Temecula or San Clemente (Vista, San Juan Capistrano: home, school district, universities)

[dhboore]

Which high schools are better, Temecula or San Clemente?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by dhboore

Which high schools are better, Temecula or San Clemente?

What does "better" mean?

San Clemente High School - San Clemente, California - CA - School overview

Temecula Valley High School - Temecula, California - CA - School overview

[missionhome]

San Clemente High serves the majority of San Clemente. The Academic Performance Index based on state test scores puts SCHS at 816 and is ranked a 9/10 by greatschools. Temecula's highest scoring school, Great Oak HS, scored 812 and is ranked a 8/10 by greatschools. The other three high schools in Temecula (Rancho Santa Vista, Chapparl, and Temecula Valley) score below the 800 benchmark set by the state of CA.

A small northern tip of San Clemente to the northwest of Camino de Estrella attends the brand new San Juan Hills HS in the city of San Juan Capistrano. However only a small percentage (like 2%) of San Clemente attends SJHHS. SJHHS scores below 800 on state testing.

I don't know much about Temecula schools other than the test scores, but here is what I do know about San Clemente HS.

SCHS: For advanced students there is both the AP and IB Program available, one of two schools in Capistrano Unified School District to offer both. Both programs are pretty good for college bound students. Each school in CUSD has an "academy," and SCHS has an automobile design/mechanic academy. Music, drama, and ROP are also available at SCHS as well as a variety of academic clubs like National Honor Society, Key Club, Model UN to social/interests clubs like French Club, Poetry Club, Young Liberals, etc.....

Freshman year students are primarily contained on the "upper campus" which is up a huge slope behind the school. SCHS enrolls 3,200 students at the oldest campus in the district so it is indeed the most overcrowded of the district's six high schools. The upper campus is the former "Ole Hanson Elementary" which was closed and converted to freshman classrooms. A walkway connects the two campuses. If looking at a satellite map, the upper campus is the portion on top of the hill adjacent to the stadium.

All around SCHS is strong in athletics, but the football team, girl's soccer team, and volleyball teams are most well known.

School culture revolves around the coastal setting of the school. Lots of kids wearing flip flops, shorts, surfer shirts, etc... because of the near perfect weather in San Clemente. I don't know a ton as a parent, just here stuff from people who I know have kids there and the schools reputation. Good amount of surfers at SCHS too, as would be expected being so close to the beach.

[J20]

I think it depends on what your criteria are and what your child is primarily interested in (athletics, arts, academics, extracurricular clubs, etc.). I graduated from Temecula Valley High School about ten years ago (it was the only high school in Temecula during that time) and am now in San Clemente. At the time I went there, TVHS was a decent school, but certainly not award-winning. They offered all of the standard AP classes (English, History, Psych) and all of your typical high school clubs (ASB, National Honor Society). I was involved in cheer and dance, but neither of those programs were of a very high quality. They had several really good foreign language progams, but I believe those have been cut back--or eliminated--due to state budget cuts. I believe the majority of my graduating class went on to a 2-year junior college, though some did go to four-year universities.

Capo Unified School District has been affected a lot by the state budget cuts, but all CA schools have been hit in some way. If you have the capability to afford a home in SC, I would definitely vote for that option. There are always public charter schools in OC that are an option as well. Temecula has grown so much over the past couple years...and continues to grow. I think San Clemente has much more of a "small town" and safer community feel. Plus, Temecula gets really hot in the summer! In SC, you have gorgeous beaches, beautiful weather and a nice community to call home!

Here are a couple links that might help:
Temecula Valley Unified School District
Capistrano Unified School District: Home Page