“Newsweek has recently identified the best high schools in the nati0n ‘based on how hard school staffs work to challenge students with advanced placement college-level courses and tests.’” according to a press release from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (excerpt continues below).

Peninsula High School is #178 in the nation and Palos Verdes High School is #239.  Among California high schools on the list, Peninsula is #18 and Palos Verdes High is #26.  According to Newsweek, “just over 1600 schools, only 5% of the public schools in the United States made the list.”  The Newsweek list includes many academies, charter schools, and specialized magnet schools.

District success is not accidental.  Both Palos Verdes and Peninsula High schools receive high rankings in the Newsweek rating system because of their open door policy to college level courses.  Students at both high schools are encouraged to stretch themselves and enroll in high level courses. In 2010, over 3400 AP tests were taken in PVPUSD.  2010 test results will be received in August, but in the past the passage rate was approximately 75%.

The entire Newsweek list can be accessed by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of PVUSD

Last week, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District posted their proposed school calendar for 2010-2011 (click here to view).  It’s about time!  As a parent, it is difficult to plan vacations, appointments, etc. without knowing when our children will be in or out of school.  On this proposed schedule, school will start Tuesday, August 31, 2010 (the week before Labor Day) and the school year will be shortened by 4 or 5 days due to a budget shortfall.  New to the school calendar is a week’s vacation beginning February 21st.

Palos Verdes homes owners will be pleased to know that Palos Verdes schools have received a grant for Language Instruction, according to a recent PVPUSD publication.   The school district will receive $300,000 a year for the next five years “to promote the instruction of Mandarin Chinese.”  Currently all students at Lunada Bay and Point Vicente Elementary Schools have Chinese language instruction that starts at Kindergarten and Monte Malaga and Cornerstone Elementary Schools will be added in the future.  Currently our two high schools and Palos Verdes Intermediate offer Chinese language instruction as an elective and those courses will be expanded to include the other two intermediate schools.  Our great schools contribute to our children’s development and to our strong Palos Verdes home values!

“The restoration kept period details and added elevators and other features to comply with federal disability law” according to the Daily Breeze.  Yet, it was also built to current state standards for schools should the building need to be used in the future as a school.

Currently, all district departments have moved to Malaga Cove School with the exception of ESL (English as Second Language) Testing and Pupil Services which will move over shortly from Valmonte School.  The Costume Closet and Peninsula Education Foundation will also be located at the newly reopened Malaga Cove School.  Malaga Cove School is located at 375 Via Almar, Palos Verdes Estates.

It is that time of year again for 2010 Kindergarten Registration for owners of Palos Verdes homes(and/or tenants) who have children entering Kindergarten in the Fall.  This year Kindergarten Orientation will be held on Monday, February 1, 1010, at Vista Grande Elementary School and Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at Dapplegray Elementary School.  Both meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m.

This is an important event if you have Kindgergarten age children because some Palos Verdes elementary schools are impacted. If you want to be assured that your child will go to their neighborhood school, then Kindergarten is the best time to do so. If you move into Palos Verdes after this point, the Palos Verdes Unified Schoold District officials try to place your child in their neighborhood elementary school but as some schools are impacted, new students are redirected to elementary schools where there is room for additional students.

New Kindergarten students for the 2010/2011 school year must be 5 years of age on or before December 2, 2010. Proof of residency is also required. Registration packets will be available at each elementary school on February 17th and should be returned to that school by March 5th. Each of the ten elementary schools will also be holding individual parent meetings and the schedule can be accessed by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of PVUSD

Palos Verdes Estates does not have residential street lights.  Tennis courts and pool areas are also restricted.  According to Sue Van Every, Palos Verdes Estates Homeowners Association Manager, in a recent article in the Peninsula News “there is a city ordinance, as well as the Art Jury (which) has not allowed any (lights))…because of the surrounding neighbors…”  Of course, that means no night games at Palos Verdes High School.

The same is true for Peninsula High School which is in Rolling Hills Estates.  However, there have been a few exceptions over the years.  According to Doug Prichard, City Manager of Rolling Hills Estates, in a recent Peninsula News article, “The standing policy of the school has been that they do not want to disrupt the neighborhoods in the quiet evenings with night games, they’ve never had lights go up there.  Every few years, we’ll get the booster club interested in having a night game or two during the season – particularly homecoming games – and they’ve done that in the past with temporary lights on sort of a one-off basis.”

There are street lights in Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes which makes navigating unfamiliar areas at night easier.  As a resident of Palos Verdes Estates, I do enjoy not having streetlights.  You can really see the stars at night!

 The Palos Verdes Unified School District received a AA+/Aa2 credit rating from Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investor Services.  This is one of the highest ratings that a California school district can get and there are only 16 public school districts in California that have a AA+ or better. 

Owners of Palos Verdes real estate should be proud both of the School District, for their excellent management, and themselves for the school bonds that we have voted upon ourselves to make up for the shortfall from the State.  Additionally, Peninsula Education Foundation funds many programs that the State no longer does and our PTAs also step in financially where allowable to keep our school district strong.  Finally, congratulations to all the parents in the district who work tirelessly for our children’s education and well-being.

A copy of the entire press releasae can be accessed by clicking here.

Above photo is of Malaga Cove School

 

 Palos Verdes Schools again had API (Academic Performance Index) scores above 900 for the 2008-2009 school year. The district had an overall score of 908 which was up from the 2007/2008 base of 901.

The 10 elementary schools all scored well above 900 with Cornerstone receiving the highest score of 966. The 3 middle schools scored between 897 and 947 with Palos Verdes Intermediate scoring the highest at 947. The 2 high schools scored 886 for Peninsula High School and 864 for Palos Verdes High. A complete list of school scores can be accessed by clicking here.

Attending the Parent’s Back To School Night for my son who is a freshman at Palos Verdes High was very revealing. The classes were exciting and very demanding and way beyond what my husband and I learned in high school.

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Schools again ranked in the top 10% of schools statewide based on Academic Performance Index scores. Great schools are one of the reasons that Palos Verdes real estate is so attractive to both buyers and current property owners.

“The top score in all of South Bay, 968, went to Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary in Rancho Palos Verdes ” according to the Daily Breeze. API scores for all of the South Bay Schools as printed in the Daily Breeze can be accessed by clicking here.

All Palos Verdes Elementary Schools scored in the 900s – from 904 to 977 ( A perfect score is 1000). Palos Verdes Intermediate and High Schools saw an increase in their scores this year. Palos Verdes Intermediate received a 947, Ridgecrest received a 936 and Miraleste Intermediate received an 899. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School received an 879 and Palos Verdes High School received an 854. API scores for the district can be accessed by clicking here.

Photo above is Malaga Cove School

Palos Verdes Peninsula has a total of 67,162 residents as of 2008. The city of Rancho Palos Verdes has the largest population at 42,964. The city of Palos Verdes Estates has 14,046 residents. Rolling Hills Estates has 8,185 residents. Rolling Hills has 1,967 residents.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula measures 26.3 square miles. Palos Verdes is the oldest city (incorporated in 1939) and located on 3,038 acres. Rancho Palos Verdes is the youngest city (incorporated in 1973) and the largest city located on 13.6 square miles. Rolling Hills Estates encompasses 4.18 square miles and was incorporated in 1957. Rolling Hills also incorporated in 1957 and covers 3 square miles. Additionally, there are about 500 homes in Academy Hills and Westfield which are two unincorporated areas governed by the County of Los Angeles and are located off Palos Verdes Drive North.

Palos Verdes is known for its outstanding public schools and there are over 12,000 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. On the California statewide level, the Palos Verdes Peninsula district is in the top 1 to 5% in achievement. There are also several excellent private schools on the Peninsula – Chadwick, Rolling Hills Country Day, Rolling Hills Preparatory, Peninsula Montessori and Peninsula Heritage.

Clients often ask what the school boundaries are in Palos Verdes. For High School it is an easy answer – Currently there is open enrollment for both Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School; incoming students may choose either. See my article from 1/30/09 with particulars about each school by clicking here.

We have 3 intermediate or middle schools in Palos Verdes – Palos Verdes Intermediate School, Ridgecrest, and Miraleste. Enrollment at these schools are based upon where you are living on the Peninsula. You can check your address using this link to see what school your child will attend.

The same is true for the following Palos Verdes Peninsula Elementary Schools – Dapplegray, Lunada Bay, Mira Catalina, Miraleste, Montemalaga, Pointe Vicente, Silver Spur, Soleado and Vista Granda. Cornerstone @Pedregal Elementary is a charter school and entry is by lottery. Currently, Rancho Vista Elementary has open enrollment. Check with the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District at 310-378-9966 for more information as some of these schools are impacted and families moving into the area may be assigned to another school.