Agoura Hills Calabasas Oak Park Malibu Westlake Info
Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Oak Park, Malibu, Westlake Village--WESTLAKE SPORTS CAMP Nominated #1 Sports Camp in surrouinding area by local parents in Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Malibu, Calabasas and Westlake Village!! 1st year! Congratulations!! Visit: WWW.WESTLAKESPORTSCAMP.ORG...Local Real Estate, Home Mortgage, Movie Theater and dining experiences--linked! Information from the locals linked so visitors can find what they need in a hurry, and so locals can have one place to get information! We dine together, play together, shop together, go to sports functions together. Family... Friends... Finding... Always... Surrounded by serene hills in every direction, Calabasas, Agoura, Oak Park, Westlake and Malibu share a common bond, co-existing in nature's harmony, fighting to preserve and protect all that is precious, the oceans, mountains, natural springs and enviroment, as well as the local schools. We are bound to or bind ourselves to, keeping it all alive, within ourselves and all around us. The world envies us. Home of Artists, Song-Writers, Composers, Musicians, Producers, Film-makers, Writers, Business Owners, Teachers, hard workers in every field, and most importantly, Mothers and Fathers who teach us how to be who we are and Inspire us to be more than we ever thought or dreamt we could be. Bring your unique spirit and voice. Join in the dance with your people. Venture. Speak to the locals. Call Century 21 Mortgage (805) 248-6671, the most trusted mortgage advisor in the area, voted #1 in the area by local realtors and homebuyers 2nd year! Congratulations!
School shopping? Comparing? All the schools are pretty much equal. The way to choose a school for your child is to decide what his/her emotional needs are first. What kind of atmosphere does your child need? You can always get raw data at: www.greatschools.net/schools/cities/california/CA and compare.
Here is a little bit of insight. I would realize this information is not perfect and do more research. Find out information to us and we can add more detail to our pages?
Oak Park High School is, at certain times, considered one of the top 100 high schools in the nation. However, it is lacking in a strong jazz music program and it has no swimming pool. Students who wish to participate in music or swimming usually have to go to Agoura High School in order to be considered competitive by colleges.
Oak Park schools rely heavily on bonds to pay for higher quality education. When the bonds do not pass, the buck passes to the parents, who are asked to donate larger amounts of money to cover the costs. It is a small price to pay, considering that Viewpoint is located in Calabasas and it charges around $10,000 per year and only has a slightly better curriculum.
Not to say Oak Park schools are perfect. Most of the teachers rely on mother-hen-teachers who are more than happy to home school their children, in addition to sending them to public school. As well, parents rely heavily on tutors to make their teachers happy when the job is just not getting done. If you are moving to Oak Park just for the school, thinking the school will be the answer, think again. If you, however, want to be in an environment that supports the core educational values that the community bears together, without having to feel like a freak side-show because you are into it, you will find mothers and fathers who spend a lot of quality family time together and you will not feel so alone! You will be in good company.
These schools are similar to Oak Park schools. They are very competitive. There are a few newer elementary schools and the older ones, they do not seem old at all. In fact, they are just old enough to finally get everything they really need to be really stellar! There is tremendous parent participation, only there are more (or so it seems) working moms. It seems that working moms rule in Agoura, and they can do it all. That is not to say there are not a lot of non-working moms who do extra to make up the difference! Agoura has the music down to a pat. They win practically every competition they enter hands down. They have an excellent swim team. However, Oak Park concentrates a little more on academics and theater and it shows. It just depends on what you want to do. Both sides of the fence, you cannot lose!
Now, you may be wondering, what about Calabasas??? Show us some love. Even though Calabasas and Agoura are in the same district, they are two distinctly different cities. Agoura has a more rural, true neighborhood, get lost high school feel. Calabasas has everything that Agoura has, but throw in some college vibes.
Calabasas schools are known to be very competitive against Agoura Schools. You just cannot beat all those awards Agoura Jazz Band, "Duke Ellington Band", gets for the music programs, one type of music, Duke Ellington Music. Therefore, to be fair, other area schools do not concentrate on only Duke Ellington music. Agoura High School awards are mainly Duke Ellington related awards. They concentrate in one area and it pays off. If it works, stick to it, and they have built a right nice reputation doing so.
To be absolutely fair, Calabasas is right smack in the middle of Oak Park High School academically speaking and Agoura High School academically speaking. Calabasas has almost everything Agoura High School has to offer, almost! There music program is very good and more broad-based, so they just do not get the Duke Ellington awards in New York.
Calabasas High School has almost everything Oak Park has to offer, almost! However, the Oak Park Theater Department really has taken off and I would say that is their specialty. Calabasas High School has a great theater program though, too. So, when I say almost, it truly is almost, and their in some of their sports categories they certainly rock. You need to make a thorough evaluation of what you want in a school. Calabasas also, as stated before, has the college vibe, so it could be just right for you or your child.
The differences in these schools is so minute in every single category, one would need to carefully make all considerations not based on school rankings or test scores but the essential specific needs of the student and weigh the exact curriculum taught; goals tailored toward specific career areas; as well as take a guest tour to see where the student would "feel" more at home; rather than making a random decision.
Westlake Village has its own high school, Westlake High School. It has a rigorous academic program. They also are one of the few high schools that have classes that may or may not use live cadavers for the most incredible pre-doctorate bauclereatte programs in the area. They have an extensive music program, including a top-notch marching band, choir, jazz program and classical music program. This school has been ranked in the top 100 high schools in the United States.
Agoura High needs heavy maintenance repairs to facilities. Oak Park needs a better music program or a music program and a pool.
Malibu High School is incredible. Visit: http://malibuhigh.smmusd.org/ There you can find everything, including their drumline marching band they are putting together!
Malibu has not been annexed by Santa Monica schools and therefore, you have a similar situation as you do with Oak Park Schools. Oak Park School District seems to be like its own school district, but is really tied to all of Ventura County Schools.
Malibu is actually linked up to the Santa Monica Schools similarly. They all follow the same curriculum. However, parental involvement is much higher overall, much! As well, Malibu has one slight advantage that one may want to consider if they are specifically interested in a specialty school, which I will get to in a minute. The middle school and high school are at the same school on the same campus at Malibu High School, which is a little confusing but once you know it, you know it.
Malibu is also home to Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School, a spectacular experience for those who want to become "Oceanographers." Even if your child does not want to become an oceanographer, the science and math program combination with real life tasks take your child to the next level of greater understanding. Children actually go to the beach and combine lessons to learn how the ocean, science, math, words and spelling correlate. They complete all the same "California State Science Standards." You need to live in the Malibu District to go to this school.
As with any of the schools, you always have the chance that they have not filled up every seat and you can ask for a transfer. An interdistrict transfer is different than a intradistrict transfer. Interdistrict is more difficult. You have to have quite the excuse for wanting the transfer. However, the intradistrict transfer is softer. If you work in an office in the area, you can possibly qualify for the transfer. Either way, a transfer is a transfer. Expect your child to be singled out as a problem, usually not geting the benefit of the doubt, or quite the opposite. Sometimes, Principals have been known to let huge behavioral problems go so they feel they did not single the child out! I would highly recommend not transferring if at all possible. If, however, you have the perfect child, you may be tolerated. Transfer at your own risk!
