They have let a 4th grade teacher who passed covid to all but 4 students of 26 kids remain on…read morestaff. She not only endangered lives of these children who hadn't even the chance to defend themselves, their siblings and parents were also infected. Some of these parents were front line workers that missed treating patients. This teacher has blood on her hands and at this point so does the school for allowing her to continue to teach and endanger children's lives everyday. The bullying too is rampant and that is the first reason we left. They allow bigger kids at the middle school to rule and are neglecting students academic and emotional needs.

Both my daughters went here. They loved it! People that complain about "bullying" should have a…read morecivil conversation with the parents of the "bully." Or you can send your child to a local public school, where they teach CRT, no prayers, no pledge of allegiance to our flag, etc. fights, AND bullying definitely occurs. This is a wonderful school.

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.

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.

If your child is fairly average, it can be a great experience if they get one of the better…read moreteachers. Our child started here in kindergarten, and had 2 very good to excellent teachers, 1 okay teacher, 2 poor teachers who used old fashioned methods, seemed burned out, and lacked patience, and 1 young teacher who appeared to want to win a popularity contest with the students. If your child has any sort of disability related to a learning problem or difference, RUN. The school receives very little money for special education, and views those students as a liability. They will go to extreme lengths to avoid providing any specialized instruction or related services. Most people either move or find another school district in the area.

Brook Knoll is a great school that is made up of wonderful teachers, support staff, administration…read morestaff, parents and kids. My son has been attending for a number of years and we have had a lot of great experiences.

Truly exceptional place! Our son thrived in this environment. There have been some recent problems…read morein selection of school administrators, but they have been corrected. Would STRONGLY recommend this school. Do NOT believe the baloney rumors you may read. What difference does it make if the school administration is of a particular religious bent if the do NOT (and I can absolutely confirm this!) proselytize?

My grandson started the Preschool at Aptos Academy this year and he loves it so much (age 4) that…read morehe's constantly asking, "Go to school tomorrow?" - he wants to go back even on his way home let alone that evening or the next day! Not only is the school in a beautiful setting but all the faculty and other students are friendly, caring and welcoming! Small class sizes, a faculty that is caring, nurturing and fills the needs/requirements of each student individually for educational/physical/mental growth and well being in the beautiful Aptos community...what more could one want for their child? We feel so blessed to have discovered the Aptos Academy!

This school has excellent academics but could improve on their athletics. School doesn't have an…read moreathletic field or gym. Overall great community and nice people, and good sports teams, but for sports we have to practice at other place.

Good school But needs a gym…read moreAlso good for college but not for athletic people. Good people here

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!

Pioneer is a hidden gem! If you or anyone you know is looking for an amazing small school for a…read more6th-8th grader, please give them a call. Pioneer Academy has been a life saver for our son and has allowed him to enjoy his early tween/teen years without bullying or social peer pressure. He's happy, excelling, and loving his time there. I cannot say enough good things about this amazing school and the directors...from the morning hikes, daily meditation, life skills (learning how to communicate and effectively express what you feel, nutritional food cooking and shopping, friend/family problem solving), science, math, college-note taking, english, writing, physical education (anywhere from yoga, martial arts, cross-fit), field trips and multi cultural education, I could go on but it's best to go see for yourself.

Our son just completed his first year at Pioneer. After six years of public school, we experienced…read morea complete transformation from real resistance to going to school to it being a source of joy for him every day. Pioneer provides a safe learning environment with a focus on wellness and acceptance. We are very impressed with their approach both with academics and social-emotional support. All of the teachers are incredibly patient with and fair to the students. Because of this safe learning environment, our son excelled in academic subjects he had little interest in before.