My eldest child attended Calvary for preschool, and we had such a wonderful experience that we enrolled our youngest as well. After exploring several schools on the westside, we chose Calvary based on recommendations from other parents, the experienced staff with long tenures, its convenient location, and its cost-effectiveness. The flexible scheduling and minimal time off during the school year were also important for our family, as was the diverse student body. We believed Calvary would provide a smooth transition to public school, and it certainly did. Our daughter and another child from Calvary were the only ones in their TK class who could write their names at the start of the year. Calvary's play-based approach emphasizes early literacy, which is crucial for us. The school offers abundant resources, engaging activities, projects, and ample free play. With spacious indoor and outdoor play areas, the children also benefit from being divided into three smaller classrooms and having a dedicated nap area, unlike many schools that use open spaces. Additionally, Calvary assists with potty training and provides meals and snacks, so we don't have to send anything with our child each day. It's reassuring to know she is well cared for at Calvary. read more

See all

This is the first preschool I tried in Santa Cruz after we moved. My son was 2 and a half and he cried every day for two weeks. They called us to come and pick him up half of the days. It was heart wrenching. Then the director told us that he was not ready for their school. Luckily we tried another school and my son adapted really quickly even though it was a bigger preschool with more kids. I regret having my child experience his time at this school and wish we never had this experience. The teachers didn't give him time to adjust and expected him to be perfect little boy without giving him the opportunity to bond and get comfortable. My son is now moving on to transitional kindergarten! I still have regrets putting him through Calvary preschool. It was definitely a "Calvary" for us parents but greateful to have found an amazing, caring, beautiful people at Lifespring preschool that loved and cared for my son! We were willing to pay more as long as our son was in a good setting but not only we found a nurturing and caring teachers at lifespring but it was a lot less expensive. More expensive preschool doesn't mean a better setting for your child. We learned the hard way. read more

This is my daughter's 3rd year at Calvary. Its a really difficult struggle as a working parent - to entrust their child to some else's care. I was so happy to find this place and blessed that they had room for my daughter after having to pull her from another facility that failed us. The teachers are very connected to the children and offer feedback and support. I have grown very fond of all of the staff and would 100% recommend bringing your child to Calvary. The teachers are so friendly and engaged with the children. We are thrilled to find such a supportive community with Calvary. read more

Calvary is AWESOME! The teachers are caring, loving, and energetic. When I started my daughter there almost a year ago, she had never been away from me. She cried at every drop-off for about two months, and cried during the school day for about a month. Teacher Patience (yes, that's her name and it fits!) carried her around for much of that time until my daughter got acclimated. Now my daughter begs to go school, even on the weekends. I credit Calvary with helping her gain self-confidence and come out of her shell. I love hearing stories from the teachers about her transformation from a shy, timid little girl, to a goofy, talkative silly one. Calvary has also been very flexible and accommodating in the days/hours we have our daughter in. When we had a family emergency, they allowed our daughter to attend extra days (where there was space) so we could attend to the emergency. Truly a caring place! read more

Choosing a preschool for your little one may be one of the most important decisions you make in the first few years of your child's life. You are trusting essentially strangers with your most precious little person. What makes Calvary so awesome and why should you check it out? Below are just a few reasons: 1. The staff is amazing - Liann, Jen, Ashley, and Leah (to name a few) are warm, caring, supportive, patient, friendly, and just all around awesome people. 2. Warm environment - this place feels like home. Not too sterile and regimented, but also isn't dirty and smells like urine (like other places we saw before choosing Calvary!). 3. Your little one will flourish - my daughter comes home with all these new facts. It's amazing! 4. They work with you - from being flexible with your schedule, drop off days, payment, food options, etc. In the end, not every school (no matter how amazing) is a good fit for every child, but you should definitely give Calvary a chance. I guarantee they will give their all to make your little one's experience at preschool amazing. read more

I have now had the privilege of sending 3 kids to Calvary Pre-School. My oldest cried through a large portion of pre- k and was always treated with kindness, compassion & support and so was I. My 2 now in Elem. both entered kindergarten prepared well beyond the kindergarten curriculum and fully prepared socially. My youngest is now in his 2nd yr. and on the same path. Liann & the teaching staff are experienced, caring people who make every effort to create a great preschool environment for the students and their families. Over my 5yr enrollment Calvary has repeatedly been able to accommodate my needs with scheduling & meals. They even go on field trips . Calvary has risen well above my expectations & I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for child care. read more

Calvary Preschool is AMAZING! There are 3 classrooms divided by age and they have age appropriate curriculum that allows your child to grow with the school. The teachers have been there for many years and really care about the children. The classrooms are small with great ratios of children to teachers, it is the lowest I've found in Santa Cruz. The school goes on field trips, they play outside often, and are always doing fun crafts and projects. As a working mom it can be heartbreaking to drop my son off at preschool everyday, but the fact that he loves Calvary, the teachers, and his friends, makes leaving him that much easier. We feel so lucky to have found such a great preschool for him to attend, we would highly recommend them! read more

I can't say enough good things about Calvary Preschool! I moved here from SF where my son attended an extremely pricey private school's preschool and I can wholeheartedly say that I like Calvary Preschool even more. The staff makes this place amazing! The teachers are so connected to the students and to me that's the single most important trait of anywhere I'm taking my son. He has a strong relationship with each of the teachers and the director and I love hearing stories from all of them about his day. I am 100% certain that my son is loved and cared for by the team here and that's priceless. There's a really positive energy at this school. They do a lot of fun activities in their downtown location including field trips. Because it's a smaller outdoor space, everything is together in one area (play area, grass, sandbox, playhouse, art area, etc) so there are many choices for kids to make and I like that they can choose how to spend their time. My son is in the Rainbow room and I am really impressed with how much he's learning and how excited he is to tell me about it. More than that - he makes observations when we're together about things I know I didn't teach him so I know he learned at school. I'm also impressed with the strategies the staff uses to help the kids interact together. Figuring out social norms, learning to control emotions, and how to communicate are all so important and I see gentle guidance and hear stories from my son that really show the teachers are doing an exceptional job helping kids navigate these tough lessons. On a totally selfish note, I love that Calvary is downtown! It's so fun to go to the farmers market on Wednesdays, walk to shops, meet friends for dinner, etc. Exploring downtown together after a long day at work/school is one of our favorite ways to reconnect and wind down. Overall I'm so thrilled that my family is a part of Calvary Preschool! read more

Love love love this preschool! I literally cannot say enough good things about it. I was a wreck trying to find a preschool for my almost 3 year old. He's so sensitive but has a strong will. I was worried about soooo many things. My husband found this one and I took a tour. I really liked what I saw and my son immediately got excited. The first 2 weeks he cried during drop offs but after that he was great! He LOVES his teachers (they are some of the most amazing group of women you will ever meet) and gets excited right when we walk through the door! Usually he will run to his teacher and hug her or charge into the large playroom and join the kids playing. All the kids are so sweet and fun and now during drop offs my son will say, 'ok mama I'll see you later! I'm gonna go play!' They always have a zillion fun activities planned and they are so encouraging and positive with the kids. Honestly I wish I could go! My son started out 3 half days a week and now goes 5 half days because he loves it so much. Thank you Calvary! read more

This is the third year my older son has attended Calvary, and we plan to send our younger there as soon as he's old enough. I cannot speak highly enough of this school and how much it has brought to our lives. They offer the perfect combination of structure and free play, providing learning while also giving the kids ample time for running around outside. The kid to teacher ratio is low, and each teacher is wonderful and well-suited to their particular age level. Liann, the director, is endlessly accommodating of our varying schedule, which is so much appreciated. I will miss Calvary when my older son starts elementary school and can't wait for my little to take his place! read more

I work full-time, so when searching for a preschool for my then 26 month-old daughter, it was critical to know and feel that the environment in which I would be leaving her for six to eight hours a day was a safe, nurturing and fun 'home away from home.' I made many inquiries in various work and friend circles and Calvary kept coming up repeatedly. After touring the facility and meeting the staff I knew this was the place, and so did the many other parents who put their children on the loooonnng waitlist. I needed immediate placement so I settled on another ultimately dissatisfying preschool for many months until space at Calvary was available. When I could finally enroll my daughter I was thrilled. Eight months later I can say that it has greatly exceeded my expectations. Calvary is an unbelievable place for your kids to grow and learn. The teachers are fun, motivated, and highly-skilled, and there's a lack of pretension, and happiness at this school that is truly unique. The enthusiastic and energetic director, Liann, has been there for almost 20 years and the continuity has paid off. She and her staff have developed a wonderful blend of structured and unstructured play and a curriculum that fosters cognitive development, self esteem, and a healthy respect for others. Kids do fun physical and creative activities every day and have great educational field trips. My daughter surprises me with all the new things she learns every day; she is excelling in every way. I could not imagine a better place for my daughter, and I truly feel her best interests are put first every day. read more

BEST PRESCHOOL EVER. My 4 year old son loves it there. The staff is the absolute best..Teacher Ashley is the sweetest..