Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad | Military Town Advisor

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	10/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 California Science Test data from California Department of Education.
College Readiness	10/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using 2019 SAT percent college ready data from California Department of Education, using 2019 Average ACT score data from California Department of Education, using 2019 ACT percent college ready data from California Department of Education, using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2025 4-year high school graduation rate data from California Department of Education, using 2025 Percent of students who meet UC/CSU entrance requirements data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 demographic data from California Department of Education.

Posted: June 19, 2025

I am a parent two Sage Creek graduates and one current student. We love Sage Creek and my children have received a fantastic education. With few exceptions, the teachers are engaged and truly care about the students. They are innovative and working to prepare our students for college. My students have been challenged academically and are doing VERY well in college compared to many of their peers. They were extremely well prepared for their AP tests without any outside study. My kids appreciate that most of their fellow students are accepting and down to earth kids who are not overly focused on outward appearances and being "cool".

The sports at Sage Creek are generally not as competitive as the other high school, however, this gives many students a chance to participate who would be cut after their freshman year at the other school. I love that students who haven't played travel sports since the age of 5 are able to participate in sports. We do have sports that are highly competitive and consistently send students to state competitions. Our cross country and track and fields teams are amazing and full of incredible talent. It has been one the best experiences my children have had during high school. Some coaches are mediocre, which is to be expected when their compensation is low and they are community members who are volunteering many hours to support our students and opportunities.

The administration has been fantastic and all three principals during our time here have been wonderful. Dr Way is incredible and the students love him. He is engaged with the community, gets involved with the students, and is responsive to parent concerns. There are many parents in the district who expect the administration to bow to their politically motivated demands that do not align with California law. I think Dr Way has done a fantastic job of navigating these challenges.

The only drawback we have encountered at Sage Creek is that some extra curricular activities are not as well supported as they seem to be at the other high school. I think this is because Sage Creek is a newer school that does not have a long history of supporting said EC's. I would love to see school support ($ and teacher) for a Speech and Debate team rather than have only a club run by students that comes and goes year after year.

I am so glad that my children chose Sage Creek and would make the same decision today.

Posted: March 13, 2025

Couldnt ask for a better school. Both my kids attend here, one graduated last year and the other is a senior. The teachers are phenomenal. The students are engaged. My kids have a wonderful peer group of successful hard working friends. Anyone who complains about this school needs to go out of state and see what other schools are like, as we transferred here from out of state and theres nothing like this school in the entire state we were from. Kudos to the administration, students, teachers, parents who make this an amazing school. The culture here is top notch. Im gonna miss this school when my last daughter graduates. Thank you for everything.

Posted: August 8, 2024

This school started to decline within the first month of Mr. Way becoming principal in 2023. He created major disunity between students and faculty and encouraged a race war and division among all. There were more physical fights this year than all previous years combined. Mr. Ways only focus is to improve this schools equity scores at the expense of all other students and their education! This mans leadership has destroyed this school!! Mr. Way is definitely not fit to be a principal at any high school!

Posted: May 9, 2024

I I'm so happy to have my son attend Sage Creek High school. He is currently a sophomore, and the trimester system has been engaging and challenging, but in a very good way. The special ed program is very respectful of the students and they work with the incredible teachers to explain my son's ADHD disability/gifted combination.

Posted: June 15, 2023

I have two kids here, 1 just graduated the other has another couple of years. It's been a fantastic experience for both of them. They are completely different in their personalities and approach to school but both have thrived . They have enjoyed the trimester approach and the ability to not have to "conform" to a traditional high school experience, there are opportunities for kids to engage in whatever interests them , be it sport, music, academics art without being pidgeonholed - Thoroughly recommend you have a look if your in the Carlsbad district

Posted: April 24, 2023

My son went here for 3 years when it was fairly new. He is 6'4 and was never given a chance in baseball by Ryan Madsen. He was always about playing his favorites not the best. The practices were a joke they didn't learn anything. The education system was weak as he ended up hating school and learned very little to prepare for college. I wish I would had sent him to TCC for a better more fair experience and to be more prepared for college like I did my younger son who thrived there..

Posted: April 8, 2023

terrible, doesnt help student that get bullied

Posted: September 16, 2020

I have attended Sage Creek for three years now. I cannot be more proud to call this my school! I am in the middle of my senior year and I have had the greatest high school experience thanks to this place. The teacher are amazing. They make you feel so welcome and loved and they are very efficient teachers. I have accelerated so much in my learning. However, Sage Creek is a very academically competitive school, so make sure that you're up for a challenge!

Posted: September 16, 2020

Posted: August 22, 2020

SCHS has definitely instilled a strong sense of character, integrity, compassion, and respect in its students. In fact I have heard many adults visiting the campus (as guests, subs, visitors, volunteers) the the kids are so well behaved and respectful. They emulate the school motto: "Dare to be Great"!

Posted: August 22, 2020

The leadership at the school is fantastic. From Principal Schuveiller (previously the Vice Principal), Vice-Principal Robertson (who came from Carlsbad HS), and Vice-Principal Harrington (who also came from CHS) to the office staff, they have all worked hard to be effective in offering the best education possible for the students.

Posted: August 22, 2020

SCHS has strongly supports students and their differences. One of my kids has been on a 504 and they have been very accommodating. This has helped him be more effective in his classes.

Posted: August 22, 2020

They address bullying in an all school assembly and always promote inclusiveness. Bullying is not accepted!

Posted: August 22, 2020

SCHS has a tri-mester schedule so it is much faster paced than Carlsbad HS or many others. It is great prep for college! I was worried about one of my kids keeping up and almost didn't send him to SCHS because of the fast pace. But he did really well and is a senior this year. The tri schedule keeps the kids engaged and they do not get bored as they often times do with block days. The homework is very doable and the teachers work with the students.

Posted: August 22, 2020

We have had great experiences with all of the teachers my kids have had. They are very approachable for the students and parents and use effective teaching methods, always looking for ways to be innovative.

Posted: August 22, 2020

SCHS is an amazing school! My kids and my family love it. The staff is professional, innovative, attentive, kind, hard working, and available to the students and parents. Principal Schuveiller is a great leader and a really good and nice guy. The education is top notch and the campus is beautiful. It feels like a private school. Even though the school is rather new, the sports programs have been very successful. There is not a football team but the kids still enjoy "Hoopcoming" in early spring which is in place of "Homecoming". It is centered around basketball instead of football and is a huge event that includes a pep rally, carnival, big game, and dance. It's super fun and my whole family always attends the game. The students have a lot of school spirit which is supported by a strong ASB team. My kids have excelled in their studies and feel very included on campus. They like it so much that they really don't want the school year to end. Our family has had a fantastic experience at SCHS for the past four years. We are happy and excited to still have two more years to be there!!

Posted: March 10, 2020

The students seem to have incredible character at this school. It is a diverse student population and the kids seem to truly respect each other and the school.

Posted: March 10, 2020

This is a STEM school - kids who learn quickly and study hard will be extremely successful. Students who struggle or don't learn within the standard "learning box" will be left behind!

Posted: March 10, 2020

Sage has a very diverse student body - I don't see much bullying at all.

Posted: March 10, 2020

If you get one of the good teachers - you will be extremely successful. If you don't - you will learn nothing!!! If you play sports - go to CARLSBAD HS! The Athletic Department at Sage is a complete joke - the most unorganized athletics department I have ever witnessed!

Posted: March 10, 2020

There is a normal amount of homework - to be expected in High School. AP courses will have more outside of class work to be done. Great prep for college.

Posted: March 10, 2020

It's a total "draw of the hat" as to whether you get an effective teacher. The science departments seem to have strong teachers but the history/economics and English departments have a VERY LONG WAY TO GO!

Posted: February 4, 2020

Sage Creek is an academically tough school, and it seems to me that most parents and students appreciate the challenge. I know that as a parent I appreciate it, and my kids do too. To be competitive in this global job market, or kids need to be prepared - and SCHS is doing that for them. (PS - No, I am not a Tiger Mom. Just a parent who knows what kids need to compete)

Posted: December 17, 2018

Fantastic school that values integrity and respect. This school is very inclusive and a great school whether your child is an athlete or academically minded.

Posted: December 17, 2018

Posted: September 20, 2018

As a recent graduate of SCHS, I can say that I am well prepared for college. I think that any graduate in my graduating class of 2018, would say that they had a positive experience at Sage Creek. Personally, I am attending UC Davis to study Neurobiology, and 92% of my graduating class is attending college. We had a 100% graduation rate and outstanding scores in every arena. It is obvious that Great Schools does not summarize SCHS well due to its inadequate data. I highly recommend Sage Creek and am super happy to have gone there. Amazing students, top notch teachers, and a high school experience I will never forget.

Posted: September 18, 2018

This school is top performing and ranks higher in academics that Carlsbad High and LCC. The students score better on standardized tests and despite only having had 2 graduating classes- it is producing IVY league worthy students as well as lots of students attending the wonderful UC system.

Posted: August 30, 2018

These students are strong leaders. They stand up to problems when they see them and provide solutions. The administration encourages and supports student ideas and organizations to improve the school.

Posted: August 30, 2018

Students, staff, and administration calls out bullying when they see it and deal with it swiftly.

Posted: August 30, 2018

This is a new school. It has had only two graduating classes so far, so there have been growing pains. It is ridiculous for these complaining parents and students to expect to walk in to a school that started in 2013 and expect to have everything handed to them like a school that has been around since 1957! Sage Creek encourages all to get involved to help grow and improve the school, which has been happening at a rapid pace. I have always had immediate responses to questions and quick resolutions to problems, but I am willing to step up and help, not just whine and complain. The college readiness rating of 2/10 is WAY off base! The second class (2018) has 94% pursuing secondary education, with 66% of those directly attending 4 year institutions after graduation. If you don't want to be a part of building the foundations and traditions for an amazing school, and can't hack the high academic expectations and pace of a trimester calendar, you're better off going somewhere else. My daughter went to Magnolia and Valley, and chose to travel to Sage Creek for the academics, rather than walking to the High School that is right around the corner. It is now her senior year and she has never regretted making this decision.

Posted: August 30, 2018

Posted: July 16, 2018

The sports director is absolutely terrible, the principal acts like he cares until there is an issue, then he ignores your emails.

Posted: July 16, 2018

I had one daughter graduate from Carlsbad High, and another from Sage Creek. Sage Creek is a nightmare. From scheduling difficulties, to counselors that refuse to help or even talk to my child about classes, lack of programs to enrich the children's education, and so much more. BEWARE!! Don't be fooled by the pretty building!!

Posted: July 16, 2018

Many teachers do not go out of their way for the kids at this school. My daughter tried to start clubs (like debate and writing) and there was no teacher support.

Posted: February 8, 2018

Amazing, so glad I went here instead of carlsbad high school!

Posted: February 8, 2018

Posted: February 1, 2018

Carlsbad destroys us in sports, academics and our broadcasting is a joke. People claim we have no druggies but they just sneak under the radar. This year Carlsbad's freshman class is one of the biggest its been since opening. Sage is at an all time low. That is not a coincidence. Soon they will be forcing us to go to schools based on were we live instead of letting us choose because sage needs more students.

Posted: February 1, 2018

Posted: September 16, 2017

Congratulations Mr Feiberg on your nomination. As a former student of yours, I appreciate your focus on critical thinking and encouraging us as students to problem solve.

Posted: June 23, 2017

My son is going into his third year at Sage and it's been great so far. Some teachers are definitely better than others but that's to be expected at every High School. I would love to see more AP options for students wanting to challenge themselves and pick up some extra college credit. I do agree with the earlier comment regarding two trimesters being weighted and the third not being (I was unaware of this). This shouldn't be happening, all three trimesters should be weighted if it's a year long class. As a whole the Carlsbad Unified school system is missing a lot of information on how grades are calculated/weighted. One additional observation, some teachers tend to load the grades they give out with a large portion of the grade dependent on test scores. To balance out a class grade this should never exceed 50% of the overall grade. Basing 80%+ of a grade on 4 tests and a final can lead to force typically A students to Cs. From an athletic standpoint, my son has had the opportunity and the encouragement to try multiple sports and some teams are top notch.

Posted: April 9, 2017

Excellent leadership and dedicated teachers! The school is for fast-pace and better for serious students. SCHS will make college easy for our kids!

Posted: March 4, 2017

Our son is finishing up his 4th year and its been an excellent overall experience. Yes, the homework leans on the heavy side and the pace is fast due to the trimester system, but he will be prepared for the rigors of college.

As far as athletics, Sage Creek, if anything, has over-achieved, starting with a varsity CIF championship by the girls volleyball team (as sophomores); the school has garnered at least 3 more CIF championships and counting--not bad for a 4 year old school.

For a public high school I'll rate it right there at the top with any other public high school. The PTSA, Sage Creek Foundation and Principal are all heavily involved in providing the students with a great high school experience. I have no regrets sending our son to Sage Creek.

Posted: February 28, 2017

The teachers do nothing about bulling most of the time,now Im not saying none of them care but quite often they do nothing about it. I had a classmate who was pelvic thrusting at my face while i was looking away and i took it up with the office, they had me write a statement and they didn't get back to me until the next trimester! One of the teachers has thrown things-not at a student- but he threw it because of a small incident. another teacher doesn't quite teach math well and one of the language teachers makes you play charades. the ipads crash. the websites are always down or you can't log in even if you are using the proper password and username. some of the students here say things like "your such a faggot"or that's so gay as an insult. Now don't get me wrong there are good students and good, even excellent, but these teachers are few and these students aren't seen due to the large amount of students that are rude.

Posted: February 28, 2017

Posted: August 30, 2016

This school needs to drop the trimester system ASAP. It is not helping anyone. CHS has 650 freshman and SCHS has 200, what does that tell you. The teachers leave, the counselors leave, back to CHS. It is now a STEAM school, with an imaginary arts program. Do not send you kids here. Go to CHS and have a better high school experience. trimester sucks and kids are pinned in by their schedules.

Posted: August 30, 2016

Posted: September 28, 2015

Sage Creek High School is an example of tyranny from teachers in that it allows for too many discrepancies between teachers, and it's not good for my mental health. Ultimately the School feels like a sort of pipeline in which you are being forced to crawl through by inexperienced teachers pounding you with homework as a result of the rushed trimester system. Many of the classes feel like a waste of time , with the teacher contributing little overall to your understanding of a subject just to send you home with a boatload of homework to make up for it. I've had many teachers give me review sheets that covered things not found on the test, and a test covering things not found in the class. I feel like I'm having to fight an uphill battle with at least one of my teachers every trimester to maintain straight A's, and the discrepancies between teachers are frightening. For instance, the school has a strict anti-cheating policy. One teacher might let students not only use notes, but share notes during a test, while another might have your test removed and a permanent mark on your file branding you a cheater if you so much as look up during a test. Some teachers are excellent, and utilize the school's non-faltering insistence on using Cornell notes and Schoolloop to their advantage, creating a better understanding of the subject for a given student and using School Loop to keep everyone up to date on grades and assignments. Other teachers treat them as an annoyance and don't seem to care whether or not you know what your homework is, and seldom update grades. Same goes for the notes. A couple teachers don't seem to understand the purpose of Cornell notes (to track your thinking while answering an essential question) and throw them together and never really come back to an essential question in class, once again wasting time, and in this instance, paper as well. Some teachers say no food, drinks, or hats, while others might as well just say their class is an extended social hour. It seems like many teachers in the same department aren't on the same page, with many not knowing how to operate basic classroom tools such as smartboards that another teacher in the department may use extensively. The counseling department doesn't let you "teacher shop" so going to Sage Creek High School is essentially rolling the dice on how your grades that year will turn out.

Posted: September 2, 2015

Leadership is key to a successful school. Mr. Morales is a great leader. The school cares about the students and it shows. Some growing pains, but to be expected from a new school. Students are encouraged to become leaders and make a difference.

Posted: May 27, 2015

This school is good if you want to be one of two things: an architect/engineer or a doctor. Otherwise, not so useful. They don't have many creative choices, like film, and the sports program is so lacking. We have talented athletes that are wasting their potential here because we do not provide them with the opportunities to shine. And our school puts you on a set path to doing something. Say you want to be in academic and arts. Our guidance counselors know nothing. I tried to get credit from taking a course during the summer with a friend from carlsbad. The Carlsbad high friend got credit within two weeks, it took me 9**** months! So think what you will about the pretty campus. It's not worth it.

Posted: May 2, 2015

Second Year at this school and so far so good. Excellent academic program, great schools, great students and kids. Had to hire an advocate for my sons IEP but finally was paired up with an extremely dedicated aid who works hard to see that our son is getting the most out of his time is the classroom. Good sports program. They hire good coaches who are good with teachers skills as well developing good relationships with their athletes. Team players.

Posted: March 29, 2015

I am currently a sophomore at this school. I see very negative comments on here and the thing is, this is a great school. Sure they don't have as many programs as other schools, but signing up for this school you knew this. If you get involved in this school it can be an amazing place. "ASB running everything" ASB runs about nothing other than extra activities that legally teachers and staff cannot run anyways. The sports here are actually very successful, and the sporting events and spirit is much better than almost any other high school in the area. Many of our sports teams have beat Carlsbad High schools sports with only our freshman and sophomore classes, wait until we have all 4 grade level with killer varsity teams. Not to mention that the academics and staff on campus. The facility is beautiful, the extra help and ability to have one on one tutoring with teachers after school is something most high schools do not offer. And of course the school will not have the best of everything, but it is a brand new high school, you get to lay the foundation, so if you lay a negative foundation you can only expect the exact same in return.

Posted: March 19, 2015

Worst atmosphere possible, ASB controls everything. If you have any involvement in sports whether you are parent, student, or fan, this school is far from what you want. No effort is put in to sports by the admin, to them it is their last priority.

Posted: February 2, 2015

It feels like I never left Middle School. Sure there's very little "bullying or illegal activity" but I'm not growing as an person as much as my friends at Carlsbad. Sage needs to put more power in the hands of real high school teachers if they're going to make this work.

Posted: January 27, 2015

I am a freshman at Sage Creek. I enrolled at this school because I was interested in taking STEM oriented classes and rigorous courses. Sadly, this school lacks in the amount of STEM classes and challenging courses being offered. Attend Sage Creek High for a year and you will understand why I am disappointed.

Posted: January 14, 2015

I am currently a freshman at Sage and I absolutely love it! The teachers are so compassionate and supportive. Our principal is amazing, he does not tolerate any bullying, illegal activity, etc. the trimester system is very fast paced and I do get a lot of homework, but I am going to be able to graduate with much more credits than the students at Carlsbad. Our clubs, (in contrast to what above reviews have said), are very well run and we have a lot of options! We also, (except football), offer more sports than Carlsbad HS does. The standard of our school is to build community, so we have little to no bullying issues, etc. at our school. The student body is so friendly and most everyone at Sage is at our school because they want to achieve big things in life. Overall, Sage Creek is a friendly, learning-oriented environment and a really happy, fun place to be. Incoming freshmen, you should choose Sage as your HS, but only if you are the friendly, hard-working type of student because we want to keep our positive environment going.

Posted: January 3, 2015

I was a sophomore at Sage for the first half of the school year, but then I transfered to a more established high school. The academics, along with the clubs and sports being offered, are extremely weak when compared to Carlsbad High. There is only one AP course being offered sophomore year, which means that your GPA will never be able to exceed a 4.4; that's weak. Also, the teachers are extremely inexperienced and have never taught at the high school level before. The trimester system is also very rushed, which will result in a lot of after school work. So good luck allocating time for after school sports and activities. In regards to sports offered here at Sage, the school will never have a football team. That is so because there is only one field for all sports to practice on. Additionally, there is no formal speech and debate team offered at Sage. Speech and debate helps a lot when applying for university. If you like drama and enjoy participating in Christian oriented clubs, this is a great school for you.

Posted: December 13, 2014

I was a freshman last year at sage creek and now I'm a 10th grader at cbad. The curriculum was so easy and I barely learned a thing except in my honors physics and geometry classes. There were only a few clubs and sports were awful. 8th graders, don't choose a school based on how attractive/new the facilities are or if all your friends go to a certain school. Choose a high school based on how experienced the teachers are, on average what colleges the students get accepted into, and the amount an quality of Extracurriculars.

Posted: November 28, 2014

faculty (hear that Carlsbad?), it s supportive, a beautiful new campus, and I would definitely not prefer to attend Carlsbad. -Extraordinarily happy sophomore at the new, amazing, beautiful Sage Creek High School

Posted: November 21, 2014

Currently, I'm a sophomore at Sage. The academics are not very strong here. It seems that they're drawing more and more teachers from middle schools that have never taught high school and AP level courses. The best teachers I've had at this school were ones who were previously at Carlsbad High. The trimester system is rushed, and I sometimes wonder if we're only brushing on the surface of what students on a semester system learn. Most teachers are not used to this system, and they end up taking out entire chapters of what we're supposed to learn, or speed over it days before finals. Also, AP courses span all three trimesters. So if you want to take a lot of those in the future, know that the amount of classes you can take will be reduced (since there's only five classes you can take per trimester). The courses offered here are highly limited, and are always subject to change based on if they can even get enough students to sign up. There are virtually almost no club activities and barely any "school spirit", but the students here are all extremely friendly. The sports teams do fairly well, though. To be brutally honest, I'd rather attend Carlsbad High.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Palisades Pointe	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	2 mi
2	Shadowridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Vista	CA	2.7 mi
3	Mira Costa Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Oceanside	CA	2.8 mi
4	Windsor at Aviara	Apartment Complex	Carlsbad	CA	3.3 mi
5	Rancho Carrillo	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	3.9 mi
6	La Costa	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	4.1 mi
7	St. Cloud	Condominium/Townhouse	Oceanside	CA	4.3 mi
8	Montecito village apartments	Apartment Complex	Oceanside	CA	4.4 mi
9	Torrey Highlands	Neighborhood/Subdivision	San Diego	CA	14.9 mi
10	Redhawk	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Temecula	CA	24 mi
11	Spectrum Center Blvd, Kearny Mesa	Neighborhood/Subdivision	San Diego	CA	24.4 mi
12	Canyon View	Neighborhood/Subdivision	San Diego	CA	25.9 mi
13	Whispering Winds Apartments	Apartment Complex	San Clemente	CA	26.8 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Carlsbad	Carlsbad	CA	3.8 mi
2	Downtown Oceanside	Oceanside	CA	6 mi
3	Encinitas	Encinitas	CA	8.3 mi
4	Lake Rancho Viejo	Fallbrook	CA	14.1 mi
5	Torrey Highlands	San Diego	CA	14.9 mi
6	Mira Mesa	San Diego	CA	18.7 mi
7	Wine Country area of Scripps Ranch	San Diego	CA	20.7 mi
8	University City	San Diego	CA	21.2 mi
9	La Jolla	La Jolla	CA	21.5 mi
10	Temecula, California	Temecula	CA	25.5 mi
11	Serra Mesa	San Diego	CA	26.2 mi
12	Downtown	San Clemente	CA	26.6 mi

Base	Distance
Camp Pendleton	15.1 mi.
Miramar MCAS	21.5 mi.
MCRD San Diego	29.3 mi.
San Diego Naval Medical Center	30.7 mi.
North Island NAS	32 mi.
Naval Base Point Loma	32.8 mi.
Coronado Naval Amphibious Base	34.1 mi.
San Diego Naval Base	34.2 mi.

Sage Creek High School

Carlsbad, CA 92010

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Sage Creek High School

Carlsbad, CA 92010

School Ratings

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