My son attended NCC for three years and had an amazing experience. The teachers were dedicated,…read morecaring, and loving, and the campus provided a spacious and welcoming environment for children to play and learn. The school also did a great job building a strong academic foundation through the Montessori method. For parents considering NCC, don't be discouraged if the admission process takes some effort (headmaster L may not like to reply to messages); it is well worth it when you see your child's happiness and growth.

Great school. I realize that the school is more guarded during the waiting list timeline to protect…read morethe safety & guard the routine of the children during school time. My daughter is attending this school now and I have to say that the children are prepared for educational success in every way imaginable. There are three groups; youngest group, middle group, and pre-K. Some highlights: Onsite reading specialist Bilingual education Montessori classroom time structured and free learning time Non profit with emphasis on community service Healthy (usually organic) vegetarian diet served at meals Parent involvement in the direction of the school. Wonderful educational field trips Advanced curriculum designed for school preparation. Emphasis on Science, math, music, language, cultural enlightenment. This school is also very culturally diverse, when looking at the "make-up"' of ethnicities amongst the children. The school is extremely hygienic with an aggressive health policy, with sink stations in every class room and around the play yard for hand washing. Resulting in healthier children (and parents) with less time off from school in the long run. I am very pleased with this school. We were invited for a visit once our names were high on the waiting list. I was instantly sold when my daughter was invited to participate in the days activities. The first was dissection of owl pellets and identification of the animal consumed based on bones found. The next was a story circle, the children each performed a portion of the book in a dramatic manner with props and costumes included. The next was a bilingual story and song circle, with children being "submerged in spanish," for the duration of the 20 minute circle. The final was a magic circle., which was fun and educational. I highly recommend this school. The teachers were patient and supportive while my daughter adjusted to the separation from me and my husband. They actually surpassed my expectations!

My child and I both love this preschool! My kid is even disappointed when it's not a school day…read more The staff is so caring and helpful, . I've learned a lot about interacting with young children just by watching them. Plus the facilities are lovely. I like that the space is cheerful tidy. It's not crammed with so many toys that it feels chaotic My only complaint is very a small one. At the Preschool II (little red school house) there aren't really any trees or vegetation on the playground. It would be nice if there was a bit of the "natural world" out there. Other than that, our experience has been great!

My son goes to the Baymonte preschool that's located on Bethany Drive which is up behind the old…read morecollege and near Vine Hill. It's an AWESOME place. The rooms actually look and are set up like a real school. They touch on the Bible but it's not heavy handed. So even for those of us who aren't religious it's still a good choice. The teachers are amazing and very loving. I am pleasantly surprised with this school and it's only a few dollars more a month then then other local preschools and they include lunch in the price of tuition. It's a Nut Free school. They provide really healthy lunches that are organic and made onsite. They always include both fruit and veggies. You won't find any chocolate milk or junk food at this school. Miss Katie is my sons teacher. If it wasn't for her help my son wouldn't already be potty trained. She is so patient and creative. She really loves her job and it shows. I've tried two other preschools in the area and there is no comparison in the level of education, care and a staff that's happy to be there. They do Christmas pageants and it's adorable. I unequivocally recommend this Baymonte preschool. I do not have any knowledge about the other locations.

My eldest child attended Calvary for preschool, and we had such a wonderful experience that we…read moreenrolled 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.

This is the first preschool I tried in Santa Cruz after we moved. My son was 2 and a half and he…read morecried 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.

Both of my children have gone to Discovery, and their experiences exceeded my expectations for…read morepreschool. Discovery provided them with community, safety, and connections with educators and with their peers. I especially appreciate the intentionality behind their approach- Discovery works to really understand and value the unique traits and experiences of young children and helps them build their curiosity and social emotional skills. We also chose to keep both of our children at Discovery until kindergarten and felt that they were prepared to transition to public school. Like many early childhood education places, we have experienced some staff turnover and changes, but I feel that that's to be expected in these situations. In general, I think the educators handle any potentially difficult transitions, changes, or challenges intentionally and try to mitigate any impact to the kids.

I cannot recommend Discovery enough! Truly the most experienced and engaging team of teachers! All…read moreof my kids have gone through Discovery schools and are thriving! My favorite part was how much they facilitated community and our whole family has made life long friendships!

i am lucky to find ACR. The thing that stands out about it is that it is run by 2 fantastic people…read more- Naoko and JD. Their philosophy of running ACR resonates with me. It is very satisfying to know that your kid is in good hands. As far as facility is concerned, its kept clean. Timings are great. We plan to continue sending our kid to ACR.

Our son has been going here for over a year now, starting in the infant care area, moving through…read morethe toddler area and now is in the pre-school. He is exceedingly happy and the communication has been stellar all the way through. There are communication books which the staff write the notes so that we can keep up with what he has eaten, how long he has slept, and more. He has a lot of friends and is always so happy. These are the main things I am looking for when considering a school for him at this age. The owners have pretty high standards, and from where this school got started from when they took over, it has come a very long way. The old school, A Child's Reflection, got ran down, the carpets were 20 years old and held a lot of nasty. They basically stripped the place down and put all new floors, toys, and more. My son, as he progressed from one room to the next, has been allowed to interact with kids he has known that are either behind or ahead of him. He still likes to stop in the infant room to say hi to some of his toddler friends before moving back to the pre-school. There are some days he is having so much fun playing, I have to wait, but this is his time and place and I am happy to see him enjoying himself. I suggest to parents that are wondering if this is the right place, to watch how the kids are acting. Kids are smart and know how to tell us they don't like something. We just need to be patient and listen to them. Take a moment to attune yourself to the place and watch the kids, they really can tell you how things are going at the school. Do that for all the schools you visit!

I went to Simcha when I was a toddler, and now my own children go there! My two year old has had a…read morewonderful year in the toddler class, and will be in the preschool class next year. My 4 year old will be in the TK/K class this coming year. The teachers are great, the outdoor spaces are wonderful, and the extended hours they offer are so helpful for many families. We've made great friends there, and are so thankful!

I cannot speak highly enough about my experience at Simcha. We've been attending for three years…read morenow - my older daughter attended pre-k and the kinder class, and my younger daughter started in the toddler class when she was two, then the preschool class, is currently in pre-k and will be in the TK/K class next year. Both of my girls have thrived at simcha, and we adore the community. Both our kids and us parents have made many amazing friends. The teachers are incredible, and we've really appreciated the play-based curriculum with tons of outdoor time. In TK/K, teacher Jan blends academic material with so much fun and creativity - the kids hardly know they're learning. My older daughter was extremely prepared for public 1st grade because of Jan's guidance and the small class size - she learned to read and write, gained strong math skills, and made special, lasting friendships. our younger daughter could have attended public TK but with Simcha's extended hours and unique program, it's worth the investment of an extra year. Highly highly recommend!

A great preschool and pre-k program…read more My son has been going there for over 2 years and we love it, teachers are great and so is the facility

Seeds is a very special preschool! I wish the owners were the teachers at every preschool or every…read moregrade lol. They taught our daughter SO many things and really brought out her strengths. She's excelling in kindergarten all thanks to this pre school :) so happy she grew her first memories here and recommend them to anyone!! It's hard to find preschools these days that actually "teach" children, and they go above and beyond with their teachings :) very grateful!

Discoveryland is an outstanding preschool program near Capitola Rd / Soquel Ave / and 7th Ave…read more This hidden gem when discovered by parents is frequently praised as "I can't believe this great program is right here!" The school has two recently remodeled classrooms, loving teachers and great staff in a secure setting.

Excellent Preschool!!! The Teachers are all wonderful. The…read moreDirector was very compassionate with meeting my daughters needs. I will miss them dearly. I highly recommend Discoveryland Preschool to any parent who would like to put their children in a well grounded Christ centered school. God bless Discoverlyland!!!