We hired Amber for our All-Church Retreat up at the Mt Hermon Conference Center in Felton. We had…read moreover 400 persons registered so she had 400 potential students to teach how to line dance, of all age ranges. Amber is knowledgeable and punctual; she is professional and easy to work with. She was well-prepared and ready to teach 400 or 40 persons. I appreciated her flexibility and her eagerness to teach, even if it was just 4 of us to start! Amber prepared a chart with the names of the dances she would teach us. She taught us in a progressive style, so we could build our confidence and increase in line dance complexity. We had so much fun and Amber definitely went above and beyond in very aspect of our interactions. We will definitely invite her back next year! I would highly recommend Amber as a line dance instructor!

We love WPENS. It's been so great for my son and family. I love teacher Cory she is such a caring,…read moreloving teacher. She really takes the time to create such a loving, nurturing and safe environment for all children. My son has really thrived socially and emotionally because WPENS. We love the community and support we have at WPENS. It's a really unique experience because not only is it a preschool but also a learning environment for parents. WPENS offers parenting resources. It helps build a nurturing environment at school and at home. As a parent you can really be involved in your child's learning development by participating in and outside the classroom. Overall WPENS is the best choice. We are really happy and are returning back next year!

I love this School! We have been at WPENS for the last 3 years, and what a great community we…read morehave! The magic is all in the name: Westside Parent Education Nursery School. Notice how it says 'Parent Education' - at WPENS the parents learn with the kids! Here are some of the biggest pros: 1.) Lower cost Co-operative preschool - most affordable and keeps you involved with your child's education 2.) Community Building - get to know other families and build connections 3.) PARENT EDUCATION - because we don't know it all. Monthly educational seminars and weekly meetings help to hone those parenting skills 4.) Incredible Teachers - decades of young child education gives a perspective that is invaluable and patience that is incredible.

I loved this place. I was here a few years ago for a special occasion. And they taught me well, and…read morethey taught the person that I was with, and we came out with really nice commemorative, sentimental, a special cool things out of the experience and I loved it. They are a bit pricey, but a lot of ceramic stuff is period they walk you through the entire process.They don't have a lot of glazes to choose from, but they walk you through everything.And there's a whole thing there if you want to be a member.I'm not sure exactly how that works.I did ask about three times in the last few years about it, but never really got any clear answers but I would definitely recommend this as like a date night thing or a special occasion thing

Anna. Wow. An absolute legend 10/10. My husband and I had a great time, but she made it all the…read moremore special. Her passion was contagious and was such a great guide and champion. She was informative and a clear communicator; I mean we're now wanting to take it up as a hobby now! We were taken care of and she really cared about the outcome for us (we could start all over if we needed to). Our experience was incredible. Will definitely be back

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.

Our children both attended Bridges to Kinder, and it was easily the best school experience they've…read morehad. The teachers -- Laura, Lisa, Jennifer, and Li Ping -- are kind, caring, and truly see each child for who they are. These are educators with decades of experience and tons of heart, and it shows! Dropping our kids off each day felt like leaving them with family. The program itself is exceptional. Every day is filled with art, music, hands-on projects, outdoor play, and immersive, imaginative adventures. There are weekly visits to the library, time exploring the garden with Teacher Jane, and visiting with their "Big Buddies" at the elementary school. The teachers' warm, intentional approach helped my kids feel connected, capable, and confident -- lessons that have stayed with them ever since. Interestingly, many parents at B2K are teachers themselves -- I think educators naturally gravitate to the exceptional teaching. I'm an educational therapist, and I feel like I became a better teacher myself by volunteering in the classroom and seeing the teachers in action. Our third grader and first grader still say the B2K teachers were their very favorite and often ask to go back for a visit. They're really there for their families through the good and tough times. During the flooding of winter 2022, the teachers reached out to check on us and even offered a place to stay if we needed to evacuate. That kind of care truly says everything about this school. We're so grateful for Bridges to Kinder. It's a warm, nurturing place that gave our children an incredible foundation -- and set a very high bar for everything that's come after. I only wish that every child could be a part of this school -- it would change the world!

Our experience having our son at B2K has been amazing. The teachers have a magical way of creating…read moreone of the most inclusive classrooms I've ever seen (I'm an elementary school teacher). They make every child feel seen, safe, and confident. Kids who go through this program are ready to be a good human and have the skills to flourish in TK or K. My 3 year old son wakes up every morning so excited to go to school and when I drop him off, I feel so good about leaving him with such extraordinary educators. The communication with parents is so wonderful, the photos and updates are great. We feel so lucky! Cannot recommend enough!!!

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.

Tara is a unique and magical educational experience in the redwood forests near Land of Medicine…read moreBuddha. Our daughters attend and are thriving in the elementary and preschool programs. The preschool program is located in the heart of Soquel. The teachers are terrific and the children and community wonderful. While in Soquel proper, they do make weekly trips up to the redwoods to play and explore. It's an excellent program filled with creative activities, traditional Montessori education, and play. The elementary program is located within the Land of Medicine Buddha, nestled amongst the redwoods, where the children hike, play in the stream, and count banana slugs while on their way to the playground. The class sizes are small which allow our daughter to receive more attention and tailored education than in a traditional public school. Montessori-style teaching meets the student at their current level of development for each subject, providing flexibility and ensuring a child is challenged and not left behind or left waiting for their classmates to catch up. The elementary school teachers are wonderful, highly experienced, and a positive influence on our daughter. Lastly, the school ethos of compassion, mindfulness, inclusion, and kindness instill important values in our children and foster a culture of like-minded parents and teachers who share these same values. PS - Refreshingly, there are no screens at Tara. The children learn through their senses and through physical objects, not by the glow of pixels and hum of electricity.

My children have been at Tara since January of 2022 and every year we are grateful to be a part of…read moretheir community. We started at the Village campus and are now at the Redwood campus. Teachers Adela, Bev, and Regina at the Village Campus are so dedicated and passionate about their work. They show up happy to be there every single day. The daily trips to the Redwood campus to be surrounded by the forest, fun field trips, and Montessori teaching approach have been so valuable to my children. Teachers Namasya and Lisa at the Redwood campus have also been wonderful in continuing the Creating Compassionate Cultures curriculum, which at the heart is based on our body's own wisdom. I love the interconnectedness and values they teach at this school: why it's important to be kind and practice gratitude towards plants and animals, how to make a difference in other's lives, the natural elements and how they pertain to us, food sources & cooking in class, how to be a good friend and so SO much more-- these values feel like the true core of what it means to be a happy, healthy & balanced human in the world and I am just so grateful to have my children learn it at such an early age. Grateful to Tara for going on five years of a truly wonderful experience.

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.