I have to start with the disclaimer that my children attended SLE for a few month, during a…read moretransitional period for our family. The school secretary is very sweet and caring. The teachers that we were assigned were wonderful. They inspired both children by being wonderful role models and making learning fun. There were practical applications of lessons such as playing town and learning to write checks (4th grade). Parents were very involved and were wonderful. We attended the science fair which was both engaging and a lot of fun for the whole family. Both kids always looked forward to going to school each day and when their time here was up, they were really sad to leave. This school has similar logistical problems as other schools such as student pick up and drop off. There are parents who should have left 5 minutes earlier than they did, so they take it out on others by acting impatient or not waiting for people in crosswalks... which is especially bad if you drop off and pick up by the entrance to the Jr. High. Speaking of parking, if you do use the entrance near the Jr. High, please use the church parking lot and do not violate the 'No parking' signs in the residential neighborhood. surrounding the school. They are there because those are narrow streets and when too may people park there, emergency vehicles couldn't get through. It's happened and someone almost died. The neighborhood surrounding the school does have people with health conditions, are aging, etc, so please have respect for your fellow community members that are the most vulnerable. Your perceived (illegal) convenience is not worth someone losing their life because an ambulance or fire truck couldn't get through. Please also don't park IN people's yards. Not cool. And hey, if you don't want to do it out of respect, do it because you will get stuck if in their muddy yards if you do and you may have to pay for a tow truck. It's not worth it and you didn't save any time doing it. To add to the list of things that people shouldn't be doing but they do it anyway... Stop your car when you see people crossing the road. It's a school zone and it take the 3-10 seconds to wait while you are stopped. That's it. Not minutes. Seconds. That's all. You aren't making up any time by rolling at pedestrians and you are willfully putting someone's family at risk. Don't be a nincompoop, just stop. Again, leave a little early and you won't have a problem finding parking. If you can't leave early, just arrange a late pick up meeting area. I did this with my kids and I promise you that it works out just fine. There is also a school bus (check if you are on their route) and there are after school programs that will pick up your kids and hold them until you can get there. You have options. Take a deep breath and do the right thing. Thank you to SLE for the memories before we start the next chapter in our life.

I go to San Lorenzo Valley Elementary. I am in first grade. This school deserves 5 stars. Zoë Haffread more

The best elementary school in Santa Cruz county. Their PTA raises six figures every year.read more

This school has gone down hill since Lynn Chappel left. The new principal is horrible! She could…read morecare less about the students education or safety on campus. This is obviously just a job to her! My son went to BCE for 5 yrs and it was a horrible experience! He has ADHD and was supposed to have a 504 plan to help. They never ever offered any of the accommodations they promised. He failed their state math test because they didn't care enough to help him succeed! Horrible school! He started a new school this year and has excelled in every subject because they actually care and they actually listen and accommodate his needs to learn.

Words can't express how happy we are that our children (2 boys) have been here at SCWS since 2012…read more I'll share about both academic development and social development. Our kids are flourishing and being cared for as individuals, as opposed to following a regimen determined by testing standards. Some parents are worried about the academics, because reading happens later than in public school. But what they might not know is that the children learn to fall in love with letters and stories, prior to learning to read. I had a concern, but our second grader is now reading beautifully and easily. The early math lessons are more advanced, as they learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide a number, all at the same time. They also learn the spelling and Roman numeral while they're learning how the number is used. In other words, they have context for what they're learning, so it has meaning (and is therefore more easily retained) vs. just memorizing a set of numbers. Every time I have a parent-teacher conference, I can feel the true love and care for our children. Our boys have developed deep friendships already with other children whose families have similar values. Each of our boys carries a level of confidence and self-assuredness that we believe would be stamped out my well meaning teachers and potentially other children who are modeling what they watch on TV. I understand there were issues with SCWS in the past, with funding and with some administrative policies (or lack thereof). Parents of older children shared mixed reviews...But I believe this issues have been straightened out and SCWS is a wonderful school and community we are proud to be a part of. If you're a parent who wants to give your children a true childhood, where they aren't exposed to violence, too much stimulation through media that is way too mature for them, and a commitment to the development of your child's spirit, SCWS is the place to be.

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.

I went to elementary and middle school here and loved it…read more The teachers were great and the campus is awesome. It's less than a block to the ocean and lighthouse field as well. Say hello to the surfer statue!

We transferred two of our children to Gateway during the pandemic and could not be more…read moreappreciative for the welcoming and yet still rigorous environment. The leadership is excellent and the children have made wonderful friends. I'm very happy with our choice to move them to Gateway.

Whenever I ask my daughter if she likes her school she shouts, "No, I love it!" Wonderful teachers,…read morelarge campus, bilingual program, fabulous librarian, and some of our dedicated parents have worked to launch EXPLORE AfterSchool, an after school enrichment program with enormous potential. Plus, the totally rad people of Santa Cruz approved a measure that is allowing us to do some major, much needed maintenance upgrades. Our score on Great School doesn't look like much but when I come to Bay View and watch my little daughter run, laugh and play with kids from so many different backgrounds I am filled with optimism and pride. She is learning so much at this wonderful school. I'm proud to be a Bay View parent and proud to send my kids to a Santa Cruz city public school.

I think sometimes people get a little over-anxious about junior's second-grade experience. Is he…read morebeing challenged? Are his interpersonal skills appropriate encouraged? Do his teachers understand his personal foibles? He's in second-grade. So long as he's reading the appropriately-colored book and hasn't bitten anyone, he's probably fine. This was a great school, as far as I recall. We were a rag tag bunch of kids of hippies, some farm workers, academics from UCSC and pretty much everything you could think of. What I remember best is that we had great guest speakers. There was an environmentalist from up on campus who came to give a talk about unleaded gas (yes, I'm that old), and a lady from the temple who showed us how to play the dreidel at Hanukkah, someone's dad gave a translated account of Mexican Independence for Cinco de Mayo, and a sweet hippie who played us songs about love and peace in music class.

Luigi Aprea School is one of the best elementary schools in CA and the definitely the best in the…read moreGilroy area. Excellent teachers Excellent parents participation Excellent facilities Excellent extra-curricular activities State API Scores 9 out of 10

Recently had 5th grade students from Ms. Marshes class to Camp and other destinations. Greatly…read moretreated well by teacher, parents and students on my bus. They did an Excellent job. You all must be very proud of them as I am Had a wonderful time being their driver, made me feel very welcome and comfortable, even cleaned up the bus. HATS OFF to all Pleasure serving you John Joseph (JJ) Reele, Motor Coach Operator, Quality Assurance Travel however now with VIA Adventures, Merced, CA

A wonderful school. My daughter had several delightful years there. Responsible and caring staff.read more

Can't thank this school enough. As a now grown student, I still look back on this schools'…read moreteachings and absolute life lessons that it has taught me. With patience, nurturing, and all around acceptance, Orchard raised me when one person couldn't do it alone. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I had never felt truer words that befit this schools benefits. It truly helped keep my childhood lively and adventurous, and to this day my thoughts linger on just how grateful I am. If I ever have a kid, I'll do my best to ensure they get to go to a school as fine as Orchard. Only shame is, they used to go from K-8, if I recall. But to know they're focusing their teachings on earlier ages is just as righteous to me.

Very beautiful mission. It seems like every-time we go it's a gorgeous day. There are a variety of…read morerestaurants to choose from and a very good local ice cream shop. There is an amazing small flower garden that has a variety of different flowers. The masses are lovely.

Micro tiny town that has huge history!!…read more I think the population is like 1500. This town is cute and quaint. The locals take pride in their city. It's very clean and nice landscaping. Most business are family owned. You won't find many commercial businesses here. This city is known for the mission San Juan Bautista and also for the San Andreas fault line. Both are located in this city. This is a nice place to visit. It's simplicity awesome and appreciated

Thankful for One World Kidz Preschool! It was really tough for us to decide which preschool to…read morechoose and trust for my daughter, we went to several preschools in the area but finally ended up choosing OneWorld because it suits our needs and schedule. Grateful to Miss Anna, she accomadated my daughter when we urgently needed childcare. She is also knowleadgeable and observant, made me comfortable as a mom who was anxious to let go of my daughter. My family felt the assurance that my daughter would be safe and in good hands while she is busy learning, playing while socializing. My daughter is always excited to go to school. In the future, we will choose this school again for my younger daughter.

One World Kidz Preschool is amazing! We kept looking for a preschool where the learning would be…read morefun and engaging. You find that here at One World. When I was looking into other schools, we would get rejections due to my daughter not being fully potty trained at the time. When I found One World, they were able to take her in. I made the best decision to bring her here. Everyone was so kind and generous. They had fun activities in the summer and celebrated each other's birthdays. I will never forget this school. One World will always hold a special place in my heart. For that, they deserve all the very best If you're ever looking for a school for your kids, I highly recommend One World. You will not regret it!