Editor's Note January 2020

By Brad Kava

As we turn the corner into a new decade, Growing Up in Santa Cruz is growing up. It’s hard to believe we’ve been publishing for two years. It’s all gone so fast.

We’re looking for big things in 2020 and we have special topics and interests planned for each month. And we’re always up for your suggestions about things you want us to cover.

So far, we’ve been successful fulfilling last year’s resolutions, to be more local and more colorful and to cover nooks and crannies around our diverse and exciting county. We’ve also monitored the pulse of education and community development.

In 2020 we will continue to feature local voices from politicians to teachers who want to take us behind their desks and into their thoughts. We want to continue to bring you the most complete calendar of cheap and free things for families to do every day of the week.

Things we are excited about for the new year: the completion of Leo’s Haven at Chanticleer Park, the first local park that includes play equipment for disabled kids. It opens at 10 a.m. Jan. 18 and should bring visitors to the city from all over the region (#allkidsneedtoplay).

Our January issue focuses on Independent and charter schools, to help parents see some of the very different and specialized approaches various schools have toward educating our kids.

In February you can look forward to our preschools and childcare issue, which also has a section on dental health. This is the first place for parents of toddlers to start planning where they should send their kids during and after preschool.

In March and April we swing over to teens and summer camps. We’ll have features on teens who are making a difference and listings for the best places to send kids for the summer. We’ll have our house and home guide in April, with listings of the businesses who can help.

May’s features will include best ways to spend Mother’s Day, planning your summer party and camps. June, it’s dads, grads and pets. We’ll have a cover contest for the best pet and kid photo, with great prizes.

We’ll help with special needs services in July and we’ll help you prepare for going back to school in August and September. October is baby month; November health and wellness and December, holiday shopping and classes you can give for presents.

Last year we co-sponsored Kids Day downtown and it was a huge success, with thousands of families turning up for music, dance, schools and after school activities. We’ll do that again in early spring.

It’s an exciting year ahead and we’ll keep posting health tips, places and ways to exercise, healthy eating advice and everything you need to know about schools and parenting.

Thanks for reading and cheers to you for growing up with us. We wish you a happy and healthy 2020.

Brad Kava
Jennifer Ford
Steve Dinnen