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Two Schools, One Community, and a Decision That Actually Matters
If you are house hunting in the Bee Cave area and you have elementary-age kids, there is a very good chance your search comes down to two schools. Bee Cave Elementary and Serene Hills Elementary both sit in the heart of one of the fastest-growing corridors in the Lake Travis ISD district. Both feed into the same middle and high schools. And both have strong reputations with families who already live here.
So how do you choose between them?
I have been selling homes in Bee Cave and Lakeway for over 15 years. I have walked hundreds of families through this exact decision. And through my involvement with LTISD’s SEPAC, I have seen both campuses up close over multiple years. So let me break down what actually differs between these two schools, because on paper they look remarkably similar.
Bee Cave Elementary vs Serene Hills Elementary: Quick Comparison
| Bee Cave Elementary | Serene Hills Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| Principal | Kimberly Kellner | Keegan Luedecke |
| Enrollment | ~826 students | ~758 students |
| Location | Hamilton Pool Rd | 3301 Serene Hills Dr |
| Campus Character | Largest LTISD elementary; established and well-resourced | Growing campus with strong student leadership culture |
| Community Feel | Active PTA, deep neighborhood roots | Tight-knit, neighborhood-driven involvement |
| Feeds Into | Bee Cave MS â Lake Travis HS | Bee Cave MS â Lake Travis HS |
You will notice the similarities outnumber the differences. That is not an accident. Both campuses operate under the same LTISD standards. But the day-to-day feel of each school is shaped heavily by its leadership, size, and the neighborhoods it serves. That is where the real differences show up.
Bee Cave Elementary: The Established Hub
Bee Cave Elementary is the largest elementary campus in LTISD, with roughly 826 students. It sits along Hamilton Pool Road right in the middle of the Bee Cave corridor, and it has been a cornerstone of this community for a long time. If you are looking at homes in the established neighborhoods closer to the 71 and Hamilton Pool intersection, this is likely your zoned school.
Principal Kimberly Kellner leads the campus, and one thing families consistently mention is how well-organized the school runs given its size. Managing 826 elementary students is no small feat. But Bee Cave Elementary has built the kind of systems that keep a larger campus feeling structured without feeling impersonal.
The PTA here is one of the most active in the district. And I do not mean that as a throwaway compliment. The parent involvement at BCE drives real programming. Fundraising, enrichment events, teacher support, campus improvements. If you are the kind of family that wants to plug in and be part of a well-established parent network, you will find that infrastructure already built and running smoothly.
Size matters in ways people do not always think about. A larger campus often means more diverse friend groups for your kids. More variety in extracurricular offerings. More sections of each grade level, which gives the administration flexibility in classroom placement. For some families, that breadth is exactly what they want.
But does bigger always mean better? Not necessarily. And that is precisely where Serene Hills enters the conversation.
Serene Hills Elementary: The Rising Campus
Serene Hills Elementary sits at 3301 Serene Hills Drive and serves roughly 758 students. It is a growing campus that has built a very distinct identity in a relatively short time. And a lot of that identity comes directly from its leadership.
Principal Keegan Luedecke brings a background that is worth knowing about. Before stepping into the principal role, Luedecke spent three years as assistant principal at Serene Hills. So this is not someone who parachuted in from the outside. Before that, nine years in the classroom teaching first, third, and fourth grade. The teaching career started with an internship at Lakeway Elementary, which means Luedecke’s entire professional arc has been rooted in Lake Travis ISD.
Why does that matter to you as a parent? Because a principal who came up through the district’s own classrooms tends to understand the community at a different level. They know the families. They know the feeder patterns. They know what works in this specific corner of the world and what does not.
One thing that sets Serene Hills apart is its focus on student leadership programs. You hear a lot of schools talk about leadership. Serene Hills actually builds it into the campus culture in ways that kids experience directly. Students get real opportunities to take ownership, solve problems, and develop those skills while they are still young enough for it to become second nature. If you are raising kids and you want leadership to be something they practice and not just hear about, this campus does that well.
The slightly smaller enrollment compared to Bee Cave Elementary also creates a different feel. At 758 students, you are still talking about a full-sized school. But families often describe Serene Hills as having a tighter community atmosphere where it is easier to know your child’s teachers, classmates, and their parents. That connectedness matters, especially in those early elementary years when your kid is building their first real social world outside the home.
The Neighborhoods That Feed Each School
Here is where my real estate brain kicks in. Both of these schools sit squarely in the Bee Cave orbit, but they pull from somewhat different pockets.
Bee Cave Elementary draws from neighborhoods along and near Hamilton Pool Road. These tend to be some of the more established communities in the area. You will find a range of home styles and price points, but the common thread is proximity to the heart of Bee Cave and the Hill Country Galleria area.
Serene Hills Elementary primarily serves the Serene Hills neighborhood itself, along with parts of the broader Bee Cave area that have developed more recently. The Serene Hills community has a cohesive neighborhood feel that translates directly into the school culture. When a big chunk of your student body walks or bikes from the same neighborhood, it creates a built-in social fabric that carries over into the campus.
Both zones put you within easy reach of everything that makes Bee Cave attractive. Shopping, dining, outdoor access, and a straight shot into Austin when you need it. The commute difference between the two areas is negligible. So this really does come down to which neighborhood feel and school culture fits your family best.
If you want to see what is currently available in either attendance zone, take a look at homes zoned to Bee Cave Elementary or homes zoned to Serene Hills Elementary. Inventory moves fast in both areas, so it helps to know what you are looking for before it hits the market.
Which School Fits Your Family?
After 15 years of helping families make this call, I have noticed some patterns. You do not have to fit neatly into either category, but these tendencies hold up pretty well.
You might lean toward Bee Cave Elementary if:
- You want the largest campus with the most established systems and programming
- An active, well-organized PTA is something you plan to participate in
- You prefer the variety that comes with a bigger student body
- You are buying in the established neighborhoods near Hamilton Pool Road
You might lean toward Serene Hills Elementary if:
- A tighter campus community where you know more families appeals to you
- Student leadership development is a priority in your household
- You value a principal with deep roots in the district and campus
- You are drawn to the Serene Hills neighborhood or the newer communities nearby
But here is the honest truth. You cannot make a bad choice between these two schools. Both operate under LTISD’s high standards. Both feed into the same middle school and eventually Lake Travis High School. And both have leadership teams that genuinely care about the kids walking through their doors every morning.
The Bigger Picture: LTISD and Getting Involved
One thing I always tell families moving into the district is that the school your child attends is just one piece of the puzzle. Lake Travis ISD as a whole sets the tone, and it is a district that consistently performs at a high level.
If you want a broader look at how all the elementary campuses compare, I put together a detailed breakdown in my Lake Travis ISD elementary schools comparison. That piece covers every campus, so you can see where Bee Cave Elementary and Serene Hills Elementary fit in the larger picture.
And if your child has learning differences or you want to understand the special education resources available in the district, I would strongly encourage you to connect with LTISD’s SEPAC. I have been involved with SEPAC for years, and it is one of the best parent advocacy groups in the area. Whether your child needs an IEP, a 504 plan, or you just want to understand what support looks like, SEPAC is the place to start.
Ready to Find Your Family’s Home?
Choosing between Bee Cave Elementary and Serene Hills Elementary is a great problem to have. It means you are already looking in one of the strongest school corridors in the Austin metro. The next step is finding the right home in the right attendance zone.
If you want help narrowing down neighborhoods, understanding boundaries, or just talking through what matters most for your family, reach out to me directly. I have helped hundreds of families land in exactly the right spot, and I am happy to walk you through your options. No pressure, no pitch. Just the kind of local knowledge that comes from doing this for over 15 years.
