Bernardo Heights Middle School, led by Principal Elaine Johnson, is in the Poway Unified School District. The Home of the Bobcats is right next door to Rancho Bernardo High School. Bernardo Heights was named a California Distinguished School in 1999 and 1994 and continues to boast a strong academic record. The middle school has an Academic Performance Index (API) score of 899 out of 1,000.