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.

We have had an absolutely wonderful experience at Santa Cruz Waldorf School! The nurturing…read moreenvironment and dedicated teachers truly set this school apart. From the moment we stepped on campus, we felt welcomed and inspired. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to foster creativity and critical thinking, allowing children to explore subjects in a meaningful and hands-on way. Our children have flourished here, academically in math, writing, and languages, as well as more broadly with the arts, music, gardening, outdoor education trips, and more. If you're looking for a school that encourages a deep love of learning, I highly recommend the Santa Cruz Waldorf School.

Santa Cruz Waldorf School has been a good fit for my children. The kinder program is magical! Being…read moreable to play and learn to connect with peers and teachers AND nature is just what my children needed at that age. Over the years, we have learned reverence and rythm and the beauty of slowing down from our time at the school. Their love of festivals and community connection is unmatched. I appreciate the deemphasis on screen time as well. The Waldorf practice of teacher looping was something that was quite new to me and at first I was a little hesitant about. I have grown to see the process of keeping the same teacher from grade 1-8 as a true gift. It has given my children time to be seen and understood to learn most effectively. If you are exploring elementary and middle school alternatives, SCWS is a great option to consider!

We really appreciate the MCS community and would definitely recommend it. Our son has been…read moreattending MCS for 2 years, starting in the Nido room when he was almost 1. He's since moved up through the toddler room and is now in the primary/ preschool community. Our new baby will be starting there this January. Our son is thriving and remains consistently challenged and nurtured. The leads in his classrooms have been wonderful, showing a genuine interest in his development. Our son had a few normal but difficult behavioral challenges in the last few months when our second son arrived and the leads and staff have responded with grace and care, working with us to support our son. The space and setting is also beautiful!

All three of my kids have attended and some still do. They started at their Nido program and have…read moregone through (or still are) Toddler and Primary. The guides and aides are and have been loving and caring towards my children. Furthermore, they have helped provide more than simply a nice place to play and have fun. My kids have learned lots of skills that have translated to home and academics. They have helped support our kids in aspects of life we may have been working on at home (i.e. napping, toileting, and the like). My kids enjoy going and I feel good about sending them there.

We have spent the past two years at Holy Cross Preschool and will miss them so much as we move on…read moreto kindergarten. We have so much appreciation for all of the staff at Holy Cross School and Preschool. It is a wonderful community of teachers, faculty and families! The preschool director, Ms. Crissy, will always hold a special place in our hearts. She is incredibly dedicated to what she does and goes above and beyond to do whatever she can to support the classroom as a whole along with each child and family individually. Along with Ms. Crissy, they have an AMAZING group of teachers on staff for the year ahead and I'm excited for what is in store for the next generation of preschoolers!

Holy Cross Preschool is a wonderful place. I've had four children attend over the years (one is…read morethere now) and they have all thrived there. The teachers are so warm and sweet with the kids, with just the right balance of plenty of free play, some more structured activities and kinder-prep type things, which all just seems like more fun to the kids. My kids always looked forward to preschool days and I look forward to the morning drop off- it's a joy to see that my daughter will be spending her day in such a nice place, where she is happy. And it's clean and organized. The teachers clearly have a real respect for the children as people, and this lovely attitude permeates everything. I also appreciate the low-key and simple approach they have to dealing with the inevitable little behavioral stuff that comes up. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that Holy Cross Preschool has been a real gift for us.

I attended this school from 7th through 12th grade. It was a…read morerare thing, it's a difficult to describe culture among the faculty, but I'll do my best- an anecdote: two students steal from the school, they take thousands of dollars worth of video equipment. They get caught- now, in a normal school where students are payroll numbers, the school could have easily justified dismissing both students and even gained face for it. I'm certain they considered it to, but it's not a huge school, even the secretaries knew my name and asked me about my family when I needed to pick up some class registration form or whatnot. These two students had been going there since sixth grade, they weren't bad kids- they just got caught up in the moment and they let the thrill of what they were doing cloud their judgment. They just needed someone to put them back on the straight and narrow- so instead of dropping down like a ton of bricks they gave them the opportunity to come clean to their fellow students! What a concept- because that necessitates that the student body have a conscience and love the school, otherwise they would pat them on the back, and it also necessitates that the student body be forgiving else these two would be ostracized. They did come clean to the student body, returned everything, the school pressed no charges, and the incident was never put on their record. Now they both attend respectable 4-year universities. The capacity for mercy from a large entity is almost nonexistent it seems, a mom and pop steak house can let a guy who left his wallet in a cab come back the next day and pay, a huge lumbering chain never would. This is a school that upholds its values. Also the student-Teacher ratio is awesome and the English teachers have a bit of a Dead Poets society thing going on where they discuss literature freely with students/other teachers during lunch or after school. The math teachers are downright sassy and hilarious individuals. Overall it was an excellent experience and I feel that I was bettered greatly by it.

MVC is very biased with the dress code, for example, girls are always targeted for their bodies…read more Yet guys also sag their pants and show their behinds. The new dean of students has gossiped to other female studnets about another female studnets skirt about it being too short, which is unexceptable. And time after time they use the same excuse, that they "cant catch everyone" but will target females with different bodies types. Also dont even get me started on the political stuff at MVCS, Mrs Campos for example will dress code girls but not students wearing freedom shirts at school. Its very dissapointing because last year they made it a huge deal and it seems like they only care to dress code girls not guys. Also Mrs campos tends to get very close with male students, she's always up on them at the male students lunch tables, and it makes students uncomfortable. I hope MVCS can live up to what they say, very disapointing.

We transferred our child here after her previous daycare had reliability issues, and we're now sad…read moreto be leaving after two wonderful years because it's time for kindergarten. We appreciated the Building Kidz curriculum so much that we opted to keep our child enrolled rather than enrolling in TK when we had the opportunity. The teachers are outstanding -- warm, compassionate, attentive and responsive to every child and parent. My only minor gripe is that I wish there was a parents contact list! Fortunately the school invites parents in regularly for late afternoon parties which are adorable and allow parents to meet. And the plays are so much fun and such an amazing thing to expose these littles to at such a young age. If your kid likes to put on shows at home, they will especially love BK.

Has gone incredibly downhill in the past year. They used to be amazing but significantly ownership…read moreand staff turnover has destroyed it. Every ounce of me regrets sending my child here. They send kids home for no reason with fake illness, have zero classroom management skills, do not understand normal child development, and have the most unreasonable expectations of young children. Literally my biggest regret as a parent.

We moved from one of the top high schools in the country specifically for this school, and I'm so…read moreglad we did. I did my research beforehand, attended the open house, and had our son shadow for a day. We researched 5 different schools from Menlo Park to Aptos. The new leadership here is incredibly accessible, and the counselors have an open-door policy with parents, which is something I've never experienced before. The teachers are proactive, responsive, and genuinely care about the students--especially the math, biotech, and chemistry teachers, who have been the best we've encountered. The IEP team is organized. I've never had to chase down a teacher or administrator. Communication is excellent; we get updates from teachers, and the coaches truly care about the whole student, even looking out for things like sleep and nutrition. We really wish we had transferred here sooner! If you have a soccer or football player, check out Soquel's record. The football team has even brought home a state championship, beating much larger and wealthier private schools! If you haven't heard of this school yet, you will. The parents here are invested in each other's children, and there's a real sense of community. We carpool, share responsibilities, and support each other--it's truly a "it takes a village" mentality. My son says the kids here are friendlier than most. While the facilities could use some major upgrades to attract families from further out, this school has the passion and talent to turn it into something truly special. If the right investment and support are provided, Soquel could easily reverse the trend of declining enrollment due to population changes. My son is happier and healthier here, thanks to Soquel High. I've been recommending it to families from outside the area, and I'm confident they'll have the same great experience we've had.

Not a good school if you want your child to actually learn and be challenged. Overcrowded classes,…read morenot enough teachers, not enough staff, (councilors and principal) don't care about each student and their learning needs or a plan. PE equipment (tennis) broken. A lot of teachers are frustrated and some long over due for retirement. They are a few years behind a good school. If you can afford a private school, send your kids there, so they will be prepared for college. Or, look into alternative programs. Why wait til they go to college?

The teaching staff offer such a loving, devoted and respectful relationship to the children in the…read moreschool, As a parent I have the peace of mind knowing my children are getting exactly what they need to be successful at this stage in life and beyond. My deepest appreciation!!