will in 4S Ranch or PQ. Also the housing stock in PQ is quite a bit older then 4S or Carmel Valley with the exception of west PQ where the homes are newer. You will get a larger lot size in PQ with the older homes. I don’t think Mesa Verde has any chronic bullying problem however yes I have heard of bullying cases there from other parents. Additionally the schools themselves in 4S Ranch and Carmel Valley (for the most part) will also be a bit newer. Understand that some of the Carmel Valley schools are pretty impacted due to the new developments there as well.

Sorry I could not give you a specific answer as to whether one or the other school district is better suited towards gifted children. Honestly I think both are pretty good but it will be interesting to hear what some of the parents out there say. I would perhaps give the nod to Del Mar Union but not based on any hard facts that I personally know of.

I do know for sure that your housing selections will be quite different depending on which area you decide to go for.

[SD Realtor]

I do not have any direct links or resources for you regarding the gifted programs in the Del Mar Union school district. Given your choices I think you will find that both school districts are good. If your budget is 700k you should be able to find a home in either district although you will not have as much of a selection in Carmel Valley as you will in 4S Ranch or PQ. Also the housing stock in PQ is quite a bit older then 4S or Carmel Valley with the exception of west PQ where the homes are newer. You will get a larger lot size in PQ with the older homes. I don’t think Mesa Verde has any chronic bullying problem however yes I have heard of bullying cases there from other parents. Additionally the schools themselves in 4S Ranch and Carmel Valley (for the most part) will also be a bit newer. Understand that some of the Carmel Valley schools are pretty impacted due to the new developments there as well.

Sorry I could not give you a specific answer as to whether one or the other school district is better suited towards gifted children. Honestly I think both are pretty good but it will be interesting to hear what some of the parents out there say. I would perhaps give the nod to Del Mar Union but not based on any hard facts that I personally know of.

I do know for sure that your housing selections will be quite different depending on which area you decide to go for.

[SD Realtor]

I do not have any direct links or resources for you regarding the gifted programs in the Del Mar Union school district. Given your choices I think you will find that both school districts are good. If your budget is 700k you should be able to find a home in either district although you will not have as much of a selection in Carmel Valley as you will in 4S Ranch or PQ. Also the housing stock in PQ is quite a bit older then 4S or Carmel Valley with the exception of west PQ where the homes are newer. You will get a larger lot size in PQ with the older homes. I don’t think Mesa Verde has any chronic bullying problem however yes I have heard of bullying cases there from other parents. Additionally the schools themselves in 4S Ranch and Carmel Valley (for the most part) will also be a bit newer. Understand that some of the Carmel Valley schools are pretty impacted due to the new developments there as well.

Sorry I could not give you a specific answer as to whether one or the other school district is better suited towards gifted children. Honestly I think both are pretty good but it will be interesting to hear what some of the parents out there say. I would perhaps give the nod to Del Mar Union but not based on any hard facts that I personally know of.

I do know for sure that your housing selections will be quite different depending on which area you decide to go for.

[carli]

The lack of a defined, robust program for gifted children has been raised as a concern among parents in Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) for several years. The district has a new superintendent (as of last spring) and a new board majority (voted in last Nov), and they seem committed to addressing it. The topic is actually on tonight’s monthly DMUSD Board meeting agenda (agenda and backup info found here: http://www.dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=10598). Based on the line item detail from the agenda, it looks like significant improvements to the gifted program are slated for approval at tonight’s meeting.

Since you’re looking at a couple different locations/districts, you’ll probably want to visit both district offices and chat with the staff. Ask them each to discuss how they meet the particular needs of gifted students, especially if you feel your child qualifies for such a program. At DMUSD, they’ll probably insist that not only do they have a new and improved gifted program but they’ll emphasize that, most importantly, they’ve always met the needs of all students on an individual basis, and they’ll point to the district’s leading API scores as proof…blah, blah, blah. So, you’ll probably need to press for specifics.

If possible, and if you have the time, at DMUSD, you should ask to meet with Holly McClurg, Ass’t Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services to discuss the curriculum, policies and/or guidelines of the gifted program so you can get real specifics. She’s a bright, dynamic person who’s also relatively new to the district and seems to keep up w/the latest in the world of education, and cares a lot about what she does.

In reading briefly through the description of the proposed changes to the gifted program on tonight’s board meeting agenda, I noticed that it states that no more than 1% of the school population is expected to qualify for the program so they must have measurement tools planned or in place already. You’ll probably want to inquire about this to get a sense for whether or not your child will qualify. Might also be a good idea to ask Poway district for the same details from their curriculum documents so you know how each school identifies those who participate in their gifted programs.

FWIW, we’ve had a good experience with our kids at DMUSD, but it’s far from perfect, and several times I’ve felt we were being stonewalled while trying to get answers from the district (not on gifted programs but other issues). I imagine this is an issue with most districts, but it does end up feeling like a push-pull between district families and administration. Of course, budget cuts make tensions rise, but it would be nice to see a more positive climate of collaboration with district families, and hopefully, that’s changing with our new superintendent, who seems like a good guy.

Each individual DMUSD school varies slightly in approach, environment and personality so you’ll want to also visit the school you think your kids will be attending. Beware that the intradistrict transfer policy is currently up for discussion (also on the agenda at tonight’s board meeting) and district boundary issues go along with that…there are very few, if any, “guarantees” at this point about which school within DMUSD your child will attend if you buy a house almost anywhere within the district right now. Not that it much matters since they’re all good, but distance could be an issue, or you may feel more aligned with one principal or school community over another.

Best wishes!

[carli]

The lack of a defined, robust program for gifted children has been raised as a concern among parents in Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) for several years. The district has a new superintendent (as of last spring) and a new board majority (voted in last Nov), and they seem committed to addressing it. The topic is actually on tonight’s monthly DMUSD Board meeting agenda (agenda and backup info found here: http://www.dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=10598). Based on the line item detail from the agenda, it looks like significant improvements to the gifted program are slated for approval at tonight’s meeting.

Since you’re looking at a couple different locations/districts, you’ll probably want to visit both district offices and chat with the staff. Ask them each to discuss how they meet the particular needs of gifted students, especially if you feel your child qualifies for such a program. At DMUSD, they’ll probably insist that not only do they have a new and improved gifted program but they’ll emphasize that, most importantly, they’ve always met the needs of all students on an individual basis, and they’ll point to the district’s leading API scores as proof…blah, blah, blah. So, you’ll probably need to press for specifics.

If possible, and if you have the time, at DMUSD, you should ask to meet with Holly McClurg, Ass’t Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services to discuss the curriculum, policies and/or guidelines of the gifted program so you can get real specifics. She’s a bright, dynamic person who’s also relatively new to the district and seems to keep up w/the latest in the world of education, and cares a lot about what she does.

In reading briefly through the description of the proposed changes to the gifted program on tonight’s board meeting agenda, I noticed that it states that no more than 1% of the school population is expected to qualify for the program so they must have measurement tools planned or in place already. You’ll probably want to inquire about this to get a sense for whether or not your child will qualify. Might also be a good idea to ask Poway district for the same details from their curriculum documents so you know how each school identifies those who participate in their gifted programs.

FWIW, we’ve had a good experience with our kids at DMUSD, but it’s far from perfect, and several times I’ve felt we were being stonewalled while trying to get answers from the district (not on gifted programs but other issues). I imagine this is an issue with most districts, but it does end up feeling like a push-pull between district families and administration. Of course, budget cuts make tensions rise, but it would be nice to see a more positive climate of collaboration with district families, and hopefully, that’s changing with our new superintendent, who seems like a good guy.

Each individual DMUSD school varies slightly in approach, environment and personality so you’ll want to also visit the school you think your kids will be attending. Beware that the intradistrict transfer policy is currently up for discussion (also on the agenda at tonight’s board meeting) and district boundary issues go along with that…there are very few, if any, “guarantees” at this point about which school within DMUSD your child will attend if you buy a house almost anywhere within the district right now. Not that it much matters since they’re all good, but distance could be an issue, or you may feel more aligned with one principal or school community over another.

Best wishes!

[carli]

The lack of a defined, robust program for gifted children has been raised as a concern among parents in Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) for several years. The district has a new superintendent (as of last spring) and a new board majority (voted in last Nov), and they seem committed to addressing it. The topic is actually on tonight’s monthly DMUSD Board meeting agenda (agenda and backup info found here: http://www.dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=10598). Based on the line item detail from the agenda, it looks like significant improvements to the gifted program are slated for approval at tonight’s meeting.

Since you’re looking at a couple different locations/districts, you’ll probably want to visit both district offices and chat with the staff. Ask them each to discuss how they meet the particular needs of gifted students, especially if you feel your child qualifies for such a program. At DMUSD, they’ll probably insist that not only do they have a new and improved gifted program but they’ll emphasize that, most importantly, they’ve always met the needs of all students on an individual basis, and they’ll point to the district’s leading API scores as proof…blah, blah, blah. So, you’ll probably need to press for specifics.

If possible, and if you have the time, at DMUSD, you should ask to meet with Holly McClurg, Ass’t Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services to discuss the curriculum, policies and/or guidelines of the gifted program so you can get real specifics. She’s a bright, dynamic person who’s also relatively new to the district and seems to keep up w/the latest in the world of education, and cares a lot about what she does.

In reading briefly through the description of the proposed changes to the gifted program on tonight’s board meeting agenda, I noticed that it states that no more than 1% of the school population is expected to qualify for the program so they must have measurement tools planned or in place already. You’ll probably want to inquire about this to get a sense for whether or not your child will qualify. Might also be a good idea to ask Poway district for the same details from their curriculum documents so you know how each school identifies those who participate in their gifted programs.

FWIW, we’ve had a good experience with our kids at DMUSD, but it’s far from perfect, and several times I’ve felt we were being stonewalled while trying to get answers from the district (not on gifted programs but other issues). I imagine this is an issue with most districts, but it does end up feeling like a push-pull between district families and administration. Of course, budget cuts make tensions rise, but it would be nice to see a more positive climate of collaboration with district families, and hopefully, that’s changing with our new superintendent, who seems like a good guy.

Each individual DMUSD school varies slightly in approach, environment and personality so you’ll want to also visit the school you think your kids will be attending. Beware that the intradistrict transfer policy is currently up for discussion (also on the agenda at tonight’s board meeting) and district boundary issues go along with that…there are very few, if any, “guarantees” at this point about which school within DMUSD your child will attend if you buy a house almost anywhere within the district right now. Not that it much matters since they’re all good, but distance could be an issue, or you may feel more aligned with one principal or school community over another.

Best wishes!

[carli]

The lack of a defined, robust program for gifted children has been raised as a concern among parents in Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) for several years. The district has a new superintendent (as of last spring) and a new board majority (voted in last Nov), and they seem committed to addressing it. The topic is actually on tonight’s monthly DMUSD Board meeting agenda (agenda and backup info found here: http://www.dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=10598). Based on the line item detail from the agenda, it looks like significant improvements to the gifted program are slated for approval at tonight’s meeting.

Since you’re looking at a couple different locations/districts, you’ll probably want to visit both district offices and chat with the staff. Ask them each to discuss how they meet the particular needs of gifted students, especially if you feel your child qualifies for such a program. At DMUSD, they’ll probably insist that not only do they have a new and improved gifted program but they’ll emphasize that, most importantly, they’ve always met the needs of all students on an individual basis, and they’ll point to the district’s leading API scores as proof…blah, blah, blah. So, you’ll probably need to press for specifics.

If possible, and if you have the time, at DMUSD, you should ask to meet with Holly McClurg, Ass’t Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services to discuss the curriculum, policies and/or guidelines of the gifted program so you can get real specifics. She’s a bright, dynamic person who’s also relatively new to the district and seems to keep up w/the latest in the world of education, and cares a lot about what she does.

In reading briefly through the description of the proposed changes to the gifted program on tonight’s board meeting agenda, I noticed that it states that no more than 1% of the school population is expected to qualify for the program so they must have measurement tools planned or in place already. You’ll probably want to inquire about this to get a sense for whether or not your child will qualify. Might also be a good idea to ask Poway district for the same details from their curriculum documents so you know how each school identifies those who participate in their gifted programs.

FWIW, we’ve had a good experience with our kids at DMUSD, but it’s far from perfect, and several times I’ve felt we were being stonewalled while trying to get answers from the district (not on gifted programs but other issues). I imagine this is an issue with most districts, but it does end up feeling like a push-pull between district families and administration. Of course, budget cuts make tensions rise, but it would be nice to see a more positive climate of collaboration with district families, and hopefully, that’s changing with our new superintendent, who seems like a good guy.

Each individual DMUSD school varies slightly in approach, environment and personality so you’ll want to also visit the school you think your kids will be attending. Beware that the intradistrict transfer policy is currently up for discussion (also on the agenda at tonight’s board meeting) and district boundary issues go along with that…there are very few, if any, “guarantees” at this point about which school within DMUSD your child will attend if you buy a house almost anywhere within the district right now. Not that it much matters since they’re all good, but distance could be an issue, or you may feel more aligned with one principal or school community over another.

Best wishes!

[carli]

The lack of a defined, robust program for gifted children has been raised as a concern among parents in Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) for several years. The district has a new superintendent (as of last spring) and a new board majority (voted in last Nov), and they seem committed to addressing it. The topic is actually on tonight’s monthly DMUSD Board meeting agenda (agenda and backup info found here: http://www.dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=10598). Based on the line item detail from the agenda, it looks like significant improvements to the gifted program are slated for approval at tonight’s meeting.

Since you’re looking at a couple different locations/districts, you’ll probably want to visit both district offices and chat with the staff. Ask them each to discuss how they meet the particular needs of gifted students, especially if you feel your child qualifies for such a program. At DMUSD, they’ll probably insist that not only do they have a new and improved gifted program but they’ll emphasize that, most importantly, they’ve always met the needs of all students on an individual basis, and they’ll point to the district’s leading API scores as proof…blah, blah, blah. So, you’ll probably need to press for specifics.

If possible, and if you have the time, at DMUSD, you should ask to meet with Holly McClurg, Ass’t Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services to discuss the curriculum, policies and/or guidelines of the gifted program so you can get real specifics. She’s a bright, dynamic person who’s also relatively new to the district and seems to keep up w/the latest in the world of education, and cares a lot about what she does.

In reading briefly through the description of the proposed changes to the gifted program on tonight’s board meeting agenda, I noticed that it states that no more than 1% of the school population is expected to qualify for the program so they must have measurement tools planned or in place already. You’ll probably want to inquire about this to get a sense for whether or not your child will qualify. Might also be a good idea to ask Poway district for the same details from their curriculum documents so you know how each school identifies those who participate in their gifted programs.

FWIW, we’ve had a good experience with our kids at DMUSD, but it’s far from perfect, and several times I’ve felt we were being stonewalled while trying to get answers from the district (not on gifted programs but other issues). I imagine this is an issue with most districts, but it does end up feeling like a push-pull between district families and administration. Of course, budget cuts make tensions rise, but it would be nice to see a more positive climate of collaboration with district families, and hopefully, that’s changing with our new superintendent, who seems like a good guy.

Each individual DMUSD school varies slightly in approach, environment and personality so you’ll want to also visit the school you think your kids will be attending. Beware that the intradistrict transfer policy is currently up for discussion (also on the agenda at tonight’s board meeting) and district boundary issues go along with that…there are very few, if any, “guarantees” at this point about which school within DMUSD your child will attend if you buy a house almost anywhere within the district right now. Not that it much matters since they’re all good, but distance could be an issue, or you may feel more aligned with one principal or school community over another.

Best wishes!

[carli]

One more factor to consider while comparing school districts/home locations is high schools…even if your child is only in elementary now, it’s scary how fast they get there!

You should know that if you choose to live in Carmel Valley or Del Mar, your child will attend a school in the Del Mar Union School District through 6th grade, but will transition to San Dieguito Union High School District (www.sduhsd.net) for middle (7th-8th grade) and then high school. When the student hits high school, he/she will have two area high schools to choose from, both in Carmel Valley – Torrey Pines High School and Canyon Crest Academy. Both have extremely high API scores and excellent programs with slightly different focuses.

We’ve had kids in both and have been very impressed (much more so than with the DMUSD elementary school experience). Especially at Canyon Crest, we feel the high school education is on par with private schools in many ways.

Not trying to “sell” you on the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area over 4s or RP, as Poway Union School District also has a great reputation, just sharing our experience.

[carli]

One more factor to consider while comparing school districts/home locations is high schools…even if your child is only in elementary now, it’s scary how fast they get there!

You should know that if you choose to live in Carmel Valley or Del Mar, your child will attend a school in the Del Mar Union School District through 6th grade, but will transition to San Dieguito Union High School District (www.sduhsd.net) for middle (7th-8th grade) and then high school. When the student hits high school, he/she will have two area high schools to choose from, both in Carmel Valley – Torrey Pines High School and Canyon Crest Academy. Both have extremely high API scores and excellent programs with slightly different focuses.

We’ve had kids in both and have been very impressed (much more so than with the DMUSD elementary school experience). Especially at Canyon Crest, we feel the high school education is on par with private schools in many ways.

Not trying to “sell” you on the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area over 4s or RP, as Poway Union School District also has a great reputation, just sharing our experience.

[carli]

One more factor to consider while comparing school districts/home locations is high schools…even if your child is only in elementary now, it’s scary how fast they get there!

You should know that if you choose to live in Carmel Valley or Del Mar, your child will attend a school in the Del Mar Union School District through 6th grade, but will transition to San Dieguito Union High School District (www.sduhsd.net) for middle (7th-8th grade) and then high school. When the student hits high school, he/she will have two area high schools to choose from, both in Carmel Valley – Torrey Pines High School and Canyon Crest Academy. Both have extremely high API scores and excellent programs with slightly different focuses.

We’ve had kids in both and have been very impressed (much more so than with the DMUSD elementary school experience). Especially at Canyon Crest, we feel the high school education is on par with private schools in many ways.

Not trying to “sell” you on the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area over 4s or RP, as Poway Union School District also has a great reputation, just sharing our experience.

[carli]

One more factor to consider while comparing school districts/home locations is high schools…even if your child is only in elementary now, it’s scary how fast they get there!

You should know that if you choose to live in Carmel Valley or Del Mar, your child will attend a school in the Del Mar Union School District through 6th grade, but will transition to San Dieguito Union High School District (www.sduhsd.net) for middle (7th-8th grade) and then high school. When the student hits high school, he/she will have two area high schools to choose from, both in Carmel Valley – Torrey Pines High School and Canyon Crest Academy. Both have extremely high API scores and excellent programs with slightly different focuses.

We’ve had kids in both and have been very impressed (much more so than with the DMUSD elementary school experience). Especially at Canyon Crest, we feel the high school education is on par with private schools in many ways.

Not trying to “sell” you on the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area over 4s or RP, as Poway Union School District also has a great reputation, just sharing our experience.

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