We brought my partner's adult son here for an evaluation. Much $$$$$ later, we got the diagnoses…read morebut some of it was very woowoo using the enneagram. The staff offered us no help other than to try to sell more services. Plus they had other people listening in via Skype or ssomething but neglected to tell us who they were or why they were following along.

Rachel Annon is great! Always enthusiastic and positive, my son loves working with her and she has…read moremade writing much more fun for him. As a result our lives are better... no more huge homework tantrums!

My daughter Clara just graduated from Santa Cruz children's school after 6 years there from…read morekindergarten through 6th grade. I was not sure how to thank the school with all it's dedicated teachers and outstanding directors Joanna and Deric, so I decided to write a review. From day one she became part of a large caring family. When she left she expressed nothing but love and appreciation for all her friends and teachers. Though sad to leave, she felt confident and well prepared for her transition to middle school. In the last couple of years my daughter learned to organize and complete all her work with proud independence. She improved her writing skills considerably, excelled in math, and took up multiple musical instruments with the many talented music teachers at the school. Beyond core courses, the school also puts on plays, a yearly concert, and an end of year multi day class trip adventure for older kids. My daughter has had World inspired cooking classes, movie making classes, circus fun, learned to play chess, civics class with a ucsc professor and much more. How they manage to do all this, keep the kids inspired and eager to learn, as well kind to one another is remarkable. If you are looking for a school where your child will be happy, eager to learn and go to school each day, and well prepared for middle school, I highly recommend Santa Cruz children's School.

After beginning our son's grade school at a different private school in the area and then having…read moresuch a disappointing experience over 2 years, both for our son and for us as parents - we decided to check out Santa Cruz Children's School from a referral and reading reviews.-- After attending the open house in June of 2013, we felt like it was worth a try and hoped that they would provide the care, curriculum, enthusiasm, professionalism and transparency they promised, we so desired and felt we deserve. Now half way through our son's first year at SCCS, they have proven to be all we had hoped for and we couldn't be more grateful. My son is enthusiastic for school every single morning and afternoon! The teachers and administration members have shown to be professional and respectful to each other, the children and parent community. The children are also respectful, kind and supportive of each other. There have been no negative issues of any kind in the classroom or on the playground and I feel strongly that is due to the great degree of responsible supervision, respectful, timely and honest communication and policy that is in place and honored. Our son's 2nd grade teacher has shown a true love and compassion for teaching and children. She fosters the imagination, learning and beauty of each child's individualism and personality. It is a small school with about 48 children, at first a concern of ours, but that is really in where the blessing lies. The small class sizes offer important individualized attention, learning and support. Organization, scheduling and attention to details are top priorities. The school's scheduling of curriculum and homework requirements are clear and consistent! This in itself has provided a better learning structure for focus, responsibility, self-confidence and academic success. We have seen our son's academics (Math, Science, Reading & Writing Comprehension, Spelling) progress and are continuously stimulating and engaging. There has also been great support of Music, Astronomy, Life-lab, Spanish, PE, Art and his beloved Chess! His interests are flourishing along with his love for his new school. He is supported and encouraged to be imaginative, inquisitive and true to himself. We feel very fortunate to have found such success with Santa Cruz Children's School. Thank you!

My son has been going to this school for a few years. We love the community, the teachers have been…read moreoutstanding, the parents are actively supporting operations, and overall it's a very happy place to be.

ok so i personally don't like this school that much because the teachers are not nice and they yell…read moreat you for really weird reasons. also, im pretty sure lots of the teachers and office staff have bipolar depression... For example, they are singing and dancing and laughing with you then all of the sudden they start crying or screaming at you. I think alot of the staff have some kind of anger issues or anxiety because they seem to always be uncomfortable around children and definitely seem intimidated by their students.

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?